Now I want to get down to my unit. I made a proposal sometime last spring, early, to come up with a program that would help those of our kids with special educational needs be more successful. This was not to be for the lower functioning kids as they already have a great deal of protection in place, if their parents would only use that protection. My purpose was to help the kids that actually had a clue and were very possibly able to go on, not only to college, to bigger and better things. The problem with many, is that the traditional idea of school is archaic. The. "sit in class, listen to the instructor, do the classwork and homework, go to the next class, blah, blah, blah," shit does not really work for some kids, so..... I came up with an idea. It is not original by any means as others have found some degree of success with the same concept. I only tried to tailor it to the kids I know.
Here was the "concept." I wanted to allow these particular children to work strictly on their computer curriculum and work at their own pace. If they completed a certain number of lessons, they would be able to leave or go home and work on more whatever was best for them and their parents. I have five kids last year for whom this worked very well. My thought was to expand the program to about twenty of thirty with paraprofessionals in the room for added assistance as needed. Well, let me tell you, that is not what happened. (I know, you are completely fucking shocked aren't you?)
When it came down to me, actually in May or maybe even earlier, I was not even informed. In fact, one of my colleagues, whom I think is wonderful, told me she had heard of the' "rumor," that they wanted me to run a program such as that I had proposed. When I finally asked the person with the proverbial power about the "rumor" she stated that it was a fact, BUT, it was to be done in "their" way. Of course, I immediately knew it would not be pretty. I allowed her to talk, then told her why it would not work. She wanted to put 20 to 25 kids, mind you these kids already have issues with the manner in which education is provided at the present time, in a room together (don't forget these are high school kids and some a quite large) to work on the computer. On a regular 8 foot table they wanted to put three computer and, obviously, three kids. What the fuck???? I would have freaked having to be the fucking close to somebody all day.
Then, she wanted a section for middle school and high school. I worked with middle school kids for 15 years and do not like how needy they are anymore, I know it is my advancing age, but, I digress, and I do not want to really work with them now. Se was talking about 50 each, which means 100 at a time and two shortened day sessions so about 200 kids. I worked in the high school last year and we had 7 adults, plus me and the head of high school, with less than 50 kids, AND these were the, "good," kids. How can anyone with a brain, or even 1/4 of one, think that something like what she wanted would be good for any-fucking-body? I told her that no more than 10 to 12 should be in a room and that that number was WAY to high to make it work well. She said that this was the only way to make it work. I told her that I disagreed and left it at that.
(Quickly, I did the job of high school special education coordinator last year for a ridiculously low salary and they did not even OFFER me more money to head a program of 4 times the kids. Not only was it not offered, they wanted to give me less, but that has already been discussed.)
I went through, "negotiations" with regard to salary beginning in June and lasting until into September. Each offer was the same fucking thing. I think that some money people think that the rest of us are idiots and that we will give in just because the repackage the same fucking numbers. I, for one, was not having it. In fact, when I was offered the "extra" $1000.00 for an extra 360 hours and more, I actually chuckled and asked, "You're not really serious, are you?" She, obviously, took me for some kind of imbecile that just fell of the proverbial turnip truck. I know I keep re-hashing this but, damn it, they are a bunch of penny-pinching fuck-wads. Anyway, the reason I brought this up again is that I did not agree to take the job until the absolute last minute due to the lack of pay. I offered many options of which none were agrred upon UNTIL I acted as if I were beggin. Surprisingly enough, she came up with EXACTLY what I had proposed. Since it was HER idea, though, it was OK. Enough said. (still not enough, but much better than the original "offer").
We began, as is usualy for these idiots, without having any idea what students would be where. I was told, the first day of school, that I only had 10 kids on the"books." I had at least 15 that first day and more than ten were added each day for the next five. Remember, I was the ONLY person working my unit at that time. I finally had to tell the enrollment girls to STOP. They said that they needed the OK for the owner and the "head of school" in order to listen to me. The quantity of kids with one person was, and will always be, until the imminent collapse of society, illegal, but, when you are "the most important and special person in the world," little things such as "the law" are not meant for you, only for the lower life forms (in your fucking inhuman mind). It took me more than two weeks to get some other body in my unit, though, I was promised, before the beginning of school, that I would have paraprofessionals already hired to work with my kids. OH MY! No fucking shit! They screwed the kids again in the name of the almighty dollar.
