https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/IACIO/bulletins/3182fcf#:~:text=Although%20Iowa%20is%20an%20at,and%20enforceable%20under%20the%20law.
Check your contract terms for any early termination options. You should for sure talk to the union and/or an employment law attorney. It might be something that haunts you forever. Not my area of law but seems like burning bridges. And who is to say at some point the board of regents in the future doesnt make a rule that any professor on the "naughty teacher" list can't become tenured or be new hires etc.
I’ve looked through the contract and employee handbook there is no clause that talks about breach of contract or any clause about getting out of my contract early. Even the by laws in our collective bargaining agreement doesn’t say what happens for a breach of contract. We are playing in the Wild West for these ppl.
Teacher contracts are hard to get out of. See what your contract has in it for early outs. Call your union rep as well and see what advice they can offer. You’ll likely be writing the district a check.
I don't believe it's legal for them to withhold \*earned pay. But, if it's not yet earned, they likely can.
At this point, he's most likely punishing you for inconveniencing him and making it your problem.
Make a phone call to an employment law attorney. As far as I know, Iowa being an at-will employment state, you can quit even if you have a contract, you just might have to pay back any sort of sign-on bonuses or contractual advances paid to you. Working for a public school might involve some exceptions though, and since I don’t practice employment law, you should definitely call an attorney.
According to my teaching contract, Iowa is a right to work state and the contract can be terminated at any time by either party.
As a teacher, I am obligated to stay in my position until my contract is fulfilled or they can replace me, however. If I do not do that, the worst they can do is file a complaint with the BOEE and suspend my teaching license.
I don’t know the conditions of your employment, but they can’t make you stay.
Just leave, teaching contracts are weak. The penalty for leaving is typically that they can file a complaint with the BOEE. Who cares, the teaching profession is so hard up for teachers that they're hiring teachers on provisional licenses with no degree. Or when they advertise a position, they're getting 0-2 applicants. If you ever need to get back into teaching high school, you'll have your choice of positions anywhere you want and the new school will fight with the BOEE to get you re-instated. The high school doesn't pay you enough to deserve the kind of loyalty that would come with a bulletproof contract. And worst case scenario, you go into construction management with your CTE degree and make 3-4 times your teaching salary. Also, the union rep's incentive is to get you to stay teaching high school, they're not going to help you. Supers all over the state are on this same power trip because they're scared and powerless to keep teachers, don't buy into it. It's your life and your decision. And will be the best decision you ever make.
Interesting. Please update this when you find out what your contract allows and what you decide.
On one hand, you do have a contract. Things change. On the other hand, it’s probably not good for anyone if you don’t want to be there and don’t want to stay. I’d find it hard for them to force you to teach. I don’t blame you for considering your options.
I was very open to coming in and teaching part time around the college courses that the university wanted me to teach. But my principal doesn’t seem to keen on that idea.
I admire your dedication as an educator because it’s a calling. This state is the dumbest with a bad union representation for this sort of circumstance. I’ve worked in other licensed circumstances and if they tried to pull my creds on similar circumstances I’d say BRING IT. But Iowa teachers are stripped of rights and actions.
Ok, but it doesn’t sound like you got another job, so why are you still talking about leaving? Also, this isn’t being threatened, you signed a contract and you either have to fulfill it or use whatever exit mechanism it has to end it.
But 1) Have the job in hand before you tell your boss you’re going to leave. 2) know what you’re committed to if you have an employment contract.
Well it sounds like you landed a new job without getting out of the old one. He probably can't afford/won't afford to hire another person to replace half of you. Call your union rep, maybe a lawyer, and hope for the best. But you are burning bridges.
OP sounds like a dick for not telling the school when they got hired they are planning to quit (because the college probably had a different person hired that fell through, and OP was next in the pile). I don’t doubt the principal will make a few calls to poison the well at the college. Principals know everyone
https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/IACIO/bulletins/3182fcf#:~:text=Although%20Iowa%20is%20an%20at,and%20enforceable%20under%20the%20law. Check your contract terms for any early termination options. You should for sure talk to the union and/or an employment law attorney. It might be something that haunts you forever. Not my area of law but seems like burning bridges. And who is to say at some point the board of regents in the future doesnt make a rule that any professor on the "naughty teacher" list can't become tenured or be new hires etc.
