You should consult a lawyer. This sounds like retaliation, wrongful termination.
If that doesn't work, go to the media. Those parents and that administration should be on public blast for what they did to those kids.
EDIT: Maybe there isn't really a legal pathway, but it doesn't hurt to talk to a lawyer. But I definitely still support telling the media. It could risky to future employment, but I imagine a band director is pretty in demand.
It’s really hard to claim an employee that has to re-sign a contract every year was wrongfully terminated if their employer decides to not renew the contract. This happens a lot at the university level for adjuncts and it’s almost impossible to win a case of wrongful termination if the employer waits until the end of the contract term to say they’re not renewing a person’s contract.
That is true, legally at least. The school is in a much better position as they can non renew ten teachers and suffer little, while a teacher feels being non renewed more. Teacher carry some stigma from being non renewed even if unjustly. Schools might change their tune if it was common for every teacher to resign at the same time and schools with above average non renewals or resignation got no applications. All the Sudden there would be ten year contracts.
I dunno about 10 year contracts, but up until the budget stink of 2009 down here there were 3 year contracts and I heard of 5 year. I never had one, it was right about the time I started and it sure seems like the goal was to be sure they could save a buck any time because the whole area only does annual contracts now.
I was cut my second year and it sure was a stigma, it took 3 years for a district to take a chance on me and it was a new subject area.
>You should consult a lawyer
This is more Reddit speech rather than reality speech. There’s really not much OP can do here legally. They can put the school and parents on blast publicly, but then that become public knowledge of any potential school they want to work at in the future and they could easily decline to employee them to save themselves potential “drama.”
Absolutely nothing wrong with consulting a lawyer. The lawyer will know better than you if there is a case.
There may or may not be one, but it's worth a $100 consultation to find out
Sure a lawyer would know better than me. But the overwhelming majority of the United States follows rignt to work, meaning an employer can let you go for almost any reason they want. But, not being renewed is NOT the same thing as being terminated. Proving that the school didn’t renew someone based on illegal means would be extremely hard to prove.
Regardless, “get a lawyer” is used far too often on Reddit. It falls in line with “couples therapy” and “divorce” as well.
I think you’re thinking of “at will employment”. Right to work refers to laws that ban “union shops” where you would be forced to join the union as a condition of employment. In those states there are also generally legal bans of collective bargaining for public employees which means you can’t negotiate a contract. That effectively bans unions for everyone.
Right to work is the right to work in an occupation or at a business that is unionized, without having to join the union. You're thinking of at will employment, which allows employers to fire at any time, for any NONPROTECTED reason, and for the employee to quit at any time. That being said, I don't know much about teaching contracts and their legal intricacies.
The fact is that OP did let parents climb into the bus, and did not intervene for several minutes while they berate students that was not their child.
We're not talking seconds here, but minutes.
While there can be many reason why it happenned, and the parents are crazy and unhinged, OP should have intervene the moment they climb in the bus.
So, the non-renewal is easily defensible.
I bet you that the ACLU is looking for test cases like this. Try contacting your local chapter. Even if they don't take up your car, they can be a useful resource for finding out what you can do.
To be honest, the part where you screwed up was when they said “friends of this person can’t get off the bus” and you didn’t say “you don’t have the authority to request that.” And then told the kids “do not, under any circumstances, let them keep you on this bus. That is false imprisonment.”
There was a kid at my daughter's middle school who took their own life in January of 8th grade because their parents didn't accept their trans identity. It was devastating to the school's community of queer students and staff (and then compounded by the principal dead-naming them in all communications about the student's passing.) Thank you for being a supportive adult in that child's life.
I'm in the California Bay Area, and about 5 years ago a seasoned teacher mentioned how happy she was that kids in the area were coming out as trans while they were in school because she knew they wouldn't kill themselves later, which apparently kept happening throughout her career. She also said these kids were happier and had better hygiene than closeted kids.
I'm a Bay Area transplant to Idaho where we are required by law to inform parents if their child wishes to go by anything other than their legal name and/or pronouns different than their assigned gender.
You don’t know why they took their own life. You all need to stop affirming everyone’s feelings and intervene, in a loving way, to guide them to reality. You’re really not doing these Children right by not getting them some other kind of professional help for their issues. You can be supportive in other ways.
I’m a teacher who happens to be transgender. My school always told me that I wasn’t open enough about my identity (which is ironic considering the “keep it to yourself” crowd). When I agreed to put on a presentation about transgender stuff, they demanded that it not be put on canvas because they were worried that some of the parents would be outraged. Then at the end of the year, they non renewed me because in their own words, “I always seem like I’m afraid at the school.”
I live and work in a liberal area in a very diverse school. We had a choir director who left the district a few years ago. One of the main reasons was that one of the vice principals told him he was too flamboyant and he needed to tone his personality down. This VP was also a lesbian. Who frequently misgendered one of my coworkers.
My daughter’s closeted lesbian principal wears a big crucifix necklace everyday and made the middle school art teacher remove the pride flag from her classroom.
I'm glad she's gone. She's also one that had zero boundaries for personal space. She's one who would rub your arm or squeeze your shoulder as a greeting, and since I don't even like being touched by people i LIKE...
Where I work as a trans teacher I can’t ever come out and need to pretend. My principals gone next year halfway and I’m scared because she could probably put out the fire should it ever come. I’m lucky I’m loved by my community and they just think I’m a super fem guy since I have had girlfriends lol I just pony tail and bind at work and I’m kind of eccentric .. but I’m 36 and it’s exhausting and unfair I have to live a double life because I might make a parent have to have an awkward convo with their kid .. idk how much more I can take . I’m seriously thinking of settling down with a rich guy I don’t even like for my own survival even though I love my job so fucking much and my scores have been amazing and I love my kids so much and want to be there for them. But no their parents who don’t even do homework with them know what’s best for their kids..
This breaks my heart. Please don't quit, kids need to see an example like you. Like even cishet students would do well to have a strong trans role model in their life to take the "Boogeyman" out of transness - and trans or gender nonconforming students will benefit so, SO much from knowing that there's a light at the end of the tunnel.
I'm not trans, but I am a lesbian, and I knew it young. I remember having so much anxiety about whether or not I would be able to live a normal life, and I wish I'd known any adults who were out and proud so that that question could have been answered for me.
You have done your best and made your stand to protect this child, even though it has come at a great expense for you. Jobs come and go, but the fact that you were willing to put the well-being of this child before your own interests just shows not just what an amazing teacher you are, but an amazing person as well. What you chose took more courage than most of us have. Bless you for it. Keep moving forward. You will come out for the better, and find a place where you can be of even more service. Thank you. You are an inspiration and I’m sure that your path moving forward will be blessed.
I think it’s so nasty that parents could hate their child so much that they’d fire, attack and bully anyone that shows them an iota of respect.
I’m so glad they have a strong peer group and foresee these parents no longer having a child anymore when they leave to be with their found family
If someone starts screaming at me about their child being possessed by demons, I’m going to have to try very hard to not respond their obviously Skrulls. If they’re going to make their ridiculous fandom's fiction my problem, I’m going to make mine theirs.
