Bicker, Bicker, Stupidity and Bile
May 9th, 2007I wasn’t there, so I can’t report from first-hand experience, but apparently the risk of losing accreditation hasn’t changed politics as usual on the School Board.
As I reported here, my school is in danger of losing its accreditation with the NEASC and most of that is due to issues with the building. One of the elements we were cited for is the science labs: They fail to meet OSHA standards. This was said in the report.
Now, the fun part of this is that we’ve never actually had an OSHA inspection. This is not a stumbling block, as OSHA standards are public and anyone with enough time and energy can determine for themselves whether or not a facility meets standards. However, as we’ve never had an inspection, certain members of the school board took the bulk of a meeting to castigate the principal on not challenging this aspect of the report.
Ridiculous. As if this one element is sufficient in and of itself to fail the building, as if this one element would make any difference. Instead, it was a way of shifting blame, of focusing not on what must be done next but on perceived mistakes.
Not even a mistake! It would make no difference. Instead, it’s a way to avoid dealing with the problem. Bicker, bicker, avoid any plan, avoid calling for the money that will be required to fix the building, avoid dealing with anything serious.
It ought to be a law that school board members have children in the building who are still in elementary school. Then they may have incentive to focus, instead of waste time.
Speaking of wasting time…
The Monadnock Taxpayers Association has been trying to force the school board to release the names of all employees and what insurance plans they are using. I’m not entirely sure what business this is of anyone other than the employee and why it’s something a private organization needs to know (unless it’s to make political hay with…) but it’s something that keeps coming up.
This past meeting, the chairman of the budget committee (it’s convenient he shares the name of Sherlock Holmes nemesis) once again asked the board to reconsider the earlier decision to not release information about the insurance programs to the public. The board decided not to do so, but yet another member brought it up as a motion.
Out of nine, the motion was defeated six to three. But it wasted a good deal of time: I know everybody! Let’s debate how many thousands of dollars might be saved if we switched everyone to another insurance plan when we ought to be deciding whether we want to raise a few million for building a new school or repairing the old one.
It’s good that there are still places for small minded people in the world. I thought we were to be training people to look at the big picture, but if they’re incapable, at least they can still be part of the school board.
Apparently, like witches, bad things come in threes.
Someone on the school board went shopping for insurance plans and found one they claim will save a million dollars a year and also be cheaper for teachers. Although this is something which should be handled in negotiation, they leaked it to the public. Of course, a decision must be made soon…without enough time to really analyze what’s going on with the plan, and if it really benefits anyone.1
Oh…and they release this viewpoint to the public.
This is beautiful. At this point if the negotiating team rejects the offer, then the teachers are viewed as selfishly putting their own interest above everything else and being unwilling to compromise in a “win-win” scenario. If they say yes, then they run the risk of finding a problem in an insurance plan in which all we have to say it’s any good is the school board’s word for it.
Oh, they’re a trustworthy bunch. This is the group of people who underhandedly released the information in the first place to the public…so why should we trust them to be upfront about the content of an insurance plan they’re springing on the teachers and using slimy politics to force them to swallow it?
1 Benefits anyone it should, anyway. The people assigned to the negotiating committee are to get the best deal they can for the teachers, and insurance plans are for the people who work in the district. Their task is not to pick the best plan for the district but for the employees.
May 11th, 2007 at 6:06 pm
As far as the OSHA standards goes, if someone called in a complaint, they WOULD come and do an inspection, and then where would we be? The offenses would need to be attended to immediately, no excuses. Does anyone know their number???? As I said to the Chemistry teacher, I don’t need a state trooper to give me a ticket to know that I’m speeding and breaking the law. Ah, life.
July 16th, 2007 at 11:17 pm
I think perhaps the author ought to check his facts and his temper prior to posting. IMHO
It should be stated that currently the majority of the board is trying very hard to do what’s best for students. (as a personal note - it would be nice if you posted some of the positive things we’ve done.)
In every large group there will be differing opinions - it’s true we have a few on the board. We should remember that they have a right to their opinion - if we want to maintain the right to our own. To change governing bodies… we vote. Those who opinions are not in the best interest of the district should be voted off the board or budget committee. Again it comes down to get out the vote. (just my opinion)
Also on that same point - running and being elected to a public position is a choice. Staying on the board and how much effort one puts in to the job, also a choice. As a person who is fighting the battles… it gets awfully lame to hear what a sh-thead I am all the time from all sides. Leaving the board opens up a whole lot of time for me and my family… and a seat for someone else. Ever hear of the phrase “out of the frying pan into the fire?” A balanced post would be refreshing. We aren’t all evil. unless your intent is to drive the good ones out.
So for clarification - since I was present at those board meetings - It was the budget committee chair who brought up the OSHA standard issue - it should be noted that he’s a retired engineer - which means he knew damn well that it didn’t matter if we had an OSHA inspection or not… we all knew/know we don’t meet standards. I might also add he fought against removal of asbestos in those very rooms. Need I say more. His intent is to throw you a curve ball and distract us all from the real issues. Nice Catch!
Next - it is true the Monadnock Taxpayers Assoc. is looking for info regarding the insurance the district pays for it’s employees. why? so they can distract us all from what’s really important - anyone else seeing a pattern???
Current law is vague (when isn’t it) it states basically - and I’m not quoting - that it’s up to the employer to decide whether or not to release that information. Which is why the board voted twice - once in Jan. last and once this year - new board new vote - asked for by a board member who is a MTA member. (gosh how surprising) As an employee you ought to be thanking the 6 that stood up for you… again.