This is enough for now. I will be back to it as soon as I can.
Friday, September 21, 2007
Let us go back to the differences.
I want to quickly re-visit the differences in the manner in which some of the kids are treated. I had the "audacity" to go downstairs to the soon to be new unit for the Jewish kids. Before I go on, I want you to know this is through no fault of the kids themselves because they have nothing to do with it. While we run around trying to find fans, water and even a working bathroom for our kids, the new unit is shaping up to be wonderfully appointed. I suppose I need to inform you that I do inspections of commercial and private buildings on the side, so I do know a bit about construction. I have also done flooring in the recent past.
What I saw made my heart hurt for MY kids, which are, of course, your kids as well. Although things are not yet complete, it can be easily seen that there is definite disparity. Most of my kids are black and poor while the others are white, Jewish and not so poor. Anyway, while walking around I noticed that this area, which should not really be thought of a a basement because there are windows which look out into the side yard, as the landscaping has a slope down to the bottom of the floor, is set to be quite impressive. There is a great deal of CENTRAL AIR duct work throughout the entire area. There is wall-to-wall carpeting. There is a bathroom which has new ceramic 12 x 12 tiles, or a measure close to that, as I did not actually measure. There is an area where there are cabinets and a sink which will probably be used for something like a Home Economics class, and the base is done correctly with the carpeting used on the floor. Upstairs we have nothing. The bathrooms don't even have stalls. In fact, in my particular area, the boys and girls have to share a one stall bathroom with only a toilet and no urinal. I don't know about you, BUT, to me, this is an absolute case of, while not necessarily racism because we DO have a few, "white," kids, elitism. Some THINKING that certain children are "BETTER" than others. Is this the fucking 50s? This is the shit where we really need Jesse fucking Jackson or Al, "Yes, I really am an idiot with supremely bad hair," Sharpton to get on the story. I am going to attempt to post some photos to show you all what the new area looks like at this moment. I will, hopefully, get some pictures of the area we inhabit as soon as possible. Next week is my intention.
For those of you whom have knowledge of the place in which this is happening, I know you will fell my pain. For those of you whom have not yet been exposed to this travesty, wait for a couple of days and you WILL be absolutely appalled.
those fucking... I can't even express my absolute disgust.....
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
What they have done to the kids.
Now I want to let you know what has been done to the kids by this fucking racist ownership. Some of this may be reiteration, but bare with me (is that the correct form of bare? I can never remember.).
From the beginning of last school year, 06-07, the kids, as well as the staff (to which I have alluded before and will speak of again) have gotten the proverbial shaft in more ways than just money. The beginning of the school years 06-07 and 07-08 were both fraught with disorganization and un-needed drama. Last year no one knew what students we would have for the first two weeks. This year it is much the same. The girls in enrollment, not through any true fault of their own because they listen to the skank-bitch owner and her lackey, the supposed "head of school," keep on bringing in more students (more kids equals more money, you know). The students then are told to arrive at school BUT no one yet has a schedule. This is NOT the way to run a school. In every other school I have worked or been a student, you get a schedule BEFORE you enter the area in which you belong. In other words you sign up get a schedule then go to your classes as scheduled. What is the fucking difficulty here? That is of course rhetorical because we all know it is the money-grubbing bitch who runs the show. Whether or not things run smoothly is not her concern.
Her concern is only that she get enough money to upgrade the building they bought, thereby ensuring that something of this venture has some return (the kids will get her no return on investment which is why we have no fucking supplies, BUT the building becomes an asset when this ridiculous, on its third year of academic emergency, bullshit entity finally implodes). They can use that against their fines, etc. But, they probably won't be fined because those in power such as this rarely lose. We, the people in the trenches working and toiling every day, meaning the kids as well as the educators here who actually give a shit, are the folks that ultimately lose.
