More Coffee, Please

It’s always fun when things just don’t end.

The attorneys of Bradley, Burnett, Kinyon, Fernald, & Green, representing the Town of Sullivan, just handed papers to a NH Superior Court asking for a Declaratory Judgement against the district, which challenged the school board’s:

1. Ability to set the tuition rate
2. Ability to set the bottom line for the district

The reason? Early retirement.

I guess the amusing thing about all this is that in three years, it’s a null issue. Still, I guess it goes a long way towards the problems with small towns. A school board and the Teacher’s Association set a contract, everyone at the table understands and knows what’s involved…and then the word goes out to voters who don’t fully comprehend.

I don’t know. At this point we’re looking at a contract that was signed seven years ago, over an issue that will be gone in three years. Seems like someone needs to let it pass in Sullivan—really, what is the agenda there?

I have my suspicions. This school board meeting is the first in which decisions about early retirement could be made. This is the day that the notice is served. Given the timing, I have to wonder if there was some attempt to intimidate?

Whether intentional or not, it had that effect. It was fun to watch some members of the board go back and forth with what they should do…despite Dr. Dasaau’s repeated emphasis that the only thing that is reasonable to do is to follow what the contract says now. There were many others who said the same, but there was clearly a bit of fear and nervousness about the whole issue.

I wonder if that was the point?

I like watching people work. In this case, we spent ten minutes (roughly, I missed the starting time) discussing what order board members should vote in.

I like Ms. Dreyfuss’ response—It shouldn’t matter. If everyone is voting their conscience, then the order is irrelevant, and if someone needs more time, then they can pass and have it come back to them.

Still wondering about that one. Is it just someone tired of being the first one, (or last) or was there another reason for bringing that up?

At least it was dealt with quickly. I didn’t think I could say this too long ago, but I like the way the meetings have been run lately. Robert’s Rules really do make a difference, and I’m glad to see they’re so well used by the school board. ¹

I’m also glad we spend so much time teaching the kids at MC² how to use them. I like that one of ours stood up and did so well. We need people like this.

Speaking of kids, I do get longings for MRHS. Those halls echo and re-echo in a way that just feels right, and it’s even harder when I see the kids. I should stop shopping at Shaw’s—every time a kid sees me and says hello it’s another stab.

And when one speaks up, and does so well in front of the Board, it hurts even worse—who knew it was possible to be so grateful to know a person? MRHS does a very good job with what it has ²—which is the tragedy. It could be great and it’s middling along at “good enough.”

The hardest thing in the world is to be incredible. I wish the hard decisions that need to be made would come quicker—or at all.

It’s amusing how short-sighted people can be. The big debate tonight was about whether or not the board should re-activiate a position for a building and grounds director. Given the new federal legislation about what schools require ³ and how badly the school is in trouble with its buildings, it would make sense to have someone who could keep an eye on the building and make sure it gets what is needed.

It was pointed out several times that not having someone in this position is costing the district money. Given the amount of money that the district has spent trying to keep the building up to code—and how often it has failed—it seems like this would be money well spent. The position would be paid for out of the savings in teacher’s health insurance from this year. ⁴

The Board did vote to approve the position, which was probably a wise decision. There’s a lot of assets in the district, and someone should be keeping an eye on it. But I was struck by the argument that these are “artificial costs” pushed on the district schools and the populous “by the government to pick the pockets” and that “soon there would be a reckoning.”

I can understand that point of view. But really, there will be no reckoning, there will be no change, as long as we desire safety. Those regulations are there because they’ve been written in blood—I’m certain the laws requiring fans for auditoriums, the specifications for fire alarms, and all the rest that make the buildings we live and work in today so much safer than they once were are only there because we’re looking to not repeat a tragedy.

I know that, as much as they don’t like paying for these things, if (God Almighty please forbid) something were to happen, we’d begrudge our cheapness a great deal more.

1 Now we just need to be able to say the same about the budget committee…which tends to be run as if it were a fiefdom. ↺

2 Tonight I was speaking with one of my former students. These conversations are always a blessing, and when they say some of what this kid said, it’s enough to break one’s heart: “THANK YOU…I am now just finishing my first semester of college and I am coming to some realizations, and one involves you…I just completed my Gen Ed English type class, and we had to write a 15 page paper…the class was so boring and annoying because we spent half the class time going over MLA format things, stuff I have known for years, and everyone else in the class should have known, but they didn’t! I was well served…I have to say I give a lot of credit to Mrs Fay.” ↺

3 Things like columbine tend to make people feel a little more cautious and a little more cautious about security… though maybe not here in Swanzey, where something like that could never happen…wait a minute… I’m having a flashback to my eighth grade year… But never mind. It shouldn’t take a man with a gun…health code regulations alone should be enough to push for this.↺

4 Savings. Not, “the money that the teacher’s cost the district.” Savings. That’s a fun word, isn’t it? Especially when it’s the actual truth, and not demagoguery used to make a point. ↺

Gregarious

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