Cairo Association of Teachers - Newsletter

CAT Tracks for November 19, 2008 CAT PRESIDENT...SWOPED

What can I say?

What more IS there to say??

Oh, I could go on, and on, and on, and on...

However, for how long and in how many ways does one "beat the dead horse".

After experiencing Superintendent Leotis Swopes' "ugly ways" vicariously through the "filter" of CAT Tracks (aka "the Enquirer"), you were subjected to the REAL DEAL in your Halloween Close Encounter of the Worst Kind!

So...

What more can I say???

As you could clearly see from the posting of the "back-and-forth" letters (the ones on "workshop requests"...NOT the previous ones between Meridian Superintendent Bullock and Superintendent Swopes), CAT President De De O'Shea did NOT ask to be swoped!

President O'Shea's letter was of the "please and thank you" variety. President O'Shea's letter was sent to request a document ("Administrative procedures") that was supposed to have been already disseminated..."to each bargaining unit member."

The Association leadership was trying to be "proactive"...to acquire all pertinent documents and information, to review and investigate, try to determine IF - I repeat "IF" - there was a contract violation...and any need to proceed.

Folks, THAT is a primary purpose of unions...to investigate complaints by its dues-paying membership. Most administrators would be HAPPY that the union would "investigate", rather than simply filing a "flurry" of grievances based on "allegations brought to you."

Guess CAT needs to apologize for being "fair and balanced".

By the way, did you notice the possible irony contained in Superintendent Swopes' missive/response to President O'Shea...the aforementioned "allegations brought to you"...the "No One (1) has been denied a Request...without being given an explanation"? (Incidentally, Superintendent Swopes "protesteth too loudly" on that last assertion. CAT never said that happened...never said that an explanation was not given for denying a workshop. YES...Superintendent Swopes wrote on the workshop request form the reason why he denied the request. Which, by the way, is why Superintendent Swopes should NOT have to travel too far or investigate too long to discover how many "disgruntled" persons constitutes a "flurry"...and who those "un-named sources" might be that made the "allegations"...assuming that he remembers and/or kept copies of the workshop requests that HE DENIED!)

Okay, I digressed...had to do a bit of sarcastic ranting...found "something to say" after all!

Back to the possible "irony"...

It would appear from my reading of Superintendent Swopes' missive that he is telling the CAT leadership that its members are "lying"...deceiving the CAT leadership, casting unfounded charges against a poor, pitiful, much-maligned Superintendent...a hard-working Superintendent who has only the best interests of the District, its employees, and its children at heart!

MEMBERS...how dare you!!! Haven't you heard...THAT is the CAT leadership's job...the lying part...the deception part. SHAME...obviously, you do not know your place!!!

Actually, I was probably being a "glass half full" kinda guy there...suitably in denial. The letter was probably consistent with Superintendent Swopes' earlier assertions. He was probably saying in his missive that President O'Shea was lying...that she made the whole workshop denial thing up...trying to inflame a membership who had never even made workshop requests...trying to get the members mad that the evil Superintendent had denied their workshop requests...that they never made!

GOD...

Have mercy on the devious CAT leadership and forgive their evil ways. And, while YOU are at it, DEAR GOD...please have mercy on the poor dumb sheep. Forgive them...they know not what they do!

Okay, guess I tapped into some more anger there...

Hey, maybe it's contagious! Superintendent Swopes was obviously angry when he wrote his missive...attacking in a sarcastic and condescending way a simple, polite request by the CAT President for a document that was suppose to already exist AND already been provided to each bargaining unit member. Superintendent Swopes even "slept on it"...typing the letter on November 12th, but not sending it until November 18th!? (My personal disappointment and insult is that with the passage of a week, Superintendent Swopes didn't even run his missive to CAT President O'Shea through the "fancy word machine"...you know, the one that he used for Meridian Superintendent Bullock! No respect!!!)

Speaking of the "anger"...

I think that Superintendent Swopes also "protesteth too loudly" with his repeated claims that he doesn't read "rags" such as CAT Tracks...depending on BOE members to fill him in...bring him up to speed. For one thing, surely a person as dedicated to investigation would NOT rely on hearsay...on allegations brought to him! Superintendent Swopes surely practices what he preaches!

I think that Superintendent Swopes has been secretly reading "THE rag"...probably while sitting on his "throne". (Ouch...BAD mental picture!) I think that the "editorializing to heighten emotion" to which he has referred has, well, heightened his emotion! I think THAT is what you see reflected in Superintendent Swopes' missive to CAT President O'Shea.

And THAT is where I cry foul...

Just this month, the District contacted me...inquiring as to the content of CAT Tracks...as to the opinions expressed. Yes, THAT was one of those "Hmmm..." moments!

Well, as they (somewhat) say..."You can retire, but you cannot hide!"

I took credit for CAT Tracks. I mean...I do claim to be the "editor". Oh, I threw in a couple of (honest) disclaimers...that in the past 20 years, as a president who kept a firm finger on the pulse of the membership, that my words accurately reflected and expressed the feeling of the vast majority of the members. (Think the "proof" of that statement is contained in the "20 years as president" part. Nobody else may have wanted the job, but IF I had been so "out of touch", I do believe that the "disgruntled members" would have found somebody to replace me!)

I also mentioned that on occasion the CAT members would actually ask me to make a comment...telling me what they wanted said...allowing me the discretion on the choice of words. Hey, we even had the IEA Communications Department writing press releases during the 2002 strike for publication on CAT Tracks. So, it ain't all about me, but...

My point...if Superintendent Swopes IS reading these pages...if Superintendent Swopes' emotions ARE being heightened by my editorializing...then, PLEASE, Superintendent Swopes...direct your venom at ME.

Oh, don't get me wrong...CAT President O'Shea is quite capable of handling whatever Superintendent Swopes throws at her!!! As I have reported before...President O'Shea does not hesitate to literally confront the lion in his den. (Okay...just received notice from the Cat Union...lions are NOT happy with my analogy. I deeply apologize to lions everywhere!)

I never was a "face-to-face" fighter. Oh, I had my share...the 15 minutes of fame thing. However, whenever possible, I tended to retreat to my writer's garret, opting for my choice of weapons, embracing the adage "the pen is mightier than the sword". (Actually, after learning early in my career how easily many administrators lie in face-to-face meetings, denying their words later on, I liked the "paper trail" that correspondence brought to the table.)

That's why I sit back sometimes and marvel at your new CAT President...she has qualities that I was never able to tap into...or grow comfortable with.

Oh, De De gets nervous sometimes. She's still a "newbie" at that President thing...her confidence level has not stabilized as yet. De De will corner me after a meeting...wondering. She will say "You were just sitting there, smiling...you didn't say anything. What did I do wrong?"

I have to chuckle...which does NOT help raise her confidence level. After a suitable pause (to heighten emotion)...I simply respond that "De De, you did just fine. I'm smiling because I'm proud of the job you are doing for 'my CATs'. Twisting your arm...making you take the President's job...I done good!"

What more can I say???