I feel a headache coming on...

Ugh. I hate parents. I hate stupid people. Do I even need to say it? The book saga continues.

My AP parent emailed again a week ago wanting to know if we decided anything about the objectionable content in "The Natural." I wanted to email them back and say, "yes, there weren't NEARLY enough nipples in it, that's the problem." Of course I didn't email that back. I stayed very diplomatic and non-committal even if I wanted to just call the parent an ignorant idiot who is not helping their kid in the long run.

I am SO going to get fired.

Anyways, another parent has been waging a complaint about the novel The Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison (again, citing sexual content). My principal has refused to give the English department an overall "objectionable content policy" to use and prefers to deal with these things on a case-by-case basis. Well, that's all fine and good, but after a lengthy email from me last week detailing (and forwarding) the emails I received about The Natural, my principal still hasn't responded. We've got curriculum night next week and my department head and I feel like the English department will be facing the firing squad. Gee, I can't wait. I think I'll fill my Nalgene bottle with vodka...

To make matters worse, my dept. head got an email from a parent suggesting that there be a board to determine what books are suitable to have in the English curriculum. I am HIGHLY offended by such an idea. So, you're telling me that with my three degrees in English (BA, MA in English and Education and MA in English Lit) that I don't have enough sense to decide what books my students are capable of reading critically? Bullshit! Honestly, if it comes to that, I think my principal will have to prepare to hire an entirely new English department. See, here's the other piece of this. A number of years ago (between when I graduated from the school and when I was hired there) some parents objected to the novel "A Prayer for Owen Meany" because they felt it was sacreligious. The school developed a board consisting of at least one priest and my current department head as well as others who read the book and decided it was ok for the students to read. Despite the board accepting the novel, one individual, a priest at a local and very conservative Catholic parish, badgered the acting principal into rejecting the book. So, despite the board's informed decision, the book was still dropped from the curriculum because of a single individual's decision. I can see this happening all over again and I will NOT be part of that bullshit should it come to that. I don't think I'm alone either. Maybe I'm am, but I can tell you, I won't put up with that. I might not quit on the spot, but he can be sure I won't be back next year.

I want to tell my AP parent, "look, I'm making him think critically. We're talking about Aristotle's classical piece, Rhetoric, the kids are using ethos, pathos and logos easily in their class discussion, they can't now watch an advertisement without critically analyzing the images and considering who the audience for a certain piece is, they're noticing these things without me even asking them to and (even better) then bringing the things they notice back to class for discussion. Doesn't that count for anything??! No, they just worry that nipples are mentioned in one of the novels we'll read later in the year. It doesn't matter that right now we're using Aristotle's theories on writing and language, it doesn't matter that these kids are studying (and understanding!) things most kids don't get to until they're in college. Sigh. It's so distressing. It really is.

I suppose some if it might be a moot point if Jon and I take off for places unknown next year...he's encouraging me to pursue writing and while that's really scary, it's also really exciting to have someone be supportive of this...After a day like this, I'm SO ready to take off.

Not to mention, I'm sort of being headhunted by the principal at Wife's school. Even though I told him three times now that I won't leave my school in the middle of the year (he was even discussing salary, and a salary that is a good $10,000 more than I make right now), he's still trying to get me to switch jobs. Thing is, as much as the parents make me batty, I like most of the kids. Dilemmas, dilemmas.

My Student Teacher has her moments of insight and making me want to cringe. I know it's a learning process, but I'm really wondering if she has the right personality for high school students. At least she isn't mentally ill. Shannon has a student teacher this semester who she says is the strangest person she's ever met (and having met some of the same people, this guy must be REALLY strange). Mine is a bit weird at times, but I don't think she's mental. I wonder if she can handle all the nuances of having your own classroom though. Oh well, it's really early. Maybe she'll get better.

