Novel Idea

The ATR.  The Absent Teacher Reserve.  Wow, what an idea.   Who was it that sat in the big leather chair and  crossing his legs thought, yes, that is a good idea; experienced teachers are an unnecessary expense and should be the first  to go under the new budget.  I wonder how that would work out in other industries with other professions? The airlines for instance.  Could there possibly be a similar type program going on?  Is the an Absent Pilot Reserve?  I'm sure that in the major airline hubs, one could find enough "excessed due to high cost" pilots, who have lost their airline route to some newly minted junior from flight school. I don't know, maybe the pilots would have to hang out in the hangar and wait for a call from Central.

Meanwhile, "Good morning ladies and gentleman, I'm Jack Gordon, your pilot.  Now, I'm kinda new at this flying, but, I will confess I did pretty well in school so I know how to fly OK, ah, so be patient.  Alright?"  Doesn't make much sense does it? 
What industry penalizes or threatens it's experienced employees with onerous working condition that are devised to make them retire early or quit the profession altogether  It's like Shirley Jackson's story, "The Lottery" but instead of being stoned by the town's people we are sent to wander in the dessicated wasteland of the Absent Teacher Reserve, like an animal reserve for endangered pedagogues. Hey, now that's an idea I can go with; a reserve, or like a theme park or hey, better yet a reality show pitting Reserve teachers against one another for a crappy provisional assignment. Watch as the ATR squad of disenfranchised teachers fight their way through a weekly maze of ever changing procedures, morphing administrators, fifth-floor offices with no elevator, impossible classroom assignments and NO PARKING EVER. This program will be available for your viewing for the entire school year.  Stay tuned.