Teachers does your admin lack an understanding of...

[Anonymous]

...the demands of the job and how staff is affected?

I am going into my 15th year teaching and for the past few years have been at an (LCPS elementary) where the admin is compleltey out of touch with how their decisions affect us and our mental and emotional state. There’s a toxic atmosphere and staff have indicated this year and year on the public survey that the county provides (for staff and parents as well as students) but it does nothing. Admin is in denial and The district does nothing even though they asked for this feedback.

I am dreading returning this year. Transferring has not been in the cards, I’ve tried. What do we do with clueless and manipulative admin?

[Anonymous]

Are you a member of your local association or union? If not, join and encourage others to do so.

[Anonymous]

Our admin was pretty out of touch too. I think it was our principal's personality. She is a matter of fact, there's no crying in baseball sort of person. That's fine as long as you have some other admin who can keep that in check and is more in touch with the rank and file (us). Our assistant principal was like that but not strong enough to stand up for us. Our school is great and I hope teachers don't leave because of them. We get new admins every few years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are you a member of your local association or union? If not, join and encourage others to do so.

Virginia is a Right to Work state. There may be a union in name but it hs no power.

[Anonymous]

Yes, this absolutely describes my principal in a MCPS school. The survey apparently came back very low in certain areas and instead of reflecting on why that is and trying to get to the root of it, they are angry that the staff filled out the survey honestly and how it is creating more work for the principal. There will be repercussions for that honesty this year. The principal doesn't see that piling more and more on teachers and staff is breaking us. Meanwhile, the principal stands up in front of the staff and complains about his/her job and how he/she is up until 3am answering emails. At the end of the year we were straight up told that anything we email to him/her will not receive a response and basically to not even bother trying to communicate. A lot of the principal's work is delegated to other staff but the principal takes every bit of credit. Ugh, I'm dreading going back.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, this absolutely describes my principal in a MCPS school. The survey apparently came back very low in certain areas and instead of reflecting on why that is and trying to get to the root of it, they are angry that the staff filled out the survey honestly and how it is creating more work for the principal. There will be repercussions for that honesty this year. The principal doesn't see that piling more and more on teachers and staff is breaking us. Meanwhile, the principal stands up in front of the staff and complains about his/her job and how he/she is up until 3am answering emails. At the end of the year we were straight up told that anything we email to him/her will not receive a response and basically to not even bother trying to communicate. A lot of the principal's work is delegated to other staff but the principal takes every bit of credit. Ugh, I'm dreading going back.

Parent... our MCPS principal is completely out of touch. They will not allow parent volunteers to helping and gets funny about parents donating (I've learned not to ask teachers and just donate what I think they need as they are funny when you ask). She does not return emails or listen to staff concerns about kids (i.e. in IEP meetings when both teachers and parents agree she will have her own agenda). I don't know how the teachers do it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you a member of your local association or union? If not, join and encourage others to do so.

Virginia is a Right to Work state. There may be a union in name but it hs no power.

Imagine if everyone joined together. Look at WV.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you a member of your local association or union? If not, join and encourage others to do so.

Virginia is a Right to Work state. There may be a union in name but it hs no power.

Imagine if everyone joined together. Look at WV.

The new, young teachers don’t want to cause waves. At least as far as Loudoun schools. And it seems all they hire now is new, young teachers. Cheaper and more malleable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:...the demands of the job and how staff is affected?

I am going into my 15th year teaching and for the past few years have been at an (LCPS elementary) where the admin is compleltey out of touch with how their decisions affect us and our mental and emotional state. There’s a toxic atmosphere and staff have indicated this year and year on the public survey that the county provides (for staff and parents as well as students) but it does nothing. Admin is in denial and The district does nothing even though they asked for this feedback.

I am dreading returning this year. Transferring has not been in the cards, I’ve tried. What do we do with clueless and manipulative admin?

Yep. That about describes it. And there is zero accountability for principals. Filled out that same stupid survey and still no one cared. That's why I left public school teaching.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you a member of your local association or union? If not, join and encourage others to do so.

Virginia is a Right to Work state. There may be a union in name but it hs no power.

Sadly, this what some people want all over the country. A return to 1890.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you a member of your local association or union? If not, join and encourage others to do so.

Virginia is a Right to Work state. There may be a union in name but it hs no power.

Sadly, this what some people want all over the country. A return to 1890.

...huh??

[Anonymous]

Op is your admin female? I am a feminist to my core so it pains me to say this but most of the worst schools to work in are led by women. There is something about female admin that just tanks school culture.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are you a member of your local association or union? If not, join and encourage others to do so.

LEA IS $600/year, $50 a month and is NOT a union so doesn't have collective bargaining power. I fail to see the value.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you a member of your local association or union? If not, join and encourage others to do so.

LEA IS $600/year, $50 a month and is NOT a union so doesn't have collective bargaining power. I fail to see the value.

I agree that there is absolutely no collective bargaining power so it is worthless from that perspective; however, there is a high level of value in the ability to use the legal representation if you ever need it. I am a 15-20 year teacher in another school system. Take my advice: join your local association. You hope you never need the representation but the day you do the cost becomes priceless, and I say this as someone with unfettered access to one of the highest profile attorneys in the area. In today's litigious and accusatory society you need to protect yourself and your local association, through its affiliation with VEA, will be your best bet if you need help.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you a member of your local association or union? If not, join and encourage others to do so.

Virginia is a Right to Work state. There may be a union in name but it hs no power.

Sadly, this what some people want all over the country. A return to 1890.

...huh??

Nationwide, there’s an effort to weaken teachers’ unions. Unions in general actually.

Perhaps you were aware of a recent SCOTUS case?

Without strong unions, working conditions will quickly devolve to those common at the turn of the twentieth century.