Percy Moo as Einstein

Percy Moo as Einstein
Dog=Einstein2

Wednesday 21 November 2012

It Falls Itself to Me the Face of Shame

A literal translation of the Spanish expression that I used today in my classes. In other words, I wish the ground had opened up and swallowed me.

Today was the final day of presenting the semi-presential "course" that the powers that be have imposed upon us. Today was (thank heavens!) the last time that I had to tell my ill-informed, to say the least, students that not only did they have to shell out on expensive course books, do the work and then correct it themselves, but that they also had to find, by hook or by crook, the teacher's CDs in order to do the listening exercises that should be done in class.

All fine and dandy you might argue - until you find out that these CDs are not on sale to the general public, just to teachers. Indeed, if they are available, they are from overseas websites at over €100 a set. This is not exactly emblazoned in the large print of their enrolment form, nor indeed is it in the small print.

Some of my colleagues have lent out the CDs to be copied illegally. Others have uploaded them onto various P2P sites. I have done neither and I definitely do not intend to do so.

This practice is not only to be found in my department, but in most of the other languages taught too. I am not going to risk my house to pay copyright infringement fines and my freedom to supplement a half-cock course for a half-cock university. Others can do it if they wish. My face will keep on falling itself to me of shame. Better that than ending up homeless and in jail because my employer will not listen to reason and is prepared to abuse its staff and clients so scandalously.

1 comment:

  1. It is certainly a shaming position to be in. The students would have every right to feel aggrieved because they are being sold short measure.

    It's hard to see what you could reasonably do, other than look for another job but I expect jobs are hard to come by and conditions in them not much better.

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