A Good Fit, or Not

"You own everything that happened to you. Tell your stories. If people had wanted you to write warmly about them, they should've behaved better." ~Anne Lamott

While having lab work done today, the lovely Lab Tech asked me why I'd left teaching to become a writer. The short answer actually came from the mouth of my former Administrator, who used the phrase as a politically correct way of getting rid of me. She said, "You are not a good fit at our school." Truer words were never spoken, although not in the way she meant. I love being a teacher almost as much as I love writing; both are in my soul, along with a continued search for knowledge and wisdom as a life-long learner.

I became an educator because the administration and faculty of my first school, in Arizona, were of the same mind as myself in regards to the importance of our youth and giving them the best education possible, so that they could turn that into opportunities. My first three years in a classroom was a magical time! When I moved away, I was worried I'd have trouble finding that same passion and commonality of goals, but happily I did so at the second school, here in North Carolina, where I taught for five years. I felt like I mattered at that school, like I was part of a good team, a family, as we worked together to create a positive learning environment. It was difficult to leave them, when again my husband's work took us away. The final k-12 teaching assignment I took, at first, seemed as ideal, but instead became the epitome of all the horror stories I'd heard over the years from other educators about working in a hostile environment. Why wasn't I a good fit there? Because I believe in accountability, as well as equal opportunities for all students. I wasn't a good fit, because I refused to pretend that I wasn't being bullied and threatened by students on a daily basis, even though this country has a federally mandated "Zero Tolerance Bullying Policy". When I told my administration that I was afraid of a couple of my students, it was suggested, "If you feel so terrorized, why don't you just quit?" Classrooms should not be places of fear, nor should they be a place of inequality, especially in this day and age. Everyone should matter, and be held to the same standards.

The U.S. Constitution, of which my husband swore an oath and dedicated 24 years to defend, guarantees everyone sleeping under that blanket of freedom has a voice, and at every turn, attempts have been made to silence mine on this matter. I didn't become a writer because I was blackballed from teaching for doing what was right and using my voice, even when I was told to be quiet. I was always a writer. Now, I just have a different classroom, a bigger one on the "world stage", to share my experiences, stand up for what I believe is right, and also indulge my own creative side by adding fiction writing to the mix! What better lesson to give my former students than living by the very examples I've given them over the years? I will never fit in a place that would callously, carelessly put myself and others in danger. I will never fit in a place that ignores the "truth", for any reason. And as long as I'm an American, I will use my voice, speak my truth, stand up for what's right, and fight for the causes I'm passionate about, with education of our youth being at the top of that list!

*Image below @ oneaverageamerican.com.

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