My first year of teaching a parent - not of a child in my class - decided she didn’t like my face and punched me. I followed through will all of the normal reactions. The police were called, she was arrested, I got a 1 year restraining order and she was banned from the school.

Recently (the restraining order has been up as of Christmas time 2009), she was allowed back into the building. Now, there are many issues with this.

1. She punched a teacher, why is her child still in this school?

2. What the fuck?

So I’m bringing around my late-pickups and BAM. There she is with the baby stroller she shoved aside (baby inside!) to attack me 2 years ago.

Immediately my heart is in my throat- and I’m feeling very vulnerable. I mean, this woman cornered me in the school yard with her fists up for absolutely no reason. Apparently there is “nothing” my administration can do to have her moved to another school.

I’m sick of being less important than this “person” in the place where I work. I’m supposed to be safe here!

Needless to say, a bottle of wine will be consumed tonight.

I’d like to know why parents seem to believe that teacher and babysitter are synonymous.

Today, at dismissal I said goodbye to one of my least favorite snot rockets (yes, teachers have favorites) only to see her reappear 30 seconds later chewing gum with her mouth open (HUGE pet peeve). I look over to where her mother is, only to see her having a conversation with another parent. I ask this SR why she is back in my presence only to hear,

“My mom said to come back over here for you to watch me.”

Excuse me? Please tell me the wad of gum in your obnoxious little mouth is obstructing your words. I sent her back to find her mother, unless Mom would like to pay me for my babysitting services. I went inside -without this child- to turn my time card and go home.

I’d like to know where parents get the idea that us teachers have nothing better to do than keep watching your darling little offspring after the 3pm bell. If you really hate being with your own children so much, wear a condom. Give more blow jobs. Or maybe you should hire a live-in nanny.

Oh, I’m sorry. Your welfare check won’t cover a nanny, will it?

I teach second grade.  In East Harlem.  So if one more person tells me that these little snot rockets are adorable, I am going to bite them.  hard.  and then I wont let them go to the nurse.

ok so I might be a little cynical about teaching, and I figured that might be a bad thing since I’m only midway through my third year.  That’s what nyc’s public school system will do to you….. right? 

Currently I’m home, sick, because one of the little snot rockets’ parents decided their kid had to come to school with the death-virus.  I’ve been miserable since Friday, and have my formal observation on Thursday.  More on that later.

Basically I started this blog to help me sort things out.  Do I want to continue teaching? OR is the bottle-of-wine-a-night diet not such a great way to live the rest of my professional life?  I’ve always wanted to go back to school for speech therapy- something I’ve loved since my junior and senior year of high school.  It just seems so scary to be broke, 24, single and in one of the most expensive (but fantastic) cities in the world.  I guess I’ll see what will play out over the next few months…