Update: Hate to take away from all the threads (which I can't keep up with)

But I needed to update.

I am taking a leave of absence-starting sometime in the next week or so. Upwards of 60 days of my PTO. That will take me to late May.

School is not better-is worse in some ways. I do not see it improving.

I completely stunned my principal. Told her I was done-nothing left and feel like I am kicked in the gut every minute of every day. After a day off--I have to come back here and put up with this shit. It has made me anxious, depressed and I am having heart issues.

It is not worth my health. Either I take the days now or after they take me out in an ambulance.

I do have a few things that I can do and are making other plans. Need a reason to get up in the morning.

Thanks for the support everyone.
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I can still hook you up with some education contacts out here. Though they will likely warn you away.
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good for now. May have a good lead from an old principal. If I decide to stay in education.

Not sure if I should be happy or cry.
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Wow.
So it’s mostly from the environment that the pupils expose you to?
Or is it a combo of failed, entire broken down educational system?
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There is no discipline. All systems we have in the building are broken. Disrespect is putting it nicely.

I am basically abused every day.
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Moving on is the right answer then. We got one shot make it great.
Good luck
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I had a year from hell last year. No support from my principal. In fact pretty much the opposite. Wanted to get out with about a month left in the year but wasn't able to. I took this year off from teaching (very happy with that choice but I knew I had a job waiting for me if I wasn't teaching) and haven't made up my mind if I want to get back in or not. The system is not great right now.
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Good luck man. Hopefully the days off will lend clarity.
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Very sorry to hear that. Can't imagine.

Do you think switching jobs but taking the same teaching position is going to change things? Would a different school or district make that much of a difference?

Do you have other ideas, outside of education, regarding work opportunities?

Find some relaxing things to do. Your health is not worth ANY job.
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Also, good for you for using your days to get a break. Im assuming you talked with your teachers union rep? I was part of MSTA, not NEA, not sure what you have up in Minnesota, but if I had went to them I would have gotten more help than I did.

Good luck going forward with or without that job.
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Get your mind right and do what best for you. Also remember the chiefs are super bowl champions!
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I may be able to pick up a HS job. Most of those kids know why they are in school.

I have hired a career consultant and am working on other possibilities. I have been looking at job sites for ones I am qualified for. I think I can do a lot outside of education.


Our district union rep knows what I am dealing with. Have had many conversations with him. He is hearing from a lot of people in our district. I think teachers and the union need to step up more about the mental stress and lack of behavior/respect that we are seeing. We are being forced to used suspension alternatives. Those are not working and are killing teachers and education itself. We are sacrificing the many to save the few that do not want to be saved.


We have a STRONG union. The teachers union in Minn is the strongest in the state. But they also buy into the liberal philosophies. They need to start defending the needs of teachers mental health.

I have been talking about leaving for a while because of the stress this year. But when I finally am out-the rest of the school staff will be stunned too. I have been the stalwart in that school. I am able to let things roll. If I have failed, what are the others feeling? Of course there are a few that feel like the unicorns are farting rainbows made of lucky charms. They don't have my classes. 34 in a class. No pull outs for SPED. No support for Language learners. I have all students regardless of ability with no support.

We are expected to keep every kid in class ALL THE TIME. Kids that dont care have no reason to care-they have every opportunity to check out. If we do send them out-they get "processed" and sent back 10 minutes later. They know they win. No real consequences. Even for massive egregious behaviors.
It is so hard to explain without writing an essay.


I will begin taking anxiety medication today. Woke up about 4 this morning heart racing thinking of school. So I am on CP now.

Never really got a good chance to enjoy the SB win. Went back on Tuesday and it was the same shit-different day.

I know my family and friends support me. I know people here do too. It helps.
I may go to Iowa for a few weeks. My uncle (dad's brother) decided to call it quits and is having a farm equipment sale in March. He helped me when dad died. I need to help him. He had a daughter die in Nov (43) and it has been hard for them. For the first time since the late 1800's there will not be a family member tilling the soil in the spring. Tough to think about.

On to relaxing for the day. Always on CP.
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Hope you find peace with your life and career.. You have earned it..
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Oh man, as a fellow Middle School teacher I wish you well and total get where you are coming from. Disrespect has gotten awful in my school as well, but I imagine I have it pretty good compared to other districts.

My buddy I teach across the hall with and I have a (joking) plan to start a "School of Hard Knocks" where we are basically allowed to give back the disrespect to kids what they try to give to us.

I'm sure every generation says the same thing, that the ones beneath them are worse than our own. I've been in it 18 years now and I'm starting to get burned out earlier in the school year than I ever have before. I've started thinking about other possibilities for my work life.

It comes down to the current generation of parents not wanting to discipline their kids and instead be their buddy so they are never upset or sad. Most kids will take as much as the adults give them so they learn to play their parents' hesitance to discipline to get the things they want (which seems to be nothing more than time to lay around and **** up on their phones). That expectation carries over to school and even in the face of teachers who don't allow such nonsense it is a constant battle of disrespect because the consequences are either not severe enough or the parents take advantage of fearful and soft administrators in order to once again pave the way for their kids by having the consequences diminished or removed all together. Then we're told to try to try to be softer and more understanding. It's ridiculous.

Having said all of that there are still a lot of great kids and families I have the pleasure to work with that put a smile on my face and keep me in the building so I'm not quite where you are yet. Though I'm starting to see the day coming.

But I completely understand you wanting out and don't blame you one bit. If you are able to find work that makes you happy and allows you to reasonably maintain the lifestyle you've established at your current pay step it seems like a no brainer to me.

Good luck!
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Is there anywhere you could teach adults instead of children?

My younger sister is retiring this year after 33 years as a 7th grade teacher in NJ. She is glad to be getting out for some of the same reasons. Parents are horrible and constant changing of curriculum.
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