u/Over_Decision_6902

I am no longer a teacher, after teaching special ed for 20 years. I am now in a "teaching adjacent" field. We are absolutely FORBIDDEN to buy anything for our clients, even a cup of coffee. We can't even buy them something that they need for their home like dishwashing soap.

Which has me thinking....how in society did it become appropriate for teachers to buy stuff for their classroom and their students? When I was a teacher I spent so much money on supplies for the classroom as a whole, and I even bought individual students things they needed like deodorant, headphones, wipes, maxi pads, etc. Of course, I always reached out to the parent first, but with some of them it was crickets......

Maybe you are one of those people who have never spent a dime in your classroom, but that is NOT the norm. I just really wonder why teachers are expected to do this. I worked at schools that provided NOTHING to us, and even copies were limited. My last school had an active PTO and it was supportive. But, that was not until my last couple years teaching.

I guess this is just a vent. Best of luck to the new school year.

We have to use our personal vehicles and during the interview, the lady asked if I'd be comfortable transporting clients to shopping trips or doctor's appointments. I said I would. Well, little did I know we actually have to take them anywhere they want to go. LITERALLY. My coworker told me that she has gone 45-60 miles one way to a specific store that a client wanted to go to. Also, this coworker told me that she's had to drive 2 hours to take a client to visit a family member. This is a lot to ask of someone making what we make per hour. It just really doesn't make sense. But, apparently we get in trouble if we question them or refuse to take them. This means you essentially have to make sure you have a full tank of gas each and every time you show up for work. I really don't understand the thought process behind this. How do they expect to keep staff? It just seems so excessive.

I use the Sheetz bathroom daily due to having a job where I travel to homes. Can I just say THANK YOU for having such clean bathrooms. They're always on point!

For me, it was charges on the credit card statement. I thought "we" had been hacked. Nope. Why he didn't realize or care that I would see it is beyond me.

I can't believe I forgave him and took him back. I did come to my senses and leave him eventually. I should've walked away that day and never looked back. But, we live and we learn. Never again.

.....tv shows....

I do not want that man back. I am glad I left. But, any early 2000's tv shows that we used to watch together REALLLLLY trigger me! I want to be able to watch them again. But, I just can't. I just remember us laughing together and being cuddled up. The anticipation of waiting for the show to come on, and eating our little snacks together. It can ruin my whole day just seeing a clip of a show.

We never spent a lot of time together after about 2010 (even though we were married long after that), so I am good on those shows. haha.

You can't make this stuff up.

Human emotions make no sense sometimes.

But thanks for listening to my sob story.

I have just transferred to a different house after working in ICF. I am now in a house with only 2 clients. I am with the SAME COMPANY. I just needed a change. In the ICF house, we had a company van. In this house, they apparently have no vehicle and I have to transport them to day treatment, on outings, etc. This was a total shock to me! Like, I actually just stood there in shock, that's how new this was to me.

I have reliable transportation. I don't worry about them messing up my car because it is an older that has seen a lot, and they clients are really sweet and well behaved. The company reimburses for mileage....but only at 30 cents/mile, which also seems cheap as heck on their part. I don't worry about wear and tear, because honestly they don't go far for day treatment, etc.

But, what I do worry about is liabilty. Does my normal everyday car insurance allow for using my vehicle to transport agency clients to appointments? I am terrified to call and ask because that just raises a red flag, and I CANNOT pay more for any bill than I do now. Do I need a different type of insurance for this? It just seems like I would because I am adding an extra responsibility.

I also don't want to ask staff/supervisors, because everyone else just does it and doesn't seem to have any sort of hesitations. I don't want to seem like some "princess" who just doesn't want the clients in her car.

Do you transport clients in your PERSONAL VEHICLE???

So, this memory just came to me today, and I need to share it with someone. Hey, you are the lucky "someone."

In about 2005, before I really knew a lot about email, and all things computer related, my special ed director 'blind copied' me on some emails to a support staff (therapist) in which she was chewing him out for several different things. I was the "team leader," but that comes with no real authority. I would just help newer teachers learn things paperwork or classroom management related, even though I had only been teaching a few years at this time. Anyways, I digress.

So, I had absolutely NO IDEA what 'bc' was. It was over Christmas Break when I checked my work email. I used to check it once a week or so....oh, those were the days. I had 3 emails that were sent to this therapist. I 'replied' and told my director that I wasn't sure why I was getting these emails and she must be sending them to the wrong person. Needless to say, he saw my response.

The therapist used those emails as part of a retaliation lawsuit against the district and WON!

We listen and we don't judge. :)

Share a story below.......to make me feel better.....hehe.....

I just saw it today and it has TONS of likes and support for the grandmother. She is LITERALLY holding the teenager by her braids so she doesn't run away. A lot of parents who have autistic children are saying others don't know what it takes, you gotta do what you gotta do, etc. The child is in OBVIOUS pain. The grandmother is 100% too old to take care of this person. There are other teenagers telling her to hold the autistic person by the hand instead, and she tells them that the granddaughter just ran from her. People in the comments are saying those children should have minded their business.
I made a comment saying this is not okay. I got jumped all over. I feel like I am in a bit of an alternate universe. In what world is this okay? What if a doctor, nurse, teacher, aide, dsp, or therapist did this? Before you say....well, they are trained. This is LITERALLY HER GRANDMOTHER, and this was not a small child who may have done this for the first time and the grandmother was in a crisis mode not knowing what to do. We CANNOT condone abuse like this and then expect others to love our family members and treat them with kindness. Ugh. I am so disgusted.

Thoughts? Am I overreacting? I was just SHOOK when I saw the comments.