really shitty week

It all started when a parent of one of students, also a teacher at my school, got mad about a field trip that parents were asked not to attend. The field trip was sponsored by the county extension office. It was called Domino's Pizza Ranch. The county government paid for each student and teacher to get 2 pieces of pizza, ice cream, and milk. So that doesn't leave any room to feed every parent that wants to go. So we have always asked that parents not attend the Pizza Ranch, but could go to the park with us if weather and time permitted.

Well, this parent got so upset that he couldn't go with his "step-daughter". I was in charge of setting up the trip, getting the buses, permission slips sent out, etc. Well, I did all of this before Dara had her accident. The only thing I didn't do before the accident was get the permission slips ready. Well, this parent goes into the office and says "well if she ever comes back" very hateful. Now let me preface this with the fact that he has two children who are epileptic, and has taken off work more times than I care to count. Well, while I was in the hospital with Dara waiting on surgery, he proceeds to go to my sister and gripe about no permission slips being sent home yet.

I got back to school a week later, and find out that he has spread around school that we (fourth grade teachers all 6 of us) were not very professional to schedule a field trip that would not allow parents to go. He actually meant that we were totally incompetent to take any child anywhere. He sends his step daughter's slip back with a note to me in blue permanent marker, huge letters, across the front, saying she would not be attending any stupid field trip and he cannot believe any teacher would go on a trip like this.

Well, it just got worse longer this day went. He then got mad because I didn't send him a printout of her grades during the week I was out with my daughter. go figure...so he sends me a nasty email demanding that I send him one immediately. He basically said that it was my fault that she got an 88 in Social Studies. He said that he wants ALL of her worksheets and book send home everytime one is assigned to be done at home so that he can make sure that she understands. He also said that all I do is stick in a CD (one that came with the Social Studies curriculum) and then hand out a worksheet and no disscussion is made over the lesson. Well let's see I think I was out for almost 2 weeks...hmmm. If I can figure out how to copy and paste the emails he sent back and forth to me and our principal I'll do it.

So I emailed him back and said I didn't have a problem sending the work home as long as he entered her grade for the worksheet into the computer, and was I to consider it late since it wasn't turned in the same day it was assigned since it went home. He is also the campus "technology contact" person, so he has direct access to everyone's computers, and can look at anyone's gradebook.

Well, to make it even shorter, I emailed him back and basically let him have it with both barrels that he wasn't mad about the grade, but the fact he didn't get his way about the field trip. He is one of the biggest, egotistical, controling, male person I have ever known. He tries to intimidate everyone who doesn't bow down to him. He braggs about causing a second and third grade teacher cry. Well, it really pissed him off that I didn't shrink under his attacks. But instead, I backed him into a corner and let him have it with my emails.

When that day was over, I met my principal in the hallway. She said can I give you a hug? I said why, and she said because you didn't give into to him, and you put him in his place. She said that no one has ever done that to him, and she was so proud of me for doing it. This is my boss telling me this. Yea!!!

Well, I get home and Don tells me that the mobile home park manager turned over eviction notice to the county constable, and we are being evicted for being only 11 days late on the lot rent. The electric company also showed up and wanted payment, because they were to turn off the electricity due to non payment. Don hasn't worked in several days due to the rain...Dara gets an incomplete on her report card due to being out...the dentist I took her to right after she got out of the hospital, mouth wired shut, to check on a tooth that became loose from the fall bills me (the dentist told the front office that there wasn't any charge because there was nothing that they could do with her mouth wired shut)...then 2 days later we go to a meeting of the local playday group we belonged to said that Dara will not get her first place year end awards because we weren't able to go to the last work day (the day after she had her accident and in the hospital)...so that meant we were one work day short...and if that's not enough they said that we are going to pay the $96 for membership instead of the $46 due to the fact that we didn't get our membership money in on time.

So having said all that...without going into exact detail which would take me two days to write...this has been one of the shittiest weeks I've ever had. Things can only get better from here. I just pray to God that they do.