Hamline University keeps breaking my heart. My union keeps breaking my heart. My time in academia has taught me a lot of things, but the most significant of those things are that the truth matters and organizations and hierarchies prevent me from telling it. If I want to teach my students that the truth matters, I have to do it myself because structures won’t.
Why am I so scared to do it? Why do I keep waiting for permission?
Upon receiving the initial contract offering from the university, realizing awkwardly that I know nothing about labor organizing, and being once again, stupidly, shocked at how little respect the university has for its instructors, I began making signs to put on my office door.
But now I’m hesitant. Will my union local be angry with me? I have to consider the potential impact on my colleagues as well. I don’t think it will affect t…
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