Wow, what a crazy ass day! Okay, first I call the guy at the juvenile detention center to set up a time to come meet the staff, tour the facility (which happens to be a maximum security prison for the whole state for male offenders,(we are talking rapist, murderers, the whole shabang)and have my interview. So we set that up for Friday. He actually invited me to come for lunch so I could meet the whole staff at the same time in a relaxed atmosphere (score bonus points for being so nice).
I finally hear from my union rep. It's only been 4 weeks, but who's counting? Anyway, she says she has been working really hard on writing my report for my rebuttal and has been going over all my notes, my documentation and emails from satisfied parents, students, teachers, colleges etc. Then she asked me to scan and email all the letters of recommendation to her so she can see if they'd be of any use. She emailed back a while later and said she was amazed at how good they are. She said she's never seen such good letters of recommendation before. She thinks that they will go a long way to prove our case. She is going to send her report to me in the next couple of days to read over and check for errors, maybe add or change things before we sit down with human resources.
Now the best part...this morning the office manager comes back to ask "the evil one" how scheduling is doing. And she replies "Oh, it's going great! It's like a puzzle. I'm actually having fun". Now mind you this is exactly what I always say about scheduling...then she says loud enough for me to hear "I don't know why (insert my name here) always complains and says she hates it! Ummm no, what I hate is after working on it for the last 2 months of the school year, then part of my summer break, coming back, the principal deciding to have change arena and having to change almost every single one. That's what I hate. Then she says she's going out to the DO to discuss becoming a Dean of Students ( which pays less then her current position of assistant principal) and then do my job as registrar so that they can afford to hire another counselor. As part of budget cuts last year, we let one of the counselors go. She loves this guy and feels bad that he is having to work so hard...the dude make 50k a year...has summers off...oh boo be fucking boo hoo. She thinks he walks on water and has had a really hard time being the only one on campus. So she actually thinks she will be able to do her job (a full time position), my job (a full time position), plus we are getting 2 new administrators this coming fall, so she will have to be helping them and she also is the part time administrator for our off campus alternative school. Yeah, she can do all of it...HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! I started laughing and had to walk out of the offices I was laughing so hard.
So, I just have to contact my union rep tomorrow and tell her that I have proof that this 70 year old woman has lost her fucking mind and needs to retire before someone gets hurt! I cannot believe that she thinks my job is so easy (which almost is all exclusively done on the computer which she knows shit about) that she will be able to do on top of everything else. Unbelievable. Sort of makes me want to leave just so she will crash and burn, but unfortunately I care too much about the school to let the disaster that would occur take place. Students and teachers would suffer because of her incompetence.
So what would you do? Fight for your job or walk away and let the chips fall where they may?
Are you linking up with Shell's blog Things I Can't Say? she does a Tuesday blog hop/link up that is wonderful. Robin does it for example. It's called Pour Your Heart Out. I think you should start doing that to get even more feedback for your dilemma :)
ReplyDeleteOk, thanx
DeleteOkay 50,000 is more than I make, FYI, and I have a PhD. and work at a university :(
ReplyDeleteWait a second. The Dragon Lady is SEVENTY years old? Jeez how is that possible? Is there no legal forced retirement age? Is it 72?
You never said what you would DO at the prison. That is important to know in me giving my opinion about the choice, which sounds hard.
I just don't want you to stay in an unhappy, scary, threatening, mean, or hurtful place, either way...
I would be the registrar, data input, record keeping, state testing (up to 6inmates at a time) state reporting, filing, mailing, calling etc.
DeleteYeah none of us can figure out how come he make so much (no PhD by the way) and she says she will never retire, she loves her job, she enjoys being mean (she's the one that doles out the discipline to students, loves it when they say she's mean) has wicked witch shit all over her office.
DeleteOkay but what is the actual policy? Few jobs have zero retirement policy do they? Usually it is 70! Can you look online maybe at your BofRegents or School Handbook etc? If she's on her way out, then hmmm... but if not then Idk. But she is BATSHIT CRAZY.
DeleteShe stole your phrase "it's like a puzzle"?!! That is so Silence of the Lambs Single White Female Basic Instinct. What a lunatic!! Why don't you tell whoever she was saying that too, "you know I overheard xyz and that phrase is exactly what I say. I don't HATE it." Or leave it alone I guess. It's PATHETIC of her. Really nuts.
Usually people can tell when someone is nuts. With everyone who likes you there has GOT to be a bunch of other people who can't stand her?
So as the registrar of the jail, you would have limited dealings with the inmates? Who would you be working with - and how did you feel about them at lunch? Do they offer good pay and benefits? How do you feel when you drive there, positive or ominous?
I haven't been there yet, but the whole idea makes me anxious.
ReplyDeleteOh well forget it then. Think about it like dating.
DeleteSay:
You're in an abusive relationship. You like the house. You like the kids. But every day someone is mean to you. So you consider leaving them. The first guy that offers to sweep you off your feet is a guy who does all the right things for you but makes you anxious.
What would you do?
Keep looking.
Just keep an open mind. When you do have to let the prison know?
