Beginning of the School Year Jitters?

What is the deal? For the last 19 years, I have always had the beginning of the school year jitters (nervous, can't sleep, thinking through all the things I need to do, etc....just like the kids). I don't have the jitters this year!? What in the world is wrong with me? I'm like.....lalalalalala......another school year.....lalalala. I asked Thrifty Girl if she was stressed...."No." Ok, so I don't have the beginning of the school year jitters, Thrifty Girl does not have the beginning of the school year jitters, and you would think that we both would be shaking in our shoes from the inservice we got on Monday (more on that in a sec), but neither of us are worried...lalalalalala...strange! Now, if I get loads of sleep tonite......I must be sick or something. I never sleep the night before school starts. I don't know, this is a strange start....spooky.

Now, back to that inservice. St. Mary is super great about bringing in motivational speakers at the beginning of the year to get all 900+ of us teachers all pumped up and excited about school. However, this year, we were greeted with a lawyer. Yep, your reading right.....a LAWYER. All these new rules and regulations passed this past June by our wonderful republican lead legislature seems to warrant a lawyer to explain the legal issue to teachers. Oh, I am very thankful that St. Mary brought in the lawyer. I like to hear things from the "houses mouth." His presentation reminded us of some things we already knew, but he also talked the new up and coming things, such as tenure, the new teacher evaluation, sick leave, etc. Afterwards, our very own Human Resource director spoke to us, and tried to clarify other issues. He reminded us "seasoned teachers" that education is like a full circle, it keeps making a complete 360 with new politicians. However, I am going to make a predication right here and now. Yep, I'm putting it in black and white, because I know this will come to pass.

For years, politicians have been elected on the backs of "education reform." However, in the last few years, it seems teachers in general have been made the scapegoats for all that is lacking in education. Oh don't get me wrong....their are bad teachers out there; however, the majority of us live, breathe, eat, and sleep our teaching profession. Bad schools, bad teachers, bad administrators, etc. all are to blame for poor education. The answers has been put in place by the Jindal administration.....use public funds to give students vouchers to attend private schools that will not be held to the same standards public school students are being held, take away the teachers tenure....that way we can go back to the good ole days when principals could fire a good, competent teacher only to hire his mistress, or do a "favor" for a friend, etc. Take away extended sick leave.....now teachers can only have a baby every 6 years (you are granted 30 days extended sick leave every 6 years). May I remind everyone that the majority of teachers are women. You can hire a teacher on a monthly basis if you want.....no job security there. They are already playing around with our retirement accounts, I'm sure they will want to change that too somehow. The list goes on. Here is my predication: Teachers are going to begin leaving the field of education like a herd of cattle in a stampede. Yep. College education programs are going to dry up because no one would dare go into a field where you are berated and blamed for all of society ills. It will happen. Being a teacher is hard enough these days without our legislature beating us up, taking away our protection, and stripping us of benefits we need to take care of our own families. So get ready people, there really will be bad teaches in the classroom because all of the good teachers will walk away. Not because we want to, but because cannot work under those conditions. It's sad. In 20 years, I watched the teaching profession tumble like a boulder down a mountain. It is crazy. Mark my word....in a few years, they will be hiring  warm bodies.........people with little to no education to teach because they will not be able to find anyone stupid enough to want to be part of "education reform." Unbelievable........just unbelievable.

On the home front, took today off to bring my Aunt to Ochsner's in NOLA. Doc said she is doing great, and she will see her in 3 months! Yay! I know she is 81, but she has to start feeling better. She has to live many more years.

I miss my boys :( I think I'ma call them. I also miss my friend. I haven't heard from him in several weeks. I don't know what is going on, but obviously he doesn't want to talk to me about it. I'll just keep praying for him, and hopefully he will realize his potential and change his life. He is suppose to leave LA sometime this month. I just pray everything is alright.

Ok, blog world.....Peace Out!!!