Do I just attract jerks?

So I work in a small office and everyone knows everything on everyone. You know the kind? Anyhow I was talking to the lady at the front desk about tutoring. She said her daughter had gotten a job tutoring this summer making 25 bucks an hour. (her daughter is a certified teacher) I commented that even with double certifications and a Master's Degree no one wanted to pay me even 20 bucks an hour to tutor because they said it was "too expensive" around here even though some get as much as 50 an hour with my credentials. So the other lady in the office, in a VERY loud voice says to the lady at the front desk "I'd not pay someone with a fake degree form some online school to tutor my kid. I wouldn't hire them unless they were certified for real either. Schools and parents know that online degrees dont count and they know when someone is really certified too. I wouldn't have someone unqualified with a degree from one of those online schools working with my kid."

I have a MS from Western Governors University and two BA's from USC-Spartanburg. I am certified (still current) in special education and elementary education. We won't even go into the fire rescue training I have, the arson investigation certifications, or the other former job related classes I have under my belt. Im not an idiot and I worked my butt off for my education.

Now it shouldn't mean much coming from the ladies that said "I hope the new principal next year doesn't put a focus on academics, we need a better sports program for a change". But it really, REALLY hurt. They know, because we all have talked about this and that over time, that I couldn't find a job teaching. I was blackballed from my first principal because I was 22, arrogant and wouldn't beg for a renewal to my contract when he said that was what I'd have to do to continue to work there. Im not begging for squat, and I told him "screw this, Im going to go be a firefighter." And I did. My teaching records "disappeared" and he refused to give any reference of any kind. This hurt worse than a bad reference. That coupled with me getting certified in LD and there actually being too many LD teachers, well, Im working in city hall doing accounting now because we have to eat and we needed insurance. Im not complaining, I'd make more money teaching actually, but we have insurance and that is a good thing. Im happy enough at my job to keep learning and going to classes to learn more about it.

Despite the fact that I am about the most educated person at my job (the boss is on par with me), and that lady's opinion shouldn't matter, it still hurt. People keep telling me my degree is worthless because it came from an online school. It was NCATE accredited (not an easy task) and is a non-profit... I researched it before I ever decided to apply there several years ago. It was a tough program. It was.

It would appear that the "cheerleader" types will always hate the "nerds" and that some people never actually leave high school after graduation. I left and can't believe the number of people that simply didnt

 

I think this bothers me so much, and I thought about this last night, is because when I started my degree I was in the fire department and worked for a CPT that was really a horrible person. That CPT made sure to point out at every turn that I'd never find a job and the degree would be worthless. I set out to prove him wrong but haven't. I never found a job teaching (hence why Im working where I work now) and the degree is worthless if Im not teaching. I wont lie and say it was hard to obtain because I'm really good at teaching and research and excelled in both undergraduate and graduate classes. (except the math stuff, that I am afraid to admit was too much for me LOL) It WAS a lot of hard work and sacrifice.

I'll get over it, I always do. But today it still stings a bit.

 

Thanks ya'll!! Some times its just tough when someone pokes me with a stick.