Impressive Background

 

    "While you have an impressive background..."

     "With respect to your experience..."

      I think these rejections are worse than when I was younger and had no background, had no experience. At least then I could say "I will improve. I can get experience."

       But now -and by "now" I mean since 4 October 2019 until 5 March 2023. "Now" is the current lost season I am attempting to navigate with humor. And by humor I mean why is Shaq still doing commercials with his impressive background. With respect to your experience we'd like for you to sell Papa John's? Which is the best I can do right now. Humor.

      Everyone else (and by "everyone else" I am speaking hyperbolically about every teacher who started at 22 and is retired now, or gets to retire this year, or will retire in two years, which means they're getting out and I am not I am not I am not.) I am not. Every educator my age who is still teaching is doing so because  for one of three reasons: 1. They want to. They're trying to make it to year 33 so they can get the highest percentage possible out of PERA, which is how they got us in the first place. 2. They're just a nut job who likes teaching. Nobody told me I had to put in over thirty years for it to pay off. Seems rude considering I didn't start until age 37.

     I'm the third OR: others like me who started late and are now trapped.

    Do you know what I also think is rude? That in Colorado, a teacher cannot change districts without losing years off of their salary. That's right. So a teacher with 20 years in who moves to another district does so by taking a massive pay cut. Some districts will not give you more than four years. Others it's seven. Nowhere is it your full 20. That's pretty cheap, friends. Education is the only place that happens, and insanely it is allowed and not contested. We're supposed to be happy to have a job, period, and overjoyed at our pension fund. I've been so gaslit.

    We are paid on a salary schedule.  Which is a ladder that pays teachers with masters hours more than others, and teachers with more years in more than others. The issue is the inconsistency. Salary schedules vacillate from district to district, but in general a first year teacher makes about $40K a year. Which in Colorado qualifies as poverty level, but we're ignoring that. We're just supposed to be happy to have a job with a retirement plan.

    What this means is, District A will pay a BA teacher with 20 years in $60K a year, and District B will pay a teacher with a BA and 20 years in $85K a year. So the teacher in District A should- in theory- be able to switch to District B and receive their 20 year salary and get a raise. However, District B will only pay the District A teacher the salary for a seven year teacher, which is $52K a year. So to change districts, the teacher takes a pay cut. For no reason other than they had the nerve to change districts. How dare they?

    Now, let's say you're in the highest paid district in the state. (I'm using examples from salary schedules, not telling you my real numbers, friends) You have a masters degree and are making $90K a year with 20 years in. But the building you are in is in crisis and cutting teachers, and even though you allegedly have Teacher Status, there are no jobs for you elsewhere in the district. So you begin to venture into other districts. And you learn that they know they can't pay you past their seven year mark, which is $50K, so all parties are doing a useless dance that resembles the dog and pony show. You interview for a job you are more than qualified for, and they know you can't afford the pay cut so they don't offer you the job. So why did you bother to interview?

    Because you only have 20 years in, and you cannot retire, even though you are north of 55 years old, and you don't have a job in your district next year. Or your principal is insane and you need to leave. Or you see the writing on the wall and know your job will not exist in your building in two years, so you are trying to plan ahead. Or you got shot at or you don't feel safe. Or a kid threw an eraser at your head and told you to fuck off. Or ...keep going. There are a million reasonable arguments to leave a building, Teachers should be allowed to move districts without being financially punished.

    And so-back to the scenario- they have to say no, even if they like you, even if you would be a perfect fit, because the people in the building cannot offer you more than the district has determined you are worth.

    This is the trap. The system only pays off for people who start teaching immediately out of college and marry a building or district for 33 years. At which point, they get to retire at 85% of their salary.

    Whooo---hoo!

    This has been a public service announcement. Thank you for listening.