These past few weeks have been very difficult for me at work. I work in a high school library. I love my job, the students, and the field of librarianship as a whole. That is what kept me in my current position for so long (12 years) and what made me want to go back for my MLIS.
However, I had a direct supervisor for 10 years who was an absolutely evil woman. After about 7 years of harassment, and going to the union, I finally had a mediation with her and the union. Things quieted down for a few years, and two years ago, she gave me a horrible review. Last year, her last year of service, she gave me a worse review. The reviews were based on lies, and her skewed perceptions of reality.
I took the high road, and when I wished her good luck on her retirement, she said, "Oh, shut up. I hate you and the world hates you too!"
This evil thing was spreading lies about me to the administration.
Right now they are building a case to get rid of me, based on her lies.
What does this have to do with librarianship? I'll get to that.
For more than 20 years I have been selflessly taking care of children in Skokie. I was a counselor with the park district, I directed childrens theater, I volunteered in the community, I live in Skokie, and I got a pay-nothing job at my old high school library as an assistant.
Why?
For some reason, I decided that I would dedicate my life to making other people's lives better. I would do my best to be a good, honest, hardworking person, even if others are not. Young people would know that I am there for them.
A teacher, librarian, Citizen, Being. This is who WE are.
No matter what tries to knock us down, lies, administrators, life, WE keep doing right by others.
WE keep learning, We keep teaching, WE keep growing, and most importantly WE make the lives of the children better.
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