Career

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I finally became a full-time teacher in 2013. It was a great time.

I dove into it, head first. I loved every minute of it. I loved working in the public schools. I spent time lesson planning, in meetings, running school committees, and meeting with parents. I had professional development courses that I went to after work. I'd never felt more fulfilled or happy.

Then it slowly came crashing down. People around me didn't work as hard as I did. I was resented, humiliated, and sent to another school, mid-year. I had two hours to pack up my entire classroom.

Then, the school district nonrenewed my contract. Even after I did everything I was told to do at my new school. I don't think I've ever been the same since then. The area superintendent who ordered my move, and then orchestrated my nonrenewal, backed me into corners with threats and made false promises to me. I think she could see how happy and eager I was to be teaching, and perhaps saw me as a threat. I'd heard other stories of women teachers who got treated like I did.

I don't know what to say....

I'm very sorry this happened to you.

I got laid off from my perfect job because covid shutdowns bankrupted the company.

The job I had before that I was harassed and tormented incessantly before they finally figured out to eliminate my role and get rid of me.

I've heard many similar stories on here.....

It seems like our unusual personalities irritate co workers and bosses even when we are capable and even excel at our jobs....

From what I can tell, fitting in is more highly valued than proficiency in our job skills....

I don't know what to say. You have my deepest sympathy. I am going through the same crap.

My 'career' was in teaching as well. The first three years were dreadful, largely as a result of being stuck with one particular class that I messed up with, but I had the youthful energy to get through it (and the naivety not to realize how bad I was, which probably saved me). Next decade was pretty good, I somehow managed to get the hang of things and achieved some great results. Final five years were a slow but inexorable descent into Hell. I bailed out in my early 40s, with what I believe was the 'autistic burnout' phenomenon, in order to preserve what remained of my sanity, and have not worked fulltime since.

I did get a decent pension (half-pension actually) out of it, but in retrospect wish I'd opted for something completely different (computing, for example).