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There was an article recently in the news that stated there are thousands of teachers, NATIONWIDE who are being paid, with full benefits, including medical, vacation and holiday pay, for literally sitting around in a room during school hours doing nothing. This new kind of Rubber Room, is a holding tank for teachers or administrators who are waiting for their disciplinary hearings. Some of these teachers have been accused of major infractions lik esexual conduct to minor infractions like insubordination and everything in between. While I certainly wouldn’t want to have a teacher suspected of sexual misconduct to be allowed to teach in class, this idea of paying someone a full salary to sit around, for months, is just plain silly.
If you had read this blog before, you know that I had lost a job that I loved working with kids, because the new administrator didn’t like me. But I didn’t take it personally. She singlehandedly got rid of at least 8 other people. And because of her dirt, the Non Profit organization lost the contract with the San Diego Juvenile Probation Department to do Teen Drug and Alcohol Counseling. I guess you could call that Karma! And in reading this article, some of the excuses used to get rid of these teachers seemed pretty flimsy. Using the term “insubordination” is another way of saying “no reason at all, it just sounds good.” That was the excuse that was used to fire me. But when pressed by the Employment Development Department, my boss gave some many contradictory reasons that the Mediator sided in my favor. So listening to some of the reasons these teachers are in “purgatory” sounded familiar. One teacher is in the “room” because she allegedly allowed a student to sing in class while wearing a hat. Another teacher was there because he pushed another student while breaking up a fight. Another teacher is there because he blew the whistle on an Assistant Principal who was fudging test scores.
And what do these teachers do all day in the rubber room? Well, some of them paint portraits of other teachers. Some write novels. Some take college courses and are getting advanced degrees. Some are practicing and teaching each other how to do Yoga. Others are selling Real Estate. Yeah, getting a full salary, upwards of $70,000.00 and more, to exercise. I knew working for a non-profit was the wrong line of work! I should have got a teaching degree and ran afoul of an school administrator instead of a miserable bitch who didn’t want to work with kids anyways. I would have raked in close to $70,000.00. Darn the luck!!!!
This “process” is costing New York City over 65 million dollars a year. I wonder if, in this economy, that money could be better spent elsewhere? But hey, I know, it’s the union’s fault right? Because teachers can’t be fired without due process according to the union contract. But surely, the process could happen much faster than it is now. Some teachers have been waiting YEARS!
There are some teachers who are said to be depressed about their situation. But they OBVIOUSLY aren’t looking at this the right way. Because if there was something you wanted to learn how to do, you have eight hours a day, five days a week to do it. There should be amazing things coming from theses people. Movies scripts, inventions, and ways to save the world, should come rushing out of these rooms. Getting paid to do nothing for eight hours a day! Where the hell do I sign up???
My mother worked in the “ Real Rubber Room” profession for over 40 years. And some of her antidotes were both humorous and disheartening, but not even my mother would want to work with these “patients” or for these employors!
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