The possibility that I might give up teaching...

Last Friday...our last day before Spring Break...I had an administrator strong arm me on something that I was in good faith on...

I've felt awful about it all week...it's totally ruined my Spring Break...

So...

I've been thinking about leaving teaching for good...

My administrator is a liberal...and is either a radical or no doubt influenced by radical hubris right now...

So I want to make the failure of that path...the path of forcing and bullying and strong-arming one's way through life...

As clear and as stark as possible for her...

And so I don't have to deal with it ever again...

I'm going to tell her the next time I see her that I don't know if I'm going to be teaching for the district next year...and that I'm thinking about leaving teaching for good...

Because I don't like being strong-armed...

And if they can't cut it out...

Then I'll find a new profession...

I want the message to be as clear and as unambiguous for radicals and liberals drunk with power right now as I possibly can...

And if they can't cut it out...

Then there is no reason for me to teach any more...

Because I'm not going to teach or do any of my work...teaching, scholarly, or otherwise...

In an environment for I'm going to be threatened and arm-twisted and strong-armed, all the time...

I couldn't do my best work in that environment if I wanted to...and there's no reason for me to do work on behalf of ideals that noone really believes in anyway...

I'll either find a profession where I don't deal with it...

Or I'll go do something where I'll get paid very, very, very well for the privilege...

This is why I'm not a liberal, anymore...

Because I never, ever, for the rest of my life...want to belong to a group...that bullies good people in good faith...ever...ever...ever...

Not liberalism...not conservativism...not radicalism...not Democrats...not Republicans...

Not any group that does this...ever again...

I'd rather just not belong to groups...to just avoid friends and others who do this...to just give up all affiliations that require that I think or say or do what others want because they fuckin' say so and without regard to my conscience...

I owe an apology to some kids that I strong-armed on Friday, I've been so wrapped up with the pressure from my colleagues to be tough...

Because I'm not doing this, any more...

And I'd rather leave the profession...and all of my work...

For good...

Rather than give into the ugly, self-centered fancies of bullies...

No matter what group they belong to...

Have a good weekend, everyone...

Love,
Ben