job fair or cattle call?

There's a little thing we job-seeking teachers do that's called a job fair. I've taken to calling them a cattle call because that is the way I feel about them. They round us all up in one place and then ask everyone the same five questions as quickly as possible so they can get to the next one on their list. It actually has nothing to do with a "job" and it certainly isn't "fair"-like at all.

I went to one last Saturday where I waited for over an hour to speak to a principal who supposedly wanted to speak to any media specialists who came by her school's table. I had an appointment, but that one was taken away when I asked for this specific lady, so the waiting commenced. Why did she ask her teachers manning her table to do that? She didn't ask me one, no, NOT ONE, question about the library!

I'm going to another one this coming Saturday where I am expecting the same kind of thing, only this time.....I'm not changing my original appointment. If I can, I hope to make it back to the one here in my county so that I can be greeted at the door with a friendly, "We don't think we'll have any jobs, but thanks for wasting your time anyway."

I am really working on my attitude, but it's hard when I pick up the newspaper and listen to the local news and the only word coming out of those is how horrible the educational system is having it. When will these people who are in charge wake up? As a job seeker, it is irritating. As a parent? Infuriating. Why don't they understand that the educational system is important? Why don't they see that increased class sizes is not the way to go? So many people in our local district have lost their jobs......it's horrible. How could the state of SC have let this get so bad? So out of hand?

I'll smile and go to the job fair. But, I won't like it.