‘Sometimes I feel like being a teacher in the public school system is like being in a dysfunctional relationship’

Angie Morales is an elementary school teacher in Florida and a mother of three. She has had high ratings on her evaluations for several years – but just recently got an unpleasant surprise, an e-mail saying that her evaluation for the first part of this school year was low. Why?

Proves what I have felt for years: good managers are a nosebleedingly rarified flock and good leaders in education…dearer than dragon’s teeth. What makes for a good manager? Someone who really knows what you are doing in the classroom and doesn’t need the autobot evals that have become de rigeur in K-12 What makes for a good leader? Someone who protects you from the vagaries of bogus reform and enlists you in the long term cause of protecting our students as well. Hence their non pareil nature. Most educational leaders and managers are placeholder paper cutouts yearning for the safe bounds of retirement or at the very least the safe bounds outside the classroom.

This post both breaks my heart and gives me heart. Keep on, Angie Morales. Keep on!

A musical accompaniment to this post and the teacher’s sentiments.

And the lyrics to the song.

I’ve been run down and I’ve been lied to.
And I don’t know why, I let that mean woman make me a fool.
She took all my money, wrecks my new car.
Now she’s with one of my good time buddies,
They’re drinkin in some cross-town bar.Sometimes I feel, sometimes I feel,
Like I been tied to the whippin’ post.
Tied to the whippin’ post, tied to the whippin’ post.
Good Lord, I feel like I’m dyin’.

My friends tell me, that I’ve been such a fool.
But I had to stand by and take it baby, all for lovin’ you.
Drown myself in sorrow as I look at what you’ve done.
But nothing seemed to change, the bad times stayed the same,
And I can’t run.

Sometimes I feel, sometimes I feel,
Like I been tied to the whippin’ post.
Tied to the whippin’ post, tied to the whippin’ post.
Good Lord, I feel like I’m dyin’.

Sometimes I feel, sometimes I feel,
Like I been tied to the whippin’ post.
Tied to the whippin’ post, tied to the whippin’ post.
Good Lord, I feel like I’m dyin’.