I'm vindicated!

[ginlindzey]

You'd have to look back a couple of years in the blog to read about the nightmare that happened at my former middle school, Porter, when the new administration let discipline go to hell and I desperately pleaded with the district to do something. I ended up breaking up a gang fight in a girls restroom (rather traumatic), wrote a lengthy email that I sent to district officials that I had already been in proper communication with plus copied that to the superintendent and school board. The principal hijacked my evaluation, marked me down in 6 areas, & screwed me over in numerous ways. My thanks for being concerned about the safety and welfare about students, colleagues and self.

She was awarded a brand new middle school to open this year. However, this has just appeared on the district website:

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Administrative Changes Announced at Two Austin Middle Schools - Statement from Dr. Paul Cruz, Associate Superintendent for Middle Schools
Printable View

December 21, 2007 - Today I advised the faculty and staff of Garcia Middle School that their Principal, Ms. Judy Szilagyi, will leave the campus at the end of this semester, to accept another position with the Austin School District. Ms. Szilagyi is an experienced elementary and middle school principal, and her work to help launch the District's newest middle school campus last August is to be commended.

Also today I met with the faculty and staff of Fulmore Middle School, and advised them that their Principal, Lucio Calzada, will leave their campus at the end of this semester, to become Garcia's interim principal for the remainder of this academic year. Dr. Carol McKenzie, an experienced middle school principal who has served the Austin School District in the past, will become interim Principal at Fulmore.
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It's all I can do to resist writing the superintendent and saying ABOUT TIME--NOW, HOW ARE YOU GOING TO MAKE IT UP TO ALL THE FAITHFUL TEACHERS YOU SCREWED OVER WHILE SUPPORTING THIS WOMAN?

I know, I know, let it go, Ginny. Let it go....

Comments

[ginlindzey.livejournal.com]

At least I sign my name to what I write.

I don't get in trouble because the people I work with know me for the honest, decent, hardworking person that I am. They know that I'm the kind of person that will take the risk and speak up for what is right.

I did that. I did that with this woman and the school district that I live in and that my children attend. I spoke up against the incredibly dangerous situation that was playing out at a school I enjoyed working at. I did what any decent person would do WHO IS NOT INTIMIDATED BY EMPLOYERS AND BLACKLISTING.

Teachers are treated like slaves. We are treated like slaves because we allow it. IN WHAT OTHER PROFESSION do people regularly put themselves in an environment that can be dangerous? That year from hell--FROM BLOODY HELL--was caused by THIS WOMAN'S INCOMPETENCE, by the district's totally unwillingness to believe THE TEACHERS WHO HAD WORKED AT THAT SCHOOL FOR YEARS over this new comer--all because she was administrations and we were lowly teachers.

HOW DO I NOT GET IN TROUBLE?

How could I not believe in what I do if I don't have the guts to speak up for the safety and well being of my students? Of my friends and colleagues who still teach in the district?

How do you cower in whatever hole you do, not speaking up?

I was vindicated by the district removing the woman from office. AND YET, there will be no apology from the district for the mental and emotional harm they caused by refusing to listen to my pleas and the pleas of almost every teacher at that school. Administrations don't apologize, they just move on.

This is my blog about the REALITIES of teaching. If you don't like it, go read someone else's blog.