On a daily basis I work in a secure office area with the principal and office manager. I'll have some contact with teachers and daily interaction with inmates. The principal said the place is covered with cameras, even the bathrooms, not the stall though. They take your keys when you enter and search you everyday. These are all the things that make me incomfortable. I would have to work 3more weeks of my summer and the pay is about a dollar less an hour. But my commute now is back country roads 15 minutes from home, the prison is on the other side of the county about 35 miles from home and I have to deal with traffic.
ReplyDeleteEverything you are saying says "no" to me. Also everything you are saying is nervousness, anxiety, and worry.
DeleteI want you to have a job that you're like "this is going to be GREAT!!"
Don't settle. IF you're going to walk away, which is still unclear, let it be for the right job.
The retirement thing with this district is weird, it's age or years in. I think she's going by years in because she started just before I did after moving here after retiring from CA.
ReplyDeleteSo she can work til she drops? That's freaking insane!
DeleteAnd only a few people actually like her, most fear her, so pretend to like her and a lot of them just stay clear because they can't stand her.
ReplyDeleteAh. Well just ignore her then - that's what everyone else does. Do you ever see her pick on anyone else?
DeleteWhat a total lunatic.
Dude, I guarantee that when I'm 70 I am NOT going to be working no matter what.
There are some old codgers here at work and they irritate everyone. Not for being old, but for being dicks. It's like RETIRE ALREADY you pricks!! But we deal with it by bonding with each other. It's unfortunate that no other buddy has seen you being bullied and bonded with you over lunch or something. Speaking of lunch - considering how you spend your lunch and what your office looks like, that is the opposite of a prison job, isn't it? With cameras and shit? I see you more like running a nursery or something :)
Looking good!! :) I would go for even shorter paragraphs, or more breaks and how about one picture to illustrate the feelings? (not necessary I just love images). And how's your Captcha filter? I was hesitant to take mine off but then I realized it was easier for people to comment without it and also the spam filter did a good job. I hate disquis so much on my blog I already make it hard enough :(
ReplyDeleteWell let's see what Robin has to say. The three of us are feeling trapped and considering change, but the change is scary so we are also not considering change or considering not change. She has good tips.
ReplyDeleteHey Squirrel, first I was wondering about your other co-workers. You said you had lots of excellent recommendations and praise from others....what about the other people you work with? Like Pish, I want to know have they sided with you and talked with you at all? Do you have anyone there you bond with? do your co-workers actually know the treatment you get from this 70 year old hag? What do they feel about everything that's going on? I'm sure they must know it all. Not much can go on at work, especially when the Union gets involved, without others knowing...are people agreeing with her? or do they see how your treated? YOU NEED A FRIEND AT WORK.
ReplyDeleteand....You love your current job, am I right? Other than this mean person ruining it for you, you love it? And people like you.... and you apparently are great at what you do.
Now....here's my 2-cents....
about the new job opportunity. You spoke of it, then said you hadn't been there yet but the whole idea makes you anxious. You also spoke about what happens on a daily basis, then said it makes you uncomfortable. It's understandable to be anxious. the thought of change and something new can make anyone anxious. And after what all you said, you better believe I would be uncomfortable too. I'm a scaredy cat and the whole thing about inmates, cameras all over, taking my keys, and searching me,....that would be enough for me to run far away....PLUS, a cut in pay AND a longer commute?
I just feel that if it was right, you would have no doubts at all. With all your'e dealing with at your present job and how bad it is, if you are uncomfortable at all with another job opportunity and a chance to get out, then I say it's just not right for you.
It is so easy, when things are going to crap, to grab on to the first thing that comes along. To look at it like it's the only way out. And feel like you better take it in case nothing else comes your way. BELIEVE ME. and believe me too when I say, this can only lead to regret when you jump into something that you are the slightest uncomfortable with. I've been there. Hell, that is where I'm at now. And what's done is done. I can look back now and see that I rushed into something....just because it seemed to be the answer RIGHT THEN. but the right answer came later. I should have waited.
I can't tell you what to do. I've never been in a bad work situation. I can only imagine how hard it is. And possibly even harder to to stick it out. You just need to take a moment and figure out how much your job means to you and how much you are willing to deal with in order to keep it. Can you take any more of her crap? Are you willing to wait and see how it turns out? If you can handle it, then stay in there and F.I.G.H.T. It may turn out better than you could have ever hoped for....BUT, if you can't take any more, then keep looking elsewhere, but don't take the first uneasy feeling job offer that comes your way. You deserve someting fantastic...not another uncomfortable situation.
I could rattle on and on, but just know we're here. We want to see this all work out for you.
Wow, Robin, you said exactly what my husband said. He is very uncomfortable with the prison job thing. And he said he knows my current job is bad now, but If she was gone, it would be okay. So wait her out. She could be hit by a bus. This whole situation with me could blow up in her face and fix the whole thing.
DeleteYes, I do have a couple of women that I'm friends with. One was her target last year, but once she got the union involved, evil one backed off. The other's just know her reputation and are scared of her. I have one woman that she forced out last year that called and said if I need her to write a letter or testify, just call.
At this point my plan is to go for the prison tour on Friday just to check it out and have it as a possible plan B. I am waiting for my union rep to,get back to me with her report and we will see where that goes.
I agree totally with Robin!!
ReplyDelete