Substitute Teacher Speaks Out About Being Fired For Opposing School Attendance Policy

One of many very sad results from this policy issue is that the schools have had one less experienced substitute since Dr. Lackey fired me for speaking my opinion which opposed his.

This would not be a big deal except that I have always been very flexible- they could call me in the middle of the day. Teachers have told me that they were not able to go home sick because there was no substitute available. Since I have subbed on and off for over 13 years and since I have had so many children including other foster children go through the schools, I could go into about any classroom without a teacher’s plan and actually teach so that a day with a substitute was not a wasted day.

Ask any student and you will hear that many substitutes are great but many others just act as babysitters, many have high standards, others cuss or speak of inappropriate things in the classroom. So, it shows that the administration was not acting in the best interest of the schools when they fired me just for hurting their egos. That action was also proof- positive that you are endangering your job if you speak out.

I have had more than 20 in the school system say that no one who speaks out is safe based on what they have previously seen happen. None of us were surprised when it happened to me, just dismayed because we hoped that it was not reality.

Comment by Carol Duvall — July 17, 2010 @ 11:13 am