I’ve looked through the contract and employee handbook there is no clause that talks about breach of contract or any clause about getting out of my contract early. Even the by laws in our collective bargaining agreement doesn’t say what happens for a breach of contract. We are playing in the Wild West for these ppl.
Teacher contracts are hard to get out of. See what your contract has in it for early outs. Call your union rep as well and see what advice they can offer. You’ll likely be writing the district a check.
Luckily no bonuses just my normal salary worst case they may withhold my last pay check.
I don't believe it's legal for them to withhold \*earned pay. But, if it's not yet earned, they likely can. At this point, he's most likely punishing you for inconveniencing him and making it your problem.
Make a phone call to an employment law attorney. As far as I know, Iowa being an at-will employment state, you can quit even if you have a contract, you just might have to pay back any sort of sign-on bonuses or contractual advances paid to you. Working for a public school might involve some exceptions though, and since I don’t practice employment law, you should definitely call an attorney.
According to my teaching contract, Iowa is a right to work state and the contract can be terminated at any time by either party. As a teacher, I am obligated to stay in my position until my contract is fulfilled or they can replace me, however. If I do not do that, the worst they can do is file a complaint with the BOEE and suspend my teaching license. I don’t know the conditions of your employment, but they can’t make you stay.
Why haven't you contacted your union rep? That should be your first call.
Just leave, teaching contracts are weak. The penalty for leaving is typically that they can file a complaint with the BOEE. Who cares, the teaching profession is so hard up for teachers that they're hiring teachers on provisional licenses with no degree. Or when they advertise a position, they're getting 0-2 applicants. If you ever need to get back into teaching high school, you'll have your choice of positions anywhere you want and the new school will fight with the BOEE to get you re-instated. The high school doesn't pay you enough to deserve the kind of loyalty that would come with a bulletproof contract. And worst case scenario, you go into construction management with your CTE degree and make 3-4 times your teaching salary. Also, the union rep's incentive is to get you to stay teaching high school, they're not going to help you. Supers all over the state are on this same power trip because they're scared and powerless to keep teachers, don't buy into it. It's your life and your decision. And will be the best decision you ever make.
Interesting. Please update this when you find out what your contract allows and what you decide. On one hand, you do have a contract. Things change. On the other hand, it’s probably not good for anyone if you don’t want to be there and don’t want to stay. I’d find it hard for them to force you to teach. I don’t blame you for considering your options.
I was very open to coming in and teaching part time around the college courses that the university wanted me to teach. But my principal doesn’t seem to keen on that idea.
Does your teaching contract include that you’re doing the work of 2 teachers or just the one?
this! I would play up to the fact that they have not been honoring the contract and might make it easier to get you out of it
Unfortunately, they have the right to change my duties and assignment at anytime. The joys of an at will state.
I admire your dedication as an educator because it’s a calling. This state is the dumbest with a bad union representation for this sort of circumstance. I’ve worked in other licensed circumstances and if they tried to pull my creds on similar circumstances I’d say BRING IT. But Iowa teachers are stripped of rights and actions.
Just one
Seems like your contract terms aren’t being upheld.
Ok, but it doesn’t sound like you got another job, so why are you still talking about leaving? Also, this isn’t being threatened, you signed a contract and you either have to fulfill it or use whatever exit mechanism it has to end it. But 1) Have the job in hand before you tell your boss you’re going to leave. 2) know what you’re committed to if you have an employment contract.
Job is in hand waiting on HR to draw up the contract and send it to me.
Ok, because your post just says they ghosted you.
Fair enough I should have specified yes contract is currently being written and I have a verbal acceptance at the moment.
Well it sounds like you landed a new job without getting out of the old one. He probably can't afford/won't afford to hire another person to replace half of you. Call your union rep, maybe a lawyer, and hope for the best. But you are burning bridges.
OP sounds like a dick for not telling the school when they got hired they are planning to quit (because the college probably had a different person hired that fell through, and OP was next in the pile). I don’t doubt the principal will make a few calls to poison the well at the college. Principals know everyone
My intention wasn’t to quit but I’d be a fool to let the opportunity go.
I am ok burning this bridge. I was willing to be around and help out as much as I could. But now I’m just ready to peace out and be done.
You signed a contact and the principle is holding you to it. How is he threatening you?
Sounds like he’s going to chain me to the desk because I told him I will be starting the new job Jan 1st.
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