Rebel Leader? No thank you.

I'm exhausted and it's only Wednesday night!  I really don't know where I'll get the energy to get through the next two days.  I'm hoping wine is the answer.  Ok...I know that wine will only make it worse tomorrow, but it tastes sooo good right now!

As you know, I got a lay-off notice yesterday.  My sister is a teacher too and we've been talking about our frustration with things going on in our state, district and union for many months now.  We both feel like we should DO something, but don't always know where to start.

A few weeks ago our union asked us to vote on something, but gave us false options to choose from (we are not idiots!) and then mis-stated the results of the vote.  My sister wrote a letter to the union president and then emailed it to me.  I (revised and then) sent another version myself.  We then forwarded to a bunch of teachers...she more than me because I was scared to ruffle feathers.

Then we got layoff notices.  I hear frustration oozing out of the community of teachers who are affected, most of whom have received the same notice the last 4 years in a row.  Imagine trying to work extremely hard at a difficult job and know that after it all the job may not exist any more. 

So I created a Facebook group for teachers to discuss their feelings.

And I'm really nervous about it.

There's a lot of black-balling that goes on when people don't "band together." How is educated discussion wrong!?  I know some people are less politically correct than I am, but still...

I don't know where this group will go.  My goal is to be a good mediator that keeps the discussion from getting emotional (i.e. no mud-slinging) which is what I abhor about politics.  Let's just stick to real facts (not twisted ones) and issues.  But I don't want to be labeled as the "rebel leader" in this situation.  It could seriously hurt my relationship with my colleagues.

I would still do the same thing again though.  I don't regret it.  But I'm stressed out.

And this is after leading 4 hours of professional development over the past 2 days, grading papers the ENTIRE weekend as in I didn't leave my kitchen table except to eat and walk the dog, and staying at school until 7 tonight for a meeting AND filling my Estrace and Provera prescriptions and getting bloodwork in between PD and meeting tonight.

I'm angry and I'm tired and I'm stressed...not extremely agitated, but the just over it kind.