Finally - you are dead wrong with your facts on the insurance issue. From a person I consider fairly well educated, I expected at least some basic research prior to posting something online. I would suggest you look up the minutes - or ask if you have questions. This last paragraph was completely insulting. I’m sorry you feel the way you do. However,I truly do believe you have a right to your opinion.
Finally - let’s agree to this - there are obviously elements out there that are hell bent on making sure we don’t pay attention to what’s important. They really would love to see us, the unions and the school board, at each others throats, and they do everything in their power to instigate fights. And frankly it’s not hard.
We are smarter than that. I know you personally, whether or not I’m not smarter is debatable, but you definately are smarter than that!
Let’s agree to step back.. take a breath… and realize we’re being used as pawns in a sad game. Instead of falling for it - let’s combine our energy and fight for our kids. You and I both know who the targets should be, let’s rally our troops, stop attacking each other and get down to making our district a place to be proud of.
July 17th, 2007 at 12:39 pm
Colline,
After commenting on another of your posts, I couldn’t help but search for other comments. This one left me truly dizzy. Yes, the tone of the original post was unflattering to “certain members” of the school board, but based on your response I think it safe to say that you’re not one of them. So why take this post so personally, even to the point of childishly questioning whether you or RJH is a “smarter” individual? This makes no sense.
You appear to be saying that the board members NOT being railed against in this post deserve more recognition for supporting a truthful position through their votes. Sadly, again I feel you miss the mark. The power is not in the individual vote, it’s in the power to sway votes (plural) THROUGH INFORMATION! RJH’s accounts are remarkably similar to what I heard (although in a more factual, dry tone) in the media, and read on the front page of the Sentinel. The version expressing a board member offering to save everyone money and the union attempting to block the move for no good reason was the only version that a citizen like me ever heard. Hearing a teacher say “It’s only fair that I be allowed to review the new plan before the change is made” was not a perspective I saw elsewhere.
Can you understand why a citizen like me sends an letter to the editor, railing against the educational system, the teachers, the unions, and the school board? We don’t have the knowledge to do any better!
Why? Because board members like you (pointing finger in the nicest possible way) were not as vehement in getting the opposing views on OSHA standards, etc., etc., into the media. Both you and RJH appear to be agreeing that these are time-wasting, divisive moves by a small faction. So where is the newspaper article saying “Six of the board members stood united behind the facts, and called for Mr./Ms. XYZ to desist in his/her attempts to mislead the public?”
If the energy expended in writing this response had been directed as I suggest above, then I would feel that the board did indeed deserve congratulations and thanks. As it is, I see nothing but six people who probably did not “support the teachers” so much as “support what they knew to be right.” But isn’t that the most basic function of your position?
RJH has written in this blog about his experiences, from his perspective. If you want a more balanced post about the events, may I suggest that you take the initiative and write it yourself? That’s your job, and the author of this blog owes you no such responsibility to research the board’s “unsung actions” before expressing his opinion.
IMHO, you should have taken a moment to examine the “plank” of temper in your own post before attempting to remove the “sliver” within the original.
July 18th, 2007 at 7:29 pm
Hi Colline,
I will admit I was more acerbic than usual in this post, though I will also stand by what I wrote. I knew when I first contemplated writing a blog about my job I was taking a risk, and (to borrow a phrase from a friend who advised me on this decision) I am doing my very best to “not crap where I sleep.” When I wrote this, I was calm and I looked over it several times.
That’s doesn’t mean I wasn’t angry. I think we should be angry at some of the things going on in the district by some of the people who live and work there (just as we should be angry at some of what goes on in Washington and Concord in our names). I had no idea the individual who brought up the issue of OSHA inspections was an engineer, and this makes his movements even more blatantly misleading and vile—as you pointed out.
We also agree that the Monadnock Taxpayer’s Association is involved in the same stalling tactics about the insurance issue. It’s pretty clear there are “elements out there that are hell bent on making sure we don’t pay attention to what’s important.” I couldn’t have said it better.
If there was a mistake, it was in not pointing out who the elements are. There’s no doubt there are people on the board who are doing their best. On the other hand, there are those who are clearly not. For example, the minutes in question:
But here’s the crux—the information about the insurance plan was leaked to the newspaper, and it showed up in such a way to make contract negotiations more difficult. When it comes time to present to the voters, it’s clear one element of attack will “be the teacher’s unwillingness to do anything for the district.”
Trust me, that was the way it’s seen in the school.
You’re right—it wasn’t the board. On the other hand, somehow the information appeared in the paper, and if past history is any example, then it was a board member who turned around and as a “private citizen” leaked the information. There’s an element of sickness on the board which has not been addressed effectively—and it’s hard to distinguish “private citizen” from “board member” down on the ground—which has been exactly the confusion these elements have been exploiting.1 It would be nice if there was some way to clearly hear from the board what’s been going on—and even better, a clear reprimand for those elements who are lying to the public and advocating actions which would lead to a lawsuit.2
Though that’s another post…
You’re more than right that we need to communicate and work together. I hope someone doing a Google search will come across this post and start to see what’s going on—which is the whole point of this conversation. As always, thanks for participating!
Best,
RJH
1 From Kidsfirstmonadnock: Mr. Tommila and Mr. Parker {dis]couraged the residents of our town to vote down the school district budget, saying that it had “gravy” in it. If you look at the notes from the deliberative session the Budget Committee, including Tommila and Parker, voted unanimously for the budget that is being presented. The School Board voted to support this budget as well. One might ask how these two can be for “gravy” one day, and “bare bones” the next.
2 From the July 10 minutes: