Ozark R-VI Version: Diary of a Wimpy Kid

Dear Diary:

Today was a bad day. I had to go to school. I used to love going to school, especially when I was a student. It was fun to learn new stuff. That’s a big reason why I became a teacher.

I was so excited when I got through the interview process to teach at one of the finest, biggest, bestest (to borrow a word from the Little Caesar’s menu!) schools in all of southwest Missouri… Ozark R-VI.

(I still forget what the R stands for, I think it means Reorganized; or why the VI has to be in Roman Numerals… or why Romans have to have “numerals” instead of “numbers”, but I digress…)

Things were going okay at big ol’ Ozark. The other teachers were pretty nice (some of them were more full of themselves, like they knew better, but didn’t want to stoop to explaining everything to me.

I loved the kids in my class. Even the more challenging students became a project… I like to tackle difficult projects, and I especially love to connect with kids who are harder to reach.

But, every time I’d ask for something in a teacher’s meeting, or try a new idea, I’d get looks. Some of the other staff members almost seemed scared.

After I’d been teaching quite a while, I leaned that, in Ozark, you don’t speak your mind as a teacher. You’ll get put in your place. This became more evident as time went on.

I will never forget how humiliating it was to come into my classroom and discover that my teacher’s chair had been removed. At first, I thought it was a students’ prank, but the blank looks on the kids’ faces told me otherwise. I asked the teachers in my neighboring classrooms about it. One didn’t know at all; the other looked away real fast and made up a lame excuse about being late for something.

I leaned against my desk and stood all day, but I was more and more apprehensive, especially since I knew deep inside that the Superintendent was behind this.

I talked in confidence to some other staff members, sharing my concerns and asking them what they would do. They seemed sympathetic; but to my shock, the next day, my computer was gone!

My mind was reeling. Could this be happening?

This went on for days. I couldn’t do my job. I wanted help, but I didn’t know where to turn. I didn’t have the kind folks at the Christian County Trumpet (it hadn’t been founded yet).

I had been threated that if I didn’t resign, I’d be fired. If I got fired, I wouldn’t be hired anywhere else.

I loved to teach, and I couldn’t imagine the thought of not being able to do what I loved.

So, I resigned today. Like I said, Dear Diary, today was a bad day.

I’m too scared to speak up; although this story is based on a true story, it’s not exactly. Just know that this kind of thing happens at Ozark R-VI, for real, even though this is only SUGGESTED by a true story. Why does this kind of thing happen? Well, because the superintendent, Dr. Chris Bauman, is a bully.

If you piss him off, he gets revenge.

We need to have a system where teachers can speak up for themselves without the threat of losing their jobs. We love teaching the kids, but we need our voices heard.

Thanks for reading this “fictional” tale. Your input, especially if you teach in Ozark R-VI School and feel you have a similar story, is welcome. We need to stand up together. The Christian County Trumpet is on your side!

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