Ya know... last night as I laid in bed attempting to fall asleep, I had this thought that kept creeping into my head. The school district that I'm a product of (the same one that the HR dept. advertises "Prefers to hire back their graduates") has continually screwed me... for 3 school years straight.
I don't know if I've elaborated much on this... but for as long as I've been in contact with the HR dept. they have always said they prefer to hire back products of the district as teachers. Now, when I was student teaching I thought the concept of this was GREAT!!! I figured it'd be no issue to get a job. And of course we all know how horribly wrong I was to ever think it would be easy to get a teaching job. Unfortunately, I have had the horrible misfortune to come across several people FINALLY getting their first teaching jobs in my "home" district. 3 cases, to be exact. One was a girl I student taught with (she student taught on the same campus, different grade level) and she fell into a position in my home district... she graduated from a school in Austin, TX... Not my home district, let alone... not San Antonio, TX... okay, fine whatever.... Flashforward to after I killed myself testing and adding another certification to help my chances of getting a job.... and then immediately following that, having ongoing correspondance with the HR dept. heads having them assure me that they'll get my name out there to schools and try and help me as much as humanly possible regarding openings for the spring semester last school year.... and then in the second week back from the holiday break, there's a brand-spankin' new teacher starting out with her classroom... Same boat as me experience-wise... equally, if not less experience in classroom settings (by way of substituting) and she lands this job... even after my constant correspondance with HR... and I found out through conversations with her at lunch time (in my 2 days of my subbing job) that she too, is not even from San Antonio, TX! This was the point when I seriously starting having, "WTF?!?!?!" going through my head. Not long after this (about a week), I discovered that someone I went to HS with, who was an alternative certification candidate*** had landed a job as a 5th grade teacher!!!!!!!
***Alternative certification candidate-means that they have completed a program to be eligible for certification upon completion of a year of teaching.... they are NOT certified individuals... I was lead to believe by the HR dept of my "home" district (among many publications and various other sources) that the alternative certification candidates are at the bottom of the totem pole because they do not yet have their certification... not to mention, the amount of college/university coursework devoted specifically to education.
So, of course I've been terribly P.O.'ed by a lot of this... and as I was in bed last night I started thinking... I wonder how much good it would do me to write a lengthy letter to the Superintendent of the district, as well as all the HR dept. heads, and maybe others in the district. This really sprung into my head b/c I realized... "For SHITS SAKE... my Mom STILL VOLUNTEERS FOR THE HIGH SCHOOL BAND AND I GRADUATED 8 YEARS AGO!!!!!!!" It just crossed my mind how incredibly loyal we've been to this district for YEARS! For 3 years after I graduated from HS, I even continued to volunteer with the band and drumline for various things they needed help with! And I never felt like it was a waste of my time... I love my school district... I love that they pride themselves on being proactive and at the forefront of the newest teaching strategies, techniques, available services, and technology.... and I've always thought (since elementary school) that I would grow up, become a teacher, and come back and work in my school district... because it's HOME.
So... if you've gotten this far... I want to know (now that I've loosely drafted a letter "To Whom It May Concern:") if a 2 page letter about my story... growing up in the district... being moved to become a teacher... family volunteering (even currently)...and now my struggle trying to get a job... even after adding 2 more certification areas beyond what I originally went to school for... is that too much...? Too strong...? Bare in mind.... I strongly voiced my thoughts and feelings for when I found out people who are NOT products of the district are apparently getting some sort of priority treatment... Kate would probably be the best person to give advice on this as she works in the school district. I just want to know if that's going too far... I don't plan on sending this letter now... this letter will most likely be sent sometime around the end of Sept. (in the event I don't manage to find a job somewhere in the district... EVEN if I get a job in another district... because I want them to know my feelings on being screwed by them repeatedly... not to mention SEVERAL principals' unprofessionalism in some sort of response to faxes that were OBVIOUSLY sent from Office Max... meaning I had to shell out $8 just to send stuff to their campus... they could have at least taken a moment to respond... this was after school had ended... no reason to NOT give a short response... even similar to the crappy one I got from that principal who didn't say anything to me about my interview for nearly a month!)
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