I work in a restaurant, people. I've got enough comic fodder to populate twelve, count them, twelve blogs. I can tell a story, and it's a lot easier in print than it is person, with 3 little girls crawling all over me and the attention span of a gnat. I can walk away, I can read it twice, I can make sure that it comes out the way I want it to.
This could be comedy gold. Really. But I like my job. I like my coworkers. I like the extra money. I like not being mommy for eight hours a week. So I DON'T tell the funny stories. Even though it would be easy enough for me to create a "completely private" blog, or a blog that's only open to invited readers.
Because actions have consequences. Words have meaning. And if you are going to put something out on the internet, you have to be willing to accept the consequences.
And of course I'm talking about the quasi-local teacher whose blog has been the subject of so much discussion as of late.
The school district suspended her. She wrote an "anonymous" blog about "anonymous" students.
It was so "anonymous" that it's all over the blogosphere. Yeah, Real first name, real last initial, real photo. NOT anonymous.
And I have sympathy. I've written things I've regretted. I've run my mouth (and my keyboard) where I shouldn't have. But you will NOT catch me discussing negative details about my work life here.
Because actions have consequences. Words have meaning. Free speech doesn't protect you from getting fired. It simply protects you from going to jail.
Should she have been fired? I don't really care. I'm not going to defend her actions, not going to climb on a (higher) soapbox and proclaim my outrage. Somewhere, there is a child who wrote an email to a teacher, only to have it exposed to the entire world, along with her disdain for him, his classmates, and their parents. (The ones who, you know, actually PAID HER SALARY.) I've seen how people act, how they let their kids behave, and I have every sympathy for her. She should be able to blow off steam. She should be able to write about it.
She should have enough good sense to keep it off the internet. As of right now, she's no better than the kids and parents making bad, self-entitled decisions she complained about.
So whatever happens, I don't care. I don't feel as a blogger this effects me in any way. I don't feel any more censored than I did already... by my own good sense.
4 comments:
Agreed. I've been blogging for almost a decade, and it just seemed like a good idea from the get-go to keep any discussion of current employment really vague (this morning's post notwithstanding). It's basic common sense.
I hear you on that. Whatever griefs I have with my job I'll never mention. Though my main job is as a stay at home mommy. I work in retail part time and could go on and on about the customers, managers, company policy. But I don't. I have no problem with this new age where people are fired for what they post. I worked with someone who posted on facebook about going to the beach but she called out sick from work that day. Umm not smart when at least half of your co-workers are friends on facebook.
I just don't get why people do this. Someone making a website AFTER they are done in that industry and it is made for humor purposes, okay, I get that. But ranting and posting comments like that are not for the internet world to see if you cannot handle the repercussions from your employer. I'm really bothered by so many posting things online about their jobs because so many people would be grateful to have a full time job.
I'm all for using common sense when writing--though I think I have been lacking that at times myself! I'm you newest follower from the blog hop. I've read several of you post and have enjoyed your writing. Janae
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