Complaints

We are people who love to complain. Well we probably don't love to complain but we sure do it a lot. We feel it necessary to vocalize all the things that we deem stupid. As a teacher I am open to scrutiny as if I was a celebrity on the cover of a tabloid. It may not be a magazine but it is even more publicized right there on Facebook. Thankfully I haven't been hit too hard on Facebook but other people I work with have. I hurt for them because in every single case the teacher was actually in the right and the parent was confused by misinformation from a child not wanting to be in trouble or the heightened need from other people to dramatize things. 

In one case a child got written up for yawning, well at least that is what Facebook proclaimed as fact. The parent went on a witch hunt and there were people right behind her commenting. Poor teacher. Several people just took the status as fact and the reputation of a fabulous teacher went with each comment. Of course, the greatest of a teacher can't be broken by Facebook because years of hard work speaks volumes. In reality that student had made a big fuse of the yawn too many times. He was being disruptive to the learning and several warnings didn't get the job done so the student got written up. He should have been and now that teacher is known as the teacher who wrote a kid up for yawning. That Facebook complaint really hurt her and it is a shame.

Too many times we complain about something when we don't know (or think of) the whole story. How many times have we complained about all the cash registers at the store and them not all being open? Yes, it is frustrating but the reality is they can't keep them all open all the time or grocery prices would have to increase because these people have to get paid. 

Someone I work with voiced their complaints about a system I use in the library. I really mulled over whether I should say something or just let it go. She voiced her unhappiness with everyone but me. If she had come to me she would get to hear the reasons for my decisions that were approved by principals. Also decisions that I didn't make hastily. 

I would just like to ask each of you to stop and think about your complaints (especially the ones you make public). Think about why something is being done or why someone is doing something a certain way before you rip it or them apart. I promise you there is usually a explanation or a reason that makes perfect sense. If you think something is wrong then ask. The answer will make you feel at ease. You will see that people aren't doing things in haste like you might think.