More later about the specifics of my program.
From the beginning of last school year, 06-07, the kids, as well as the staff (to which I have alluded before and will speak of again) have gotten the proverbial shaft in more ways than just money. The beginning of the school years 06-07 and 07-08 were both fraught with disorganization and un-needed drama. Last year no one knew what students we would have for the first two weeks. This year it is much the same. The girls in enrollment, not through any true fault of their own because they listen to the skank-bitch owner and her lackey, the supposed "head of school," keep on bringing in more students (more kids equals more money, you know). The students then are told to arrive at school BUT no one yet has a schedule. This is NOT the way to run a school. In every other school I have worked or been a student, you get a schedule BEFORE you enter the area in which you belong. In other words you sign up get a schedule then go to your classes as scheduled. What is the fucking difficulty here? That is of course rhetorical because we all know it is the money-grubbing bitch who runs the show. Whether or not things run smoothly is not her concern.
Her concern is only that she get enough money to upgrade the building they bought, thereby ensuring that something of this venture has some return (the kids will get her no return on investment which is why we have no fucking supplies, BUT the building becomes an asset when this ridiculous, on its third year of academic emergency, bullshit entity finally implodes). They can use that against their fines, etc. But, they probably won't be fined because those in power such as this rarely lose. We, the people in the trenches working and toiling every day, meaning the kids as well as the educators here who actually give a shit, are the folks that ultimately lose.
More later about the specifics of my program.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Specifically the negotiations????
I have been involved in the education field since I was in 6th grade, working with the first grade kids. It has been a calling ever since in various ways. At first I thought I wanted to get into juvenile justice because I was on probation as a snotty-assed teenager. Then I thought it would be a bit better to get to the kids BEFORE they got to be that teenaged know-it-all. Ah-ha!!! Education was the answer, AT LEAST I THOUGHT SO UNTIL I ACTUALLY GOT INTO THE CLASSROOM. Anyway, to make this part of the story more succinct, suffice it to say I have a huge amount of experience in the field of education. I was in sixth grade in 1976 so go ahead and do the math.
While running for city council in my newly adopted town, I decided it was time to get back into the field after a five year hiatus, which was precipitated by four unholy and horrendous years in the Cleveland Municipal School District.
I applied and was hired at a school in Cleveland Heights. Neither the city nor the building owners, as well as those businesses surrounding, wanted us there so they ultimately forced us to move. Before this happened, I blew them off for about two months. I was hired in about August or early September but kept putting them off until after the election which was the first week of November. I didn't even call them for weeks at a time, but, when I lost and everything was back to normal, I called and was immediately welcomed aboard as a contractor on a 1099. The 1099 concept, though completely foreign to these fucking idiots, generally means that one is bound only by the job to be completed. These imbeciles thought they could bully people into believing their take, which forced folks to follow their schedule and rules. Every attorney to whom I spoke said the whole idea of an independent contractor, 1099 worker, was that they perform the job but in whatever manner they deemed necessary. No work for no pay. They wanted various things that had no baring on the performance of the job such as CPR, TB test, weekly meetings, etc. I balked at them all and only complied with one because the motherfuckers held my check until I got my CPR certification. It is not a bad thing to have but there is no way it can be considered a requirement in the grand scheme. I suppose it could for a regular employee, but not for a contractor. That's enough background because I think you get what they are all about.
Specifically, I have stayed because I let my license lapse, which, of course has not suddenly negated my knowledge, but has, I guess, made me taboo in the eyes of the great State of Ohio, those are another bunch of fucking jerk-offs. I "negotiated" with the money lady who is so tight you can hear her squeak when she walks. She listens to absolutely nothing. If it was not her idea it is not anything at all. There was a proposal for a new type of unit, not overall but for this school, which I submitted about February of last school year, 06-07. It entailed a smaller sized environment which would serve the "At-Risk" population of High School students. Those with potential but without the social and/or academic skills to function in the "regular" environment. Everyone liked the idea, but, as with everything I have ever seen in the education field, no one let alone. Each person whom got his or her, mostly her, hands on it added more change, which as it now stands is something I would never have agreed to, let alone proposed. In fact, I do not think it has any basis in reality or legality, but, as usual, I digress.