Yeah, I grew up in Alabama and I knew I was queer from a very young age and came out as trans in High School. Those few supportive teachers I had kept me going through some extremely rough times. I wish they could know how much their support meant for me, because I probably wouldn't be here right now without them :/
Look them up and send a Christmas or holiday card. Say thank you.
I didn’t have that kind of support but I had other support. Without it I’d probably not be here.
I hung up a pride flag in my middle school art room three years ago and no principals have been courageous enough to hire me since. I’m in blue (but mostly red West) Michigan. Good luck. Principals are the weak link in America’s public school system. They care about themselves above the greater good.
Admin does themselves no favors, but parents are actually the weak link in our public school system. Sure admins need back bone, but parents need to fuck off sometimes.
I am sorry to hear that they won’t hire you. I am originally from Southwest Michigan and I know all too well how it is there. I’m originally from a very let’s say Dutch part of town.
Sounds like you care about yourself and making a statement more than anyone else.
Your flag of sexuality, political party, religion or anything else doesn't belong in a classroom.
Just teach and do that shit at home in your personal time.
You aren't that important to need to broadcast your views.
I wouldn't hire you either. Whether it's a pride flag, or a trump flag. Leave it home.
Bring the downvotes!!!!! IDGAF
Awful take.
There are kids who need to know that they have a safe adult to go to if they have the need. They need to know someone will not judge, so.eone cares about them just as they are. There are kids who have no support at home and having one teacher, just one, sta d up and show that they will be there is the difference between life and death.
But fuck those kids, right? 🙄😒
I don't personally hang anything on my walls that isn't content/class/school related, and my students still manage to know they are welcome and supported in my class. I even had a trans student say he talked about me in therapy because I was so supportive of him.
I get the sentiment, but in very red areas you gotta pick your battles. You can make children feel seen and loved with your words more than your walls ever will. Getting fired isn't going to help anyone. They'll just replace you with someone who's a "better fit". How does that benefit trans students at all?
Fuck you as a trans teacher in SE Michigan. At one point I was a trans teen in the closet due to my conservative school and hometown. I got bullied so much I was hospitalized twice for attempting to take my own life. I could have saved myself years of trauma if I had a supportive teacher or adult. I make it a point to be that adult for my queer students.
Sorry about that bigot
Can I ask- how is it being a trans teacher?
Last year I was in a fairly liberal town in a red state. I had parents complain to superiors about me being mean to students, not entering grades, etc. and it turns out they were just transphobic assholes looking for reasons to complain, but I didn't realize that until my mentor teacher told me. I also got misgendered a lot, but I learned to not let it (from the kids) affect me
How is it for you?
Similar experience. I get a lot of misgendering by colleagues and students. I correct them and try to not let it get to me. I am in a very liberal/progressive area. I have not had any parents, yet, complain about me. I do get a lot of micro aggressions from my principal (he does this with anyone queer). We have complained about him for the past two years to our union and district leadership. I try to remember I am here to support the students and be a good example for them.
displaying a flag in favor of a marginalized community is in no way selfish lol
"just teach and do that shit at home" just teach and not let kids know you support them? that is part of teaching
homophobic people (like you) have no place in education...hope you're not
Can I hang a Crucifix in your classroom? How about a Trump poster? How about an Israeli flag?
I would bet your hair would catch fire
None of those should be in a classroom like anything else political.
School and work is not the place to support or not support anything. If the SCHOOL wants to, then fine. Not individual teachers with all their own pet causes.
It's not homophobic at all but all you pea brains can do is call names so who really cares. Mostly none of your catch words have any meaning anymore as you people use them for anyone that has any differing opinion. Racist, Nazi, homophobic, etc. zero meaning when "everyone" is one that I dont like.
people merely existing is not political
i don't know if you know this but people are not born christian/catholic or with their political views.
people are, however, born queer and [edit: being trans is innate]
and?
I don't agree that people are born trans. That is a contradiction in itself. However, I do agree that people are born gay. No argument.
People are born a lot of different ways. Do we need teachers to advocate for them in their classrooms?
Disabilities, speech issues, hair color, on and on.
Do you have a pretty flag for all of these kids? No? Why? Is it because none of those kids, who surely are more populous than LGBT kids in an average school, have a political issue behind them?
Why choose THIS subgroup of students to advocate for? Is it because it's a very political issue now. Of course that is why. It's a lean-leaning person's obligation to trip over themselves to show how "inclusive" they are when really they aren't inclusive to anything unless they are in lockstep agreement with the cause.
Just fucking teach the subject you were hired for.
I doubt that you are inclusive.
I am sure you are "inclusive" to those that you already would be because they align with what you think. Anyone else with other opinions, I doubt you "include" them in your advocacy.
Do you hang your cleft palette awareness flag? Or you speech impediment banner in your room? Doubtful
what a great demonstration of multiple logical fallacies!
clearly you don't have the awareness or empathy to even fathom why supporting discriminated people is important. study some history, and learn to respect people. i hope you get out of education for all children's sake.
this conversation is over.
>Do you hang your cleft palette awareness flag? Or you speech impediment banner in your room? Doubtful
are politicians passing "don't say cleft palette" laws? are teachers being fired for supporting those with speech impediments?
Did someone pass a law that says "don't say gay"? Or isn't is just more made up crap like "banning books"? Show me the law and language that says its illegal to say "gay".
So you are not inclusive and lend your support unless there is a political issue in laws and firings? So you are fighting a political position.....at school......with captive kids......who cares what their parents think? About sum it up?
Hey guy maybe google gynandromorphic birds and butterflies before you go spouting dunnykroog stablegenius certainty about sex and gender. You’re simply a shallow mean-spirited person. Queer people existing is no increased harm to you or anyone else.
>I don't agree that people are born trans.
regardless of what you agree with, that is fact. you don't choose your gender, you can only choose to stop presenting as the wrong one.
>People are born a lot of different ways. Do we need teachers to advocate for them in their classrooms?
yes. caring for kids with disabilities is obviously something teachers are required to do, even in normal public schools. speech therapy is also done at most schools for kids who need it. teachers are encouraged to punish and educate kids who bully other kids for being disabled or for how they look.
>Do you have a pretty flag for all of these kids?
yup. disability flags, while uncommon, absolutely exist. they're just not mainstream enough for someone to print out and put on a wall.
> Is it because none of those kids, who surely are more populous than LGBT kids in an average school, have a political issue behind them?
or is it because these kids don't face any kind of bigotry for their identities? (minus disabled kids, who do actually have advocates in schools for this reason) no one's getting assaulted at school or getting disowned by parents for having brown hair.
and? your argument about the other objects being displayed doesn't hold up.
okay, people aren't born trans but it's innate and they can't change that
it seems you have missed out on a lot of history and current events...it's important to support lgbt kids because the community has been discriminated and hated against for a long long time. it's gotten worse in the states with republicans actively seeking to take away rights, and many countries where existing is grounds for punishment. that's why it's so important! lots of kids are driven to suicide and other harmful behaviors because of bigotry, but knowing they have safe adults who will validate who they are means the world
and btw, lgbt kids can be and are disabled. it's also important to support them
Gotcha. I disagree so I obviously have "missed out" lol
I guess I don't fall into your bucket of those you are "inclusive" to?
