the fundie exposure is approaching critical mass

The kids at school are preparing for their year-end show, singing and dancing to these insipid songs that I can't get out of my head.

I love You, Lord, I'll worship you
I'll love You, Lord, always
So thankful, Lord, You saved my life
You saved my life today

(chorus)
Let me be a shining light for you
Let me be a joy to you always
Let me be a shining light for you
Let me be a joy to You always

And Lord, I love to bring to you
The honor due Your name
Just look at what You've done for me
I'll never be the same

I've weathered the admonitions to have the kids pray for the success of our adoption efforts "because the prayers of children are just...so...pure!" I've dealt with making less than $18k/year (praise King Jesus for the teachers!) while the owner of the school drives a Jag that's paid for by the school itself (praise King Jesus for the Jag!). But the songs. The fucking songs are the last straw.

Three more weeks. Standardized tests for which they didn't even bother to buy the goddamned administrators' books, prepping my room for the next poor schmuck to take the job, and King Jesus.

Three more weeks to try to say goodbye to the kids. That's the shitty part.

What kind of school. Obviously not a public school. PLEASE don't say a public school, or you'll send me into a rage. ;)

I was lazy in my earlier youth and am, for the time being, relegated to the private sector. Getting back into teaching sort of snuck up on me last year, and so the fundie school was the option of last resort after a long period of unemployment.

I'm supposed to hear back this week about an opportunity with the Atlanta Public Schools. Keep your fingers crossed - or pray, if you're so inclined. ;-)

give them some balance. I've met so many "graduates" of fundy and "home-school" programs that get to college/university and have absolutely no clue that there's another world out there.

Hang in there, friend, and keep thinking that maybe you're at least changing a few fundy beliefs into something more moderate. :hug:

Put aside the fact that we've been sliding toward insolvency the entire time I've been on this job - the fact is that the school is dangerous. Not to toot my own horn, but they've got a good faculty this year, one that's stood in the way of a lot of harmful shit...and every last one of us will likely be gone when school resumes.

Some of the parents know. The Headfundie would shit kittens if she knew the kind of conversations I've had with the folks who pay for her Jag, folks who already had a clue that something was amiss. A fair number of them aren't particularly religious at all, surprisingly, just in search of a decent school.

But, believe it or not, the major homeschooling is usually a state-run and funded program, simply because we have so many outlying areas without transportation (boat in summer, air, snow machine or dogsled in winter). These programs seem to be excellent.

Our fundy schools, however, have the really big bucks. Not the Catholic system, they've been here forever and are well-supported, but not overly religious. The scary ones are the ones with money.

Best luck, uly - things will work out for you. You must be a great teacher - hell, you're a DU'er, aren't ya? :loveya: