Teacher Frustrated After School District ‘Lied’ About Class Sizes During Her Interviews
“I did a replay of my last school year, where I had a full meltdown.”
Kitreel | Shutterstock With teacher shortages putting a strain on schools across the country, educators looking for a new position have a bit of leverage when it comes to finding the perfect position. At least, that's what one teacher thought when she was interviewing at a new school.
She took to Reddit to explain that with her master’s degree and years of experience under her belt, she wasn't willing to settle for just any job. “I made sure to be very thorough in my interviews,” she wrote. Her most important requisites for the job — small class sizes and advanced classes.
A teacher expressed said she was 'taken advantage of' after learning the district ‘lied’ about class sizes during her interview.
After her interview, she felt reassured that she was making the right choice, and when she was offered the teacher position, she signed the contract. Unfortunately, right before school started, she got some distressing news.
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"I received a text from my department head in June that I’d only be teaching the lower level classes based on the way admin made schedules. I asked if this would be the case next year, and she said, 'No, you’ll more than likely teach something else!'"
It got worse from there. "I tried sucking it up and saying, oh well, but I was texting her this week, and then she mentioned that the average class size was looking at around 34. I was livid."
On the heels of her last teaching position that she left following a "meltdown" caused by class sizes between 35 and 40 kids, her anger is justified. "The cherry on top," as she described it, "is that this school is 45 minutes away (an hour with traffic).”
Not only did she feel taken advantage of, but she felt manipulated.
While it seems absurd for an interviewer to lie outright to candidates, it’s not uncommon for many employers to utilize these shady tactics.
Not only are many job postings and descriptions “fake” or misleading, but over 40% of interviewers admit to lying in actual interviews about everything from career growth to salaries and company culture.
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“Your school district is beginning your relationship by lying to you,” one commenter wrote. “Ditch them like the toxic [workplace] they are…If this is a non-negotiable for you, talk to HR about the discrepancy and ask if they will release you.”
Considering she’d already signed the contract, not thinking she’d need to specify the district’s promises to her in writing, she’s finding it difficult to move forward without overwhelming anxiety.
Is it worth re-entering the job search or talking to HR — especially given the job market?
Many candidates waste their time during the interview process, deceived by employers who face no repercussions for lying.
Often, potential employers deceive job candidates right from the start by sugar-coating job responsibilities and the reality of their work culture.
For candidates that dedicate their time, energy, and oftentimes money — whether traveling to interviews or taking time away from current work — these interview processes can be a waste of time. If they do catch “lies” about salaries, benefits, or work responsibilities in an official offer letter, they’re forced to reenter the job market — or worse yet, sign it under false pretenses about their role.
“What do you need to do to protect yourself from these lies?” career coach Meredith Mira questioned on TikTok. “Ask difficult questions. Go in and listen carefully and skeptically. Don’t be afraid to ask those questions…to understand the job, the culture, your manager, and so on.”
Don’t be afraid to ask questions that force recruiters and employers to get candid about their experience or at least throw them off from their typical interview routines.
Of course, for this teacher, she’s been forced to suffer the consequences of her school district’s lies. “I’ll see if I can cut back on my contract,” she wrote. “Otherwise, I’ll probably be leaving very soon.”
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a News & Entertainment Writer at YourTango who focuses on health & wellness, social policy, and human interest stories.