WHY I GOT DITCHED

My friends are still wondering why I suddenly lost the position I've longed been aiming for. In fact most of them are not yet aware that I'm not in the academe anymore. Anyway, this is what actually happened....

I got the job last September. It was totally unexpected coz' at that time I was teaching in another school as a substitute teacher. I filed my application way back January so when the school owner called, I was like, "This is rather embarassing, ma'am, but which school is this? And for what position did I apply for?" She said, SCHOOL COORDINATOR. "Oh, okay. Sorry I thought it was already filled." To cut the long story short, she asked me to see her for an interview.

The owner was still in her 30's. We clicked the first time we met. So eventually, I accepted her offer after discussing all the compensation, benefits, etc. I started working on the documents, blank forms, the curriculum, the hiring of teachers, mutli-tasking to the max, since we haven't got any staff yet coz' it's an entirely new school. We had meetings with the rest of the board, and conceptualized everything. It's a dream come true for me. I always wanted to put up my own school.

Come January 2006. Someone sent over her resume' over our Jobstreet account.I was really impressed after running through her profile so I decided to set an interview and a demo teaching with her. She was definitely good. I told her that I'm giving her the free hand in the pre-school department since that was her forte'; plus, she also has a managerial background. Perfect.

Fate would have it when the owner found out she was a distant relative. (Let's call her Ms. R). For the next few days I observed that she has manipulative tendencies when one time, she started insisting that the pre-school curriculum be changed. I was a little insulted but I gave her the chance to justify her opinion. I studied the possibilities and gave her the nod.

Later on she started doing her own thing and I realized I am losing my authority over her. Then I found out that the owner and she began meeting in the latter's house for some "cousin bonding". I've nothing against it, except that, sometimes they would plan things about the school and then I was the last person to know. That really hurt- as a professional and as the designated school coordinator. Oftentimes the decision has been made already even before my opinion was consulted.

Our hired teachers would later complain about Ms. R's attitude. There was even one teacher who had a shouting match with her because she became very pakialamera already even with the grade school department which I was handling at that time while looking for someone to head it. I talked to MS. R and to the teacher, arranged a meeting with them, hoping to patch everything up. I stopped myself from confronting her yet about her "manipulative" streaks coz' I still want to gather more evidences of her actions.

Suffice it to say that she became so irritating that I decided to talk to the owner about it. And surprise! surprise! The owner called me over to the office, and broke the news.

OWNER: Pearl, I've something to tell you...
ME: Is there a problem? Coz' I also wanted to talk to you about something.
OWNER: I hope you won't take it against me but....would you mind giving up the
position for Ms. R?
ME: (dazed) Huh?? Did I do anything for you to decide like that?
OWNER: Well, nothing really...in fact, you were very effective and I am
grateful for the hard work...
ME: Well,then, give me a valid reason why I should step down.
OWNER: (hesitant to speak) Ahhmmm...it seems that Ms. R is stricter and more
capable for the position...she has a stronger personality...
ME: Is that final?
OWNER: I talked with my brothers (school board members) and they agreed...hey,
it's not because she's a relative...
ME: Yeah, yeah, sorry but that's what's running inside my mind...well, then, if
that's the case, I won't accept your offer and I'm leaving the school. I
don't wanna work in an environment like this...

(I opted to keep my mouth shut to prevent myself from speaking ill to them)

OWNER: Pearl, thank you....
ME: No...thank you.. (for insulting my profession and my character)

I left the office with a heavy heart. She was dumfounded as I was. I packed my things, waited for 4:00 pm, and left without saying a word, totally wrecked and heartbroken. I felt a sign flashing over my head saying "Loser! Loser!" Whaddaheck. You don't deserve me. I don't deserve to be a part of this sh*tty institution.

Survivor that I am, (of course with the help of my Father up there in the heavenlies) I looked for a new job the next day, filed my applications, and in the next few days, I got accepted as an online tutor.

No regrets.

I'm happy and contented with where I am now. And yeah, as of this writing, Ms. R has fired a security guard (for arguing with her), a teacher (yeah, you guessed it right, for arguing with her) and another teacher for not speaking English fluently.

And to that school owner, I say, GOOD LUCK NA LANG. Thanks for letting me go.