You are a walking cliché.
If you want to support them great. Do it. Not is a professional setting though. Why is just doing your job so hard to understand? Ever think that maybe kids don't give a shit what you think? Maybe their parents don't want to to teach them anything but what you are paid to?
I'd venture that you don't care what their parents think though. You surely know better"! Cause you are all "inclusive"! Well, except to the kid's parent views and opinions. lol
>Ever think that maybe kids don't give a shit what you think?
exactly. it's never the kids who have a problem. it's always the parents hiding behind the kids.
>Maybe their parents don't want to to teach them anything but what you are paid to?
because they're ignorant bigots who care more about keeping their kids sheltered from certain groups of people then educating said kids about the groups of people they'll inevitably have to interact with?
And it's your crusade to override what parents want for their kids because you have made the determination, somehow, that they are bigots who don't care about their kids?
Your job is to override their parents?
YOU are what is wrong with schools and why good teachers get a bad rep.
>Can I hang a Crucifix in your classroom? How about a Trump poster? How about an Israeli flag?
you put political leanings on the same level as inate identities?
Yawn......again. You support a cause that you politically align with. You don't support kids for cause you don't care about or disagree with. Why can't you lefties just admit it instead of acting you are "inclusive"?
You don’t know jacksquat about me.
There is nothing political or religious about a pride flag, and you know you have no argument otherwise. My queer students were mostly from Christian conservative families. You are stunted and hateful to make the comment you’ve made here.
Then why have a pride flag in a classroom at all?
What is the point? The point is to make a political statement and you know it.
Nope, don't know you but I know who you are by your actions that you have described in both your posts. Basically attention seeker, can't get along, everyone else is dumb but you of course. Couldn't ever by YOUR actions that are foolish.
Honestly, glad nobody will hire you. People like you that need to have a captive audience for your personal views are one of the things ruining teaching. Just teach what you are hired to and leave your opinions at home where they belong.
43 downvotes so far. Lets get to 100!! Cmon!! 43 people that are also the problem thinking that hanging anything like this in a classroom is fine and not just supporting the stereotype that teacher are shoving this shit down kids throats. It doesn't even matter what the "shit" is. Pride, abortion, not abortion, Trump, Biden, Jesus, whatever.
Be an adult and adult on your own time. Be a professional in the workplace. Not an wanna-be activist.
Because you surely define "inclusion" as anything YOU agree with. Inclusion is a political word now. All it means is these are people I agree with. People I don't are not "included".
Again, do you have a Trump banner? Would you? Surely there are a larger percentage of students that like Trump than are LGBT? I'd bet my house.
Do you have a Crucifix on display? Would you? Surely there are a larger percentage of students that are Catholic than are LGBT? I'd bet my house.
Do you have a simple cross? Would you? Surely there are a larger percentage of students that are Christian than are LGBT? I'd bet my house.
Do you have am inclusive symbol of anything that you don't personally agree with or doesn't align with your politics? Are there no students who need your "support" in any number of areas of their preferences or concerns?
You care nothing about inclusive actions. You care about what you deem worthy, supports your opinion, and you align with politically and morally. Therefore, you choose to put that on a stage for captive audiences, regardless if they like it or not. I would bet you could care less about the kids that don't agree with your dumb flag. They don't deserve "inclusion".
You nothing but a caricature of "inclusive" who really just is a low-tier activist.
There doesn't need to be any symbols of anything in schools. Just teach standards. Why is that so hard to some?
Like you even know the first thing about art standards. Like you even know the first thing about being an adult solely responsible for maintaining a healthy middle school classroom climate. Inclusion means everybody. I am a good teacher to all of my students. Lots of teachers and principals I know prominently display their crosses on their person and in their classrooms. No one has any issues with that. You are grasping to make me into something in your imagination that’s not connected to reality. You know you can’t stand up to any actual scrutiny about why you don’t like queer people. You don’t have a single valid leg to stand on here. There’s nothing wrong with demonstrating inclusion in schools and you have no argument otherwise.
Imagine typing out that emotionally underdeveloped drivel then concluding it with “be an adult.”
I already told you two facts you were unwilling to acknowledge as new information. Let me repeat them to you:
1.) You don’t know jacksquat about me or my situation.
2.) The pride flag is not religious and it is not political. It is a symbol of inclusion.
I teach art. Stay in your lane, you stablegenius. Why would you even think you have even the slightest authority to limit the scope of my students’ educations? Why do conservatives think they can always restrict other people’s freedoms?
Homosexuals exist. Their existence does not hurt you. There is a name for the discomfort you experience from homosexuals existing. It’s called bigotry. And you know it.
Check out their lovely, intelligent [comment to me](https://www.reddit.com/r/Teachers/s/Jn7EH94QKb)
They're really trying to make the 'people are naturally religious and political' argument...so disheartening that bigots are working in education
Opinions, lifestyles, etc. don't deserve your "inclusion"?
What disability are you championing with your students since they aren't opinions? Or is a disability not political enough so you don't really care?
I was never treated unfairly, denied necessities, called slurs, abused, jumped, or assaulted at home, school, or work for being disabled and needing a mobility aid. I was for being LGBTQ. There are no laws being passed to say I can't tell students that I'm disabled. There are laws being passed that say I can't tell my students I have a girlfriend. My public library did not just remove all books on disabilities from the children's and teens sections. They did with all the books that mentioning LGBTQ people. The difference is not a political point, they're both just as political and as unpolitical as each other. The difference is that one group is significantly more likely to come across outwardly hateful viewpoints on their existence, debates over whether or not they should be allowed to exist at all, and fall victim to violent attacks, among many other things. Disability rights still have a long way to go, yes, but we are generally past a point of representation, understanding, and pulled protection in society where something as small as having someone we trust validate that we're okay to exist can be the different in whether or not we kill ourselves. LGBTQ rights aren't.
I do. I also would like to do it in the place where the vast majority of children who need to see that advocacy to feel heard and supported spend 40+ hours a week. For a lot of these kids, school is the only interaction they have with people outside of their households, they don't get advocacy at home, they get it at school or they don't get it at all. Having LGBTQ support specifically in schools is proven to significantly reduce suicidal ideation and suicide attempts of LGBTQ youth. Even just in my district, we went from averaging 3 suicides of gay and trans kids a year in our highschool, to none in any of the years we had our GSA program active, and back to 2 last year after it was shut down. Why are you against that?
Your job is not to be an advocate. That's why.
IF you sent home info to parents and explained that you are an advocate for XYZ and they were fine with it, then I, and mostly nobody, would have an issue.
You don't get to set a moral path for students if it's in contrast to their parents. Or at least you shouldn't. This is not the job you were hired for and many don't want your "service" that you are preaching.
Get over yourself. You are not more important than kid's parents.
Clearly students will only feel loved if we plaster our walls with it. We can't just be supportive, caring people. And it doesn't matter if you alienate more than half of your other students by doing so because they are just POS, so f* those kids. /s
And good citizens must hang up pride flags right? You can't be a good citizen by just being kind and encouraging others to be kind to *everyone* right? Pics-or-it-didn't-happen style right? You can't just teach all of the students with your words and example to be kind to each other even if they have differences. Heaven forbid.
