CAT Tracks for June 21, 2002 "BORED" MEETING

TWISTING IN THE WIND

A 3-hour school board meeting (two hours of closed session) produced little in the way of news.

Bennett will get its new roof at a cost of $148,629. The District is letting bids for carpeting at CHS...bids to be opened on July 9th, with the work to be completed by August 9th. Slightly after the fact, the Board approved an amendment to the school calendar...making May 28th and May 29th regular instruction days.

As per agenda, Board President Joe Griggs asked if the CAT had any comments. "For the record", I went to the podium, identified myself as Ron Newell, President of the Cairo Association of Teachers, and made the following statement: "$27,311.37" and sat down. You know what that was about, but the Board members did not. Superintendent Isom finally whispered to them that it was the amount of money spent on legal fees for the month of April.

The Board went into closed session at 5:52 p.m. and finally exited at 7:47 p.m.

The superintendent recommended the creation of a salary schedule for Deans of Students (which would also include non-certified nurses) and stated that they should get the same benefits as other certified employees.

A new special education teacher was hired at Bennett School and a night custodian was hired for Bennett school. The superintendent also recommended contract extensions for our librarian and two counselors.

The Board adopted a job description for a new position of "At-Risk Services Coordinator" and hired a person to fill the position for up to 100 days. The irony of this action is that the Board did not move to hire back the "At-Risk" teachers, even though the program has been refunded. So...we have a coordinator, but no one to coordinate. Pretty typical, don't you think?

Once the meeting was adjourned, the superintendent was asked about the "At-Risk" teachers. He indicated that all "recalls" would be made at a special board meeting to be held on Friday, June 28th. So...until then...teachers can continue to twist in the wind.

As the summer progresses, as the nightmare fades, as you begin to "mellow out"...give some thought to what the Board of Education and administration of CSD #1 continues to do unto its certified staff. Every "nasty" they can think of...they take obvious pleasure in inflicting same upon their "ungrateful, greedy teachers".

AND SPEAKING OF WHICH...

Faxed over another grievance tonight...

Found out that the District did not fulfill its obligations under Section 4.11 of the contractual agreement...namely, it did not pay the $250 stipend to those teachers who did not "use either a sick day or a personal day" last year. More retribution for teachers who "misbehave"!

I mean, read this section for yourself. (REMEMBER: The contract is online...a link on our home page.) How plain does it have to get...a proverbial "no brainer"! Somebody stop me before I say something ugly...