Last year I negotiated for a salary because I am really bad about doing taxes myself. I got the salary but it was so small I had to have it given to me in 10 months instead of 12 so I could pay for my mortgage. I have no benefits or anything with that. (Remember, I have over 17 year's worth of experience which is more than ANYONE else in the building.) This year, they asked me to increase my student load by 3 times and run the program. Last year I was more like a counselor and assistant principal for approximately 40 kids. This year I have a staff of four, but should be at least 8 and over 120 kids so far. Last year my hours were from 8:30 until 3:45 for approximately 185 days. This year they WANTED me to be there from 7:30 until at least 5:30 every day AND work for and extra 37 days WITHOUT a raise. OH, they offered me a raise which was a measly $1300 dollars for the lengthened year which worked out to something like $3 per pay then they offered me $1000.00 over that for the extra 2.5 hours each day which worked out to less than $1 per hour. This is insulting and should make them embarrassed. BUT they are so set in their odd little world that they do not see it as wrong. The pay I would have taken home would have been less than the previous year. In fact, if I had taken them up on their, "generous," offer of 1/2 of health insurance, it would have been so small I could not have even hoped to supplement the income due to ridiculous hours and days. Imagine a mortgage payment of $1200 and figure it out for yourself. It would have been impossible to do anything BUT pay the mortgage. Then there is vehicle, gas, heat, water, electricity and, don't even think I don't need some type of recreation because we all do. What in the FUCK are these dick wads thinking?????
I AM dedicated to working to help kids make themselves the best they can be BUT I have absolutely no dedication to the scum-fuckers that run the school. They obviously want the lowest common denominator working with their population, so... I have told all the kids I can to leave and find some place that might actually help them to learn. They all want me to stay and help them but I cannot afford to. $6000 more a year and I would do it, in fact I told them they should just pay me the contractor price of $20.00 per hour for the extra two and one half hours and be done with it, but this is fucking highway robbery being perpetrated against hard-working kind-hearted individuals. FUCK you all!!!!!! (I did also suggest that all I would need to do is come up with a kid or two to tutor and would make up what I want anyway. They basically scoffed at the idea. We will see.)
Read on for the things they have done to the kids thus far this year other than the "special" place for the Jewish kids which is horrendously racist.
While running for city council in my newly adopted town, I decided it was time to get back into the field after a five year hiatus, which was precipitated by four unholy and horrendous years in the Cleveland Municipal School District.
I applied and was hired at a school in Cleveland Heights. Neither the city nor the building owners, as well as those businesses surrounding, wanted us there so they ultimately forced us to move. Before this happened, I blew them off for about two months. I was hired in about August or early September but kept putting them off until after the election which was the first week of November. I didn't even call them for weeks at a time, but, when I lost and everything was back to normal, I called and was immediately welcomed aboard as a contractor on a 1099. The 1099 concept, though completely foreign to these fucking idiots, generally means that one is bound only by the job to be completed. These imbeciles thought they could bully people into believing their take, which forced folks to follow their schedule and rules. Every attorney to whom I spoke said the whole idea of an independent contractor, 1099 worker, was that they perform the job but in whatever manner they deemed necessary. No work for no pay. They wanted various things that had no baring on the performance of the job such as CPR, TB test, weekly meetings, etc. I balked at them all and only complied with one because the motherfuckers held my check until I got my CPR certification. It is not a bad thing to have but there is no way it can be considered a requirement in the grand scheme. I suppose it could for a regular employee, but not for a contractor. That's enough background because I think you get what they are all about.