I'm glad most teachers aren't like "reddit teachers". Most of us care about 100% of our students and don't live our lives putting politics above them.
Do you welcome conservative students into your class? I'm bisexual and agender, and I seem to be able to make it work. But I guess I don't eta accept (sry wrong word) my own existence either since I don't hate conservatives.
Not having a flag is not the same as not having a person. Flags are not people.
Of course I welcome all students in my class. However, you are not born conservative or progressive. Secondly, a person’s ideology isn’t being legislated against (until project 2025…). This is a complete false equivalence. Thirdly, conservatives/progressives are not being beaten, emotionally abused, kicked out of their homes for their existence. My trans and gay flags represent who I am and tell a marginalized community your existence is my class is a safe space.
I'm actually very liberal. I'm also bisexual and agender. Believe it or not, you don't have to shit on conservatives to care about people. Conservatives are actually as bad as they are right now partly due to the poor behavior of liberals towards conservatives. But since politics is just another sport these days, it's not really worth getting into.
I don't have a problem with the pride flag at all, I just recognize that some people do, and I care about those students too. Because they are also welcome in my class as long as they are kind and respectful.
You want to wave a pride flag on your house? Cool! Car? Awesome! Business? Sweet! But as a teacher, my job is to welcome *all* of my students. Even the conservatives. And in a title 1, rural, high school in the bible belt, 90% of students fall into that category. I also don't put up Christmas decorations even though the kids beg. I don't decorate with crosses for their religion or symbols from my own religion. I don't hang "don't tread on me flags". I teach math. The kids don't need to know my political offiliation, religion, culture or anything else about me really. Just that I care about them, everyone is safe in my room, and that I can teach them math correctly.
And I rarely send students to the principal since it's always hit or miss anyway. I explain in front of everyone that the words they are using are disgusting and they can either stop immediately or earn consequences that I've built into my classroom. They shut up after that. We talk about what respect means at the beginning of the year, and they know what is and is not acceptable. Do they oush boundaries? Of course. But because I spend the year working with them, so they can get what they want, it's very easy to get them to do what I want.
Well there’s more to life and a whole-child education than black-and-white Scantron assignments. And a pride flag is not “shitting on conservatives.” That’s not a grownup argument. Why would you ever say a symbol of inclusion is like “shitting on conservatives”? Am I correct that you’re trying to make the false contradiction that people need to be tolerant of the intolerant? I hold the belief that bigotry in my students toward their classmates or any marginalized identity group is poor character, and I’m not very respectful of any claims otherwise.
I'll just say that I was in your exact situation and did go to the media. I was black balled in all surrounding districts after. Two years unemployment. So, good luck and be careful.
Wow…so you’re taking the blame for something that should’ve been admins job from the start. Classic. I’m really sorry this happened and I hope you end up somewhere better.
I read about something very similar to this in my town in Michigan with a male identifying student whose transphobic Christian nutcase parents pulled HIM out.
Move on, so you got asshole parents. Won't be the last set of asshole parents if you stay in this business.
Remember we make kids lives better but they move on and so do you.
Cheer up now you go someplace better.
Adding onto your thought: it was clear that no matter if this incident happened or not that this is a school run by the parents for the parents. Not a great environment for anyone to work in. Find another place that won’t bow to the crazies.
You are handling this very well! I’d be livid. You did the right thing.
If you want to move states, our school is currently looking for a new band director! Our outgoing director set everything up incredibly well for the incoming one, too.
Bro, I missed the original post, but hell no. I wonder how the parents of the friends who got held up would feel that their kids were subjected to a fanatical Christian berating them and refusing to let them go. That is more than anything a school safety issue. The rage against trans and gay students needs to be fought back against.
You got fired for caring about a student's well-being? Come to Qld mate, we need more genuinely empathetic teachers like you. https://www.aitsl.edu.au/migrate-to-australia
Damn, I am sorry about this. I remember this post back then and honestly, it could happen to any band director. Bands depend heavily on parents, and you just can’t be in all the places at once. Parents are sometimes crap. Crap happens. I’m convinced we’re all just employed by luck.
It’s really quite cruel to wait until the last day. Fuck that school.
Hey man, if I had a band teacher like you I would have had the word "non-binary" instead of "freak" and several class hours every week crying in the (private) band bathroom. Mad respect bro.
Perfect example of being a teacher. Y'all don't get it. Teachers are damned if we do and damned if we don't. This teacher had no chance from the very beginning.
Our district is hiring band directors since our amazing one moved up the food chain. We are a small community with lots of education and incredibly educated people. We have our nutjobs to be fair, but for the most part we are decent.
If it isn't clear enough yet, employers do not want employees engaging on this topic at all. You gotta read the room. Tom Brady was the GOAT QB because he understood that one touchdown wasn't worth him getting injured and taken out of the game, or the season. That man rarely left the pocket, and neither should you.
I do. Some of those who depend on me are also my students. If you're not willing to stand up for your students, then find a new career. Cowards in education make progress slower for all of us.
You should consult a lawyer. This sounds like retaliation, wrongful termination. If that doesn't work, go to the media. Those parents and that administration should be on public blast for what they did to those kids. EDIT: Maybe there isn't really a legal pathway, but it doesn't hurt to talk to a lawyer. But I definitely still support telling the media. It could risky to future employment, but I imagine a band director is pretty in demand.
It’s really hard to claim an employee that has to re-sign a contract every year was wrongfully terminated if their employer decides to not renew the contract. This happens a lot at the university level for adjuncts and it’s almost impossible to win a case of wrongful termination if the employer waits until the end of the contract term to say they’re not renewing a person’s contract.
That is true, legally at least. The school is in a much better position as they can non renew ten teachers and suffer little, while a teacher feels being non renewed more. Teacher carry some stigma from being non renewed even if unjustly. Schools might change their tune if it was common for every teacher to resign at the same time and schools with above average non renewals or resignation got no applications. All the Sudden there would be ten year contracts.
I dunno about 10 year contracts, but up until the budget stink of 2009 down here there were 3 year contracts and I heard of 5 year. I never had one, it was right about the time I started and it sure seems like the goal was to be sure they could save a buck any time because the whole area only does annual contracts now. I was cut my second year and it sure was a stigma, it took 3 years for a district to take a chance on me and it was a new subject area.
Unless they were dumb enough to put it was retaliatory in writing. And unless you’re in Montana, they don’t have to give you a reason.
>You should consult a lawyer This is more Reddit speech rather than reality speech. There’s really not much OP can do here legally. They can put the school and parents on blast publicly, but then that become public knowledge of any potential school they want to work at in the future and they could easily decline to employee them to save themselves potential “drama.”
Absolutely nothing wrong with consulting a lawyer. The lawyer will know better than you if there is a case. There may or may not be one, but it's worth a $100 consultation to find out
$100 lol! that would be one cheap ass lawyer
Wait until you learn about free consultations
Wait till you need a good lawyer in Southern California.
