You need some background information in order to understand the whole situation on this one.
If you didn't know already, I am a special education teacher. I went through school in Illinois, but I teach in Iowa. So, some things didn't transfer over as smoothly as I would have liked. (I have been teaching in Iowa for 8 years by the way) Not to mention thanks to that lovely No Child Left Behind I am no longer a "Highly Qualified Teacher" because it doesn't really recognize special education because we weren't trained in any one area. (I have high hopes things will change with the new administration coming up)
Anyway.... I have been trying to take this one particular class for 3 YEARS! It is only offered in the the Spring semester and I have been denied access twice! Very frustrating. You have to have special permission to take the ONLINE COURSE that only lets 25 people in per year. My license is up in July, I have to take it NOW!
So, last week I e-mailed the department head to get permission to take the class. Once again the answer was no. I am a special ed teacher, why would I need an elementary education class. My reply was "I have had my transcripts read twice and both times it says I need this class to fulfill my license". The reply was "are you sure you really need this course".
Here is where the bitch in me let loose. I don't like confrontation, but felt I needed to up the anti. My response (verbatim) was this: "If I am denied access to this course I will need an official letter from *** University explaining to the Iowa Department of Education explaining why I have been unable to take this course over the last three years." I felt like a bitch writing it, but it needed to be done.
My initial response to my e-mail "I am out of the office at a conference until Monday, I will deal with this matter then."
Shit, I screwed my chance to take this class again didn't I?!?
Nope. I think she didn't want to deal with me and now I am enrolled in the class. I hated to channel the bitch I used to be, but occasionally you have to in order to get what you want.
Oh, and the class consist of reading journal articles assigned and writing summaries. A trained monkey could do it, so why is it such a guarded course to take?!? So next semester my new name will simply be.... Monkey!
Awwww...B & G will be so happy to call you that!
ReplyDeleteI personally feel like you'd be more like a trained circus performer, you know, jump through this hoop and then jump through this one. All for a stinking treat as payment.
Love the beauracracy. (sarcasm intended) I can only imagine how frustrated you must have been. This is definitely one of those WTF situations.
ReplyDeleteMy poor poor Monkey.
ReplyDeleteBut soon you will be certificable sped. And you can move to my city and then be a kick ass sped admin in my school district.
People in this area don't think that "normal" looking kids (such as my own) that have been adopted out of horrific situations could possible have sped issues.
Sure lady, you live in a crib til your five and see if it doesn't affect your psyche!
Start family incest when you are six months old, head games and sexual abuse. Don't worry about it, you aren't being molested now are you hon?
Oooooh, do I get a bitch badge?
No, but I'll bet there is a penciled notation of some sort in the inside of MY file.
Whew, I feel better. Thanks.