Specifically, I have stayed because I let my license lapse, which, of course has not suddenly negated my knowledge, but has, I guess, made me taboo in the eyes of the great State of Ohio, those are another bunch of fucking jerk-offs. I "negotiated" with the money lady who is so tight you can hear her squeak when she walks. She listens to absolutely nothing. If it was not her idea it is not anything at all. There was a proposal for a new type of unit, not overall but for this school, which I submitted about February of last school year, 06-07. It entailed a smaller sized environment which would serve the "At-Risk" population of High School students. Those with potential but without the social and/or academic skills to function in the "regular" environment. Everyone liked the idea, but, as with everything I have ever seen in the education field, no one let alone. Each person whom got his or her, mostly her, hands on it added more change, which as it now stands is something I would never have agreed to, let alone proposed. In fact, I do not think it has any basis in reality or legality, but, as usual, I digress.
Last year I negotiated for a salary because I am really bad about doing taxes myself. I got the salary but it was so small I had to have it given to me in 10 months instead of 12 so I could pay for my mortgage. I have no benefits or anything with that. (Remember, I have over 17 year's worth of experience which is more than ANYONE else in the building.) This year, they asked me to increase my student load by 3 times and run the program. Last year I was more like a counselor and assistant principal for approximately 40 kids. This year I have a staff of four, but should be at least 8 and over 120 kids so far. Last year my hours were from 8:30 until 3:45 for approximately 185 days. This year they WANTED me to be there from 7:30 until at least 5:30 every day AND work for and extra 37 days WITHOUT a raise. OH, they offered me a raise which was a measly $1300 dollars for the lengthened year which worked out to something like $3 per pay then they offered me $1000.00 over that for the extra 2.5 hours each day which worked out to less than $1 per hour. This is insulting and should make them embarrassed. BUT they are so set in their odd little world that they do not see it as wrong. The pay I would have taken home would have been less than the previous year. In fact, if I had taken them up on their, "generous," offer of 1/2 of health insurance, it would have been so small I could not have even hoped to supplement the income due to ridiculous hours and days. Imagine a mortgage payment of $1200 and figure it out for yourself. It would have been impossible to do anything BUT pay the mortgage. Then there is vehicle, gas, heat, water, electricity and, don't even think I don't need some type of recreation because we all do. What in the FUCK are these dick wads thinking?????
I AM dedicated to working to help kids make themselves the best they can be BUT I have absolutely no dedication to the scum-fuckers that run the school. They obviously want the lowest common denominator working with their population, so... I have told all the kids I can to leave and find some place that might actually help them to learn. They all want me to stay and help them but I cannot afford to. $6000 more a year and I would do it, in fact I told them they should just pay me the contractor price of $20.00 per hour for the extra two and one half hours and be done with it, but this is fucking highway robbery being perpetrated against hard-working kind-hearted individuals. FUCK you all!!!!!! (I did also suggest that all I would need to do is come up with a kid or two to tutor and would make up what I want anyway. They basically scoffed at the idea. We will see.)
Read on for the things they have done to the kids thus far this year other than the "special" place for the Jewish kids which is horrendously racist.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
2007-2008 Beginning
I knew this was going to be a shitty beginning when I was stuck in bullshit "negotiations" with some idiotic, thinks she's smarter than everyone else, fanatical religious nutcase, "I know because you can't possibly have a clue," bitch all summer. I gave her thousands of chances and ideas but she decided not to listen. I do, after all, have more experience in my particular field than EVERYONE else in this mother-fucking organization. But, I see, that is not important when you know everything there is to know about everything in the world because you grew up in a sheltered universe and think you are "the great white (Orthodox Jewish) hope." I am rarely prejudiced against a group of people but these folks are more than 65% the rudest most haughty people I have ever had the displeasure of meeting. In fact, since my early years and hearing about the Holocaust, I have always said I was probably Jewish back in my bloodline. Well, if it was Orthodoxy, I would renounce in less than a second because of those I have met. Don't get me wrong there a a few of this group I have talked with and consider friends but not many. I hope this is a very strange grouping, but I fear not. I will always give someone the benefit of the doubt but will not let anyone walk over me or mine without them knowing where I stand. AND.... The following IS where I stand.
