Check the Tint
Yesterday I got to work and discovered an envelope in my mailbox - no return address, handwriting screams "special needs", you know the drill.
A hater.
Handwriting looks familiar. Do we have a repeat offender here? Perhaps. I especially appreciate that this person waited through winter break to mail his love letter. That's dedication to the cause.
Which cause? I have no idea.
posted by kate @ 7:46 AM
10 comments
10 Comments:
Yep, that looks like the handwriting of a serial killer. A serial killer who doesn't know that he should be using "sense" instead of "since" due to the fact that in Florida it sounds like the same word.
I just stumbled across your blog thanks to a link from another Tampa-area blog. Great stuff.
Arg, more snow here, spent last week in lovely Lamar, Co. (look it up :-)
more snow for next weekend. And a 'high wind warning' for The Springs ...
... Chase
The letter is what most people think about educators-they have a perception educators are paid for the holidays, etc, not realizing educators are contracted for a certain number of days...which is funny because many people work on contracts, especially government contracts...when the job ends, often many workers are out of a job...but many folks see educators continue to work with "tenure" and never running a risk of losing their job...even if the job is performed badly.
And that summer vacation...even though many educators work summers, the public just doesn't listen...choosing to harp on what they see is an "easy" job.
Everyone has had a teacher so everyone believes they can be a teacher...ain't so...but as I had mentioned before, the public will never, ever understand that education is a profession and that many of the jobs...counselor, speech-language pathologists, etc....require advanced degrees to obtain certification in those fields.
To get the public on the side of educators, relationship-building is the key...and that requires real work at building and maintaining those relationships, every single day an educator walks in to school.
Remember-jane and john doe feel they are an educator's employer...never let them forget you work for them and make yourself a parent's best friend.
That's the best way to professionalize the career.
It's scary that the letter came to your school...going public with your true identity is a risk...be careful.
Lots of people think my blog encourages hate mail. It's mostly coming from what I write for the "legitimate" press.
Whenever you write for the Times or the Trib - you must list your name and city of residence. If I write about education, they make a note of where I teach.
Nothing I can do about it. Except maybe not write. Which isn't really an option. I'd implode.
There are ways to keep your anonymity and still write opinion for print media.
The recognition that you authored the piece may not be received but the opinion will get out there without threat.
Lots of people are living "secret lives" writing legitimately under pseudonym and more than likely, have provided a photo other than themselves. Residence addresses and phone numbers are easy, easy, easy to address-no pun intended-for those choosing to remain anonymous-for themselves and also, to keep their family members privacy.
My opinion-if I wanted recognition, I'd write nicey-nice pieces for the Trib and Times...for the hot issues, that usually incite the crazies, I'd go undercover.
All the nuts eventually roll down to Florida...the state is a freak show.
It wasn't us!
Sunny has a point, why not protect yourself. Things are not the way they used to be and people hurt other people for less reasons than your writing provides. Just consider an alternate name, that's all, just "think about it"...and then I walked away...
When I first read your post about the letter, I thought of your safety first, then I thought of the sick society we live in. In my day (only 42 years old) we would NEVER write a letter to a teacher, nor would a family member like that. Where is the respect?
With that said, I realize it is not in your makeup to write "covertly", nor in mine. However, when your personal safety or employment could be at issue, I would strongly suggest a moniker of some sort.
I really enjoy your blog, and I hope for the sake of our next generation someone wakes up and treats the Educators with respect!
I've written plenty of pieces and remain safe. However, perhaps once in Colorado I'll stay unlisted or something.
Choosing a pseudonym seems too cowardly.
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