Teaching back in the day

When I was hired at Cheat Lake by Mr. Walls in 1983 in my interview I was asked if I had a boyfriend or ANY intention of getting pregnant. Directly. It was perfectly clear that IF I answered yes -I wasn’t getting the job. He told me he had over 300 people in line for the job. Looking back I don’t believe that. At the time I did.
I wasn’t aware of HOW to demand my rights in that interview and he followed any hiring process he felt was what he wanted to do. Wild West Virginia. There was no doubt that while some teachers were experiencing pregnancy at the school-he was making a young art teacher aware she wasn’t going to have a baby on his watch. And not because he cared about my life folks.

So when I read this I fully believe Warren.

That’s what it was like “back in the day” and had I gotten pregnant, unmarried, I can tell you right now I’d have been out of a job at Cheat Lake. While I’m certainly thankful I got the job I worked hard. And when I moved to California Mr. Walls attempted and failed to dirt me. Which was his resentment about my going. I did not deserve that.

I saw him transfer a teacher to the far reaches of the county mid year. Her crime was daring to challenge him about a strange policy he had. He allowed the kids at the school to chew gum outside and she asked why. Who knows why. A student in her room had gotten it in her hair at a PE activity. It was a horrific mess she said. She disappeared. Transferred immediately.
If you don’t acknowledge the crap that teachers have faced then you can’t believe Warren. But I know conditions like this existed. I saw it.