Tuesday, October 26, 2010

PASS THE POPCORN: THE CIRCUS HAS ARRIVED


Well, what an interesting morning!

I attended the open Level III grievance meeting held in the board room of Victoria Independent School District.  This was my first time for being in the audience of such a meeting, so I paid close attention to all the rules and regulations.  Turn off cell phones, pagers, etc.  Find a seat and wait for the action to begin.  Once the board members entered, DJ was escorted up front by her husband.  She sat facing the board with the representative from her teachers' union.  (I didn't know why she didn't have legal counsel with her, advising her and presenting her case.  If she had a lawyer, then would have been the time to bring one with her, in my opinion.) 

The School Board President was very clear with her explanations of why the meeting was an open meeting and what behavior was acceptable.  DJ and her union representative had requested an open meeting and because of that, no mention of any names or identifying of students in any form would be allowed.  The consequences for even implying identifying comments would be a warning and if any names would be mentioned, the hearing would be ended.  Very clearly, the students and their families' identities would be protected by the Board.  All parties indicated that this was understood and compliance would be forthcoming. 

Everything went well for the next few minutes, until the quesiton was asked, "Do you know why all this came about, Mrs. Jaynes?"  She turned to her union representative and asked, "Can I say a name?"  He gave his permission and she said, "The issue started with [insert name here].."  Gavel came down and the Board President stopped DJ in her tracks.  No amount of apologies from her union representative could "unring the bell".  He said, "I didn't think you meant the family of the girl."  What?  Are you kidding me? 

Wait, it only gets better.

Then the union representative passed out papers to the board.  The Board President got her paper and she then admonished him, as it had the same names on it.  His excuse, "I didn't pass those out to the audience and we aren't saying the name."  The Board President told the board members to hand her the papers and one board member wadded up his paper and throw it across the table.  Gasps of unbelief rippled through the audience when the board member displayed his immaturity level, but wait, his immature actions were just getting started.  (You better have some soda to wash down your popcorn, now, 'cause we have a bit to go.)

*When the union representative was explaining that there are only eleven students at Mitchell for PE, that is a lie.  There are over a hundred students there.

*When the union representative stated that there was already a PE teacher there, that isn't true, either.  The man who goes there for a couple of hours a day has a full-time job in VISD and he is filling in there.

*When the union representative stated how much DJ makes and how long she has taught, it just takes simple math to figure out that if she retired, she would still be making more than a first year teacher makes a year.

Finally, the attorneys for the school district briefly spoke.  They made it clear that in the contract, it is stated that ANY teacher can be reassigned at ANY time by the superintendent.  No reasons are needed and the board does not make that decision.  When a teacher signs yearly contract that is something that is agreed upon. 

Since DJ had some time left, she was asked if she wanted to speak.  Straining my ears, I heard something like, I've always been told that I've done a wonderful job and there's never been any problems.  That was the core of what she said, and people in the audience believed her.  Well, most of the people did, but some of us know the truth and the trouble she has caused.

A call for a vote and a second started the Board's discussion.  The same board member who crumbled the offending paper turned to DJ and her union representative, "I've been contacted by all members of this discussion.  I am excusing myself from the vote, but before I do," he swiveled in his chair and faced DJ, "I want to say, HOW DARE YOU!  HOW DARE YOU!"  [I had to come back and correct the quote, as I remembered it slightly different.  So here's the correction.]  He got up and left the room.  Some people clapped.  I don't know why they applauded, whether it was because he said what he did or because he left.  By this time, I needed a program to keep up with the players. 

Discussion started among the board members about the issues and THEN an audience member shouted from the back, "Since, Mr. Klimist has left..." and before the sentence could be finished, the Board President brought the room back to order.  She said that audience participation would not be tolerated.  A few mumbles from the back and everyone got quiet. 

Discussion from the board members went on for a few minutes with admonishments from one concerning immature behavior of crumpling paper, throwing paper and speaking of children's names when told not to.  Being an example to our children was the goal of this board member.  Little late in this meeting.  Finally, a vote was called and all present board members voted to uphold the reassignment of DJ. 

DJ left the room, while cards, memory books and other gifts were thrust at her by her followers.  Her grandson escorted her from the room.  Her daughter, son-in-law, husband, family members led the way out of the way,  The police had to clear the entry way of the building, as the grief-stricken seem to lose the ability to put one foot in front of another and walk any further.

