advocacy and reform

On the Clock Again (But Only When I’m Actually Getting Paid)

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I started working again for the first time since October—this time in a chill, part-time job. And wow, it really puts into perspective just how wrong it is that teachers are expected to work endless unpaid hours.

After eight months of not working, I started a part-time job as a receptionist/assistant at my boyfriend’s office. It’s a gentle return to work—low stress, nice environment, no emotional baggage or kids climbing the walls. Honestly, it’s been a pretty smooth transition considering how brutal burnout had me down bad last fall.

But still… I count the minutes until lunch. (One full hour. Non-negotiable. I made that very clear during my “interview” aka casual couch conversation with my boyfriend.) And I definitely count the minutes until the end of the workday too.

Even though I like working here, I’ve realized how fiercely I now guard my time. Like when my boyfriend tries to bring up work stuff at home and I’m immediately like:

“Circle back when I’m on the clock tomorrow. I’m not salaried. I’m not doing unpaid overtime.”

It’s not personal. It’s about boundaries.

And it’s also about reflection—because when I was a teacher, I didn’t even have a clock to punch.

The Job That Followed Me Home (and Into My Dreams, and My Body, and My Burnout)

As a teacher, I spent thousands of hours working outside my contract. Nights. Weekends. Breaks. Summers. All unpaid. All expected. All “just part of the job.”

I stayed up all night working on lesson plans, behavior systems, bulletin boards, PD assignments, data reports, emails, and IEPs. I’d grocery shop while mentally mapping out small group rotations. I’d scroll Pinterest for anchor chart ideas during dinner. I’d dream in read-aloud voices.

Even thinking about it now makes my stomach turn a little. Not because I didn’t care—but because I cared so much and the system took advantage of it. Because no one talks about how teaching seeps into every corner of your life until there’s nothing left but the job and a shell of yourself holding a stack of ungraded spelling tests.

Now That I’m Not a Teacher, I See It Even Clearer

Working this job—calm, structured, low-stakes—makes me realize just how outrageous the teaching workload really was. The fact that unpaid labor wasn’t just normalized but necessary to be “effective”? That’s exploitation.

And I didn’t just pay with my time. I paid with my health.

Burnout took a wrecking ball to my nervous system. Years later, I’m still rebuilding. Still trying to sleep through the night. Still trying to not flinch when I hear a printer jam.

I Work Now. But Only When I’m Being Paid.

So yeah, I work now. I’m easing back in. I’m contributing. But the second I clock out? I’m done. I’m not discussing spreadsheets over spaghetti. I’m not responding to texts at 8 PM. I’m not doing anything work-related unless I’m actively being paid.

Because I’ve been there.
Because I’ve learned the hard way.
Because my time—and my healing—is worth more than that.

Being a Democrat (But I Might Not Always Be One)By Kayla Sue Warner

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A woman wearing a red Alabama cap and sunglasses, smiling in the Cass County Courthouse, Logansport, IN, with a caption that says 'Time to vote!' and American flags.

Let me be clear: I call myself a Democrat. Right now. That doesn’t mean I always will.

Because honestly? I don’t pledge allegiance to a political party. I pledge allegiance to people. To truth. To what’s good and honest and actually makes life better for all of us. Let me say that again—ALL PEOPLE. Not just the wealthy. Not just straight white men. Not just whoever screams the loudest or fundraises the most. All people.

Right now, the Democratic Party lines up more with my values than the Republican Party does—by a mile. But I’m not a blind loyalist. I believe in calling out the hypocrisy, corruption, or cowardice wherever it shows up. And yes, that includes the left.

A close-up of a wrist wearing a bracelet that spells 'VOTE' with colorful beads, against a background of a green sweater.