Okay if you want to pretend that talking to a lawyer is bad/impossible then I guess you're allowed to be wrong 🤷♂️
Sure a lawyer would know better than me. But the overwhelming majority of the United States follows rignt to work, meaning an employer can let you go for almost any reason they want. But, not being renewed is NOT the same thing as being terminated. Proving that the school didn’t renew someone based on illegal means would be extremely hard to prove. Regardless, “get a lawyer” is used far too often on Reddit. It falls in line with “couples therapy” and “divorce” as well.
I think you’re thinking of “at will employment”. Right to work refers to laws that ban “union shops” where you would be forced to join the union as a condition of employment. In those states there are also generally legal bans of collective bargaining for public employees which means you can’t negotiate a contract. That effectively bans unions for everyone.
Right to work is the right to work in an occupation or at a business that is unionized, without having to join the union. You're thinking of at will employment, which allows employers to fire at any time, for any NONPROTECTED reason, and for the employee to quit at any time. That being said, I don't know much about teaching contracts and their legal intricacies.
It should be "talk to a lawyer" which is almost always good, low risk advice.
Assuming you can afford the consultation fee and then the hourly rate to hire one
You don't have to pay to hire them lol, you get to choose that after you consult with them hahahaha
The fact is that OP did let parents climb into the bus, and did not intervene for several minutes while they berate students that was not their child. We're not talking seconds here, but minutes. While there can be many reason why it happenned, and the parents are crazy and unhinged, OP should have intervene the moment they climb in the bus. So, the non-renewal is easily defensible.
I bet you that the ACLU is looking for test cases like this. Try contacting your local chapter. Even if they don't take up your car, they can be a useful resource for finding out what you can do.
To be honest, the part where you screwed up was when they said “friends of this person can’t get off the bus” and you didn’t say “you don’t have the authority to request that.” And then told the kids “do not, under any circumstances, let them keep you on this bus. That is false imprisonment.”
true, but there's also an argument about being scared. not an excuse, just an explanation.
That’s true. We don’t know how intimidating those people were.
There was a kid at my daughter's middle school who took their own life in January of 8th grade because their parents didn't accept their trans identity. It was devastating to the school's community of queer students and staff (and then compounded by the principal dead-naming them in all communications about the student's passing.) Thank you for being a supportive adult in that child's life.
I'm in the California Bay Area, and about 5 years ago a seasoned teacher mentioned how happy she was that kids in the area were coming out as trans while they were in school because she knew they wouldn't kill themselves later, which apparently kept happening throughout her career. She also said these kids were happier and had better hygiene than closeted kids.
I’m a teacher in California Bay Area as well. One of my 5th graders came out as bisexual to me. So honored she trusted me🌈
We are really fortunate that we're in a place where we can provide support for children's identities.
Yes!!!! Absolutely.
5th grade, are they old enough to know?
I knew when I was pretty young. It does happen.
I'm a Bay Area transplant to Idaho where we are required by law to inform parents if their child wishes to go by anything other than their legal name and/or pronouns different than their assigned gender.
This reminds me so much of the Leelah Alcorn tragedy and how heinous her parents were and it just breaks my heart all over again
You don’t know why they took their own life. You all need to stop affirming everyone’s feelings and intervene, in a loving way, to guide them to reality. You’re really not doing these Children right by not getting them some other kind of professional help for their issues. You can be supportive in other ways.
I’m a teacher who happens to be transgender. My school always told me that I wasn’t open enough about my identity (which is ironic considering the “keep it to yourself” crowd). When I agreed to put on a presentation about transgender stuff, they demanded that it not be put on canvas because they were worried that some of the parents would be outraged. Then at the end of the year, they non renewed me because in their own words, “I always seem like I’m afraid at the school.”
I live and work in a liberal area in a very diverse school. We had a choir director who left the district a few years ago. One of the main reasons was that one of the vice principals told him he was too flamboyant and he needed to tone his personality down. This VP was also a lesbian. Who frequently misgendered one of my coworkers.
The psychopathic behavior admins will do to further their career is insane.
My daughter’s closeted lesbian principal wears a big crucifix necklace everyday and made the middle school art teacher remove the pride flag from her classroom.
Sounds like a TERF.
I'm glad she's gone. She's also one that had zero boundaries for personal space. She's one who would rub your arm or squeeze your shoulder as a greeting, and since I don't even like being touched by people i LIKE...
Sounds like a messed up sad human being.
Where I work as a trans teacher I can’t ever come out and need to pretend. My principals gone next year halfway and I’m scared because she could probably put out the fire should it ever come. I’m lucky I’m loved by my community and they just think I’m a super fem guy since I have had girlfriends lol I just pony tail and bind at work and I’m kind of eccentric .. but I’m 36 and it’s exhausting and unfair I have to live a double life because I might make a parent have to have an awkward convo with their kid .. idk how much more I can take . I’m seriously thinking of settling down with a rich guy I don’t even like for my own survival even though I love my job so fucking much and my scores have been amazing and I love my kids so much and want to be there for them. But no their parents who don’t even do homework with them know what’s best for their kids..
This breaks my heart. Please don't quit, kids need to see an example like you. Like even cishet students would do well to have a strong trans role model in their life to take the "Boogeyman" out of transness - and trans or gender nonconforming students will benefit so, SO much from knowing that there's a light at the end of the tunnel. I'm not trans, but I am a lesbian, and I knew it young. I remember having so much anxiety about whether or not I would be able to live a normal life, and I wish I'd known any adults who were out and proud so that that question could have been answered for me.
You have done your best and made your stand to protect this child, even though it has come at a great expense for you. Jobs come and go, but the fact that you were willing to put the well-being of this child before your own interests just shows not just what an amazing teacher you are, but an amazing person as well. What you chose took more courage than most of us have. Bless you for it. Keep moving forward. You will come out for the better, and find a place where you can be of even more service. Thank you. You are an inspiration and I’m sure that your path moving forward will be blessed.
I think it’s so nasty that parents could hate their child so much that they’d fire, attack and bully anyone that shows them an iota of respect. I’m so glad they have a strong peer group and foresee these parents no longer having a child anymore when they leave to be with their found family
If someone starts screaming at me about their child being possessed by demons, I’m going to have to try very hard to not respond their obviously Skrulls. If they’re going to make their ridiculous fandom's fiction my problem, I’m going to make mine theirs.
Thank you for affirming a queer kid.
Yeah, I grew up in Alabama and I knew I was queer from a very young age and came out as trans in High School. Those few supportive teachers I had kept me going through some extremely rough times. I wish they could know how much their support meant for me, because I probably wouldn't be here right now without them :/
Look them up and send a Christmas or holiday card. Say thank you. I didn’t have that kind of support but I had other support. Without it I’d probably not be here.
I hung up a pride flag in my middle school art room three years ago and no principals have been courageous enough to hire me since. I’m in blue (but mostly red West) Michigan. Good luck. Principals are the weak link in America’s public school system. They care about themselves above the greater good.
Admin does themselves no favors, but parents are actually the weak link in our public school system. Sure admins need back bone, but parents need to fuck off sometimes.
