Monday, February 15, 2010

Public Education

No money to refile my app with Metro Public Schools. I don't have the application fees or the fee Metro charges all applicants to pay to process the application fees; the fees for fingerprinting, the FBI background check, or to update my transcripts with the certification office.



A Masters degree is an education does not translate into a career when you are through.

According to the Director ofSchools and the State Board of Education told me on several occasions, before I become a Certificated Teacher I mst submit my permanent record to some lady who rubber stamps shit all day long and then yells at you because you checked the wrong box for on a 13 page appplication form.

Some six months later or so you may hear back if y are approved and then come back for more bullshit and paperwork After paying in excess of $100 dollars in fees to the FBI online, by credit card, yo may receive an invitation to try out the next academic term before yo can actually "audition" for the part of a para-professional who gets paid less than all the Mexicans in the back of that pick-p that jst got pulled over on suspicion of being an illegal alien who is ctting trimming the trees otside a fat hose in Belle Meade for one of the Frists or Vanderbilt Honorees. 

Pulled over on ssppicion of being an alien? Give me a fucking break. Mayor Dean's Brag Shee

287(g) code ICE.

So I pander each day hoping to get a call in time from a school I cqn get to in nder 20 minutes at a high risk school urban school district. I am less qualified than a the cafeteria staff.  

No slip of notarized paper for me. Do not pass go. 

Return with a note fro the Board of Education with a better applcation on file. Once we determine yo ar qualified enogh to be a permanent substitute as a more qualified applicant before we kick your ass out to another disaster area 3-6 months from now.

Then yo will start all over again with a new group of paraprofessionals cutting their gums at the chance to work at a better school after the next lawsit and rezoning plan of all metro districts.

Fck re-zoning. This is not choice, this is flat ot segregation..  When we do another "re-zoning" plan for all students, teachers, adminstrators and personnell will be shifted all over Davidson County

Metro Nashville Public Schools.

Until then, you may work as a part time employee after filling out all of these forms and signing away your first born chld in blood on the dotted line.

Hourly employees may not work for more than 20 days at any given school, yet failure to work at least three is grounds for dismissal.

Class dismissed.

Go to 10.


So I got lucky and was called inn on an emergency at a Alternative Learning Center on the very last day of the academic year. I got my three days.

At $10.46/hour my entire income for tax year 2009 was $235.35. No benefits. No security.

The application fee is non-negotiable.

Once dedicated toward empowering youth through education, I now despise every god damn idiot who tells me I am not trying hard enough. 

I was also drawn toward misunderstood children and adolescents. I speak their langage. Music therapy? Fine. Art therapy? perfect. creative writing, brilliant. Show me what yo can do, and I'll make it better.  I'll make you better. As a therapist, a crisis counselor and an advocate, we'll do it togetther. Right?

Wrong.

Do not pass go.

Go to 10.


I have a knack for connected with the lost: I speak their language.

SORRY DRAFT COPY-- MUST GET  at least two hour before I start up all over again.

OUCH.

FUCK YOU! 
Voter Apathy: January 7, 2008, p. 2

[Available in full: http://www.city.paper.com/]




Last year, it was the election commission... this time it was the Board of Ed who failed to secure the personal information, social security numbers, and financial data of local students and employees.

- insert figure about here re; ACT DATA REPORTED 2007 -SKEWED -


The Tennessean openly discusses the salary of Metro teachers in the The Tennessean. The reporter makes it sound like she has uncovered some profound secret: Teachers are underpaid. No shit?

The papers seem to gloss over the magnitude if the situation of teacher pay and mobility within Metro Nashville. I wasted a ton of money at Vanderbilt and almost as much in the Ivy League. By investing in a useless program and a worthless degree, I am the first to admit I have made some bad choices, but now I am asking for some advice.
I can't find a job.I can not afford the $100 complete the application, or find transportation to get to an interview.

I am beyond broke. I am so far in debt that I do not even bother to open my mail since it consists only negative balances, bank statements, and letters from collection agencies and the Department of Education. I actually got SUED and evicted for $4.50. Legal Aid told me to call my Daddy. I'm 36. ALL support and custody child support was terminated on August 15, 1988. The Jewish Federation. 

