A chair about to tip over, forever

[sabotabby]

There are worse things happening in the world. So many worse things. And worse things happening to friends and loved ones.

But I am selfish, and the announcement a few minutes ago that dooms my school and possibly my career is the only thing spinning over in my head.

My school will close. We won't be able to staff it with the loss of one or two staff members enough to run courses.

Thousands and thousands of teachers will be unemployed. I am hoping I'm far enough up the seniority list not to be, but I don't think I am. As I predicted, the Goatfucker decided to attack high school rather than elementary, because no one gives a shit about high school kids, or teachers, and in particular no one cares about kids like the ones I teach.

But at least the cute kindergarteners are safe. At least this year.

Comments

[sacramentalist]

Oh shit. I'm so so sorry.

[sabotabby]

Kids like mine deserve an education. And teachers like me—who do more than just running through rote drills but take the time to actually build relationships with students—deserve to be employed.

[mr_sharkey]

And society deserves to have the kind of functioning human being that practice like yours enables, but no - functioning human beings never contributed to the Party That Fires Teachers’ war chest, and maybe, their reasoning might be, if they marginalize enough people, those people will eventually choose behaviours that justify the PTFT’s specious reasoning.

.:.

[sabotabby]

They're just going to replace us with screens, and cops to keep order as the children copy down what's on the screens.

[wlach]

This is some serious bullshit, but I guess I should have expected no less from this government. I am curious what will happen next -- if I was a parent, I would be outraged (heck, not I'm not a parent, and I'm still outraged).

[sabotabby]

I don't know how outraged parents of high school kids will be; they don't have the same kind of involvement that elementary does. But weird cases like mine (non-centralized e-learning, non-standard timetable model, non-standard students) will almost certainly be lost in whatever changes happen.

[robin_iamar]

Fuck. I'm so sorry.

[sabotabby]

I can't even breathe.

[nyctanthes]

Ugh, that totally, totally sucks. For you and the other teachers and the kids. I'm so sorry. :(

And teachers like me—who do more than just running through rote drills but take the time to actually build relationships with students—deserve to be employed.

Abso-fucking-lutely.

[sabotabby]

This is the death knell of public education. I'm looking for other careers starting today.

[mr_sharkey]

You’re bright and capable and have a strong support network - I have no doubt you’ll land on your feet; bruised, but land. It’s the kids who’ll be deprived of your care and skill that I’m sorry for - and all of us who have to live with them in society.

.:.

[kore]

FUCKERS.

[sabotabby]

I just can't even.

[notasupervillain]

Hugs. And tea. I'm sorry.

[sabotabby]

I hate this so much.

[notasupervillain]

That's an appropriate way to feel.

[dewline]

Agreed.

[rdi]

Fuck these assholes and everyone who voted for them.

[rdi]

Also, the personal is political, and vice versa. There's always bad shit going on somewhere, but the bad shit that affects you personally is always worse. Nothing selfish about being concerned by that.

[sabotabby]

There's other personal stuff making me really sad, and the political isn't all that disconnected from the personal either.

You may need to restrain me on Saturday, if you're going. I'm in hardcore violent anarchist mode right now.

[rdi]

I’m guessing other stuff refers to D and all the associations that entails.

We are talking next Saturday, not tomorrow, right? Or did the fash schedule something and not tel me?

[sabotabby]

Yes to both. I wasn’t going to make the 23rd but now I’m on fire.

[wolby]

Sometimes all you can say is 'fuck'. You and your awesome kids are in my thoughts.

[sabotabby]

At least this year's will get through. Next year's? Who the fuck knows.

[fannishnonsense]

Oh no, I'm so sorry. (And I don't think being upset makes you selfish at all. It's awful and you have every right to feel the way you do about it.)

[sabotabby]

Others are in much worse shape. But also, others are more resilient people than I am.

[moon_custafer]

Oh damn everything. Well, everything related to Ford and his ilk and those terrorists in NZ who looked at our terrorists and decided to one-up them.

[sabotabby]

Yuuup.

[smilingslightly]

This is terrible. I am so sorry, and so, so angry.

[sabotabby]

I wish I could turn that anger into something that would help.

[symbioid]

:( fuckin goatfuckers

[sabotabby]

I wish she'd go back to her farm and get fucked by a goat.

[ironed_orchid]

I am so, so sorry. They are fucking awful and should lose all elections for many years to come.

Which doesn't really solve the problem of dealing with massive cuts now, but hopefully there will be a huge outcry by parents and they will dial back a bit.

[sabotabby]

I think they went after us because parents of teenagers are less involved and the kids aren’t as cute.

[mr_sharkey]

If only there was some way to cast high schoolers as charismatic megafauna that voters will rush to protec.

.:.

[sabotabby]

Sometimes my kids wear red panda onesies?

[minoanmiss]

I am so, so sorry. I wish I couldn't believe he's doing this.

[sabotabby]

I knew he’d do this and people didn’t believe me.

I hope at least the one Tory teacher I know loses his job. We have the same qualifications but I’m two years ahead in seniority.

[mr_sharkey]

“I voted for the PTFT, but I never thought they’d fire me!”

(Gleefully stolen from the Leopard’s Eating People’s Faces Party supporters’ motto)

.:.

[minoanmiss]

And also you didn't vote for this shit to happen, unlike him.

[dewline]

I voted to prevent this, and my vote was outmaneuvered because First Past the Post. Again.

No gratitude and less respect for the Vulgarian of Etobicoke.

[sabotabby]

The person I voted for did get in, and has not disappointed me, but because our democracy is critically flawed, it doesn't matter how good she is as a member of the opposition.

[conuly]

How infuriating.

[sabotabby]

I don't know how I'm going to function like this. I always say that but now I really don't know.