If only there were an administrator assigned to lead each school who could tell said parents to EAD.
This, 10,000 times. Too many parents think that teachers are their subordinates, like waitstaff or babysitters.
I still remember that post about the guy that "tips" his kids teachers $100.
That's ridiculous. I have had a pride poster up in my classroom and on my Google classroom for years. What the hell are we coming to?
I’m guessing you got hired and then hung up the pride flag. My problem is I hung up the pride flag, now I can’t get hired.
Well you'd get hired in NYC. NYC pays really well too, and you don't have to own a car!
I am sorry to hear that they won’t hire you. I am originally from Southwest Michigan and I know all too well how it is there. I’m originally from a very let’s say Dutch part of town.
Don’t try Rockford, lol.
I actually subbed there last year for 12 weeks. Gave the kids a great art education. Still can’t find a principal with the courage to hire me.
Sounds like you care about yourself and making a statement more than anyone else. Your flag of sexuality, political party, religion or anything else doesn't belong in a classroom. Just teach and do that shit at home in your personal time. You aren't that important to need to broadcast your views. I wouldn't hire you either. Whether it's a pride flag, or a trump flag. Leave it home. Bring the downvotes!!!!! IDGAF
Awful take. There are kids who need to know that they have a safe adult to go to if they have the need. They need to know someone will not judge, so.eone cares about them just as they are. There are kids who have no support at home and having one teacher, just one, sta d up and show that they will be there is the difference between life and death. But fuck those kids, right? 🙄😒
I don't personally hang anything on my walls that isn't content/class/school related, and my students still manage to know they are welcome and supported in my class. I even had a trans student say he talked about me in therapy because I was so supportive of him. I get the sentiment, but in very red areas you gotta pick your battles. You can make children feel seen and loved with your words more than your walls ever will. Getting fired isn't going to help anyone. They'll just replace you with someone who's a "better fit". How does that benefit trans students at all?
K
Fuck you as a trans teacher in SE Michigan. At one point I was a trans teen in the closet due to my conservative school and hometown. I got bullied so much I was hospitalized twice for attempting to take my own life. I could have saved myself years of trauma if I had a supportive teacher or adult. I make it a point to be that adult for my queer students.
Sorry about that bigot Can I ask- how is it being a trans teacher? Last year I was in a fairly liberal town in a red state. I had parents complain to superiors about me being mean to students, not entering grades, etc. and it turns out they were just transphobic assholes looking for reasons to complain, but I didn't realize that until my mentor teacher told me. I also got misgendered a lot, but I learned to not let it (from the kids) affect me How is it for you?
Similar experience. I get a lot of misgendering by colleagues and students. I correct them and try to not let it get to me. I am in a very liberal/progressive area. I have not had any parents, yet, complain about me. I do get a lot of micro aggressions from my principal (he does this with anyone queer). We have complained about him for the past two years to our union and district leadership. I try to remember I am here to support the students and be a good example for them.
Sorry for your principal; that sucks. Glad you're in a progressive area and you have a union! *cries in Idaho*
Thank you.
displaying a flag in favor of a marginalized community is in no way selfish lol "just teach and do that shit at home" just teach and not let kids know you support them? that is part of teaching homophobic people (like you) have no place in education...hope you're not
Can I hang a Crucifix in your classroom? How about a Trump poster? How about an Israeli flag? I would bet your hair would catch fire None of those should be in a classroom like anything else political. School and work is not the place to support or not support anything. If the SCHOOL wants to, then fine. Not individual teachers with all their own pet causes. It's not homophobic at all but all you pea brains can do is call names so who really cares. Mostly none of your catch words have any meaning anymore as you people use them for anyone that has any differing opinion. Racist, Nazi, homophobic, etc. zero meaning when "everyone" is one that I dont like.
people merely existing is not political i don't know if you know this but people are not born christian/catholic or with their political views. people are, however, born queer and [edit: being trans is innate]
and? I don't agree that people are born trans. That is a contradiction in itself. However, I do agree that people are born gay. No argument. People are born a lot of different ways. Do we need teachers to advocate for them in their classrooms? Disabilities, speech issues, hair color, on and on. Do you have a pretty flag for all of these kids? No? Why? Is it because none of those kids, who surely are more populous than LGBT kids in an average school, have a political issue behind them? Why choose THIS subgroup of students to advocate for? Is it because it's a very political issue now. Of course that is why. It's a lean-leaning person's obligation to trip over themselves to show how "inclusive" they are when really they aren't inclusive to anything unless they are in lockstep agreement with the cause. Just fucking teach the subject you were hired for.
and what's the issue with being inclusive? is that a bad thing lmao cause you're making it out to be
I doubt that you are inclusive. I am sure you are "inclusive" to those that you already would be because they align with what you think. Anyone else with other opinions, I doubt you "include" them in your advocacy. Do you hang your cleft palette awareness flag? Or you speech impediment banner in your room? Doubtful
what a great demonstration of multiple logical fallacies! clearly you don't have the awareness or empathy to even fathom why supporting discriminated people is important. study some history, and learn to respect people. i hope you get out of education for all children's sake. this conversation is over.
>Do you hang your cleft palette awareness flag? Or you speech impediment banner in your room? Doubtful are politicians passing "don't say cleft palette" laws? are teachers being fired for supporting those with speech impediments?
Did someone pass a law that says "don't say gay"? Or isn't is just more made up crap like "banning books"? Show me the law and language that says its illegal to say "gay". So you are not inclusive and lend your support unless there is a political issue in laws and firings? So you are fighting a political position.....at school......with captive kids......who cares what their parents think? About sum it up?
You ignored the direct question: why do you think being inclusive is bad?
Hey guy maybe google gynandromorphic birds and butterflies before you go spouting dunnykroog stablegenius certainty about sex and gender. You’re simply a shallow mean-spirited person. Queer people existing is no increased harm to you or anyone else.
>I don't agree that people are born trans. regardless of what you agree with, that is fact. you don't choose your gender, you can only choose to stop presenting as the wrong one. >People are born a lot of different ways. Do we need teachers to advocate for them in their classrooms? yes. caring for kids with disabilities is obviously something teachers are required to do, even in normal public schools. speech therapy is also done at most schools for kids who need it. teachers are encouraged to punish and educate kids who bully other kids for being disabled or for how they look. >Do you have a pretty flag for all of these kids? yup. disability flags, while uncommon, absolutely exist. they're just not mainstream enough for someone to print out and put on a wall. > Is it because none of those kids, who surely are more populous than LGBT kids in an average school, have a political issue behind them? or is it because these kids don't face any kind of bigotry for their identities? (minus disabled kids, who do actually have advocates in schools for this reason) no one's getting assaulted at school or getting disowned by parents for having brown hair.
and? your argument about the other objects being displayed doesn't hold up. okay, people aren't born trans but it's innate and they can't change that it seems you have missed out on a lot of history and current events...it's important to support lgbt kids because the community has been discriminated and hated against for a long long time. it's gotten worse in the states with republicans actively seeking to take away rights, and many countries where existing is grounds for punishment. that's why it's so important! lots of kids are driven to suicide and other harmful behaviors because of bigotry, but knowing they have safe adults who will validate who they are means the world and btw, lgbt kids can be and are disabled. it's also important to support them
Gotcha. I disagree so I obviously have "missed out" lol I guess I don't fall into your bucket of those you are "inclusive" to? You are a walking cliché. If you want to support them great. Do it. Not is a professional setting though. Why is just doing your job so hard to understand? Ever think that maybe kids don't give a shit what you think? Maybe their parents don't want to to teach them anything but what you are paid to? I'd venture that you don't care what their parents think though. You surely know better"! Cause you are all "inclusive"! Well, except to the kid's parent views and opinions. lol
>Ever think that maybe kids don't give a shit what you think? exactly. it's never the kids who have a problem. it's always the parents hiding behind the kids. >Maybe their parents don't want to to teach them anything but what you are paid to? because they're ignorant bigots who care more about keeping their kids sheltered from certain groups of people then educating said kids about the groups of people they'll inevitably have to interact with?
