There’s an infection going around my workplace. It’s not the typical cold that starts
appearing and spreading at this point of the year. It’s not a flu that results in people not
being able to do their job. It’s an
attitude….an “us against them” attitude.
Unfortunately, in this battle, it ultimately is not the combatants that
win or lose, it’s people who don’t have a dog in the fight. A good rule to
follow is that you don’t make children deal with adult issues, but that is
exactly what is happening. Children are
being used as pawns in a fight that is taking place between adults. They are caught in the middle. Over the past couple of weeks, some of the
teachers in our district have chosen to make a statement by strictly adhering
to contractual hours. This means that
they stand outside of the building until five minute before the first bell and
leave twenty minutes after the last bell rings.
That is certainly their right and I can understand where they are coming
from. In addition, information has been
given to students that is incomplete and they are being encouraged to voice
their opinions based on those “facts”.
In the past week, I have watched as a student asked a teacher for help,
but was told “I won’t help you until my contract time starts.” I heard a student’s frustration through tears
as they told me that they needed help on an assignment, but was refused because
she approached the teacher before five minutes before the bell. I sat with a student as they were given a
clearer picture of the adult situation and saw the look in their eyes as they
realized that they had been used and reevaluated their involvement in the situation.
Had they not been given the clearer picture, it could have very negatively
impacted their future leadership roles.
So here I am…..watching people pick sides. I’m disappointed
that it has been reduced to personal attacks against those they consider the
enemy and making children the real losers in the battle.
