The art institute of Pittsburgh, a school I'd worked at for 12+ years, just shut down today. While it was always a possibility, it came as a surprise to find a termination notice in my mail today... oh yeah, and I'm in the middle of classes so I can't imagine what my students are going through.
This is why I'm switching fields. Not only was I suffocating under the inherent lack of respect (from administration and students and public alike) towards me as a physics instructor but I felt something bad was in the wind. In 12 years, never got benefits, never got a raise, was teaching the same class (verbatim) for 10 years... it was overall a generally unfulfilling experience as an educator and, because I'm in the process of getting out, I'm not sorry to see it go so that others don't go through the same as I did.
This is the second school system that has been shut down under my watch (the first was ITT) and I think it showcases the demise of the grand "online education" experiment. Online held great promise but in execution, the greed of the people managing the programs ultimately was it's down fall.
Onto bigger and better things for me. For others that aren't as lucky, for the new instructors, for the grizzled veterans, I can only wish good luck. For the students... words fail. A great injustice has been done upon you and I fear it will be decades before the wounds of our educational experiments heal.
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This is so disheartening on several levels. So sorry your job is gone, then the disappointment for the students. And confused at the climate you worked under? Is education loosing it’s importance, overall in our society? This is scary and sad! Best of luck in your new pursuits...there is another way and you WILL find it.
Freedompath
Level 9
Mar 10, 2019
2
Education is going through significant change. I'm adjunct faculty, and my college of choice has significantly reduced employment such that I'm not there this semester. Same with adjuncts with more seniority than I have. Some of it has to do with demographics. Baby boomers' children have completed their educations. A lot of it has to do with online learning. I need a new path as well.
Stephanie99
Level 8
Mar 10, 2019
3
Damn, I grew up in the burgh, and the art institute, as well as the Carnegie institute museum were to me cornerstones of art, and Science. Both a huge proponent of my upbringing.
Sad to see such a huge influence go by the wayside.
IMHO just a sad reminder of what the current state of officials deem important, or better, not important.
TristanNuvo
Level 8
Mar 9, 2019
4
Good luck on your new adventures. Sometimes forced change can be the best change. ?
patchoullijulie
Level 8
Mar 9, 2019
2
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