edensgarden's Diaryland Diary ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Insecurities, prejudice and a narrow minds. Today I was going to write a lighthearted and heart felt essay on the wonderful day I had yesterday. But what I read in the local paper saddens and frustrates me, and I feel I must address it. The Headline read: School Board Fires English Teacher The reason that Michelle, one of my co-workers at the Junior High near you, was fired was not for incompetency or for violation of any laws, she was fired because she was honest, demanding of her students, unwavering in her dealings with parents, and unliked by those same parents and the administration. I must admit, the first few weeks that I student taught, I was afraid of Michelle. She had an �in your face� type of approach to dealing with people. She always forgot my name, but I grew to respect her as a person, and as an educator, because she demanded nothing but the best from her students. She did not accept their excuses and did not mince words when it came to dealing with parents. A few months back, she made arrangements for two survivors of the Holocaust to come and speak to the 8th grade. It was a once in a life time opportunity to have contact with history. I was moved by these people who came and shared a horrific part of their lives with us. Others in the school did not feel this way, however. The teacher in charge of the student council felt slighted because she was not mentioned in any of the �thank you�s� that were offered � seeing that that the Student Council did nothing to help plan this activity, I don't know why they expected any thanks. A few parents called and complained that the school should not have allowed this event to occur, because it gave their children night mares, and was too realistic for them. ***Eden thinks to herself: �Excuse me? Two survivors of the Holocaust sharing their experiences is no more gory or graphic than anything the typical teenager sees on television, or at the movies. Further, the events of the Holocaust, especially those of Auschwitz, are well chronicled, and nothing that anyone of us should be afraid to talk about. And it�s nothing that hasn�t been spoken of before!� Michelle is a person who does not take quibbling with parents or with students lightly. Her rational for this is to better prepare her students for life as adults. Apparently learning from mistakes and taking responsibilities for one�s own choices is too much for some parents and students to handle. I guess they like mediocrity and believe that no one is to blame for their own incompentecy. In this whole situation accusations of religious prejudice have surfaced. Michelle is Jewish, and while I did not see anything overt to suggest these claims are true, I think that they do have some merit and with further investigation will prove to be true. Michelle and her attorney are filing an EEOC suit in Federal Court. My frustration in all of this is many fold. I have always been one to speak my mind on any subject. I want to speak my mind on this issue in weightier forums than Diaryland. I would like to write a letter to the Editor of the paper, or perhaps the School Board. But, I�m not in a position where I should or can be a boat rocker. I am a potential employee in this school district, do I dare put my own professional future on the line to defend a friend, or do I keep my mouth shut to protect my own future? But then again, do I want to work in a place like this? The School Board made a mistake, by firing Michelle. But what is to be expected from small town yokels, with a small town agenda to execute and small town insecurities and prejudices to protect and foster? 9:33 a.m. - April 05, 2002 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
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