I work in Education and cannot hold my head high

[HockeyMom]

even with my own husband. I have to constantly defend what I do for a living with him. I don't make a lot of money, whereas he thinks I SHOULD BE, of course in BUSINESS. Working with special needs kids is "glorified babysitting" (his words) and a "waste of an my education". A person's worth is HOW MUCH MONEY THEY MAKE. I LOVE what I do, despite how little MONEY I make. I left the business world because I wanted to give back for what teachers gave my own special needs daughters. Why is this so difficult to understand?

You in your business world will never get a hug. You will never hear "I love you" from your for profit business boss. I cannot get any respect from a man that I have been married to for 36 years, and raised HIS two special needs daughters. I am ready to leave. I don't care a rat's ass about BUSINESS, whether working for one, or starting one. I guess according to them. I and others like me, are stupid and lazy. Well, SCREW YOU. These kids in their little pinky are worth more than you are.

Between my husband and all these Republican Governors, etc., I have come to DESPISE the business world and everything they stand for. I would rather BEG IN THE STREETS than work for, or join, these greedy, heartless bastards. Excuse my language.

Sorry, again for my rant. We deserve RESPECT. They deserve GARBAGE.

[FiveGoodMen]

1. You deserve better than that husband.

[raccoon]

37. I second that emotion! What you do is very important. nt

[trayfoot]

2. I am right there with you!!!

[stevedeshazer]

3. An excellent rant.

I hope you find peace, wherever it may be.

[Bunny]

4. Why do you tolerate that kind of disrespect from your husband?

Edited to add: sounds like you're in a pretty toxic situation, which of course you don't deserve. Free yourself.

[lbrtbell]

5. You should have left him years ago

You didn't waste your education. You wasted 36 years of your life with a heartless, ungrateful SOB. :(

[MissDeeds]

22. +1000

[walldude]

6. I hate to say this but your husband sounds

like a Republican asshole. Really, how do you stay with a man who has no respect for what you do? Especially when what you do is so important...

[PA Democrat]

7. Hugs to you HockeyMom.

I have a child with autism and I could never adequately express my gratitude and respect for the many special ed teachers along the way who have nurtured and taught my child. You can't put a price tag on the talents of some of the wonderful people I have been fortunate enough to have in my child's life.



:pals:

[The Straight Story]

8. I work with a lot of teachers

They use the products the company I works for sells and I do the tech support on those things. Time and again I talk with teachers who work with special ed kids (several of our best sellers are targeted for special ed) and the teachers are (in most cases) so of the best people I talk to (I talk to techs, principals, admins, reg teachers mostly).

I hear concern in their voices, they are patient with me while we troubleshoot, and I often get follow up emails and thanks from them after hours whereas from others I generally don't.

Not saying other teachers are not nice and such, but side by side those in special ed I have dealt with are more patient and kinder when it comes with talking to support folks.

Keep up the good work and thank you for doing a job so many cannot/would not do.

[jemelanson]

9. K & R

[Brigid]

10. You raised two special needs daughters and your husband sees no value in that?

What kind of husband and father is that? :grr:

[Smarmie Doofus]

11. They do not understand teachers.

They think that everybody thinks the way THEY think and that therefore teachers must be pulling some kind of scam.

Why else would they ( teachers) want to do that? Gotta be a scam.

They... Hedge-Fund Dems and the like..... are a different breed. Morally, ethically, psychologically.

Hence the oafish insistence on merit-pay schemes, as the bedrock of the various "reform" scenarios. They think this, i.e. a $$$ payoff, would motivate teachers to work...ummmmm.... "harder", I guess.

As I said.... they do not understand.

[marions ghost]

48. you are so right

a different breed--morally, ethically, psychologically

[Brickbat]

12. Thinking of you with strength, righeousness and solidarity.

You obviously have plenty of all of the above, but I'm sending you more. :hug: And as a fellow hockey mom, I've always loved your username. :hi:

[LuckyLib]

13. You've had a lonely life, with a spouse who trashes who you are and what you do.

Better off with him or without him? Only you can decide. Find a group of women and a supportive counselor to help you deal with your spouse -- although your husband is the one who needs therapy, having someone to talk to can help.