At least 3 people are using my soical security number, claiming me as an employed ERISA beneficiary, a dependent "child", oh yeah, and, SSA decided to terminate my benefits since they can't figure out what fucking state or which parent i live with.... Let get this out of the way. I was 15.. My mother changed the locks, withdrew my records from the local high school (Port Washington, New York) called my boss, Dave at The Barge on Capri Marina, told him I quit, and #thatwasall

#onmyown






My dad showed me the front door a year later. I got my hair braided on vaction, ordered me out of the house reminded him of John Africa. No contest. I left!



When I found out that someone recently used my social security number to open an account in Jersey City, I was thrilled at the prospect that my credit score might actually go up!

I never dreamed that I would have to apply for a social services grant simply to pay the application fees associated with the job application. I never thought about fees for fingerprinting, TB tests, transcripts, ($15 each from Columbia; Vandy actaully sued me for $3010 to release 'em) Penn State costs $8 on credit- another thing I don't have)

Examination fees, processing fees necessary to apply a position that really only requires a GED.

As an employee of the Metro Nashville Public Schools, I work part-time as an educator at the "Masters + 30" salary level. I earn $10.46 / hour, before taxes without benefits.

http://roomfordebate.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/16/education-degrees-and-teachers-pay/



That does not go far, and they are currently eliminating employees, so any chance of a raise or future opportunities for advancement seem unlikely during these tough economic times.

I cannot afford additional application fees or costs associated with the Alternative Certification options, and I certainly do not have the resources required to obtain another undergraduate degree just so I can bypass the 6 months of student teaching necessary for Metro to deem me qualified to teach Head Start, pre-k or even adult literacy programs.

The bottom line is this: regardless of good intentions or misguided mentoring, I am a financial burden to you all. I pay taxes out of your taxes. I am absolutely convinced that there must be a better way to live than relying upon government subsidies to keep a roof over my head and Ramen noodles in my tummy.

There is a plethora of young, talented individuals like myself who would be more than willing to work for MNPS or any other company if we could simply access the resources necessary to complete the application. We all know that teacher salary is ridiculous to begin with, so no kudos to the reporter at the Tennessean for pointing out the obvious.

This is the reality I live in. This is poverty. This is why I am hoping that someone out there knows someone or some way that I can contribute more to society than what I am taking. I am a leach on society. I will continue to be a leach on society.

Relying upon the "welfare" of others is a terrible way to live especially when you have something to give back.

People used to laugh when I would inquire about transportation funds, Internet access grants or assisted technology funds and resources...

Surely, the AT&T cable bill could have included a measure to assist the disabled and economically challenged members of our community free or discounted online Internet service. Certainly one of these big companies coming to Tennessee can help by hiring just one over educated, underemployed, and dedicated employee.

I live so far beneath the poverty line that I am willing to work for the necessities in life that I simply cannot afford such as toothpaste and Internet access. I cannot afford the application fees Metro charges for new or returning applicants. I'm not eligible for community training programs or work force development... there are no grant based training programs for people who just made a few bad, BAD investments along the way-- say, for example, a college degree --> $179,000 in student loans.

I am not too proud to beg for a job or take some free advice if it will help me to get from here to there. I need someone; anyone, willing to give me a chance to prove myself. Isn't there anyone who maybe, just may be willing to invest in me?

I think I deserve more out of life than this, and I think if you knew me, you might think so too.


Help me become the person I was meant to be. Try to the see the person I could become.

I have much to contribute, but no resources to get there.


All I want is a chance. All I need is a chance. Is there anybody out there who believes I am worth the investment? Not money. Just Time.

Is there anybody out willing to invest in me?

1 comment:

  1. Do you have any felonies? Here's an easy one for a really desperate yet equally intelligent person:
    Move to Texas for Hazelwood Act or another state that has a similar program
    Join any branch of the military and complete three years' service
    Get military to train you in a job for free and pay off student loans
    Return to Texas or equivalent state, at which point you get four more free years of school
    No GI Bill of course because you had student loans paid off by military
    Optional: join a reserve branch of military, especially a job or unit that never deploys
    Also optional: get hurt while in military - including headaches or anxiety or other disorder - get disability payments from VA after getting out, or pension if medically discharged

    These options are not handouts or charity; this path requires some legit self sacrifice. However, benefits are extraordinary.
    Only other idea: move the he'll to anywhere other than Tennessee and start over. Texas needs teachers too.

    Good luck and God bless.

    Ben

    ReplyDelete