If This is Goodbye

I was going to start this post off w/ "Well the good news is.. I still have a job." But then I realized that I had already used that intro. Last year. To the day. Which shows really how sad and precarious education's position is in the list of the Governator's priorities.

Sure the stats may look better. Only five of our staff are receiving layoff notices today. Only five. Except.. we are a really small school. So "only five" translates into.. maybe 15% of our staff. 22% of our English department. 25% of our social science department. 33% of our world language department. 100% of our health department. So yes, the good news is I still have my job. The bad news is, some of my dear, beloved coworkers might not.

I went in to speak with my principal today. I asked her if I should be worried about being consolidated. She said no, especially because of my double credential. If we need to cut some fat in math and in science, instead of losing a full-time employee.. I can go halfsies on science and math. I knew it was a good idea to add the credential in math when I did it, I just didn't know my ass would need saving so soon. Teaching physics will always be my first love and my priority, but it looks like being able to teach math too is what it's going to take to keep my job.

So what I want to say (of course people who blog have something they want to say) is this.. there is something WRONG here. Have I mentioned that California is ranked #47 in the list of state spending on their students? FORTY-FREAKIN'-SEVEN. Below the national average, below DC.. above only Utah, Arizona, Nevada, and Texas. I don't think my coworkers should have to worry about losing their job every year over things they have no control of--how the state is deciding to spend its money and how long they've been at the job. The system is obviously broken. I just wish I knew who could or how to fix it.