[jschurchin]

14. God bless you Hockeymom

There are Millions of Americans that support youO8) O8).

Peace, John

[Cali_Democrat]

15. Keep your head UP!

[in_cog_ni_to]

16. It takes an extraordinary person to do what you do!

Just tell your husband to kiss your ass and follow your heart. Do what YOU think is important. Teaching special needs kids is beyond important. Hold your head high. The Teabaggers/GOP and your husband should be hanging THEIR heads in shame. Stand tall. You do honorable work.

[HockeyMom]

17. Let me say one more thing

I am a TA. I have ALWAYS gotten respect and support from the teachers I have ever worked with, whether in the schools, or in non-profits. It's a mutual support system. I need them, and they me, to make it work, in the interests of the kids. We also need the support and cooperation of PARENTS to make it work. As Hillary said many years ago, it takes a village to raise a child. Those of us who have raised kids, and work with them, know exactly what she meant. Republican business people NEVER WILL.

[PRETZEL]

42. My wife is a TA also

and despite the toll it takes on her, she loves it.

And you're absolutely right.

[Maru Kitteh]

18. You deserve better HockeyMom. If he can't respect you for who you are, he probably never will and

you're WAY better off without him.

:grouphug:

[Bluerthanblue]

19. -

I can't find the words-

You get it- better than most people do.

Money and the love of it, is such a destructive force.

You have my deep respect.

:grouphug:

k& R!

[ornotna]

20. you have my respect and gratitude

Teachers like you helped my special needs brother grow up to become a good man.

[MissDeeds]

21. My dear, you need a new husband

You deserve far, far better than what you have in a spouse.

If he can read this post, he should thank a teacher.


BTW - Socrates, Aristotle, and Plato were teachers.

:grr: :grr: :grr:

[babydollhead]

23. When my husband says, "You'll never get paid,

"You'll never get paid for all of the hours you put into doing your art." I say, "Do you get paid for your heart beating? Because that is what my art and my work are to me , MY LIFE!"
You are in teaching because you are a teacher and you love your work! It is crucial and necessary work. There are hearts and souls involved!

I wrote a note that i hung in my studio, "You cannot make an unhappy person happy, you can only be happy yourself."

[martigras]

24. You hold your head up proudly!

I hear you about the business world. They make me sick too. Please don't be so hard on yourself. You sound like a great teacher and an amazing woman. Don't let anyone steal your self esteem. Teachers are one of the few professions that have a type of immortality. The memory of you and your class will live on long after you are gone. Who remembers a business deal a month later? Money isn't everything.

[checks-n-balances]

25. You SHOULD hold your head up high, Dear Heart

You do something very valuable every single day. You are not alone; we have enormous admiration and respect for you and what you do here at DU. Please don't stop posting over here. If there's any way we can help you with something, please let us know. And please don't lose heart or give up.
:hug:

[eilen]

26. OMG. Dump the Loser Husband. What an ASS!

You are fab and the highlight of many young people's day!

Oh, and hire some cutthroat lawyer that will take him for as much as he can! That will make a mark.

[Sherman A1]

27. All Honest Work should be respected

It is not the amount which we are paid, but rather that we contribute to society in one way or another.

The Teacher should be respected for their work, just as the truck driver, the policeman, the store clerk, the accountant, the garbage collector, the waiter, the lawyer, the dishwasher and on.

People that get up and go to work each day to put a roof over their head and food on their table, to raise a family, pay their bills should all be respected. It matters not what one does.

[deutsey]

28. I was thinking today not everyone (myself included) is driven by greed

or the pathetic need for others to stroke our egos or kiss our asses.

Some of us actually just want to earn an honest wage for doing good work that produces something meaningful.

That's become an antiquated notion, hasn't it?

[YvonneCa]

29. Show him this...

...http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/living-in-dialogue/2011/03/i_am_educator_hear_me_roar_an.html

And hold your head high. :hug:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x727965

[revolutionnow45]

30. This doesn't make sense. According to Republicans you make too much money.

They think the real money is in being a teacher, not the private sector.

Doesn't this guy listen to Limbaugh? You should be flying private jets and hitting the country clubs for golf according to him.

[WinkyDink]

31. {{{HockeyMom}}} I married a fellow English teacher; he's the only one I know who "gets it".

[2gabby]

32. My kid would have been one giving you a hug!

I want you to know, there were so many wonderful special ed teachers that helped my two youngest, I've felt blessed. And I wish I could show some of them now how great they're doing. And I remember so many times being worried and very upset about any number of things, and just hearing and seeing what they accomplished made a world of difference. A new skill, little stuff that means so much. I don't have the words, it brings tears to my eyes, but I have a deep appreciation for special Ed teachers, and I hope you hang in there.

Some of the teachers volunteered with these wonderful folks. They've come a long way in ten years or so.

http://www.stlexercise.com/specialsports/TeamActivitiesforSpecialKidsTASK.html

Hang in there, your worth your weight in gold!

[jillan]

33. This 'special mom' says you should hold your head high - way up there.

And your rant expresses how I feel. I used to work for Bank of America. The happiest day of my life is the day I left that hell hole.

[tpsbmam]

34. You have two kids with special needs and he says that about educating kids with

special needs? Damn, I'm with so many here -- time to go. I hope to hell he doesn't have that attitude with your kids! Kids with special needs have enough to contend with without having a father who thinks educating them is a waste of time. WTF?!! Verbalized or not, kids are sadly quite aware of it when a parent makes those kinds of judgments. (I'm reading a lot in here but damn, his attitude is disgusting.)

You have plenty to be proud of. Hold your head high knowing that they are absolutely 100% wrong. One incredibly apt description of the current USA is agnotologic capitalism. It's a systemic production & maintenance of ignorance -- needless to say, that TOTALLY describes the USA. I'd contend that's been the case to greater or lesser degrees throughout our history Right now, it's definitely true and teachers are a big part of the solution.

[Liberal_in_LA]

35. some of us know how much teachers contribute. n/t

[Arugula Latte]

36. I hope you dump your husband's sorry ass ASAP.

Don't waste one more day on this jackass. You are too good for him. I wish there were more people like you.

:hug:

[handmade34]

38. you MUST hold your head high

your rant is justified... I am truly sorry about your husband's lack of respect for you... sounds as if you have already left mentally... time to get the emotions in check and take care of yourself

[KittyWampus]

39. If there were no teachers, how would anyone LEARN TO FUNCTION IN BUSINESS?

Tell him you are preparing tomorrow's CEO's.

[Starry Messenger]

40. k&r

[SweepPicker]

41. Thank You

for all you do Hockey Mom!

[kaiden]

43. Get out now, HockeyMom.

Life is too freaking short to be married to a bully like that. You have nothing to be ashamed of. My grandson is a special needs kiddo and I admire and respect ALL teachers -- especially those who can teach my grandson how to sign. God bless you.

But now, get out of that abusive relationship.

[RebelOne]

44. I have to give you a lot of credit.

My daughter is a teacher of middle school students in South Florida. I don't know how she can do it. I could not handle a classroom full of teenagers all day. Every teacher deserves plenty of credit because I could not do it.

[Snoutport]

45. Yay Hockey Mom!!

I'm a special ed teacher too...but I have an supportive partner and sometimes that support is what gets me through.

I have a masters in SP ED and am on my sixth year teaching. I'm making 41K... I worked in business when I first graduated...my first job out of college was 40K. So, I understand your turmoil. I know I could make a lot money out in the business world but I'm happy and I am in the right place in my classroom.

I support ya--

Fond wishes

[badtoworse]

46. You have a big problem

You are allowing other people to define your sense of self worth. That is your responsibility.

[callous taoboy]

47. So let's say you owned a factory that puts the little plastic nibs on the ends of shoelaces

earning you a million dollars a year. Would this earn you praise from that ---hole?

Sorry, fellow teacher here and anyone who puts down educators needs to grow up.

[hfojvt]

49. yes you can - just try

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_qDOzlqozQ

if nothing else, let them burn their eyes on your ruby

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBnSWJHawQQ

[Zephie]

50. Pardon me, but your husband is a rat.

You deserve much better. You raised his special needs children and he still doesn't see how important people like you are? Then he should take a hike, because he's obviously either a massive moron or completely lacks a heart.