Meeting with Ad

The parents are angry and do not believe a word of the seemingly foolish tale of "unable to provide visa, passport...".

I heard, today in the morning 3-4 or maybe even more parents who had merely come to drop their children to school had a fight with Mym and Mz demanding to know why Ad was fired, and Mym couldn't handle their aggression and finally burst into tears.

I wanted to know what Mz had to say about Mym's crying and parents' anger. She answered with perfect put on expressions and articulations:
'You know, Ad was having close contacts with the parents which according to teacher's contract in this school is illegal and forbidden. "She used to go to parties and dinners with several of her parents . Now when she is gone naturally the parents are angry; they are thinking, oh, with whom will we talk now? With whom to go to parties and dinners? That's why, they are angry..."

The whole school was in thorough commotion. Mk commented dejectedly to me and Cl that firing of this kind has happened several times in the past before his joining this school and after his joining.

As we had decided yesterday, I met Ad at a market square. I was glad and relieved to see her looking fine.
Then she told me in detail how her firing had come about.

" They had already decided several days ago that I needed to go. They had even put up a vacancy for native English speaking teacher (5 days prior to my firing) for my class in an advertising forum which a parent of mine ( for whom I have started doing baby sitting since 2 weeks.) happened to come across and inform me. They had even determined what excuse to take.
Accordingly, on this Monday, Mym  gave me a paper and told me to sign it. The paper said, it was a final warning to me that if by 30th April I do not provide my medical certificate, police clearance etc I would be terminated. The letter's rude tone was maddening. I went to As immediately and asked her why was this notice being called final if this was the first time I was receiving it? Please rephrase this letter and I will sign it. You are making it all sound like it is all my fault that I am not giving you a so called paper.
As said I should talk to Stf about this. Half an hour later, Stf came in. She simply gave me another piece of paper which simply read " You are being terminated without notice." and I walked out of the school.

She showed me both these notices. Believe it or not I felt like I were reading my own termination notice.

"Papers is not reasons why I have been fired; Mz is the reason. This school is a horrible place. I am happy to have left it now.
"And no, I have no close contacts with any of my parents and I swear on my mother that I have never never never gone to any party, dinner or lunch with them. I only went for a cup of coffee with the mama of the child for whom I now do baby sitting. And that too was with full and due and prior permission from As not without. When she said, yes, I could go with that parent for a coffee, then only I went.

We talked for nearly 2 hours.

The gross injustice and sheer lack of logic and reason in this school management is sickening. How the hell could and why the hell would Mz, who is as much a teacher as any of us, wield such unshakable power over school management is beyond my senses and intelligence. But it nevertheless is true. Isn't it too much of an uncanny coincidence and by far too much repetitive that whoever falls foul of her has to pay with his job? I had read in History books that favorite mistresses of the kings used to wield such power over the king so that that their least desire used to become law in their land....

I think, Mz is not a bitch; she is a witch......!!!

We are perfect team mates

On last Thursday I had accidentally pulled a muscle in my back which gave me so much pain that I had to take two days off. (That's why  discovered about Ad's sad departure so late.)

Today when I and Cl were in the play ground, she came to me and said.
"Oh, I am so glad that you are back now. I missed you so much. You have no idea, working with you is so different and...with others...it is so entirely different. I can't tell you anything specifically but...yes, everything becomes different....you know...Other people have a different way of doing every thing and that's...not the way you and I work.With you working is so much easy and actually fun but that's not with others."
"Yes, I know exactly what you are trying to say. When you had gone to Saudi Arabia and I handled my group without you, I had felt exactly the same."

Both Cl and I are very loving, tender and caring with the kids and understand and respect their individual needs.(With parents as well.) The other teachers don't so naturally we feel bad if anyone pushes any wrong buttons in our children. And then, we take perfect care of each other as well; it is both in me as well as in Cl that we try to work harder ourselves rather than let the other do the hard part, so, often, it becomes like a competition who of us both will do the difficult work with both of us wanting to make things easy and comfortable for the other. Not only this, we also understand and respect each other's desires and give our full support in carrying out each other's wishes. That makes us perfect team mates.

I often wonder what it would have been like if I had Mz, the deadly serpent, or Nd the bitch, or St the lazy female or Mym who is another snake under the shadows of Mz, as my team mate. God forbid...!

Ad has gone. Fired...!!!

Today, I didn't see Ad anywhere as usual and I thought she must be somewhere around.
Half a day later I discovered that Ad  was fired yesterday...!
Nobody knows the reason for the firing though an email has been sent to all the parents of Ad that she was terminated without notice yesterday because she didn't provide valid visa, passport, medical certificate and police clearance which the school required to obtain her work permit.