All summer long I have been in "negotiations" with the money lady, and I use the word lady very loosely because I have a difficult time believing that this being is even human, along with her boss, The Queen Bitch. Anyway, these negotiations have to do with my extensive experience and education in my field. I know I do not have the old license I used to have as I let it lapse, BUT that does not negate my experience in any way shape or form. In their eyes, though, someone who has their first license, meaning just out of college, is more worthy for their program than me with a great deal of experience. Well, when I leave, which will be as soon as is possible, they can have their cake and eat it, too AND watch my ass walking out of the fucking door. Because of the money-grubbing attitude of the ownership and "upper-eschelon" of the worthless piece-of-shit school, nothing gets done correctly. It is all about "How many kids can I get in here," and "Let's evaluate them so we can get more money." Special education, after all, allows schools to get more money per student. If a child can be identified as Special Ed, the school gets a bigger chunk of change. Look at the files, my friends, they will tell you a story you might want to read. Every child is tested upon entering our school and most are, surprise surprise surprise, found to have some sort of disability. Good going. Way to make money, even if it is about you and ABSOLUTELY NOT about what is best for the kids. You and your Tree of Knowledge wouldn't know how to educate our children if it was the last thing you had to do on Earth. If I had kids in your establishment, I would have sued you a long time ago you racist fucking BITCH! But they don't want to pay me. I do not even make $25,000 a year which is insulting.
Your little Jewish girls in the enrollment office as well as the girls in the very nice and carpeted basement rooms, are proof of your absolute inability to understand your population. We are in the city you fucking idiot. We should have some women or men that know the city enrolling our students, not some little Orthodox girls who grew up in a very select enclave. I cannot believe you are that fucking stupid, but it shines through every fucking day. I have not despised a person so much since my divorce but you go beyond even that. You are scum that has no purpose on this planet and I hope one day people find out what you have done. I want to see you fall and will probably be the biggest cheerleader when it happens.
My diatribe aside, I will now give some more specifics. Check the next post for more.
All summer long I have been in "negotiations" with the money lady, and I use the word lady very loosely because I have a difficult time believing that this being is even human, along with her boss, The Queen Bitch. Anyway, these negotiations have to do with my extensive experience and education in my field. I know I do not have the old license I used to have as I let it lapse, BUT that does not negate my experience in any way shape or form. In their eyes, though, someone who has their first license, meaning just out of college, is more worthy for their program than me with a great deal of experience. Well, when I leave, which will be as soon as is possible, they can have their cake and eat it, too AND watch my ass walking out of the fucking door. Because of the money-grubbing attitude of the ownership and "upper-eschelon" of the worthless piece-of-shit school, nothing gets done correctly. It is all about "How many kids can I get in here," and "Let's evaluate them so we can get more money." Special education, after all, allows schools to get more money per student. If a child can be identified as Special Ed, the school gets a bigger chunk of change. Look at the files, my friends, they will tell you a story you might want to read. Every child is tested upon entering our school and most are, surprise surprise surprise, found to have some sort of disability. Good going. Way to make money, even if it is about you and ABSOLUTELY NOT about what is best for the kids. You and your Tree of Knowledge wouldn't know how to educate our children if it was the last thing you had to do on Earth. If I had kids in your establishment, I would have sued you a long time ago you racist fucking BITCH! But they don't want to pay me. I do not even make $25,000 a year which is insulting.
Your little Jewish girls in the enrollment office as well as the girls in the very nice and carpeted basement rooms, are proof of your absolute inability to understand your population. We are in the city you fucking idiot. We should have some women or men that know the city enrolling our students, not some little Orthodox girls who grew up in a very select enclave. I cannot believe you are that fucking stupid, but it shines through every fucking day. I have not despised a person so much since my divorce but you go beyond even that. You are scum that has no purpose on this planet and I hope one day people find out what you have done. I want to see you fall and will probably be the biggest cheerleader when it happens.
My diatribe aside, I will now give some more specifics. Check the next post for more.
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