Opinions?
I need opinions. A few days ago I talked to my principal about the possibility of me using six of my personal days to go on a mission trip to Mexico (the same one I have gone on for the past two years). In our contracts we are given ten personal days per year(I have used one so far). I guess it’s assumed that they are meant to be used for sick days or emergencies, but staff members seem to take random personal days whevever they want. It has never been addressed one way or another as to how they are to be used.
So, I wrote my principal a list of reasons why I thought the trip is important for my ministry, my personal spiritual life, and how it would be good rolemodeling for my students. He came to talk to me yesterday and told me that he "wouldn’t stand in my way if I decided to go on the trip, but wanted me to think about a few things". He mentioned the fact that I would miss six days with my students. I realize that is a significant chunk of time, but as long as I leave very detailed plans I have no doubt they would have a productive week. The other point he brought up is the one that is killing me. He told me that if I choose to go on the trip than I will be costing the school 1,085 dollars (the cost of my sub fees in addition to my normal salary). I so desperately want to go on this trip. It’s for a good cause, and has been the spiritual highlight of my life for the past two years. However, how can I go with the nagging guilt that I am costing my school so much money? I think I would feel guilty the whole time.
So, what would you do? Would you go knowing you were costing the school money, or give up your personal days and not go? I almost feel like it was unfair for him to bring in the money issue. Why are we allotted ten personal days if we aren’t supposed to use them? I am not asking for any additional days off and will still be within my ten day limit. Plus, this is a Lutheran school. My principal gave me a "needs improvement" in my spiritual life section of my evaluation, but then discourages a mission trip? I am so torn. I need some unbiased answers as to what you all would do.
In exciting news, I got a new engagement ring!! The wrap we had ordered to go with my engagement ring came in a few weeks ago, and we went to pick it up last night. I wasn’t thrilled with how the wrap looked, and so the jeweler started showing us other wraps. Finally he said that a wrap wouldn’t really look great with the ring I had and asked if we would want to look at other settings. I wasn’t going to because I didn’t want to hurt Will’s feelings, but he was all for it. We ordered a ring that I am in love with!! It is so beautiful and the diamonds are a better quality than the original ring. Unfortunately it is being made, so I have to go without a ring for ahwhile. It was also sad to give up my engagement ring. I am such a girl and almost cried!
One of the little first graders came up to my roommate Amber with a present today. She had found a "beautiful" picture in the bathroom of little blue flowers. It was the paper from a maxi pad that someone had thrown on the floor. I don’t know how Amber keeps a straight face sometimes.
I think it was wrong for your principal to use emotional blackmail to try to keep you from going. The school should have budgeted for sub fees for personal days, if they are a part of the teacher benefits package. However, is he going to have to give you a reference for future jobs? I hate this for you. Can’t wait to see pictures of the new ring 🙂
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I’d go if I were you. It was unfair of him to bring up money issues. Besides, what about all the other teachers who are using their days and have used the same amount? It may seem like a lot since the six days are together but if someone takes six days over a year, it should come to the same amount of fees. So I wouldn’t worry about your principal. He sounds intimidating and needs to back off.
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haha @ the story. I love kids when they do things like that. Your principal is an ass for making you feel guilty about trying to expand and strengthen your spirituality. If you had taken 10 personal days, it STILL would have cost the school $1,085. It would just be spread over a larger amount of time. The school is spending that on every teacher who takes personal time, and I bet you hedoesn’t say a thing to them about the cost. GRRR. I am really MAD about this! I know it’s hard not to feel guilty, but think about all the great things this trip could give you. It is selfish of him not to want you to go because of money; he should be encouraging your growth, not stifling it. I say you go, and do your best not to feel guilty. After all, this trip in the end benefits every child you teach and every person you encounter, not just yourself, right?
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Do you have vacation days? If you don’t have vacation days, then I would use your personal days to go on vacation. However, if you *do* have vacation days, then I think it’s wrong to use your personal days for the sake of going away for 6 days, since that’s what vacation days are for.
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i’m excited for your new engagement ring! i want to see pictures! LOL that story about the maxi pad paper is hilarious! also, i think if you want to go on the trip, you should go, guilt free! you have those personal days, you should use them. even if you used them one day at a time, it’d still cost the school the same amount of $. it’s completely wrong of the principal to try and guilt
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trip you into not going. those personal days are there for you to use as you wish, and he shouldn’t make you feel bad about it.
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Go on the trip!!!!!
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omg that is hilarious. and pssh on the principal. they give you 10 personal days, you should be able to take them whenever. I mean, it your took them ALL, but spaced apart, they would still cost just as much for the school. we get 10 sick days, and 2 personal days.
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umm… i’m with you. he said you need improvemnt.. so there.. say here is my improvement. costing him money.. so if you take off 1 day a week for 6 weeks isnt this going to cost him the same amount of money if you were to get sick once a week? his reasons are so dumb!!
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I would go. That’s completely unfair of him to even bring up the cost. It’s part of your contract/benefit package. If that doesn’t help think of what you have put in money and time wise. I bet you’ve put at least 1K into your classroom either by materials you bought or extra time beyond your contract hours.
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your principal is being a jerk. dings you on your evaluation but won’t let you do this. doesn’t make any sense. in addition, if you’re given 10 days, then the school has allotted for those days. whether you take one here and one there or all of them at a time, it’ll cost the school the same amount. and it’s already been budgeted for. so i say go to mexico. have a good time. 🙂
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I think anything done for the glory of God is worth doing. It’s going to cost the school no matter WHEN or WHY you take those days, and this is much more meaningful than using the days for some other reason. I say go for it. Don’t ever deny yourself a chance to grow in the Lord!
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It is VERY wrong of the principal to act that way. It’s like when I go away for the weekend and take one of my 4 Sundays off of work…they have to pay for me AND for the sub…but it’s in the contract and it’s in the budget. You should go and not think twice about it!
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