So without naming the org. In the title, it is the largest after school program in the U.S. I started working there last year in 2022 at the main site in my town, but left after the behavior of the kids and failure of management to help us get the place under control; led to me having a partial mental breakdown and almost needing hospitalization. Due to circumstances at my new job out of my control, I found myself jobless this summer of 2023, and while thinking of what I wanted to do next decided to try my luck with the previous employer again.
It started with me being denied several accommodations that were previously provided the year before, like having all my fridays off for medical appointments and procedures (I have an Autoimmune Disease), next I was told I couldn’t go to the site I was at previously, so I ended up at a school site instead. I foolishly believed school sites were smaller…this one has over 300 kids, and more on waiting lists. Then I was sequestered to Kindergarten who I don’t have a lot of experience with taking care of (mostly worked with 3-5th grade previously). Fortunately I made a request to be moved to 4th grade just before kinder made me almost tear my hair out and quit (it’s really troubling how much help this years kinder needed, they are already having a mental health crisis at 5-6 years old).
Now that my first couple weeks of 4th grade are over, things are going down hill. I asked to start a Dungeons and Dragons club, as I had one previously at the other site that was super successful, it was granted, but dnd takes a lot of prep we only get about 20 minutes before we pick up the kids, and 30 minutes at the end of the day to prep activities and clubs for the next day. In a-lot of cases this isn’t enough time to prep what I need for dnd. So I started taking a notebook to work, and whenever the kids were sufficiently supervised, jotting down some story notes, and campaign hooks, and checking my phone for research. This has led to me getting written up for “inappropriate phone use,” I tried to explain that each of the times they listed me on my phone instead of working, I was in fact WORKING. I was looking up things the kids asked me during homework, researching ideas for the campaign, taking notes for club activities several students came and asked me to write down. Etc. I wasn’t on TikTok or texting my GF….Afterwards I was told I could prep for DND club during Club time if I had no club that day and no one needed my help, but it had to be out of view of kids, teachers and parents, or it’ll look like I’m ignoring my kids. So, I did just that.
Yesterday, I asked my co-workers if anyone needed help with their clubs for the day, and. Was told no, I could go prep. So I grabbed my stuff and went to the office to work on maps I needed and handouts for the game this week. My director walks in, I ask if it’s ok for me to be here, she scolds me and says “Yes, but it’s unfair to my other staff that you’re taking an hour and a half to prep, and they can’t. You can’t do this everyday you don’t have dnd, you need to run other clubs.”
At the time, I was afraid of confrontation so I just agreed, told her I understand and went back to working on my map. But it was eating at me, she said it was ok to do this previously? And now that I’m doing it for first time it’s unfair? So I asked her, I’m confused when can I do this? Because sometimes 30 minutes isn’t enough, and while I could do some of this at home I’d rather be paid for my work. She said I can only do it during the before kids and the 30 minutes prep time at the end of the day now, cause it’s not fair to give me extra time. And I need to run other clubs on the days I don’t have dnd. That’s I agree is ok, I already had other ideas lined up for clubs, but no idea how to get them on the schedule or what supplies we have? She told me I have to put them on a calendar, but have yet to see one to give ideas or input to my co-workers (I have 2 other staff to help 4th grade).
Now I feel even more left out than before, all the other staff are very cliquey and barely talk to me, I always got the feeling that they don’t like me, either because I’m on the spectrum or because I’m weird (Clothing, makeup is alt or goth sometimes). There was a place for me to have input on the other club ideas this month so I could prep other things, and I was just left out of it and in the dark.
I don’t know what to do? I have December off and might use that time to look for new employment. Any advice in the meantime?