I hate deadlines

Remember I told you about the English teacher here at Alcatraz who adopted a baby at the end of the last school year? I covered her classes for 10 days? Well, she decided to take the entire next school year off, which I think is awesome for her! Between her maternity leave, her personal and sick time and the Family Leave Act will allow her to take the whole year off and still ensure she has a job come 2012-2013 school year. Though as most of us know, she probably will NOT come back if everything works out.

So when she made this announcement, my principal came to me and filled me in. Then we and I started bombarding the DOE office in my state to see if he could get me a teaching license so I could have the job. Recently, here in my State we've changed lots of rules, making it easier to be a teacher. Well, easier on paper anyway. The reality is that nothing is available on line except information and you need to speak to a real human being to get anything done. And apparently Real Human Beings at the DOE do not return phone messages nor do they answer emails.

My principal and I called together. We had all my information in front of us and could read them what they need or FAX it or even USPS mail it. We got a voice mail and the message said it would be answered within 5 business days. He then sent an email. On the 6th business day, we both called again and got voice mails and we also sent emails.

In the meantime, an add is running and 22 people apply for the job. I start a campaign and call every day, once in the morning and once in the afternoon. My principal finally gets a hold of someone. She said she would pass the information on to the right person. She had only worked for the DOE for a week. She must've not gotten the memo that she's not to answer her phone.

A week later we have to call her back and find out that she did, indeed, pass the information via email to the right person. She forwarded the email to us. She also verbally said that when she talked to the right person, she was told I would probably get a temp. certificate that's good for one year. That's all we needed, but we needed it in writing.

So we continue calling and email and never get a response.

Anyone who knows anything about education, knows that as a summer winds down, the administration is eager to take their summer vacations. We'd been pursuing this for about three weeks and they had to do something. We start school on Aug. 1 and most folks have the entire month of July off so....

Yeah, because no one at the DOE will call or email back, I lost the opportunity to cover that teaching job for a year. That so sucks. Beyond sucks.

My principal felt bad about it but it was a committee decision to hire someone else. They all felt bad that it wasn't me. I understand the situation but it doesn't mean I like it. My principal also said I should continue to pursue it because he knows the other English teacher in our building is looking for a new job. He also knows that since the maternity leave is a temp job for a year, the candidate who was hired could choose to not work the entire time and it could come open again.

I said I was going to drive down to the State and sit there until someone helped me or until they threw me our had me arrested. Apparently that's all we can do to get the government to work. I wish I had connections. I don't but man do I wish I did.

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

Maggie