Disgustingly a perfect excuse...Just like it was in my case a month ago..!

Whether the other teachers know more than me or less, I know this much that her work permit could not be filed because her papers were not together and that her visa was under consideration. She was regularly in touch with her embassy and was trying to put her papers together. I also know that the school was aware of this state of affairs and that this was nothing so urgent as to demand an immediate termination.

I also know that the school has behaved hideously in this matter ( nothing new; it always behaves like this !). They terminated when termination wasn't required and didn't inform her of the urgency of providing certain papers while all the time falsely claiming that they were asking her repeatedly but she wasn't giving. If this is not a farce then what is it?

I searched for Ad's number and talked to her. I was so sad for her but luckily she sounded fine. We are going to meet somewhere outside tomorrow in secret to have a chat and a rant....

B'day Party and B'day girl missing.

Today I suddenly awoke at 7.30 am to discover with dismay that my alarm didn't ring and now it was too late to even think of going to school. In any case, yesterday, in school, I had accidentally pulled a muscle in my lower back which hurt moving my legs or bending. Having no other choice, I decided to take a day off for the sake of my sprain.

I rang the school to inform them about my absence. Mz picked up the phone.

"Oh, no, you too?" She cried.

"Why? What happened?"

Oh, Today is a horrible day. Today we have birthday party for Em and Stf and 5 teachers are absent. Mk, Ad, An, Em Cr and now you too. I don't know what to do now."

I had completely forgotten about the B'day Party. We had scheduled to celebrate Em and Stf's B'day today by gathering the entire school in the hall, giving presents and eating cakes and fine things.

I can't help feeling  maliciously happy that so many teachers failed to turn up including Em, the B'day girl. I dare say they were so pissed off with yesterday's ridiculous meeting that they just disappeared today. 

Anyways, I am sure nobody except only Mz and maybe Mym really feels like celebrating anything for Stf. 

Talk about licking arse....eh? I can't agree more.

Mz is in full power!

Today as I entered the school, I saw the notice board stating that there would be a small meeting at 3.30 pm today. Considering the present situation between Ad and Mz I, as well as a lot of people including Ad, thought the meeting would be about their issue. It wasn't. When everybody were assembled, Mz trying to appear all important and brisk business like, merely stated just 2-3 informations over a conversation of about 40 minutes and then the meeting was over.

We all feel like fooled in our faces. What nonsense! What sheer  nonsense ! Calling a meeting only to tell something which was neither important nor imminent and which could have been so easily written on the notice board itself in simply two lines or personally conveyed to all the teachers. What a waste of teachers' time and energy !

I dare say, Mz is so sexed up with the idea of being a manager that she couldn't contain herself. She wanted to do something to let people know of her position and power..In other words it can be said that a new cleaner cleans even the discarded rags and tatters. She looks as unbearable as a piece of cake in a potty seat. She acts fakely responsible and appears as if she is taking care of everything, office, parents or children.
Any other person in her place might have acted with prudence, grace and tactful humility instead of hurling her new found importance in every body's eyes like dust in a dust storm.

I wonder where she will herself get and what she will get for the poor school.

You know what to expect when you allow a monkey to sit on your laptop....!

Another new child

About 1-2 months ago, I had stumbled upon an internet German community forum in which a mother who wanted to enroll her children in this school had asked people on the internet to give their views or experiences on the school and a handful of people who responded had replied in negative or as bad as negative way. I dived in and advised the mother to consider vital issues like her proximity to the school venue, facilities, safety measures etc and to go in person and do a tour of the place and see if that pleased her and her children rather than asking for people's opinion which can vary from person to person and so would be hardly reliable.

A month or so later a new child was admitted in my group and I successfully conjectured that he was the same mother's child. ( Her name, last name and place of residence could be made out in a veiled way in her username.)

As is usual with me, the child took to me and Cl soon and adjusted very well wihin a very short time and I love to see how the tiny two year old smiles back at me and displays interest in listening to the songs I sing or activities I do with him. He is also extremely fascinated with Mk and loves to be with him even though he is not his teacher.
On my way back home I often meet his mother and tell her how he was progressing although I know talking on streets is not a good idea.

Well, two days ago, I happily discovered that she has posted a long, detailed and a very happy, satisfied post on her experience with this school in reply to someone else's post who ranted badly about the same.
What is remarkable is that her experience is based on only three teachers, myself, Cl and Mk. because the child does not come in contact with the other teachers at all.