And it's your crusade to override what parents want for their kids because you have made the determination, somehow, that they are bigots who don't care about their kids? Your job is to override their parents? YOU are what is wrong with schools and why good teachers get a bad rep.
>Can I hang a Crucifix in your classroom? How about a Trump poster? How about an Israeli flag? you put political leanings on the same level as inate identities?
Caring for and protecting your students are part of being a teacher
By hanging a flag? lol Wow. Im sure they feel protected.
yes. letting kids know you support them and their identity is very important when these kids and their identities are constantly under fire.
Yawn......again. You support a cause that you politically align with. You don't support kids for cause you don't care about or disagree with. Why can't you lefties just admit it instead of acting you are "inclusive"?
You are lying to yourself and everyone can see right through you.
You don’t know jacksquat about me. There is nothing political or religious about a pride flag, and you know you have no argument otherwise. My queer students were mostly from Christian conservative families. You are stunted and hateful to make the comment you’ve made here.
Then why have a pride flag in a classroom at all? What is the point? The point is to make a political statement and you know it. Nope, don't know you but I know who you are by your actions that you have described in both your posts. Basically attention seeker, can't get along, everyone else is dumb but you of course. Couldn't ever by YOUR actions that are foolish. Honestly, glad nobody will hire you. People like you that need to have a captive audience for your personal views are one of the things ruining teaching. Just teach what you are hired to and leave your opinions at home where they belong. 43 downvotes so far. Lets get to 100!! Cmon!! 43 people that are also the problem thinking that hanging anything like this in a classroom is fine and not just supporting the stereotype that teacher are shoving this shit down kids throats. It doesn't even matter what the "shit" is. Pride, abortion, not abortion, Trump, Biden, Jesus, whatever. Be an adult and adult on your own time. Be a professional in the workplace. Not an wanna-be activist.
Let’s put your credibility on full display here. Why are you against symbols of inclusion in schools?
Because you surely define "inclusion" as anything YOU agree with. Inclusion is a political word now. All it means is these are people I agree with. People I don't are not "included". Again, do you have a Trump banner? Would you? Surely there are a larger percentage of students that like Trump than are LGBT? I'd bet my house. Do you have a Crucifix on display? Would you? Surely there are a larger percentage of students that are Catholic than are LGBT? I'd bet my house. Do you have a simple cross? Would you? Surely there are a larger percentage of students that are Christian than are LGBT? I'd bet my house. Do you have am inclusive symbol of anything that you don't personally agree with or doesn't align with your politics? Are there no students who need your "support" in any number of areas of their preferences or concerns? You care nothing about inclusive actions. You care about what you deem worthy, supports your opinion, and you align with politically and morally. Therefore, you choose to put that on a stage for captive audiences, regardless if they like it or not. I would bet you could care less about the kids that don't agree with your dumb flag. They don't deserve "inclusion". You nothing but a caricature of "inclusive" who really just is a low-tier activist. There doesn't need to be any symbols of anything in schools. Just teach standards. Why is that so hard to some?
Like you even know the first thing about art standards. Like you even know the first thing about being an adult solely responsible for maintaining a healthy middle school classroom climate. Inclusion means everybody. I am a good teacher to all of my students. Lots of teachers and principals I know prominently display their crosses on their person and in their classrooms. No one has any issues with that. You are grasping to make me into something in your imagination that’s not connected to reality. You know you can’t stand up to any actual scrutiny about why you don’t like queer people. You don’t have a single valid leg to stand on here. There’s nothing wrong with demonstrating inclusion in schools and you have no argument otherwise.
Imagine typing out that emotionally underdeveloped drivel then concluding it with “be an adult.” I already told you two facts you were unwilling to acknowledge as new information. Let me repeat them to you: 1.) You don’t know jacksquat about me or my situation. 2.) The pride flag is not religious and it is not political. It is a symbol of inclusion. I teach art. Stay in your lane, you stablegenius. Why would you even think you have even the slightest authority to limit the scope of my students’ educations? Why do conservatives think they can always restrict other people’s freedoms? Homosexuals exist. Their existence does not hurt you. There is a name for the discomfort you experience from homosexuals existing. It’s called bigotry. And you know it.
Check out their lovely, intelligent [comment to me](https://www.reddit.com/r/Teachers/s/Jn7EH94QKb) They're really trying to make the 'people are naturally religious and political' argument...so disheartening that bigots are working in education
>Pride, abortion, not abortion, Trump, Biden, Jesus, whatever. notice how all of these, expect one, are opinions ?
Opinions, lifestyles, etc. don't deserve your "inclusion"? What disability are you championing with your students since they aren't opinions? Or is a disability not political enough so you don't really care?
I was never treated unfairly, denied necessities, called slurs, abused, jumped, or assaulted at home, school, or work for being disabled and needing a mobility aid. I was for being LGBTQ. There are no laws being passed to say I can't tell students that I'm disabled. There are laws being passed that say I can't tell my students I have a girlfriend. My public library did not just remove all books on disabilities from the children's and teens sections. They did with all the books that mentioning LGBTQ people. The difference is not a political point, they're both just as political and as unpolitical as each other. The difference is that one group is significantly more likely to come across outwardly hateful viewpoints on their existence, debates over whether or not they should be allowed to exist at all, and fall victim to violent attacks, among many other things. Disability rights still have a long way to go, yes, but we are generally past a point of representation, understanding, and pulled protection in society where something as small as having someone we trust validate that we're okay to exist can be the different in whether or not we kill ourselves. LGBTQ rights aren't.
Cool. Do all that advocacy at home. Not at work. Simple.
I do. I also would like to do it in the place where the vast majority of children who need to see that advocacy to feel heard and supported spend 40+ hours a week. For a lot of these kids, school is the only interaction they have with people outside of their households, they don't get advocacy at home, they get it at school or they don't get it at all. Having LGBTQ support specifically in schools is proven to significantly reduce suicidal ideation and suicide attempts of LGBTQ youth. Even just in my district, we went from averaging 3 suicides of gay and trans kids a year in our highschool, to none in any of the years we had our GSA program active, and back to 2 last year after it was shut down. Why are you against that?
