I work for an education company that contracts licensed teachers to teach virtually in schools all over the country. We aren’t paid shit, of course. But after a nervous breakdown last year rendered me unable to function in a traditional classroom ever again after 13 years… this is all I’ve been able to find to do from home and believe me I’ve done nothing but put out applications.
The school where I committed myself for a year is terminating its contract with the company effective 12/20.
And it wasn’t my fault. I am an above and beyond teacher. I have the test scores to prove it. I’ve done nothing but bust my ass for this organization.
This means no pay for at least two weeks. No possibility of getting new classes immediately because all schools are shut down for break. This means no pay for at least a month or more potentially as there is no guarantee for new classes available in January.
I’ve been petitioning everyone in charge to please let me withdraw from these classes and get into new ones that will carry me over the break and into the new year. I have explained that losing income for this long could literally mean losing my apartment. It could mean food insecurity for my family. I don’t even know how we’d have enough to afford presents and still keep our utilities on.
They’ve just turned me down through form letters and brushed me off with, I’m sure something will work out for you soon.
THEY DON’T GIVE A FUCK.
And right now we don’t qualify for welfare. We are like literally about $75 over the line. We wouldn’t be able to even be eligible until AFTER I’m without income and the process takes weeks.
The churches and social services organizations are already swamped with families requesting emergency assistance.
So I did the next best thing I can do: hours and hours spent applying for new jobs. I put my current and past supervisors down as professional references feeling so encouraged at how great of a teacher they can confirm that I am.
And today was a new low:
My boss told me that the company has forbidden them from giving references for any teacher under their supervision.
This wasn’t the case last year like at all.
The word is from connections I have in the upper echelons basically they don’t want me to leave because I do a good job and they want to try to retain me for “later” when more classes come or “later” when they need full-time help. I’ve been tagged basically. Because I’ve been identified as useful. And so they’re going to make it as difficult as possible for me to go elsewhere.
And they’re not only going to fuck me over but do all they can do I can’t leave and I’m facing the prospect of literal homelessness and food insecurity and all these pieces of shit care about is their own bottom line and doing what they can to keep me captive because I’m a dutiful and useful slave who makes them look good.
I just had to go up 15mg on my medication because this is exactly the fuck otherwise how I end up in in-patient hospitalization.