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Things are moving, but in the wrong direction for me. I walked out of my casual High School teaching job at the end of June 28th and was met with a chorus of goodbyes on my way out " Thanks, See you next term, Happy Holidays!
That night 1a 2 week lockdown began. I thought 2 weeks is OK. We can do this.
It extended and got increasingly tighter and stricter.
I started selling all my excess items online with great success. People were grateful I had something they couldn't buy since shops were closed.
When school term began again, I got the total of only 1 full day and 1 half day teaching work via zoom for the whole term.
Then I was told I needed to be fully vaccinated by November 8 or lose my job- A job I had done my whole life for decades, effectively teaching the children of my first students as a rookie teacher in the 1980s. None of that mattered.
There's a desperate shortage of teachers like me who can manage the toughest students others couldn't. Who could teach all subjects and had done so since the 1980s. None of that mattered.
I can't get vaccinated yet as I have several serious underlying health conditions, which is why I went to casual teaching. My boss asked me to please look into an exemption. I didn't qualify because the criteria is so narrow.
The students will miss out as I know many other teachers who will also be out of work in the next few weeks. The shortage will force these students to be even further behind in their learning and to have to adjust to yet another new face and personality.
The scars this year's lockdown will leave on us all will be long lasting.
That night 1a 2 week lockdown began. I thought 2 weeks is OK. We can do this.
It extended and got increasingly tighter and stricter.
I started selling all my excess items online with great success. People were grateful I had something they couldn't buy since shops were closed.
When school term began again, I got the total of only 1 full day and 1 half day teaching work via zoom for the whole term.
Then I was told I needed to be fully vaccinated by November 8 or lose my job- A job I had done my whole life for decades, effectively teaching the children of my first students as a rookie teacher in the 1980s. None of that mattered.
There's a desperate shortage of teachers like me who can manage the toughest students others couldn't. Who could teach all subjects and had done so since the 1980s. None of that mattered.
I can't get vaccinated yet as I have several serious underlying health conditions, which is why I went to casual teaching. My boss asked me to please look into an exemption. I didn't qualify because the criteria is so narrow.
The students will miss out as I know many other teachers who will also be out of work in the next few weeks. The shortage will force these students to be even further behind in their learning and to have to adjust to yet another new face and personality.
The scars this year's lockdown will leave on us all will be long lasting.