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I lost my teaching job in Florida because I'm trans

Kamusha

By Kamusha
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Kamusha

Kamusha

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As some of y'all know I am trans and just happen to teach in the state of Florida. For those who keep up with the news the political environment in Florida is getting kinda nasty towards trans people, especially in the field of education. And now it is against the law for me to even tell students my pronouns. Because of this openly and visibly queer teachers are now being seen as a potential liability by administrators.

 

Last school year we had a new assistant principal come in and she hated me from the beginning. She was very religious and would never make an effort to use my preferred pronouns (which itself is a Title IX violation). I had several students tell me that both the principal and vice principal would openly refer to me as "Mr. _________", and when students would try to correct them they would be dismissive. It was already a bad environment.

 

So at the end of the year, in the middle of a teacher shortage, they chose not to renew my contract with the school. It's the easiest way for a school to let go of a teacher who didn't do anything worthy of being fired. They don't even have to give a reason for not renewing the contract. In my heart I feel like they wanted me gone from the beginning but didn't have a good reason to fire me so they wait till the end of the year to quietly let me go. Firing me for being trans would be a Title IX violation, so if they wanted me gone for being trans then this would be the best way to do it.

 

This summer has been tough as I'm realizing just how difficult it is to find a job as a visibly queer teacher. I've had 11 job interviews with no call backs. And I feel like most of them went very well, actually. I'm pretty charming and disarming in person, and a few of the principals I met with even commented on how I have a great energy about me. But in the end chose not to hire me. It became baffling after the first few interviews, but after 11 it became to feel more and more like discrimination. In the middle of a teacher shortage there should be no reason for this. I never had any sort of difficulty before. While I suspected there would be a time I couldn't teach in Florida anymore, I didn't expect it to be this year. And to be honest, it's probably best for me not to return.

 

I'm currently searching for nonprofit work with an organization whose values align with my own, so I don't have to be worried about losing my job over who I am. Hopefully something works out soon.

 

I wanted to share because I want to raise awareness as to what's happening in Florida and just how bad the environment is for openly queer teachers. It's not something that's being properly covered in the news.

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gamer.tv

gamer.tv

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That’s shockingly bad. I would honestly look at the idea of teaching in a different country (English speaking teachers are pretty much in demand across the world with a lot paying relocation costs) because losing a good educator is almost as bad a crime as the one your experiencing.

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Kamusha

Kamusha

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13 hours ago, SaysWho? said:

Would you be willing to speak to a reporter about it? I may have some friends who work in your market.

 

I'm a private person so I'm generally hesitant to report anything but I'm open to it in this case. Couldn't hurt to at least talk to someone so I have an idea of how this story would be covered.

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SaysWho?

SaysWho?

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1 minute ago, Kamusha said:

 

I'm a private person so I'm generally hesitant to report anything but I'm open to it in this case. Couldn't hurt to at least talk to someone so I have an idea of how this story would be covered.

 

Send me a message with what city you're in and I'll see if one of my friends works at one of the stations.

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Kamusha

Kamusha

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12 hours ago, TheLeon said:

I’m so sorry. Any luck on moving out of that hellhole? 

 

I have a friend in Colorado that I'm planning to move in with next year, if all goes well. Colorado is one of the few states to have legislation that explicitly protects trans people, plus it's gorgeous as hell. Would be a huge step up for me.

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