A Bit Calmer
We've all made mistakes at work. I'm no different. But as an educator, I have to be extra careful lest I draw the wrath of parents, administrators, and even media. While I'm not going to say that my mistake from a few days ago would have warranted that, it's very easy for a parent, should they wish, to take it that far.
I spent pretty much all of yesterday in a quiet quaking fear that today would be the explosion things could have ended up as. Though I don't consider my error to such a level, I was scared for my job. Because, let's be honest, if I lose my job, I am totally and absolutely fucked in every possible way.
And since I have to be cautious of what details I share, I'll just say this. In my eagerness to demonstrate to my students that certain emotionally disturbed people exist in the extremes, I showed a video that would have been fine for the first two or three minutes... but then went on to explain the abuse a particular individual received as a child. And that got way too graphic. In retrospect, I can only say... "What the hell was I thinking?" That was the worst part. That I knew I had screwed up and there was little I could do to defend myself.
Things have quieted down, thankfully. The parents aren't going to pursue matters. But damn, I've never been so scared.
I spent pretty much all of yesterday in a quiet quaking fear that today would be the explosion things could have ended up as. Though I don't consider my error to such a level, I was scared for my job. Because, let's be honest, if I lose my job, I am totally and absolutely fucked in every possible way.
And since I have to be cautious of what details I share, I'll just say this. In my eagerness to demonstrate to my students that certain emotionally disturbed people exist in the extremes, I showed a video that would have been fine for the first two or three minutes... but then went on to explain the abuse a particular individual received as a child. And that got way too graphic. In retrospect, I can only say... "What the hell was I thinking?" That was the worst part. That I knew I had screwed up and there was little I could do to defend myself.
Things have quieted down, thankfully. The parents aren't going to pursue matters. But damn, I've never been so scared.