Substitute Teachers and Birkin Bags

What is a Birkin bag anyway?

If you missed a couple of episodes, the best way to binge-read Scrambling for Voice, Choice, and Agency is to use the Table of Contents links to previous posts.

Episode #16

From: Chance
My kids are great!
To: Kerry sent - Gmail at 6:18 PM

Hi Kerry—

When I returned to school today, the kids couldn’t wait to tell me about their day without me. Apparently, the substitute teacher was in a minor car accident on the way to the school and arrived about an hour late. When the bell rang and a substitute had not arrived, the kids decided that they would just go on like normal…just without a teacher. They decided not to make a big deal.

They took attendance, and Ernie took it over to the office. It makes me so happy that he was able be responsible when it mattered….and without an adult reminding him how to behave.

They divided into their math groups and got started on the day. A small group was working outside of the classroom when the principal walked by. She asked how it was going with the substitute. They told her that no substitute arrived, and they were running the class without a teacher.

The principal was still talking to the district office to get another sub sent over when the original substitute arrived.

What a great class. These are not kids who will grow up to think that authoritarian regimes are the best way to keep order. They are learning that in a democracy everyone needs to step up and contribute to the common good….of the people, by the people and for the people….In this case: of the kids, by the kids, and for the kids……

My head is still spinning from my day with Rich. What an operation he has going there. It is amazing what money and an investment in the human resource does for an organization.

They have a vending machine full of supplies. If you need something, you just scan your badge and the machine dispenses whatever you need….computers, cords, electronic gizmos, headphones….anything……even pens and paper. When was the last time you did not buy your own pens and paper??

An abundance of supplies is very different from teachers needing to go to the warehouse downtown where businesses dump their unwanted office supplies and manufacturing materials, and then teachers go and paw through it to see if they can make silk out of an old sow’s ear….No other profession creates an environment where the materials are so scarce that trash from businesses turns the workers into scavengers.

I must admit that working in a business like that is tempting, but I don’t know if I would fit in. At lunch, I listened to an entire conversation about the absurd price of a Birkin bag. I had no idea what they were even talking about.

I Googled Birkin last night, and I agree with them…absurd…simply absurd…Birkin Hermes purses are between $12,000, and they sometimes go for over $200,000 for the really desirable ones. I am shocked that some of those women are earning enough money to consider buying a purse that costs more than I earn in a year…desirable for whom??? Certainly not desirable for teachers who have to scrounge for tables or buy their own supplies.

Rich has a job for me that sounds interesting. Do you have time for coffee? I would love to get together and see what you think.

Chance

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From: Kerry
re: My kids are great!
To: Chance sent - Gmail 6:02 AM

Hi Chance—

Just look at your email…you are excited about kids, and you think expensive purses are ridiculous….that tells you what I think about Rich’s job offer……

Yes, let’s get together soon.

I want to tell you about my last meeting with the superintendent. She wants me to seriously consider taking the job of interim principal for the rest of the year. She would give me a couple of free periods each day to do the work. I would have to start attending the district administration meetings every Monday afternoon.

It would not start until Wanda leaves at the end of the semester.

I wonder if this is going to be a case of we get what we wished for……and then I end up with so much admin work that I don’t have time for the kids….

When are you free?

Kerry