Should I Quit question; teacher edition

November 17, 2022 7:42 AM

I made a career decision that needs adjusting but I cannot think my way clearly through this. I will try to paint as complete a picture as possible.

5 years ago, I relocated to a rural part of the US after being hired as a school specialist. Job postings here are few and I have a specialized skill set that I love doing, AND I am 3 years away from a teacher pension in this state (this is a big factor).

Upon beginning the public school job, I was immediately thrown into an administrative role which took me further and further from the work I am good at and honestly, I am not a good administrator. The district released me from my contract and there were no hard feelings, truly. They knew I wanted to be a specialist and wished me well.

I stupidly accepted the first specialist job I was offered and I now see I am on a sinking ship. It was a bad and impulsive move and I don't know what to do. Those of you with school experience will understand when I say the school is run by a very hostile passive-aggressive mean girl. Let's leave it at that.

Factors at play:

*this current job has removed me from the state retirement plan where I need 3 more years to retire, so I definitely want to get back to the state system sooner rather than later;

* my previous district will not hire me back as a specialist because I cost a lot (and that's okay, we truly are still friendly);

* I will definitely be screwing up my current school (where I am at will) if I leave mid-year (but the entire org is a hot mess and I wouldn't be the first person to jump ship);

* and I have been offered my specialist position in a nearby village which would put me back into the retirement system doing what I love.

My pros and cons are split. I know I will really be messing up this current place if I leave (not because I'm so special but because I provide critical services), but the admin there has created the cluster of issues and will not allow anyone to help fix the place. I would be the third staff member to leave within 3 months.

It is not likely I could find another specialist position like this anywhere within 50 miles of my house.

Do I leave?

posted by anonymous to Work & Money (25 answers total)

Yes. You are not responsible for your current workplace and correcting its environment. There are students who need you there, but there will also be students who need you at your new school. You need to take your needs into account here as well, and everything you said screams leave.
posted by procrastination at 7:47 AM on November 17, 2022 [30 favorites]

Yes.

I do not understand why this is a question. I mean I do, but you have another job offer that you are confident will be better than you're current one. You will also be providing them with important services if you take the job. There are no cons for you in this. And if you stay it will take them longer to fix their underlying problems.
posted by plonkee at 7:49 AM on November 17, 2022 [4 favorites]

Yes.

My biggest regret of the last decade was staying on in a bad job.
posted by mumimor at 7:53 AM on November 17, 2022 [5 favorites]

Oh god, yes, leave, take the good job that gets you closer to pension and flee this sinking ship. If you need a balm to your conscience know that sometimes an organization only addresses its core issues after it is truly in crisis and at rock bottom. You leaving may nudge them closer to a necessary intervention.
posted by We put our faith in Blast Hardcheese at 7:55 AM on November 17, 2022 [15 favorites]

Yes. No question yes.
posted by LizardBreath at 7:55 AM on November 17, 2022 [3 favorites]

Take the better job. 100%.
posted by Blue Jello Elf at 7:56 AM on November 17, 2022 [4 favorites]

As a fellow (now former) public school teacher: Yes, leave. I absolve you from any teacher-guilt, if that's what you need. Leave, and repeat to yourself: I cannot personally solve systemic problems, and I do not need to sacrifice my well-being in the attempt.
posted by goodbyewaffles at 7:58 AM on November 17, 2022 [16 favorites]

It might help to reframe just who will be responsible for "screwing up" your current workplace if you leave mid-year:

The admin who is creating a toxic and dysfunctional work environment that causes employees to leave will be responsible. NOT you. You cannot save this institution from that person's bad leadership.

Go and do not feel guilty. You did not cause this.
posted by BlueJae at 8:02 AM on November 17, 2022 [3 favorites]

another vote in the "yes" column for sanity, but also: the sooner you are locked in for the pension, the harder it will be for them to swap that for some less-amazing benefit.
posted by adekllny at 8:02 AM on November 17, 2022

Pension vs. not? Take the new job.
posted by warriorqueen at 8:14 AM on November 17, 2022 [3 favorites]

Always take the better job.
posted by Alterscape at 8:25 AM on November 17, 2022 [2 favorites]

Leave today if possible. At minimum call the new place and formally accept -- get this ball rolling NOW.
posted by aramaic at 8:29 AM on November 17, 2022 [2 favorites]

Go, go, go. Bear in mind that being able to take care of yourself in retirement is a social good that will benefit people who are kids now, and paying into the pension system is a social good that benefits retirees and other adults in your state. It would be ideal not to leave your kids in mid-year, but it happens - anyone could, eg, get sick, or have their spouse move out of state and need to go with them, etc.
posted by Frowner at 8:37 AM on November 17, 2022 [2 favorites]

It would be ideal not to leave your kids in mid-year, but it happens

Also, you wouldn't just be leaving - you'll be going to new kids who might need you right now just as much. There'll be a vacancy at a school one way or another, whether it's the new school or your current one.
posted by trig at 9:01 AM on November 17, 2022 [4 favorites]

Go go go. Go. (I'm a former teacher.) Go.
posted by BlahLaLa at 9:21 AM on November 17, 2022 [2 favorites]

Yes, take the better job. No question about it.
posted by humbug at 9:44 AM on November 17, 2022 [1 favorite]

Go, go, go, and congratulations! Having watched the person who replaced me under what I considered an extremely unhealthy management ten years ago stay there for the long haul and by all accounts thrive: you never know when your nightmare job is fully tolerable if not desirable for someone else. So in addition to all of the points listed by the unanimous commentariat above, consider that you may be freeing up a position that someone wants and/or contributing to a snowball of departures that could cause some change in the admin long-term.
posted by LadyInWaiting at 9:59 AM on November 17, 2022 [2 favorites]

+1 for Yes
posted by _DB_ at 11:26 AM on November 17, 2022 [1 favorite]

Just in case you need another nudge: your pros and cons aren't split. There are zero cons. The sinking ship is going to sink with or without you; you're not obligated to go down with it. (If anything, being the fourth person to leave in three months may be what helps spark some change at the place you're leaving. An exodus gets harder and harder to gloss over the more people exeunt.)

Take the close-to-home pension-giving non-mean-girl-having job doing what you love and feel awesome about it. Congratulations!
posted by ook at 11:27 AM on November 17, 2022 [4 favorites]

100% yes, take the job!
posted by emd3737 at 1:12 PM on November 17, 2022

Run.

They need people to quit before it will have the shake-up needed to fix things. You are enabling a sick system by staying.
posted by Jane the Brown at 3:40 PM on November 17, 2022

The only reason I would recommend no is if you are full-time in the classroom. Those kids do need continuity. An adult with whom they come in contact with and can rely on is important. And given the shitty situation at your school, you might not get replaced and they would be subjected to a sub who would probably do their best, but can't serve in place of a regular teacher. But you say specialist, so I think you are not in this position.
posted by Snowishberlin at 7:39 AM on November 18, 2022

Even if you were to stay, the problems of the current place would continue. They’re not yours to solve with your misery and self sacrifice. Be responsible to the one person you are truly responsible for: yourself.
posted by spindrifter at 4:49 AM on November 19, 2022

Just to be clear, organizations that deserve loyalty show loyalty to their members. Minimal loyalty is a good work environment and good benefits, including a pension. Your present place has none of these, therefore they should not have any expectation of loyalty.

Good luck with your new job.
posted by Gilgamesh's Chauffeur at 1:46 PM on November 19, 2022 [1 favorite]

Thanks, all! I quit!!
posted by yes I said yes I will Yes at 11:57 AM on November 21, 2022 [4 favorites]