Ethical/Moral Concerns In the Field
I will try to keep this brief but I am looking for some general thoughts/advice. I have been working in education for 4 years, special education for 2 years. 1 year in a public middle school in special ed inclusion classes as support staff (essentially a paraeducator but through a temp agency), and 1 year in a non-public school as an assistant teacher (taking the lead teaching role when necessary but not the "head" of the classroom.
I am feeling far too emotionally invested, and there is endless drama where I work, but that is not my main point of this post. Is anyone else facing the dilemma of feeling like you are in the minority when it comes to things as simple as students and their wellbeing?
I get brushed off in so many regards, for example reporting staff that I find to be inappropriate with how they treat students leads to being told "focus on the kids, not peer drama." Then a week later multiple staff members get fired for getting into a verbal altercation with one another.
As it is a non-public, there is not a union. Only 1/4 administrators have genuinely taken action and made me feel validated, but again, it was a case of a colleague being verbally abusive and intimidating to ME, not involving a student.
Just, why are these issues so quickly resolved? It makes me feel like I'm crazy every day hearing jaded people say "welp, that's how it is" but no one is striving toward any type of change? Is anyone else in a similar situation? I am so torn between staying here to be a safe and supportive staff member for my students, but I am so overwhelmed and it seeps into all aspects of my life. Any comments at all would be helpful, I just care so much, apparently too much, and feel so stuck. TIA :)