Another new child was admitted in Ad's class who cried a lot and his mama came to be with him the entire school day for 2 days. Then Ad told the parent that she cannot be allowed to stay for more as it makes the transition for the child even more difficult. The mother took offence and has quit the school. She has also sent a hate mail to As telling her that Mym is very harsh and strict with the children.

Another example of how teachers fail to convey their message without offending and how more and more parents whether new or old feel badly treated with the school management and the staff. Technically, a parent is allowed to stay with the child for a week. However, we prefer that the lesser they stay the better because the child quickly learns that he has to stay here without his mama rather than keep expecting or keep crying in expectation that his mama can be with him here.
However, As's  reason for not wanting the parents to stay longer is altogether another. She doesn't want the parents to watch the teachers and the rest of the school activities from such close quarters. She feels restricted, hindered, watched, judged and therefore unpleasant.

A new storm. This time it's Ad

For the month of January, all the teachers received their salary very late and then not even the full amount as usual. Everyone had some money less in it. Mine and Ad's had been the most affected. While mine had 150 Euros less Ad's had complete 265 Euros missing from her's.
As told me that on furnishing my tax card  I would get the entire salary so today I have submitted my tax card and waiting to receive the just amount.

Ad's story is different however.

She does't have a tax card because her work permit is still under process. She is an EU citizen so she is allowed to work here but in case of change of industry people need a different document which happens to be her case. At the time of her appointment she had told this duly and As had agreed. After about 7-8 months of her employment she suddenly received a letter yesterday telling her that she had been continually reminded to furnish her tax card which she still hasn't. if she fails to produce the same within a few days she will have to pay the arrears of the taxes which would be around 1200 or more. What's even more weird is that her tax class has been changed.

While I was with the sleeping children she came to me and blurted this out in whispers.

We still don't know yet why or who has changed her tax class. So far as we can make out the school doesn't have the authority to change anybody's tax class. It can only be done by state authority. In any case, the new tax class now assigned to her is meant for people who have two jobs, but she has only one. She admitted that she had started doing baby sitting for a student of her's since 2 weeks for only 2 days a week. This also should not bring about such a drastic change as any job which earns less than 400 Euros is not liable to be taxed or even amounted to as a second job. Baby sitting accordingly doesn't fit this category.

It all sounds so fishy fishy..! She was never asked to procure her tax card as the letter claims she was repeated told. Who changed her tax class? If the state has done it why doesn't she have any information? Why is the tax for double source of income applied on her when she has only one source of income?

"Ad, you seem to have made bad enemies. Ever since you developed differences with Mz you seem to be in trouble. But I had hoped all would be Okay with you since you were rather friendly with As."
" Maybe As became my enemy on seeing I was in your support.' She said." Whatever, I have given her one week time to solve this issue. If I don't get my proper salary, I will leave the next week. I don't lick people's arse. And you know what? Before I leave, I will inform the whole Parents Committee.'

I feel bad for her. Something for sure is going wrong somewhere in this school. So long as Ad was on good terms with both As and Mz everything was fine. Suddenly she fell on the wrong side and now everything is going wrong with her in a mysterious fashion just like it had with Jn and Ch and St in past.

I might as well now write about these three unfortunate people.
Jn and Ch were two English teachers who happened to fall foul of Mz and Mym together. They accused that Mym and Mz refused to speak to them in anything but German which they didn't or couldn't understand and spoke in English which Mym and Mz didn't understand. The fight got so nasty that it resulted in total communication collapse between them and very soon parents got wind of it. An emergency meeting for teachers was called and like the last time instead of making peace between them Ch and Jn were simply thrown in other groups and after one week Jn was cruelly fired on false grounds that she had refused to work with small children. I heard from others that she cried and pleaded to As to not to do so as she was in need of a job but As didn't relent.

Ch was more clever. He pleaded some time to stay, found for himself another job and then one day suddenly quit without notice. But before that he broke this unfortunate happenings to several parents. That's why, the parents during the Parents Teacher meeting were angry like hell and were demanding As to tell them why Jn and Ch had left. As comfortably replied. " Their Visa had expired. They couldn't stay."

I guess next was my turn to go. They didn't like me to do the Christmas Play; my stay in Germany was uncertain so Stf was telling me to go which didn't happen. And now it is Ad's turn. And parents will be comfortably told that she didn't have legal permission.

I am beginning to see the vicious pattern. Whoever falls out of favor, the waters are made too hot to hold him in. The real reason is always something else. But this time if it happens again, sure there will be a back fire as well if Ad goes to parents Committee.

This school is sure full of storms.