I found this in my Facebook memories from two years ago:
God often uses money to confirm direction for our lives. Many times God uses a lack of provision to move us into new directions. It is a catalyst to encourage new ideas and strategies. Many times a loss of job becomes the greatest blessing to our lives because it provides the catalyst to do things we simply would never do without taking the step to get out of our comfort zone. -From Ephesians Four Ministry
April 25, 2017 my principal stood above me, shouted the words “Did you not hear me? You will not be the choir teacher here next year! If you do chose to return, you will be placed where you cannot be a part of any negative student interaction and where you will have nothing to do with collecting money.” Today, July 22, 2019, some 790 days later (but who’s counting), I now understand the above quote. Here are the gifts I received since my dismissal:
- RESEARCH: Pay disparity and disrespect are the issues confronting today’s teachers. Teachers are leaving the profession in greater numbers than ever before.
- REALITY: Harassment of older teachers with the intent to drive them out is the dark and dirty secret prevailing upon our nation.
- REAL PURPOSE: I would never consider authoring a book were it not for the fact there is a national trend to rid our system of experienced teachers.
- RELEVANCE: Some 19 months later, I saw the fruition to my writing in a published book “Rescue the Teacher, Save the Child!’
- RESISTANCE: My new purpose is to expose this trend: experienced teachers are persecuted by parents and inept administrators. When these educators escape the fray, they are often times replaced by unskilled younger teachers while school districts tout “putting kids first’ on their websites.
It’s truly odd to speak a heart of gratitude to those who ended my career so abruptly. I now see clearly my path detoured in order for me to become a teacher advocate. I will dedicate the remainder of my life to that end.