Principals as Tyrants

The key statement:

Why do principals treat teachers this way? The simple answer is that they can.

You say you want a revolution?

Well, if you can't stand the heat, get into the "kitchen":

From Education Week...

The Coffee Crisis in Schools: Do Teachers Have to Feel So Alone?

The "kitchen", aka the teachers' lounge (or at CHS/CJSHS, the "teacher's lounge", with its misplaced apostrophe. Whenever some newbie language arts teacher would make comment on the improper punctuation, it gave this dinosaur an opportunity to assert his seniority. I'd simply retort: "Welcome to my lounge!")

Talk about "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times."

As our tyrant principals (tried to) assert their wills and whims, embattled teachers sought refuge in the lounge...

Therapy 101!

Talk about bonding, talk about "foxhole buddies".

CAT - the REAL CAT - was born in the lounge:

BTW: Since I am "old school", I actually taught at the "original" Cairo High School...with it's three stories and windows galore! More to the point...with its "segregated lounges", women on the second floor, men on the first floor.

However...

When the new Cairo High School opened in the early 1980s, male and female faculty members (with some initial reluctance on behalf of both) entered a brave new world. One lounge for all!

In our new "kitchen"...

There was no coffee, no donuts.

In fact, that was one of the first sore points (as previously recounted - i.e. the "soda can war".)

New building, new carpet, don't want to soil what "God" hath so generously provided!

As the edicts from on high spewed forth, the faculty sought refuge and comfort in the lounge.

And it was good.

Before school, at lunch, and after school...

...teachers became friends, shared school and non-school stories.

Hell...

Teachers looked forward to coming to school despite the trying times, trying times that forged the "hard core" that was CAT. Principal/Superintendent/School Board...tread on our tails at your own peril!

Oh, there were those who couldn't stand the heat of our "kitchen", who exiled themselves to the loneliness of their classrooms. (Newbies were told by the principal: "Stay out of the lounge!" And, hell, there were a number of "politically incorrect" times. But, all in all, those who congregated in the "kitchen" were better for it, much better. By releasing stress during our daily therapy sessions, we were able to answer the bell and go forth into the classroom with a smile on our faces.

Basically, it was like the nine-to-fivers who head out to happy hour at the end of the day...except that it was before, during, and after work (albeit sans alcohol.)

When I retired, many of my colleagues wondered...

...won't you miss school? What will you do with your time?

They were concerned, and I appreciated their sentiment.

Me?

Would I miss school?

Nope...

...because the "kitchen" had already closed!

Most of my "foxhole buddies" had already "left the building". Most of the "newbies" had voluntarily chosen to go their separate ways (maybe because of the time needed to do the standards-based lesson plans, maybe to prepare standards-based assessments or maybe they wanted alone time for social-networking on their smartphones or computers.)

Whatever the reason...

When I would venture into the lounge, it had become as the nameplate announced - the "teacher's lounge"...all mine, alone.

Well, hell, if I'm going to be alone, given a choice between spending that time in school or at home, it was a no-brainer.

So, indeed...

Those were the days, my friend...

...we thought they'd never end.