Around this time nine years ago, Brenda Miller wrote me an obnoxious letter complaining that she figured I had probably rigged the junior high talent show, thus preventing her daughter from winning the prize to which she was entitled. When I received that letter, I knew I was leaving my school in six weeks and wouldn't be back, because we were moving.
Knowing that I did not need to preserve my relationship with Brenda Miller and her underappreciated, talented daughter, nor my relationship with my administration, I wrote back to Brenda Miller all the things I always want to say to parents who make these kinds of insulting accusations. I tallied up how many volunteer hours (mine, other teachers, and students) went into creating the talent show so that her daughter could have the opportunity to perform in front of an audience. I told her how to go about hiring better qualified judges, how to rent a venue, and how to put on her own talent show next year. And then I mailed her back her two dollar entry fee. It was very satisfying.
Now I find myself in the same boat with nothing to lose as the end of the school year approaches. No relationships that need protecting. And I have taken the opportunity to let my local union vice president know that she is unreliable, incompetent, and a poor communicator. I have forwarded my observations to the provincial office. This has also been satisfying. It has also evoked a flurry of communication that everyone was somehow too busy to manage when I asked for it earlier. Hah.
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2 comments:
I've never let myself do that because of my worry that somehow that person's reaction to me might matter in the future - job reference, or they get hired on at the new place or they are in charge of my medical records or whatever. Burning bridges is, I guess, both satisfying and risky.
Yes, I recognize the risks associated with bridge burning, and for that reason have very, very rarely allowed myself that kind of indulgence. In this case, however, I think I should have called these people out years ago as they have completely abandoned their vocation of protecting human beings in favour of protecting a document.
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