The Republican Party Today: A Cult of Trump

Let’s not dance around it. The modern-day GOP has become less of a political party and more of a personality cult. They follow Donald Trump with such blind loyalty it’s terrifying. The man has been indicted on 88 criminal counts [NYT, April 2024], including trying to overturn a democratic election. He was recorded bragging about sexually assaulting women. He mocked a disabled reporter on national television. And somehow, that’s still not a dealbreaker for his base.

Republicans in Congress regularly echo his lies, deny election results, and block legislation that would help real people. They’ve fought against reproductive rights, LGBTQ+ protections, gun reform, climate action, education funding, and fair voting access. In some states, they’re banning books and threatening teachers. It’s giving fascism.

And yet, the GOP base follows. Not because it makes sense. But because it’s about loyalty to the leader, not loyalty to truth.

A man speaks into a microphone at an outdoor event, with a banner behind him that reads 'A New Voice for Florida's First.' Another person stands nearby, and tables are set up in the foreground.

Why I Identify with Democrats (For Now)

Democrats aren’t perfect. Far from it. But they’re the ones generally pushing for:

  • LGBTQ+ equality
  • Reproductive freedom
  • Racial justice
  • Climate action
  • Gun safety laws
  • Expanding health care access (affordable, available, and fair health care for all people)
  • Protecting voting rights (affordable, available, and fair education for all people)
  • Investing in public education
Two children in a classroom setting, one wearing a historical costume with a shimmering gold gown and the other dressed as a historical figure in a blue and white outfit, both posing for the camera.

Those are human rights issues. And I care deeply about them.

That said, the Democratic Party is not immune to criticism. Corporate money still influences too much. Messaging is often weak or out of touch. And at times, they act more interested in being “civil” than being brave. I get frustrated when they don’t fight harder. When they compromise too soon. When they forget who they’re supposed to be fighting for. The party has a long history of letting down marginalized groups too, including how they handled (or didn’t handle) mass incarceration and welfare reform in the 90s.

A group of children playing together on a playground, smiling and enjoying their time outdoors.
Some of the people who I fight for <3

What I Really Am: A Person Who Gives a Shit

At the end of the day, I’m not here for parties. I’m here for people. I want leaders who are honest, principled, and committed to building a more just, compassionate world. If the Republican Party actually did that someday, I’d consider switching. If a new major party emerged and fought for everyone with integrity, I’d be on board.

But let’s be real: we’re stuck in a two-party system. And one of those parties is openly trying to dismantle democracy.

So for now, I vote Democrat. I support policies that uplift communities, protect freedoms, and push for equity. But I will never be a party loyalist. I’ll always be someone who asks, “Is this making the world better for all people?”

Let me repeat that one more time. ALL PEOPLE.

Because I’m an American. I love this country—its people, its messy beauty, its potential. I believe we can do better. But only if we stop worshipping parties and start demanding better from them.

Country first. People first. Always.

A woman wearing a maroon Alabama visor and athletic attire is sipping from an iced drink through a blue straw while seated outside the Cass County Courthouse in Logansport, Indiana.
It should be federally legal and everyone agrees on that!
An elderly woman wearing sunglasses and a red jacket sits at a table outdoors, looking thoughtfully into the distance, with trees and other people in the background.

Why Florida Teachers Should Go On Strike (Even Though They Legally Can’t)

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Note from the Author:
This post is not legal advice. It’s a reflection from someone who deeply loves public education and has watched far too many great teachers disappear from Florida classrooms. I’m writing this because silence isn’t working. And maybe—just maybe—it’s time to make some noise.

My 4th grade classroom during a writing lesson in 2020 before the pandemic.

I. The Absurdity of Illegality: You Can’t Strike, But You Also Can’t Stay

In Florida, it’s illegal for public employees—including teachers—to go on strike. If they do, they risk everything: their licenses, their pensions, their jobs, their futures. The state doesn’t just discourage strikes—it threatens to annihilate you for even trying.

And yet, here’s the irony: What is the state going to do? Fire them all?

