DCPS is a horrible place to work

That was the start of Reader 422's comment on a Times Union piece about why teachers leave the district. This is the rest of it.

DCPS is a horrible place to work. I have decades of experience and am National Board Certified and I just got my evaluation today. My score: 58/100. Retaliation for asking a question of my dictator, I mean principal. Petty comments are on my evaluation such as:

"Put everything in one binder." Really? Do they make 3 ft. binders?
This job involves paperwork!

One child spoke without raising his hand, so I got a Needs Improvement in Managing Student Behavior.

"Some of my notes are handwritten." Can I not jot down a phone #?

Anonymous complaints were made about me. Undoubtedly parents of children who failed. How can I respond to that?

I thought their goal was to recruit and retain great teachers. Every day is a demoralizing experience. I work all day, every evening, every weekend. I spend every Saturday morning going to garage sales looking for books for my students.

The illiterate bimbo who evaluates me gave us a lesson plan form and sent an email acknowledging that it takes 2-3 hrs. to fill out at first, but gets easier. That's my whole planning!

I hate my job. I won't work nearly as hard next year. Why should I? The evaluation is all about who shuts up and sucks up!

My son told me he wants to be a teacher. I told him I wouldn't pay for college if he majored in education and I mean it.

I am at a good school now so I don't feel Reader 422's angst but for the last 3 years I was at Ed White I felt it everyday and its a sentiment I hear frequently from teachers throughout the district. -cpg

Read more at Jacksonville.com: http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2013-04-29/story/study-duval-loses-half-its-first-year-teachers-within-five-year