In good news, I scored free tickets for the Rilo Kiley show at ROMT on Monday for a live review (and possibly a photo pass). I'm not their biggest fan, but it's a good career move since they're pretty big in the indie world (kinda like scoring a pass for the Bright Eyes show and Spin magazine LOVES them) and I was just offered (and accepted) the chance to interview Schoolyard Heroes. Again, a good career move because Sarah Lewitinn (Ultragrrrl) is the one that signed them and a) I love her bands, b) she's made sure quotes of my reviews end up on her bands' websites, c) I want bits of her life, she's so damn cool (juvenile to say, I know, but it's true).

I've got to get this writing career off the ground. I'm not sure I'm going to make it long at my school without some parent demanding I be fired (I gave the go-ahead on an article about ADHD drug abuse at the school provided the student who wanted to write it did her research and wrote a good, solid article. I told her I'd back her. Scarily, there will be some parents that, if the student completes her end of the bargain and writes a strong, well-researched piece, will want my skin). I am so dead.

Sigh.

Listening to: "Battlestar Anorexia" by Schoolyard Heroes

PS-The Hard Lessons show last Saturday ROCKED. I got The Anvil and Augie to sign my CD and even chatted for a bit with them. It was so cool. I fucking love them. Pictures to post when I'm not so pissy.

Utterly Exhausted

I survived the first week of school. I'm halfway through my second and I am so tired I could drop. Things are going well, I'm just ready for a vacation already. In summation:

• AP is going well. I like the kids and I'm having fun getting to teach them about things like rhetoric (yeah, I'm a nerd) and how to use/recognize persuasive speech/text, critically read images (now part of the AP Lang & Comp test) and such. A lot of work, but I like the class.
• English II and Honors English II are ok. I'm not a huge fan of All Quiet on the Western Front, but my Honors class is really sharp. I think I'm going to like them. The jury is still out on regular English II.
• I've got some good kids in Journalism this year. However, my student teacher (ST from now on) has been teaching the class for the last three days and I've had to observe. This is hard because a)I'm a bit of a control freak as I'm learning, b) it's hard watching other people make mistakes that seem obvious to me and c) I'm selfish and want to get these kids going on things myself (back to my first point, control freak).
  
• Having a student teacher is making back to school even more exhausting. She has some good qualities but I also now have a shadow. I can't even pop into my office to check my email between classes without her coming to see if I need her to enter the attendance. Er, not yet, the kids haven't even arrived...it can be frustrating. I know she's just trying to help, but I need a little space at times

I'm ready for it to be the weekend, but I've got two days to go and Thursdays usually suck because they're such crazy days-weird mass schedule, review due, guitar lesson etc. At least there should be some fun this weekend. Friday Jon, Brandon and I are heading to Tower like we used to do last year on Fridays. I'm REALLY looking forward to this. A nice Tower mug and good conversation. Excellent.

Saturday we're heading out to dinner with my parents, Wife and Husband to (belatedly) celebrate Jon's birthday. My parents were rather worried that he thought they were blowing him off after their initial invite to dinner, but finding a night that fit into our busy social calendar wasn't so easy. After that we'll probably go to the Hard Lessons show at The Blind Pig. Guess I should fit some lesson planning and grading in there somewhere too (ugh).

Last weekend was a lot of fun. Jon and I headed down to Cincinnati for his nieces' birthdays (they turned 1 and 2). Though Friday night and Saturday during the day were a lot of family stuff, it was entertaining to see his two nieces get loads of presents and hang out with his family. Saturday night Jon, his sister, brother in law and I went out to the Hofbrauhaus and then the Claddagh Irish Pub for good food, shots of Jaeger, and beer. I had a blast and really like his family. They've been extremely welcoming which is very, VERY nice. Sunday I went to my first Lutheran service and didn't get struck by lightning upon setting foot in the church. Go me.

Monday we threw and impromptu BBQ where I was very surprised to find that a friend of a friend brought his new girlfriend who happened to be a former student of mine from LHS. Heh, THAT wasn't awkward at all... We made crabcakes, brats, black and bleu burgers, had lots of beer and a good time just hanging out.

Whew. Yeah, so that was the last week or so. It makes me tired just writing about all the activity!

I think a little nap is in order...