Dear JCPS,
With all the recent uproar about how the staff at JCPS are being treated, it got me thinking. I am currently an instructor III, which means I have my bachelor’s degree. I make about $20,000/year. I’ve been in JCPS for 8 years. I started as an instructional assistant for 6 years. When I changed job titles they took my steps away. Did those 6 years mean nothing? Do they not realize that everything is going up: rent, groceries, gas, etc. Why shouldn’t my pay go up? Am I not worth more to you?
I now play many roles at my school. Sometimes I substitute and currently I’m actually doing SRT. But both of those jobs pay more money. Why am I not getting [paid for the work I actually do]. Sometimes I wish I can go to work and “clock in” under which job I will be doing for the day. That’s not too mention the other roles on top of that mom, counselor, friend, teacher, role model etc. that I play.
Next topic behavior! Wow, the things I’ve seen heard and dealt with this last year. Never have I been so disrespected. Never have I had a panic attack at work. Never have I witnessed such cruelty, hatefulness and entitled children. I can’t even count how many times a child cussed me out, blatantly disrespected me or harassed me. But it’s not just about me. They’ve run subs off mid day and cheered. They instigate violence, talk about sex and drugs (I’m in middle school) yell and scream, hurt others, the list goes on. And the adults are helpless. We try to hand out discipline. We try to have positive conversations. We try to keep them in the class. We give them so many chances but the response is always “I don’t care” and they truly don’t. They don’t care that they’re in Middle School and still read on an elementary level. They don’t care that the teachers have to buy supplies out of money from their own pockets. They don’t care that the lunch ladies are there early in the morning to feed them breakfast and to prepare their lunches. They don’t care about the other 80 children riding on the bus. They just don’t care. I guess that’s a thing at JCPS. Nobody cares what everybody is doing for their children.
I’m so very glad that the school year is almost over. I don’t know how much more I can take.
Sincerely,
Someone looking for a new job
NOTE: While the author’s identity is protected here, they are not anonymous to Dear JCPS. Any board member wishing to address the concerns shared here can contact our administrators to make a connection.
