Opus 2012-209, School Starts, The Babysitter Is In

For me and teachers on my district the grind has started.  The day we report for duty may be the worse day of the entire year.  Don’t get me wrong, it isn’t the kids.  We don’t see them until the third day.  The first day belongs to administration.  We start out with a district wide rally at one of the High Schools.  To let you begin to get the tone we were informed about this through snail mail, e-mails from multiple sources, and automated phone messages.  The first sentence uses the words “invited” and “please.”  The second sentence uses the word, “mandatory.”  One e-mail explained what “mandatory” means by telling us attendance is required.

We were informed that we would be starting sharply at 8:15.  They actually started at 8:23, thus setting an example that the students will follow the rest of the year.  We started with the drum corps from one of the high schools.  I am not a fan of drums but I can enjoy a bit of rhythm.  The crowd of teachers went wild.  People were standing up and gyrating in their seats.  They cheered and clapped.  To be honest, our middle school drum corps is just as good, if not better.  In fact, the “song” (what do you call what a drum corps plays?) was the same one that our kids play when they perform at an assembly.

Then we had the presenting of the colors.  It went well.  The ROTC students kept in step and had the flags in the right order.  We said the pledge of allegiance.  The national anthem was announced and the student performer was introduced.  Unfortunately no one had bothered to find out if she was with us.  After looking at each other for a few moments they announced she was a no-show.

Then we had the comments by the powerful.  Our school board president said some nice things about life in general.  I am sure she is in favor of puppies and solar power also.  The problem I had was when she started talking about the problems on the district and she said, “The problems have to do with money and nothing else.”  That is a direct quote.  I wrote it down.  Let’s see now, teen pregnancies, illiteracy, violence.  All of these are just because your tax rates are not high enough.  She then went on to shill for an initiative on the ballot.  I think that is illegal, but who can question a school board president.

Then we had some comments by our superintendent of schools.  This is the one who makes about $245,000.00 before benefits.  He also seemed in favor of puppies and solar power.  He was being pleasant and even humorous, then he got serious.  He commented on how the media was attacking education and all we heard was how bad public schools were.  Then he gave his snappy comeback, and I quote, “All the evidence we see tells us the opposite is true.”  Then he went on to say, “Public education is much healthier than people think it is.”  That would not be hard but I don’t think that was his point.

So now we go off to get started on the year.  We know that our problem is just money and that we are doing an awesome job.  If I may paraphrase a comedian I have heard quoted, “Who are you going to believe, them or your own lying eyes?”

homo unius libri