4. Just The FACS Ma'am

Just The FACS Ma'am

“. . . must be specifically approved by the Executive Director.”

I had my newly minted teaching license, endorsed in Chemistry and Biology, but there were no science openings within 50 miles.  The Foods position that had started all of this had eventually been filled.  There were, however, other FACS jobs. 

Though not eligible, I always applied anyway, and got an interview once.  The interview with that school’s Principal and Vice Principal (who used to be a Chem teacher) was wonderful. 

I could be hired to teach science, then assigned to teach a FACS class, and thereby gain the FACS endorsement, as long as I pass the Praxis test in that content area, which I have done.  

More specifically, a Principal can “misassign” a teacher to teach a class in that building in an area outside of that teacher’s license endorsements, but the teacher must first be hired to that building in an endorsement area.  A misassignment can be considered a practicum supervised by the Principal, and can lead to the added endorsement.  

The kindly Principal tried to work something out, but he couldn’t because of the budget and the hiring freeze – he needed a FACS teacher, but didn’t need a science teacher so the district would not approve his hiring me.  OK, that route didn’t work yet.  

I attempted to gain the FACS endorsement to my license directly through TSPC.  The legalese of Oregon Teacher’s Standards and Practices Commission says that only the Executive Director can make exceptions to endorsement requirements. 

I prepared my case, explaining my experiences trying to get a FACS endorsement through the university channels approved in Oregon.  I also outlined my education, work experience and professional credentials.  I included a copy of my current Oregon teacher license endorsed in Chemistry and Biology.  I called to make an appointment. 

I was not allowed to. 

So I went in-person.  I was told the Director was not available. 

Her glass-walled office was right next to the receptionist, and she was organizing papers on her desk.  I asked for an appointment at her convenience, and offered to wait.

“She is not available today, you can leave.”  I asked for a future appointment, and was not allowed to make one.  I was told to call or email.  I realize that the receptionist was just doing her job, but it was a brick wall for me.

I telephoned and left messages.  She never called back.  I mailed a written request with my support documentation and return receipts, directly and specifically to the Director.  Someone else answered, and told me to go back to college for the endorsement.  I mailed another packet.  Someone else again signed the return receipt. 

I emailed.  I again received an answer from someone other than the Director, who, therefore, was not authorized to approve a request.  She told me to gain the endorsement through a university FACS program’s practicum. 

A practicum?  That’s student teaching.

Sounds reasonable enough, but just where and how am I supposed to do that?  Who can supervise me:  The university that needed me to teach their classes, or the one that said I was already beyond their program?  Where could I enroll?  

Are my license, WOU ed program, student teaching, work samples, and FACS Praxis, along with my RD credentials, state healthcare license and work experience enough?  If I could figure out a way to do the practicum, could I use this as my required continuing education to help maintain my teaching license?

I could never even ask these questions.  No one would talk to me, other than to tell me to go back to school. 

On the personal side, how much tuition would I have to pay for the privilege of student teaching and writing another work sample unpaid full-time for a term?   How much paid writing and subbing work would I lose in the process?   

I repeated variations of these steps in creative ways over the next four years, always to the same response, or to no response at all.  I was never allowed to contact the Director, and was always told to go back to school for a FACS endorsement. 

The answers I received were always from people not authorized to grant my request – and therefore not authorized to deny it either.  The TSPC Executive Director was the only person legally authorized to consider my case for a FACS endorsement.

Meanwhile, teachers whom I had trained in their college FACS courses have been teaching in Oregon for years.  They are now using my textbooks in Oregon FACS classes.

Our district has 6 major high schools, plus 3 alternative programs.  Due to another $20 million shortfall, the district cut funding to Foods programs at some of the high schools, including a very well-equipped new high school campus.  They deleted the courses and removed the new kitchen-lab appliances.  Parents and students there were so anxious to have kids learn some basic cooking skills that they formed a Cooking Club under the direction of the French teacher, for which she can receive extra salary as a licensed teacher leading an after-school club.   

I was, however, ineligible to teach students how to boil an egg, unless we cooked it over a Bunsen Burner.  Which just might be how it’s done, if they remove the appliances.

See what I mean about a vacation with Kafka?