A fellow teacher was blindsided!

One of my co-workers just gave me a call saying she received an email saying she was fired. She had been given no previous warnings or evaluations telling her where she needed to improve. The email gave no reason for why she was fired. In fact, there was no email. Just a subject title: please print card, and the termination letter attached.

Now I'm all freaked out about my job security. Whose to say the same won't happen to me?:unsure: I just dug up my contract, just to be sure. It ends in December. I think I'll look for new jobs in a few months just to be sure. This whole thing is really crazy.

 

I don't understand the email subject title. Any chance this isn't authentic?

 

Sorry about your co-worker.

 

Eek...sounds horrible! Is this "acceptable" in you area?

 

I would have to call to validate the authenticity of that email. I also don't understand the title.

 

I think the title is saying that the OP's coworker was blindsided because the coworker's termination came out of no where.

 

How unprofessional!

 

It's not the title of this thread that is being questioned
It's the title of the email "please print card":huh:

 

When I spoke with her I told her to go in tomorrow and demand a reason. I mean she deserves an explanation. At least to learn how to improve in the future.

I wouldn't say something like this is "acceptable", but because it's a very small school they can basically do anything they want. For example, I hardly ever get paid on time. And if she wanted to take it to court it'd be a huge waste of time and money, everything is extremely inefficient here.

At least I know to be on my toes now.:mellow:

 

They can do what they want as long as staff are willing to work under such conditions.

 

Wow, I sure hope that she goes in an asks a few questions. She at least deserves a reason for the unexpected firing.

 

I'm going to agree with everyone else who is questioning the validity of that email, especially due to the unusual title.

 

If the email is authentic, that's horrible. Has she talked with the school yet to get more information on the authenticity of the email, and to get a reason if she is really being let go of?

 

If it is authentic, it's horribly unprofessional. She definitely needs to follow up about this and get the teacher's union involved if they have one.

 

I have heard from friends that teachers at their schools were told the last day of school via e-mail that they were not coming back next year. I would be flabbergasted if I was told that way, with no face to face conversation and a reason as to why.

 

I would check to see if it's legit. Seems odd.

 

If it is true, then I hope she is able to quickly find a teaching position and I'm sure it will be a huge improvement to get out of such a school who would... EMAIL!?!... a teacher that she lost her position.

 

From what I know, she didn't go to talk to get a reason as to why she was let go. She told the teachers and now the morale of the school is extremely low. She was a well liked teacher and now the rest of us feel like we constantly have to watch our back. One teacher is already looking for a new position.

I think she'll get a new job fairly easily, she speaks 3 languages fluently and that's the kind of thing schools look for here. But still, really shady way of telling her about it.

 

So sad. Whatever the circumstances surrounding her leaving the school, I hope she will find a school that she will be a best fit for;and I hope she goes in to ask for a letter of recommendation or reference so she can move on with proof she has teaching experience.

 

She should at least ask for an exit interview...she deserves some answers.

 

Sad thing is, even though she deserves answers, they don't have to give her any. Around here non-tenured teachers can be let go with no reason what so ever. :/

 

UPDATE:

SO! Yesterday without talking to the director, she went and told all the kids she was leaving. Kids are crying and writing her goodbye messages.

Someone tells me today that the whole thing was a mix up! *face palm* The director meant to send it to the office to print it out, then talk to the teacher and see whether or not she wanted to renew.

I feel really bad for her, but at the same time I would have NEVER told the kids without talking to the director first. Evidently, the director is going to go ahead and let her go now because the teacher's already gone and told the kids.

 

I don't buy that. There are a lot of incompetent administrators out there, but that takes the cake. Sounds to me like a cop out by the director, and that he or she had no intention of renewing the teacher's contract.

 

Sounds like a lot of bull on the admin's part. :/

 

The whole thing is a bunch of bull. The director sending out that email, the teacher telling the kids before she spoke with the director... I don't know what's going on, I'm just glad it's not happening to me... yet...