Difficult decision

Last week I made a difficult decision, but I feel as if it was the right one for me. I was supposed to be teaching 2nd grade this year at a charter school, but was having difficulty with the principal approving time off for surgery. She had some inappropriate comments about the surgery, and I told her that I would not schedule anything until I spoke with her. At any rate, I offered to work for a week w/out pay, and to find my own sub. When the principal called last week, she informed me that I would start as a daily sub (with my own class) and when enrollment was up, they could offer a contract. I then decided to ask if I was not going to have a contract, would it be easier to have the surgery. She then told me that I had a whole two weeks off for Christmas and could do it then, and that she could not give me time off. Needless to say, after discussing it with my husband, I decided that she was not being very supportive considering that I was taking the job with no job security at all. I decided that I did not want to work at this place, and would become a substitute for the school system until I had my surgery and would look for a job in the public school system next year, or if something came available this year. It is scary to think that I turned down a job, but I figure that this is my life. I cannot risk waiting until next summer because if my insurance should change in January, they may not cover the surgery. I hope I made the right decision.

Good for you! The journey is hard enough without getting hostile flack from your work place. It's amazing how inconsiderate uneducated people can be. I hope it all goes great for you and that you can find a long term sub postition post-op. The beauty of teacher's having babies means they pop up all the time. Dawn

What a load of Ca-ca!!! I am so glad that you did what you did!!! It really burns me when school districts have 2 standards. She has NO RIGHT to tell you when you can and cannot have surgery. If so, then it would be HER RESPONSIBILITY if your health were to take a turn for the worse because you had to wait on when it would be "convenient" for the school. If you had been pregnant and needed time off, they would make due. If God forbid you had a heart attack or a car wreck...they'd make due. Yet she gives you a hard time. This is a surgery to "save" your life but because it's WLS, I guess that's different!!! She's acting as if you were going to get something frivolous like a face lift or a boob job!! (Not that those are bad, just not urgent). Glad that you stood up for yourself!! Susan

You did the right thing. Can you imagine how supportive your principal would be if you needed additional time off or became sick one day in class? My principal has been extremely supportive. I was planning to have surgery in the summer or during Christmas break so that I wouldn't miss school. Well, new insurance goes in effect on Sept 1 and it has a written WLS exclusion. I had to move up my surgery and ironically, it is the first day of school. Teachers are in demand everywhere. Go ahead and apply at your local school districts as a substitute while your recuperating. That way you can visit many schools and get an idea of where you'd like to work. Let them know that you'd be available for contract position. Teachers sometimes leave in January so you'd be ready to start. Good luck! Jackie B Lap-RNY: 8/22/05

I don't mean to offend anyone but this is just another reason why I don't like charter schools. It seems to me they want to treat teachers like we are back in the 50's - 70's before teacher's unions gained the strides we have. That is hard to say since I am a life long republican but I am also an officer in my local. You did the right thing. Before I became a teacher I worked in the corporate world, and even they wouldn't treat people like that. Good for you!!!!