Customer service please?

I am really frustrated. And I mean really frustrated.


I am doing my best to stay calm, but school is just pissing me off. I don't know, maybe it is the depression that naturally results from having to go back to work after vacation. Maybe.


Or maybe it is just the fact that people are unwilling to do what is best for my students. Yeah, that makes me angry.



And here is what I do not understand:

I asked my dept head whether I could have some science dept money to supplement funds for students going on my Costa Rica trip. He said we did not have any money. This was yesterday.

Today, I asked him again. No harm in it, right? Mostly I asked because EVERY DEPT has a budget. Every single one. Why wouldn't ours? Why would we be the only ones that have no money to do anything with? Illogical, right?

Well, he said we really do not have any money, and even if we did, he would be reluctant to use it for this trip because it benefits the least amount of students.

1) How is it your decision to choose how to use our dept money?
2) Its not like we do anything else!

And the real kicker is that during my tdef (teacher evaluations sort of), he told me that I have $500 to go to a conference somewhere. Anywhere I would like within the continental U.S.


So let me get this straight - our dept has no money to do anything of value... but somehow, I have $500 to go to any b.s. conference I want?

Oh.


Oh, okay. Yeah I get it now.






Another bee in my bonnet is Biology. (Its called alliteration, folks, it helps emphasize a statement)


Let's just summarize what has happened.

1) Ericka comes up with fabulous idea LAST YEAR
2) Ericka proposes it to science teachers - they back her
3) Ericka proposes it to dept head - he says he will pass it up the chain
4) Nothing happens
5) Ericka confronts dept head - he quickly says it was vetoed (BULL!)
6) New school year, newly hired director of student achievement or whatever he is
7) New guy proposes same idea on a broad scale, applying to all classes
8) Magically, dept head wants to do this
9) Ericka re-writes proposal and re-proposes
10) Dept head says he will pass it up the line
11) Dept head sits down with Lead teacher, they come up with entirely different proposal
12) Dept head sits down with me and tells me the new plan
13) Ericka points out every single loophole
14) Dept head tells Ericka that he will talk to Lead again
15) Dept head "talked to him, but could not remember the complaints" and suggests Ericka talk to him
16) Ericka talks to him in depth
17) Dept head walks in on that meeting, all three talk it over


You know what, I am just getting tired of explaining it... so lets cut to the chase:

18) b.s., b.s., and more b.s.... and after being told multiple times that this stuff has to go up the chain and that is a big project, it is all magically dumped on MY head again to take care of, because no one else wants to do it.





ITS UTTER B.S.!

You are lucky that my filter is on, because the string of curse words flying across my head right now... Just imagine times square, then take every word, and make it a bad one. That is how I feel.



So, whatever. I will deal. I care about my students, and even if I have to smile and suck up and go behind enemy lines and be a double agent... that is just what I will have to do. I hate this political b.s.

And you know what I hate about it the most? That I could be so incredibly good at it, but my frickin conscience will not let me work it!