In Québec there is a case of an ungendered teacher who want to be called “Mix Martine” instead of Mister/Madam, and some people are bashing here and there on social network…
While we are missing 1,859 full-time teachers and 6,699 part-time teachers.
I’m always hesitant about these reports about teacher shortages. I was a teacher in Manitoba and spent years bouncing from term to term as school divisions are under severe budget constraints and have no permanent roles to give out. They say we have a teaching shortage as well, but what they mean is no one will become a substitute teacher to make $30,000 a year. Or that no one will take the plethora of “part-time” positions where they are offering a 0.2 or 0.3 position which pays $25,000 a year (but of course expects a host of admin and extracurricular work so you don’t really have the luxury of finding another job). I left teaching for a 50% pay cut in the heritage sector. The reduction in income hurts, but not being jerkd around by the system is a nice change. I’m not really in a place in life where I can relocate, but I would happily move to Quebec if the supposed guarantee to permanent teaching roles was really as good a the media makes it out to be.
Sorry for the off topic rant. Affirming a student’s chosen pronouns makes a world of difference, and being able to make sure you school’s data system can accurately report those chosen pronouns and whether or not parents should be informed of those pronouns can be a literal lifesaver! I’ve taught students who committed suicide because their parents emotionally and physically abused them for being gender fluid, and having teachers who (for their own bullshit reasons) refused to change a single word in how they referred to that student. If all it takes is changing a field in our data system, and admin reminding teachers just how important that identity can be to a teen, that is a simple change that can literally save lives. Stop using teens lives as a pawn in you pearl-clutching vote grab Conservatives!
You know, there are worse problems that we should be watching closely instead of caring so much about what fucking random name or pronoun the dude next to us wants to be called by. Surreal.
It’s okay to care about multiple things. And the names and pronouns aren’t random. For example, I will be calling you “asshole” from now on. Oh, you don’t like that? You think it’s important people call you the name you prefer?
Uhhh I dont know if I suck at expressing myself or if you are just tired and felt the need to vent somehow… I meant its surreal that people care so much about what pronouns or names someone wants to be called by to the point they make laws to prohibit it or harm certain groups. It is even worse for me when they do it because they are afraid of it. Im not going to insult you.
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