Florida is already in a full-blown teacher shortage crisis. Walk into almost any public school and you’ll find long-term subs teaching out-of-field, exhausted educators doubling up classes, and students quietly slipping through the cracks. Qualified teachers are vanishing. College graduates are steering clear of education degrees. Veteran teachers are leaving in droves.

So, really—what power does the state even have left to threaten?

You can’t scare someone into silence when they’re already crawling toward the exit.

II. This Isn’t Just About Pay (But Also… the Pay)

Let’s talk money. Florida ranks dead last in average teacher salaries. 50th. Not 49th. Not hovering around average. Fifty. The bottom. The end of the line. The state’s starting pay looks decent on paper, but that’s part of the trick: it’s a flash-in-the-pan bonus to attract new hires while experienced teachers remain underpaid and disrespected.

Meanwhile, the cost of living in cities like Miami, Tampa, and Orlando is skyrocketing. Teachers can’t afford to live in the communities they serve. Many work second jobs. Some donate blood for grocery money. This isn’t hyperbole—it’s the reality.

And yet when teachers advocate for better pay, they’re told to be “grateful” or accused of being political.

III. A Profession Crumbling From the Inside

Florida classrooms have become battlegrounds. Not just because of underfunding and overcrowding, but because of the political environment manufactured to punish teachers.

Educators face laws like the “Don’t Say Gay” bill and the “Stop WOKE Act,” both of which censor curriculum and stifle professional autonomy. Teachers are being told what they can’t say, can’t read, can’t teach—even when those things are rooted in truth, history, and compassion.

Textbooks are being banned. Libraries are being stripped. Teachers are being investigated simply for having inclusive materials or acknowledging systemic racism.

You cannot expect teachers to remain silent when the very soul of education is being gutted.

IV. Union Power Under Attack

Florida’s legislature has gone after unions with a scalpel and a sledgehammer. New laws ban automatic union dues deductions and require unions to maintain higher membership levels to remain certified—moves clearly designed to destroy them.

The attack on the United Teachers of Dade, one of the largest local unions in the country, is just the beginning. This is not about accountability. It’s about control. It’s about fear.

But unions aren’t just bureaucracies—they’re lifelines. They’re the only protection most educators have left. And if that’s taken away too, what other option do teachers have but to walk out?

V. Public Opinion Is On the Side of Teachers

The truth is, people get it. A recent poll found that 72% of Floridians support the right of teachers to strike—even though it’s currently illegal. Why? Because even parents, students, and voters can see that things are falling apart.

Teachers don’t strike to hurt kids. They strike because the system is already hurting them.

Strikes are not abandonment. They are resistance.

VI. What Happens If They Do Strike?

Let’s imagine it. A mass teacher strike in Florida.

What’s the state going to do—fire every single teacher? Lock them all up? Replace them with who? Substitutes are already maxed out. The pipeline is dry. And parents? They’ll flood school board meetings in a rage when classrooms are closed—not at the teachers, but at the state that let things fall this far.

There’s a quiet power in mass refusal.

And when it’s all gone too far—when you’ve exhausted every channel, every plea, every sleepless night—maybe refusing to keep playing the game is the only real move left.

VII. The Point Isn’t Just Protest—It’s Preservation

Florida teachers aren’t asking for luxury. They’re asking for livable wages, classroom autonomy, books on the shelves, respect for their expertise, and the freedom to teach truth.

If striking is illegal, so be it. It was illegal once before, in 1968, and yet thousands of Florida teachers walked out. They changed history. They forced the state’s hand. And they earned what they deserved.

Maybe it’s time again.

Final Words

To Florida teachers: You are not alone. You are not selfish. You are not wrong for wanting more—for your students, your profession, and yourself.

To lawmakers: If you’re afraid of a strike, maybe you should ask yourselves why.

To everyone else: If you love your public schools, stand with the people who make them run. They might be walking out, but it’s only because they’ve been left behind for far too long.