Cairo Association of Teachers - Newsletter



CAT Tracks for March 19, 2009
DECISIONS, DECISIONS, DECISIONS

Uh...

Maybe that heading should read "Indecision, indecision, indecision"!


If you will recall...

Earlier this week, I made my Catty Commentary in reviewing the agenda for tonight's regular monthly meeting of the Cairo Board of Education (and the attached Treasurer's Report.)

At that time, my main barb was directed at the all-expenses-paid "golfing expedition" to be enjoyed by Superintendent Swopes while at an IASA Conference in Springfield during the first week of April.

However, I opened with a reference to an agenda item, namely:

Well, this morning, CAT has received a clarifying (enlightening) addendum in the form of a new page from the "Open Accounts Payable List" - i.e. the "bills" to be approved for payment at tonight's meeting.

Take a look, focusing on the second heading, "Cardmember Services"...

Made me say "Hmmm..."

This is all speculation prior to hearing the "official explanation" tonight, but...

  • Original trip to San Francisco was set for February 20th through February 22nd. For whatever reason (which I will hopefully be able to hear tonight and report to you afterward), the return flight was canceled with a fee charged to the District in the amount of $139.60 (which is approximately 160% more than the District offered to each teacher to sign a new contract during the last negotiations session. MEOW!)

  • Looks like the "new plan" was to fly out of the San Francisco area back to St. Louis two days later...on February 24th. However, for whatever reason, that flight was canceled with a fee charged to the District in the amount of $159.59 (which is approximately 188% more than the District offered to each teacher to sign a new contract during the last negotiations session. MEOW, MEOW!)

  • Finally, moving to "Plan C", it appears that the final arrangement was to fly from Fresno (?) to Chicago's Midway Airport (Ahhh, home sweet home!) This ticketing arrangement was charged to the District in the amount of $255.21 (which is approximately 300% more than the District offered to each teacher to sign a new contract during the last negotiations session. GRRR...)

To cut to the basic math...that is a total of $554.40 for Superintendent Swopes to return to his toddling town.

And, YES, to belabor the point...that $554.40 for ONE (1) administrator to change his return flight plans to his HOME in Chicago is approximately 11% of the total amount of new money offered by the BOE its SIXTY (60) certified teachers. Do YOU not see something inherently wrong with this "math"?

BUT, that's all "chump change"...

CAT Tracks is still waiting/searching...for the cost of the flight out, the conference registration fees, lodging, meals, and don't forget the entertainment (golf?)...the "rest of the story" of Cairo Superintendent of Schools Leotis D. Swopes (latest) "Great Adventure". (Atlanta...San Francisco...there's gotta be an international school administrators conference somewhere out there!)

Since the return trip is on this month's bills AND we noticed it, we are puzzled as to why we haven't spotted the aforementioned extras...the actual "big ticket" items. Did we take a nap...or is it still on the way?

As soon as we solve this puzzle, we will let you know!

Stay tuned for more stories from the lifestyles of rich (supposedly broke) and the famous (some might say infamous)...


A final catty footnote to put all of this in its proper perspective...

While Cairo's Superintendent is out gallivanting and running up the District's credit card, this same Superintendent is denying left and right (almost slipped up and used "flurry") requests by teachers to attend workshops...even as close as Shawnee Community College...workshops that count as CPDUs, a requirement by the State of Illinois for re-certification.

Talk about your double standard...



1