Sunday, April 22, 2007

How about that Job-Fair?

Chapel Hill-Carrbror City Schools had there annual job fait last Saturday morning, April 21, 2007. It started at 9:00 am, but my sister and I decided to get there two hours earlier to ensure a spot at the head of the line. She went to Wake County's job fair the previoes Saturday, and she said it was a madhouse, with hundreds of applicants and interviewees, some flying in from out of state. So we sauntered up to the door at 7:10, and ended up 6 and 7 in line. Behind us was a man holding a place for his wife. He was a talkative sort, who related to anyone who would listen his tribulations with the local board about his daughter school reassignment, and his objections and the district's hedging and hawing about accomodating his daughter. He was opinionated and altogether hilarious. One woman walked by us, and he said, "That's Mrs. So-and-So. And she is a b*&#2!" I thought, whatever you say pal, whatever you say. Then moments after his unsolicited observation, she asked us all to move our line outside to in front of the doors instead of staying inside standing in front of the tables. Loudmouth behind me looked at me as if her rather curt directive to us all waiting, dressed to impress teachers and administrators, was evidence of his crass comment about her. It wasn't, in my view.

Then the Superintendent shows up, and the guy behind me, let's call him New Yawk (I never did get his real name, never really was interested, frankly), made even more crass comments about him. I know the Superintendent, he is a nice person, capable, but we decided that his totally friendly and jovial public face - he made his rounds to everyone in line, chatting amiably for a minute or so with everyone - was part of the highly politicized and public nature of his job. Neverthless, I enjoyed the moment speaking with him. He spoke with everybody in line.

Soon after, two ladies with clipboards came walking out, checking to see who was registered for the job fair. My sister's name was on it, but, lo and behold, mine wasn't. I know I filled out their little form at the website. I never recalled a confirmation, and the form never said anything about it, but no problem, they allowed me to stay in line regardless, bless their souls.

NewYawk's wife finally walked up to him, late. She began arguing with her husband about trifling parking issues and whatnot. We were a tad embarrassed for them. My sister told me later that the two female teachers in front of us, number 4 and 5, whispered to her, "My Lord, my husband would not put up with me talking like that to him. They're from the North, and that's how they behave." The New Yawkers continued their exchange. He then looked at his wife and said, "Hey to talk him, he works for Durham Public Schools." She did too, two part time Special Ed positions between two elementary schools, a crazy job. Apparently she had been coming to Chapel Hill job fairs for five years running and hadn't yet secured a job in her field. She said to me, "Really? What are you coming out here for to work? You don't need this aggravation."

I said, "There's aggravation anywhere in teaching."

She replied, "Yeah but here, it's like a country club. Stay in Durham, there you have more freedom. Heree, parents are always breathing down teachers' necks. Just ask him he knows!" And she pointed to her husband. She referenced his long story about battles with school boards. I thought, while watching her cackle happily with her goofy husband, this is why you have not been able to get teaching work in the country club of Chapel Hill schools.

We sauntered in, and I made my way up to the high-school to talk with one particular high-school's team. I saw the principal of this high-school (I'll keep actual names out of this post). I thought, hey let's see if he recognizes my name as I introduce myself. I had emailed him numerous times, and he has always responded in a timely manner, so I considered him quite professional and efficient. He was cordial, but evinced no recollection of me. Not a problem. I walk to their table and see a man who happened to attend a DPS demonstration the previous week along with other Chapel Hill educators. I shook his hand, told him I recognized him, and talked briefly while standing. The woman at this table I hardly acknowledged, not maliciously of course, but the Spanish teacher, Mr. R., introduced her as Mrs. H., an assistant principal. I then focused my attention on her, and was asked to sit down for a little panel discussion, I thought.

She then asked me, "So why teaching?" Before I could collect my thoughts and answer this complex question, the principal of this high school walks up and says to Mrs. H., "I have a candidate for you." He shuttled a woman to Mrs. H., and I saw the principal motion to Mr. R to complete the interview. I was a stunned by this turn of events. After all, I had just begun my interview with Mrs. H. However, I turned to Mr. R, who I pegged as a smart affable young man, and started interviewing with him.

His first question was, "What was your GPA as undergraduate?" I couldn't believe it. Was this what the school district is all about? The GPAs of its teaching candidates? Fourteen years as a public educator in the area, Southern Durham High School, didn't deserve more attention? It was an alarming start to the discussion, but it evolved into a more interesting question and answer session.

I cannot be negative about my encounter at the interview table. I refuse to be. Bad manners, apparently, abound everywhere. Like I said, I enjoyed talking Mr. R., and I made sure to play up myself to him squarely and consicely, which is difficult because sometimes I have much to say about the current state of education or about my philosophy of education, or about my experience in a public high classroom, which was 3 times more than him and too many principals also it seems.

I left the job fair thinking I got a pretty good job already in the field of education, and for that I am thankful. I teach German and computer programming in a troubled area of Durham, exposing a lot of truly disadvantaged kids to high-end fields of elective knowledge. It's great there, but why did I attend this job fair? Well, maybe it's because I want to teach in a country club for the next half of my teaching career.

No comments: