Teaching & Discrimination

A N.J. substitute teacher who underwent sex-reassignment surgery is quitting her substituting efforts in the two districts that she was working.

I remember this story and being impressed with the districts but, extremely wary of the prospects Ms. McBeth would truly face once the bright lights were off the situation and the cold hand of discrimination took hold.

The two districts were: A. Eagleswood, B. Pinelands Regional. Before the operation McBeth received 15 to 18 assignments a year in Eagleswood, and 16 to 20 a year in Pinelands Regional.

Since she has had the reassignment completed, McBeth has only gotten 2 assignments from each district over the course of two years.

What do the Superintendents say? Deborah Snyder, the Eagleswood schools superintendent, said the district has hired a permanent substitute to report to work each day and fill in as needed. She also noted that the district turns to its list of certified teachers. Only after that is exhausted does it call subs from the local hiring list that included McBeth. The Pineswood Regional Superintendent declined a comment.

Okay 2 quick points of rebuttal:

1. Hiring one (Snyder said "a") substitute does not fill all your need across a district, even if it's a small district (enrollment in 2007-2008 is reported to be 142).

2. Knowing people who hire/call for substitutes, when you find a good substitute for your school that your employed teachers like, you put them at the top of your list and they become one of the first people you call.

As a teacher I can say the only thing worse than having to be out a day and prepare lesson plans for a substitute (yes, I write my plans out a week ahead, but it's often in short-hand, and when you have a sub you have to make everything clear), is to come back to your classroom the next day and hear reports of how awful the sub was.