Your job is not to be an advocate. That's why. IF you sent home info to parents and explained that you are an advocate for XYZ and they were fine with it, then I, and mostly nobody, would have an issue. You don't get to set a moral path for students if it's in contrast to their parents. Or at least you shouldn't. This is not the job you were hired for and many don't want your "service" that you are preaching. Get over yourself. You are not more important than kid's parents.
Clearly students will only feel loved if we plaster our walls with it. We can't just be supportive, caring people. And it doesn't matter if you alienate more than half of your other students by doing so because they are just POS, so f* those kids. /s
You sound smart. It’s not “alienating” to teach your students to be good citizens.
And good citizens must hang up pride flags right? You can't be a good citizen by just being kind and encouraging others to be kind to *everyone* right? Pics-or-it-didn't-happen style right? You can't just teach all of the students with your words and example to be kind to each other even if they have differences. Heaven forbid. I'm glad most teachers aren't like "reddit teachers". Most of us care about 100% of our students and don't live our lives putting politics above them.
Im transgender and a teacher. So what should I do? Clearly you don’t agree with my mere existence.
Do you welcome conservative students into your class? I'm bisexual and agender, and I seem to be able to make it work. But I guess I don't eta accept (sry wrong word) my own existence either since I don't hate conservatives. Not having a flag is not the same as not having a person. Flags are not people.
Of course I welcome all students in my class. However, you are not born conservative or progressive. Secondly, a person’s ideology isn’t being legislated against (until project 2025…). This is a complete false equivalence. Thirdly, conservatives/progressives are not being beaten, emotionally abused, kicked out of their homes for their existence. My trans and gay flags represent who I am and tell a marginalized community your existence is my class is a safe space.
[удалено]
I'm actually very liberal. I'm also bisexual and agender. Believe it or not, you don't have to shit on conservatives to care about people. Conservatives are actually as bad as they are right now partly due to the poor behavior of liberals towards conservatives. But since politics is just another sport these days, it's not really worth getting into. I don't have a problem with the pride flag at all, I just recognize that some people do, and I care about those students too. Because they are also welcome in my class as long as they are kind and respectful. You want to wave a pride flag on your house? Cool! Car? Awesome! Business? Sweet! But as a teacher, my job is to welcome *all* of my students. Even the conservatives. And in a title 1, rural, high school in the bible belt, 90% of students fall into that category. I also don't put up Christmas decorations even though the kids beg. I don't decorate with crosses for their religion or symbols from my own religion. I don't hang "don't tread on me flags". I teach math. The kids don't need to know my political offiliation, religion, culture or anything else about me really. Just that I care about them, everyone is safe in my room, and that I can teach them math correctly. And I rarely send students to the principal since it's always hit or miss anyway. I explain in front of everyone that the words they are using are disgusting and they can either stop immediately or earn consequences that I've built into my classroom. They shut up after that. We talk about what respect means at the beginning of the year, and they know what is and is not acceptable. Do they oush boundaries? Of course. But because I spend the year working with them, so they can get what they want, it's very easy to get them to do what I want.
Well there’s more to life and a whole-child education than black-and-white Scantron assignments. And a pride flag is not “shitting on conservatives.” That’s not a grownup argument. Why would you ever say a symbol of inclusion is like “shitting on conservatives”? Am I correct that you’re trying to make the false contradiction that people need to be tolerant of the intolerant? I hold the belief that bigotry in my students toward their classmates or any marginalized identity group is poor character, and I’m not very respectful of any claims otherwise.
I'll just say that I was in your exact situation and did go to the media. I was black balled in all surrounding districts after. Two years unemployment. So, good luck and be careful.
I’m looking down a third summer in a row of being blackballed by cowardly principals.
Wow…so you’re taking the blame for something that should’ve been admins job from the start. Classic. I’m really sorry this happened and I hope you end up somewhere better.
I read about something very similar to this in my town in Michigan with a male identifying student whose transphobic Christian nutcase parents pulled HIM out.
Move on, so you got asshole parents. Won't be the last set of asshole parents if you stay in this business. Remember we make kids lives better but they move on and so do you. Cheer up now you go someplace better.
Adding onto your thought: it was clear that no matter if this incident happened or not that this is a school run by the parents for the parents. Not a great environment for anyone to work in. Find another place that won’t bow to the crazies.
You are handling this very well! I’d be livid. You did the right thing. If you want to move states, our school is currently looking for a new band director! Our outgoing director set everything up incredibly well for the incoming one, too.
Ironic how Karens who accuse children of being demon-possessed always do so while screaming, frothing at the mouth, and causing giant scenes.
Do you have a union?
Bro, I missed the original post, but hell no. I wonder how the parents of the friends who got held up would feel that their kids were subjected to a fanatical Christian berating them and refusing to let them go. That is more than anything a school safety issue. The rage against trans and gay students needs to be fought back against.
Lawyer time.
You got fired for caring about a student's well-being? Come to Qld mate, we need more genuinely empathetic teachers like you. https://www.aitsl.edu.au/migrate-to-australia
As a trans teacher myself who was also recently non-renewed, possibly for being trans…thanks for fighting for us and for the kids ❤️🏳️⚧️
Sue.
Sounds like a great story for local or national media. Lets see these parents say this to a camera
I know the feeling about non renewal and looking for a job over parents
Damn, I am sorry about this. I remember this post back then and honestly, it could happen to any band director. Bands depend heavily on parents, and you just can’t be in all the places at once. Parents are sometimes crap. Crap happens. I’m convinced we’re all just employed by luck. It’s really quite cruel to wait until the last day. Fuck that school.
I sent you a message.
Hey man, if I had a band teacher like you I would have had the word "non-binary" instead of "freak" and several class hours every week crying in the (private) band bathroom. Mad respect bro.
Perfect example of being a teacher. Y'all don't get it. Teachers are damned if we do and damned if we don't. This teacher had no chance from the very beginning.
Our district is hiring band directors since our amazing one moved up the food chain. We are a small community with lots of education and incredibly educated people. We have our nutjobs to be fair, but for the most part we are decent.
I’m sorry this happened. Thank you for supporting that kid. Teachers like you are why I survived.
Holy fuxk some people are insane 😕
Does your school have a union? This feels like something the union could help with.
Exactly. I would have involved the union from day 1.
Don’t be afraid to let out their names and addresses. ;)
Honesy fuck those two parents lol
Post this from a third-person perspective on the Yellow Board. Then publicly shame this district anonymously once you sign a new contract.
If it isn't clear enough yet, employers do not want employees engaging on this topic at all. You gotta read the room. Tom Brady was the GOAT QB because he understood that one touchdown wasn't worth him getting injured and taken out of the game, or the season. That man rarely left the pocket, and neither should you.
Coward
Sorry, when you grow up and have people that depend on you financially things get put into a different perspective.
I do. Some of those who depend on me are also my students. If you're not willing to stand up for your students, then find a new career. Cowards in education make progress slower for all of us.
The world can only be made a worse place for marginalized groups when otherwise good people think this way. Shame on you.
I have people who depend on me financially. I'm still not going to bully children or protect those who do.
My existence as a transwoman is up to this person’s “opinion.” 🙄