It’s been a while since I’ve posted. I got lulled into a false sense of security that my life was on cruise control. On Wednesday after my appointment, I had Braden over to do some work for the late orders. We went to lunch with Matt and Zach and then headed over to fill the orders. Afterwards, I OWiied (rather than OD) playing video games. When I dropped Braden off, I went to the gym and family dinner as usual. Thursday and Friday felt like a just got slapped in the face with work. Parents calling because they just realized that their child is graduating in a few weeks and AH we don’t have a cap and gown! Well DUH! I’ve only been calling your house and at your child’s campus for the last six months trying to let them know just that. For peet’s sake… your child is almost an adult! Stop enabling them and let them take some responsibility. I do feel sorry for said parents because instead of paying the regular price, they now have to pay late fees that make it just a little of a sting that their child in incompentent.
Yesterday I got to spend eight hours in a windowless room for class. I have said this once and I’ll say it again, building a classroom without windows is just plain mean. Casinos… Ok. But not classrooms. People need natural light to learn. I always feel like I was in a time warp when I leave class. Eight hours of my life are gone. The plus side of the matter is that I got to ride my bike again for the first time this semester. Sunnier days are ahead and I can feel the summer coming. Yippee.
Now good ol’ Sunday. Well what a freaking waste of my day. My parents are in the state from Utah. They are down at the rodeo in San Francisco doing god knows what. I saw my mom and sister Shannon on Thursday when I was down in Yuba City. We had lunch and hung out for a few hours. My other sister Angie lives in Marysville, so I see her quite often. Thursday’s few hours were enough quality family time for me. I talk to my parents sparatically–and well that’s plenty. However, my mom felt compelled, although she didn’t say it, that I should come down to San Francisco to visit with them in the hotel room I got them at employee rate. Chico is about three to three and a half hours from the city (aka SF). Given today’s gas prices and my gas sucking SUV, that equates into about a $110 round trip for good ol’ robman. But, being the good person I am and Sandy’s guilt, I drove down. I got up early today, skipped the gym, and drove down. When I was leaving, my mom told me that they were going into the city and taking my nephews to the wharf–like ever year. I told her that I should be there by noon and go ahead without me. I figured that four hours would be enough to get my nephews expelled out of the city limits and they would be here. Well it’s 2:25p now and there is still no sign of them. WTF? Why did I even bother to come down here in the first place to hang out in a hotel room? I could have stayed at home and done this for free. On the other hand, I shouldn’t be surprised because I bring this on myself. I am so distant to them anyway that my arrival really shouldn’t matter.
So until they arrive, I’m going to sip my hot cocoa and wait for the housekeeper to clean up the mess they call a room.
Filed under: schools
I’ve got a good one today. I was speaking to one of my school this afternoon and she told me that four of her seniors were being suspended for having a barbeque on campus. The story goes something like this. The students approached the staff member and asked her if she would supervise their barbeque. They were not doing it for a fundraiser and were not preparing food for anyone else but themselves. The staff member told the students that she would do it, but they needed to get the administration’s clearance first. They came back and said it was okay.
So the barbeque happened on campus and no one got injured. It went fine and that was supposed to be the end of that. UNTIL the food service manager on campus came UNGLUED about having food served that competed against the cafeteria. The food service manager reported the barbeque to the district food service director and the e-mail chain was on.
The “beef” the food service department had was that they felt the barbeque (remember—neither a fundraiser nor food being given away) competed against their lunch program AND they had soda. They also were claiming that it was against board policy. Perish the thought that students be caught on campus with a soda they brought from home! The food service department wanted to count this barbeque against one of the food sales days that schools are entitled under Title V. The staff member wasn’t going for this at all.
The administrative teams sent out an e-mail notifying that the students were given a choice of either a two day suspension or missing their senior picnic because it was given proper clearance by the administrative team. The students chose the two day suspension. Needless to say, the hornets’ nest has been rattled. The students are already down at the district office asking for board policy opposing or outlawing student barbeques. The strike against the admin team is that there have been other barbeques supervised by teachers and cooked by students without incident. The administrative team took it a step further and contacted all pizza places in the area instructing them NOT to deliver to the campus. This thing has front page of the newspaper written all over it.
I have many questions for this administrative team. One, what is the offense in the Ed code for which they are suspending? Two, why is this the hill you are dying? Three, what benefit do you hope to gain from making an example of these students?
I would have spoken to the students. Explaining the procedures to do such an event and note that they did get proper supervision, but were missing some elements. I would also get on the PA announcing that non-school sponsored barbeques will not be allowed on campus. I would not try to make an example of the students that were trying to have some wholesome, bonding experiences at their lunch. I would just try to guide them to try to do other types of meals that didn’t require an open flame next time.
