Public School Teachers:
See Nothing, Hear Nothing, Do Nothing
"If I write down a suicide note to make a wake up call for those who are in the higher office about the oppression and harassment of heads to teachers, will it make a difference?"
Being a public school teacher demands everything a person has. One should possess the best skills to do the job and that is to teach for 8 hours to a variety of children. Also, a teacher has to be full of resources especially a bagful of money to enliven their classrooms and produce the best instructional materials.
Moreover, a teacher should give utmost time beyond the call of duty that even personal and family matters won't even matter anymore. But a teacher who is dedicated to a job scripted and descripted will always do all three. Who would not? Should one fail to do all, that teacher will be the subject of unfavorable preference.
A public school teacher is in fact the most admirable profession. Even in low standard salary and mediocre incentives and benefits, these teachers are most probably the definite workaholic sector in the community working 24/7 inside and outside the campus.
Demanded by rigorous tasks to do clerical works and to teach at the same time, a teacher should be precisely robotic and dysfunctionality is not an option. One should have a multifunction button at the back to be pressed in times of unfavorable work loads.
"I am a public school teacher and I am proud of my job." This line should be embraced by teachers who are considered heroes in the community. But how can they be branded as heroes when the community at school becomes toxic and stained by a stigma labeled by their mere heads?
The best members have the best leaders but when members are intoxicated and divided by a manipulative head, a seemingly odd yet natural situation, teachers are caught in the middle.
Who would not bow to the king? He has the perfect power to attach the strings to the people below his feet. He is the overall ruler and anyone who says against his ideals shall be dealt with all might. He can easily cut the string and let you fall to your own demise.
A public school should be the most peaceful place in a community but when ruled by an aristocratic leader who takes away the democracy entitled to teachers, a distasteful and regressive vision is evident.
In a school led by an autocratic head who is manipulative and abusive, a teacher sees nothing. One has to be blinded by the truth. One sees and only sees the wrongdoings of the leaders but with eyes clearly shut down forced not to witness..
A teacher hears nothing. One has not heard of the untold stories and will never dare to hear. Ears are covered and unable to hear the murmurs of the truth, the echoes of sentiments by fellow teachers.
A teacher does nothing. One has to be chained and locked in a room full of secrets. A teacher has to forcibly stay on their seat and act like nothing has happened.
If I write down a suicide note to make a wake up call for those who are in the higher office about the oppression and harassment of heads to teachers, will it make a difference?
Why do these public school teachers see nothing, hear nothing and do nothing?
These teachers have goals. These goals are for their family. They need to be graded, promoted and ranked in the system that makes them profitable. They have aims by which they must achieve. And if a teacher dares to stand after being trampled over by their heads, that teacher will be stereotyped as rebellious and immature; hence unworthy to be ranked or be promoted, or given chances to grow and develop.
Even if they see and hear what is wrong in the school, they must not divulge in it or leaders will put them in the hot seat. As manipulative as they are, these leaders can change the situation and make it against the teachers. What power do teachers have to stand before the kings and queens? They wear their crowns with heads high; teachers bow down.
Leaders who are oppressively harassing their teachers are abusive of their power.
With their tagline "Principal Empowerment" dubbed in their forehead, they do not see the teachers as equal as them. Ranks should be respected. And that is common to most abusive leaders. Greet them occasionally or you will be tagged as insubordinate.
Respect begets respect. A teacher brought up with the right principles will always tell that respect should not be given, it should be earned. And a leader who does not know how to respect members should not earn the respect wanted.
This is not an anti-administration article but a persuasive action to those who see nothing, hear nothing and do nothing.
I will not commit suicide for the absence of the truth. My life as a public school teacher is an evident truth of the oppression and harassment from heads and I will continue to stand for what is right.
We teachers deserve a teacher friendly school. A school with a leader who has the heart to lead and not the power to lead.