already hired

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already hired
By Carolyn

Dear Jessie,

When I lived in Pennsylvania, this sort of thing happened all of the time. The pay is really good in PA and in other northern states where unions have won good salaries and benefits for teachers. I, too,
learned that a job that was advertised was only advertised to please the school board. The school board required the administrators in many districts to advertise openings, even post them, but they are not required to hire those who respond to the advertisements. Very often, the principals have already hand-picked the persons they want to fill the job before it is even advertised. Sad,

but true. And a true waste of the eager applicant's time and money.

There is, believe it or not, a teacher shortage in some areas in the U. S. I lived in PA for most of my life before I came down here to live (NC), and it amazed me to find out that none of the hiring practices which I saw back in PA existed here. The main reason is that it's not as high stakes here. Pennsylvania teachers' salaries are among the highest in the nation, while NC rolls in among those states in the middle. No unions exist here to help teachers obtain better benefits and salaries. Hiring here is not political, and many positions remain unfilled, or they are, believe it or not, filled by people who have already retired from teaching. Some areas are considered in critical need: special education, foreign languages, science, math.

Maybe you could look into relocating, if you can. There are plenty of jobs for teachers here in the South. Virginia is hiring. So are North Carolina and South Carolina. I have heard that Georgia is actively recruiting. Florida is still growing like crazy and needs teachers. (I know, because my brother lives there.) Clark County, Nevada (Las Vegas) offered to pay us to come out there to interview--pay hotel and air fare.

In the end, I think that if you are willing to relocate, you will find that teacher shortage area and a job that you will like. We moved for the very same reason. We got tired of the politics and the rat race in the North.