CAT Tracks for April 4, 2003 THE DEED IS DONE

Gut-wrenching? Nope...just plain gutted!

The Cairo Board of Education held TWO meetings on Thursday night...one a reorganization meeting to seat the newly elected members...the second to lay waste to the District.

ROUND ONE

The "old" Board canvassed the election returns and declared Arnold Burris, James Huff, and J. L. Posey the winners...Huff and Posey replacing Marlene Schultz and Vernon Stubblefield (who did not run). The "old" Board then adjourned "Sine Die". The new members were then administered the oath of office.

The "new" Board then elected Joe Griggs as President, Arnold Burris as Vice President, Brenda Gooden as Secretary, and J. L. Posey as Treasurer. The Board then established its regular meeting date as the 3rd Thursday of the month (no change) at a new time of one hour later...6 p.m.

The Board then voted to go into closed session at 5:32 p.m. to consider personnel matters...and stayed for four (4) hours!

A clear sign that "they just don't get it!"...

After voting to go into closed session - just before locking out "employees and public"...some of whom would later be fired because of the "financial crisis" - the Board carted in the platters of refreshments. (Gotta feed the "gut" for those "wrenching" decisions.)

I know, I know...the price of the food was small. In fact, the BOE would probably claim that it was "free". BUT...my Senior class would quickly correct them with some basic Economics 101 - "There Is No Such Thing As A Free Lunch!"

Again...the cost may be small, but the symbolism is LARGE! They eat while others lose their jobs. (Nero didn't have anything on these folks.) Incidentally, the mood in the room - at least around the table - was festive. (I will exclude the two new members from that description...they appeared to take matters with appropriate seriousness.)

This incident reminded me of two previous incidents with previous Superintendents/Boards:

1.) When the BOE refused to spend a few thousand dollars to settle a contract with the ESPs...citing financial woes...and then promptly discussed buying the Superintendent a new car. The public outcry "backed them off", but they didn't foresee the hypocrisy? Well, duh!

But that's not the best one...

2.) The all-time classic by this "Board Watcher" was the time...years ago...when "due to circumstances beyond their control", the Board was unable to eat (as usual) during "closed session". So...(Not to be denied!)...they brought in the platters of food and ate at the table during open session. But...that's NOT the bad part. With a sandwich in one hand...talking around a mouth full of food...a member of the Cairo Board of Education expressed his personal displeasure at a bill that he clutched in his "free hand". The bill in question was for supplies at Emerson Elementary...and his exact words were..."I thought we cut out the snacks at Emerson."

Need I say more?

ROUND TWO

The Board came out of closed session at 9:37 p.m. The Superintendent then read a series of prepared resolutions drafted by the District's attorney. (So...why 4 hours behind closed doors???)

The final "body count" was 55...30 Educational Support Professionals (custodians, secretaries, and teachers' assistants), 15 nontenured teachers, and 10 tenured teachers. As a "bonus", the Board voted to vacate all coaching and extra-duty positions as of the close of this school year.

The Board adjourned at 10:08 p.m.

The SHAME of what the BOE did is that it is an unrealistic, unworkable plan...obvious to the most cursory examination. Example? The BOE all but wiped out Emerson and Bennett...leaving one regular teacher per grade level...despite projected enrollments in the 40s, 50s, and even 60s! In other words, one teacher is scheduled to teach (say) 5th grade...even though the District expects to have 63 students!

Labeled a "plan" designed/required to "balance the budget", this unworkable plan is certain to accomplish only one thing...to inflict distress and hardship on employees who have already suffered more than enough...to drive away employees who have given years - for many, double-digit years - to Cairo School District Number One for substandard pay, NO respect, and NO appreciation...only more work and constant criticism!

After talking to employees following the Public Hearing on Monday night, I know that there was one adjective used to refer to the Board of Education that struck many a raw nerve..."COMPASSIONATE". Do "compassionate" employers fire loyal, hard-working employees when they KNOW that they are going to have to hire them back later?...If they are still available?