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August 26th, 2004
04:54 pm - Forty-three years, 4 days
That's how long my Dad has been teaching at the university. In point of fact, on Monday, (forty-three years, one day), he had taught at the university longer than anyone else, ever, in the history of the university since its founding over 125 years ago. He's won awards for outstanding teaching, has been recognized for his work in the community in K-12 math education, and has taught up to 3, maybe even 4, generations of students.
He's still only an Associate Professor, not a full professor. Despite the university's lip service to awarding merit for community work and teaching, they pretty much don't care about that at all.
He probably won't get any awards, or special recognition for his longevity.
A few weeks ago, for the first time ever, he talked about retiring. Oh, not that he wanted to retire, but that he wanted to be able to retire if he should decide to do so.
Three years ago, he was gravely ill and ended up having heart surgery. There was no talk of retiring then, except as a possible necessity should he not recover, but honestly, we all thought he was more likely to die than to retire.
A year or so ago, he was again very ill with a bad gall bladder, but again, retirement didn't really cross his mind as a real option.
He loves what he's doing, and what he's doing is teaching.
It just makes me very sad and angry to see this brilliant man, who has dedicated his life to improving the state of math education for public schools across the state, not to mention his own students at the university, be disregarded and dismissed as unimportant.
I wish I could do something about all the brilliant teachers at the universities who are just crapped on by the system.
But especially ... I wish I could do something for my Dad.
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I wonder if someone at the state level would be willing to do something. Forty-three years is a very long time to serve anywhere. Perhaps longer as it has been spent in education.
Have you thought of calling your locally elected weasel and seeing if they would be willing to do something for your dad??
If he likes the kid at the white house, you could write and ask for a flag that's been flown over the white house and/or a note from the kid.
It really is heartbeaking that the people who give us the skills to live and earn a living are treated so shabbily by the public. Even worse, that he is not being remembered by the university that he has served for so long. The whole tenure system is crap. It rewards people who spend as little time as possible with their students, leaving the actual teaching to others while they get published and travel here and there to self-congratulatory dinners put on by other people who never should have been allowed to call themselves "teacher," either.
*hugs* What a raw deal. :(
I hope something can be done for your father, MrsV.
*HUGS* yeah i agree.
recognition mojo!!! |
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