City School Stories

Wisconsin Attack On Educators And Other Public Workers Inspires

Notes From The Field

Submitted by Bobbie Cratchit*, February 22, 2011

I remember when I first decided that I would become a teacher.  For me it was not a lifelong dream, more a position of circumstance that brought me to the profession.  I needed a job in walking distance of my small junior college where I had begun freshman year as a social service major.  The Pre-Kindergarten School down the street was hiring a part-time before/after school caretaker.  It fit my needs and I took the job.  It was there that while working with the children I discovered a love for reading to children and helping them develop skills in math and life.

When I informed my parents of my decision to transfer to a four-year education program, my mother stated “Teaching is a noble profession.  You will not make much money and it is very hard work. “My parents supported me, as they always have, and I began my career as a teacher four years later.

It was not an easy road.  I worked full-time and attended classes at night for four years.  I received my degree one year past my expected graduation due to transferring my major.  Five years as an undergrad and one more year as a minimum wage Kindergarten teacher in a day care later, I landed my first salaried teaching job in a parochial school.

In this first grade position, I honed my skills an educator.  I learned the “art” of teaching.   I learned the finesse that it takes to keep 40 six-year olds actively engaged and moving through a curriculum.  I learned how to speak with concerned parents, deal with difficult co-workers and work within the parameters of an often-time difficult administration.  I loved teaching my students, watching them grow and develop the skills they needed.  As my mom had stated to me, I did not make a lot of money.  I made less than the equivalent of the poverty level for a family of four.  Since my family was then a family of three and my husband worked as a construction worker, we managed.  We paid our mortgage and bills on time, which left little else for us.  But I loved what I was doing and as a mother I had maintained a schedule that fit the needs of caring for my daughter.

After eight years in the parochial school, my husband suffered a serious injury that was career ending.  No longer could I work within the parochial system, as they could not offer medical benefits for my daughter and my spouse without my owing them money at the end of the week.  I looked to public education as a possibility for our family to maintain a meager living with medical benefits.  I was hired by the school district in October and given two weeks to resign from my position.  I was shocked that I was called to service in October, but grateful to have an opportunity to help my family. Although it crushed me to leave my students in October, I needed to take the job.

My experience in public school was rocky at first.  I needed to learn how to manage many different types of students who came from a range of backgrounds and cultures.  Since I had experience in the art of teaching, I worked on classroom management and getting to know the community in which I served.

I was transferred the following year to a new school.  It was there that I was supported by an outstanding staff and administration.  We worked collaboratively, attended professional development relative to our practice and shared many personal times together.  We became a school family.

The school was located in one of the lowest income sections in the Philadelphia area.  Students and their families suffered from poverty, abuse, substance abuse, incarcerated parents and mental illness.  Often it was our school family that was the only constant in the lives of our students.  The teachers and administrator understood this, and worked beyond what was expected or required to support our students academically, socially and emotionally.  We were a FAMILY.  I spent 14 years in this school and never regretted my decision.

During this time I also went back to college, twice.  Once, receiving a Masters Degree in Reading Education.  The second, a certification in Education Administration.  This allowed me to increase my salary and acquire skills in other areas of education. It also cost me in money and time with my daughter.   My husband and I divorced during this time as well.  I was charged with supporting my daughter and maintaining our home on my own.  My salary and benefits provided for us, though I was never comfortable and far from rich.  As my Mom had once said, I felt that I was in a noble profession, serving the public and helping the disadvantaged children of our city to become productive students and eventually productive citizens.

It felt good to be a teacher.  I was proud of what I did and many friends and family remarked “Wow, teaching is hard.  How do you do it?’  Or “I could never be a teacher!’’ or “Teaching is a great profession, but you get paid nothing.”  I shook off those remarks with a blanket statement “I love what I do.”   Usually I heard the following “At least you get the summers off!”  Funny, in the past twelve years I have never had a summer off.  I went to college or worked the summer school program.  It was a choice but I needed the extra money and since I liked the work it wasn’t a difficult one.

Now here I am in the 20^th year of my teaching career.  Nothing, for me, has changed in my view of my love for teaching.  Everything has changed in the public perception of my profession.  Yesterday, I posted a Facebook story in support of the Wisconsin teachers and the purported loss of their collective bargaining rights.  A cousin commented “It’s time for the teachers to stop bellying up to the trough of public money!”  Really?  I have never felt or been accused of feasting like a pig (as the comment suggests) on public dollars.  I have always believed in making a fair wage and sacrificing to work in public education.  I have many peers who chose other professions in business, finance and the medical field.  All have made considerably more money in the private sector than I could ever imagine as a teacher.  Many had 401k plans and pensions and bonuses not to mention medical benefits.  How did my noble sacrifice become villainous in the eyes of the private sector?

If you would have asked many college students in the 1990’s what they wanted as a career, most chose technology.  It was a time when technological advances were garnering huge incomes for their employees.  The country was enjoying the digital age and profiting from it.  Most chose the path to money.  Teachers chose the path of least profits.  Now, in 2011 the 401ks are gone.  Private sector workers have lost jobs in all markets; those with medical benefits pay exorbitant premiums or a considerable share of those premiums.  I get it, they are hurting, badly.  What I don’t get is how that has turned teachers into “over-paid, thugs”.  It seems ironic that in my career perceptions change overnight with the tide.

It saddens and disappoints me, that my noble career, that I take much pride in, is now perceived as heartless, money-grubbing and most of all selfish.  I have given to my profession many hours of my life to change the lives of others.  I am not selfish; I do not want more than a fair wage with which to live.  I do not deny others their right to make a fair living for themselves and their families.  I only ask for one thing.  RESPECT.

So this is a tale of two teachers…

One who began her career willing to make compromises financially and personally.

One who is entering the second half of her career disappointed and discouraged that the public believes her to be something she is not, nor ever will be.

Which one do you want teaching our children?

* The author of this guest post is a veteran teacher of the school district.  The name Bobbie Cratchit is an alias.  This teacher has chosen to protect her/his identity.  This makes sense in view of the intimidation tactics that certain school district officials are now resorting to in order to silence dissent.  If anyone still has any doubt that free speech is at risk in our school district, they need only to look at the recent banishment of Hope Moffett from Audenried High School.