Leaving

It had been my intention to begin this leap into the educational fray with some sort of grand introduction of my principles. I thought that knowing me better might lend some legitimacy to my writing. Events at school however have changed that plan.

It turns out that one of the best teachers at my school will be leaving this year for a job in the suburbs. His departure has created some turmoil at work with people lining up, choosing sides and forming opinions. Rumors abound. I am deeply conflicted about his leaving, and I think it raises a number of concerns for me, and for my school.

Professionally, I know that he needs to do what he needs to do. He started the same year that I did, right at the beginning of a step freeze. We are both 3 years behind where we would be in other districts. If they pay him for his years, then he stands to make a great deal more money next year.

Beyond the money, he rightly understands that our school regularly fails to achieve its potential. Based on our staffing levels, our resources, and the quality of our kids, we should be competing with suburban schools across all measures. In stead we seem to be content with out performing our urban counterparts. Teachers are not supported, or pushed to be better in the ways that we would like. We are often scolded, which would be fine, if scolding had any relationship to improved classroom success. Usually the scolding refers to some insignificant non-teaching task we failed to complete.

In his case, there were a few notable instances when decisions were made, denying him incredible professional opportunities purely for the convenience of the school's administration. The often arbitrary nature of our school leadership pushed him farther than most of us. Though we have all had similar experiences. Trying to make positive change at school often results in inexplicable obstacles thrown up by our leadership, in many cases out of the simple unwillingness to do anything other than what they are doing right now.

Frustration and anger are the natural result of this climate when you actually care about your craft, or the kids, or the quality of the school as a whole. I have often checked the job listings after a scolding or another tiresome meeting. When I step back however, and look at the position I have at the school, and thus I stay.

But that brings me to my personal feelings about all of this. There are a group of us who are are committed, perhaps foolishly to the success of our school. We know we offer something valuable there, and we are not in the majority of adults in the school. He was one of us. The school will be a lesser place without him. MY kids will learn less, so that rich kids in the suburbs can do slightly better at pre-algebra. Our best have been traded for their worst.

So I guess thats it. Professionally and rationally, I respect his decision to do what was best for him. Personally, I'm pissed... at my leaders, at him, at the system and I am realizing that I should have titled this post "Quitting."