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SeeYouInCourtImageLast year, Mal Content ran for the Nutmeg Board of Education on a platform of constituent service, with advertisements promising, “Tell me your problems, and I will find you solutions.”  Despite Mal’s grand promises, he was not elected.  But to his good fortune, one of the seated Board members took a job out-of-state, and Mal was appointed to fill the vacancy.  Mal promptly began his reelection campaign by creating a Facebook Page he named, “What’s Wrong with the Nutmeg Public Schools?”  There, he invited the public to unburden themselves of any and all concerns.  Furthermore, he promised all who write that, upon request, he would keep their names confidential.

The response from the public to Mal’s Facebook page was underwhelming.  One parent posted on Mal’s wall that the cheerleader outfits are cheesy, and another parent complained to Mal that her taxes are too high.  But interestingly three different parents sent Mal messages expressing their concern for the “excessive” amount of homework that teachers assign.  In each case, the parents cited concern for potential retaliation, and they asked that Mal not share their identity with anyone.

Mal was delighted now to have an issue to champion.  But first he wanted to do some research.  Mal started by making an impromptu visit to Nutmeg Memorial High School, where he popped in to see Mr. Principal.  “So, what’s the deal with homework,” he began the conversation.  “What are the rules teachers must follow in assigning homework?”Continue Reading SEE YOU IN COURT – June 2015

SeeYouInCourtImageSeymour Dollars, the irascible Chairperson of the Nutmeg Board of Finance, gave the Board of Education a very hard time throughout the entire budget process this year. He questioned the Board down to the minutest detail of its budget estimate, and he seemed always to have a better idea about how to run the Nutmeg Public Schools. Despite the best efforts of Mr. Superintendent and the Board members, ultimately Seymour recommended that the Board of Finance cut the proposed Board of Education budget by $500,000. At its next meeting, before submitting the budget to referendum vote, the Board of Finance unanimously cut the Board’s budget as Seymour proposed.

Not even the Board of Education would have predicted what happened next. A group of parents formed RUB (“Residents Upset about the Budget”), an advocacy group opposing the cuts made in the Board budget. It filed with the State Elections Enforcement Commission as a political action committee (PAC), and it promptly began a vigorous campaign. None of the donors gave much individually, but support for restoration of funds to the Board’s budget was widespread, and soon SOS raised $5,000 for its campaign to defeat the budget because it was too low after Seymour’s cuts.Continue Reading SEE YOU IN COURT – May 2015

CABE Journal
April 2015

The almost-interminable winter was finally over, and Peter Principal saw a significant uptick in the number of suspensions for offenses ranging from horseplay to assault.  To make things worse, many of the students had their lawyers on speed dial, and suspension hearings are increasingly becoming mini-trials.  But the problems were not limited to the physical interactions between and among the students.

SeeYouInCourtImageThe telephone rang in Mr. Principal’s office.  “Have you seen it?” asked Bob Bombast, veteran member of the Nutmeg Board of Education.  Mr. Principal had no idea what Bob was talking about.  Bob continued, “There is a new blog out, and everyone is talking about it and posting links to it on their Facebook pages.”

When Mr. Principal asked Bob what that has to do with him, Bob sighed.  “It has everything to do with you, Peter.  It is supposed to be your blog.  And it is not pretty.  It looks like somebody copied your picture from the school website, and they used it to create ‘Peter Principal’s Perch – a Commentary on Life and Times at Nutmeg High School.’  The blog includes posts about teachers at your school, including pictures of female teachers with ‘your’ vulgar comments on their appearance and more.  While the blog purports to be created by you, even I know that it is a hoax.  I don’t know who hates you enough to do this, but this blog is a colossal embarrassment for you and the entire school system.  If some student did this, he or she should be expelled for sure.”

Mr. Principal thanked Bob for giving him this bad news and for his support, and he finished the conversation with Bob by vowing to bring the miscreant who created this blog to justice.   It didn’t take long.

Mr. Principal has his sources, and soon a student told him confidentially that Joe Blow, an honors student, created the blog.  Apparently, Joe was so pleased with his handiwork that he was overheard bragging to other students about the blog.  But to be safe, Mr. Principal asked some other students, and two other students confirmed that they too had heard that Joe Blow was the mastermind behind the blog.
Continue Reading SEE YOU IN COURT! – April 2015