Cairo Association of Teachers - Newsletter



CAT Tracks for September 25, 2008
A FREUDIAN SLIP?

An Omen?

A Sign?


Woke up at 2:22 a.m. Had a feeling that something was amiss...

Not noticing anything peculiar, decided to check my e-mail (surprise!) prior to resuming my slumber.

A message from the President!


No...NOT Dubya (W.)...he did his messaging at 8:00 p.m. last night...and as a dutiful citizen I watched with open wallet ready to make my contribution to keep Wall Street afloat. (A thought occurred to me while I was watching...a possible way to win over the average American worker who has to pay her/his begrudged wages to bail out the rich business folks and their hobby lobby. All of this bad real estate that we are going to buy...how 'bout putting it up as time-share properties. That way, we workers and former workers could look over the properties and IF we get some vacation time, and can afford the gas to drive there, we could use the properties for say a couple of weeks..."free of charge"...FREE in that we will have already paid for the properties through the bail-out. I'd be interested in using some select beach properties this February...kick back, relax, read a few books...Bud Light Lime in hand. I mean, it's just a thought...)


Okay, back to the message...from THE President...the REAL President...the one and only CAT President!

Madam President is so nice, so gentle, so subtle...

Madam CAT President inquired as to whether we were supposed to have received an agenda for tonight's Special BOE Meeting...

OOPS...

Yes, indeedy...yes, we should...yes, WE DID! Yours truly took the notices and agendas from the packet sent to her prior to the September 18th Regular BOE Meeting so that I could scan them and put them on CAT Tracks...and I promptly forgot!!!

In my defense, I will cite "extenuating circumstances"...my reference to a Freudian slip. I mean...why bother posting notices of "PUBLIC" meetings when said meetings will be flashbacks to the age of silent damn movies?! If that is the way it is to be, the BOE could at least hire a piano player to provide the background music that was such an integral part of the silent movie experience. HEY, we could simply call the piano play an "administrative assistant"!!! Grrrrrrrr...

I'd apologize, but that's the mood you get when you wake someone from a sound sleep at 2:22 a.m. (although I just looked at the clock and it's now 3:33 a.m.)

Moving right along...

Yes, it is true that tonight, September 25, 2008, at 5:45 p.m., the conclave...the enclave...the coven...will commence a two-fer. At 5:45 p.m. will be a Public Hearing on the "budget (2008-2009) for Cairo School District Number One." Immediately following (advertised for 6:00 p.m.) will be a Special Meeting of the Cairo Board of Education.


Editor's Note: The "coven" reference above was my catty political commentary for this evening (morning!)...the latest Sarah Palin controversy...her pastor who tried to rid her of witches! (Hope he succeeded!)

Why would THAT pop into my mind, you might ask...if you haven't already guessed? Because to be open and honest, a phrase that contains a word that rhymes with witches crossed my mind (if not my lips) when CAT was treated so rudely at the last coven conclave!

Just remember...SOB can stand for "Sweet Ol' Boss".

Yes, it CAN...

It REALLY can!

Okay, I apologize..."my bad". The devil made me do it! (Calling "The Exorcist") I'll say three Our Fathers and three Hail Marys prior to tonight's meeting.


Below are the appropriate notices and agendas...



On A Personal Note...

It definitely crossed my mind to blow off tonight's meeting...and maybe future meetings.

However, THAT would be a totally self-serving action on my part. Some would say that THAT is what the Superintendent and the BOE probably want...that THAT would make them happy. Well, I have a personal philosophy about THAT. If it makes ME happy...then I don't really give a damn!

BUT...then I think of Madam President. As with me, when I held the office, I know she feels compelled to attend. (What we presidents won't do for our trusting CAT members!!!) Even more...De De took to attending the meetings years ago, keeping me company for the hundreds of closed session hours that we spent sitting on the concrete steps in the sweltering heat...also, covering for me, taking notes, when I had to miss meetings because of Julie's health.

And, speaking of Julie...

Julie and I were as different as...well...day and night. (Some folks actually noticed that!!! Go figure...) Being African American and being raised in a very racist environment, Julie developed her strength of character. As Rachel observed in her tribute eleven months ago, borrowing from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers..."You can stand me up at the gates of Hell and I won't back down." THAT was Julie A. Newell...

Along the lines of this discussion...IF you let it be known that Julie was NOT WELCOME, well...you just better be prepared when she showed up...because she WOULD be there...and she WOULD be heard!

So...we took a vote on whether I would attend tonight's meeting...and future meetings of the Cairo Board of Education.

The vote was 2-1...I lost!

See you tonight, De De...

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