The weepy girls were watching, listening and glaring throughout.  "DJ's Warriors" shirts were in abundance, which made me wonder if the girls would be getting detention for skipping school.  As I made my way down the steps, zig-zagging around the girls, I heard one proud girl say, "And that woman who led the meeting, she was such a bitch."  No, Sweetie, she wasn't a bitch, she was a great example of how a person conducts a meeting that could turn nasty very fast.  Just because your "cause" lost, your leader broke another rule and she wasn't allowed to get away with it, that doesn't mean the person who conducted the meeting had a hidden agenda.  The rules were laid out and the Board President was very professional in her role. 

Good for you, Ms. President.  You took the "wet dynamite" issue and handled it with a calmness that allowed justice to be done.



13 comments:

  1. Thank you so much for such a great recap! I'm completely uninvolved i all of this, but I cannot get enough of reading about all the silly drama. Seriously, this is Lifetime movie material.

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  2. Anonymous, you're welcome. I tried to report the facts and stay unattached emotionally. I agree this is a Lifetime movie, because MTV tried to film the dancers already. That is another past chapter of the wonderful things DJ has done for VISD.

    Ferret

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  3. wow - just wow. Good job reporting this. The advocate's report was comical.

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  4. Ferret,

    Thanks for the reporting!!
    Of course, NO comments are allowed on any of the many articles concerning Mrs. Jaynes @ VICAD. No big surprise there.

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  5. For all of those who watched the video, which I didn't before I wrote this, I have corrected the quote in the blog. Sorry, this ole Ferret remembered similar words, but when I quote, I want the exact words (I don't work for the local paper, obviously.)

    Ferret

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  6. Great recap!
    Between your blog, my recollection of the hearing and what others have shared with me, VICAD's coverage was terrible.

    Heck with reassignment. Jaynes should be fired for mentioning the names.

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  7. She had to know what the outcome would be before she went. Makes me wonder why she requested the hearing in the first place. I wonder if it was to make sure she got the last shot in. Makes more sense to me. Someone on a VICAD blog said she was going into a business that would be financed by Friends of TKB. Maybe true, maybe not.

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  8. There sure were an awful lot of teachers at this meeting...wonder if they got "docked" half a day. Our tax dollars at work.

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  9. Heard she and the family are moving to Austin.

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  10. Now we can say that your coverage was better than the Vicad AND the Houston Chronicle. See Mike Tolson's article 10/30/2010 and comments.

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  11. Last place Anonymous, you accuse me of being full of ****. How Dare You! I only reported the facts. Don't worry about the teachers and students??? What the heck does that mean? These are successful people and they will be fine. Who are you writing about? Teachers and students who were at the meeting? I'm not worried, but it is a sad day when parents pull their children out of school to attend a meeting. Education is ranked before a publicity stunt by the Jaynes' gang, I suppose.

    I pay the teachers' salaries (along with the other tax payers)and hope that the teachers enjoyed being "docked" a half day pay, as this shouldn't have been an excused absence. And their students had a sub, instead of the education they deserved.

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  12. How dare you!!! Teachers are not allowed to take time off for personal reasons. Did you take time away from your job to tell your slanted story? Maybe you don't have a job, so you don't understand how things work. People have the right to back a wonderful teacher, and I think the students will be OK for 1 day.

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  13. Hey, Anonymous, I didn't tell a slantd story; I didn't bring up past "mistakes" by DJ and her girls; and the students will be okay for more than one day without a teacher of the angry sort that I saw there at the meeting.

    Shall we talk about the things that were stolen from gift shops by the wonderful girls who were on the Victoriadores' drill time? Maybe before your time, but it did happen and the team was asked not to return to the venue (out of state.)

    Shall we discuss the fact that for ten years the name VICTORIADORES was to be put away, as the team no longer existed, but yet DJ bodly displayed the name and promoted her LEGACY?

    Shall we look at the facts that DJ made sure that her nephew made money from the drill team and its parents?

    Maybe you would like to discuss the fact that she wanted MTV here and didn't follow the chain of command and was called on the carpet for that?

    How about the fact that DJ has set a fine example:
    Rules don't apply to you.
    Don't ask questions about why the required amount of money for costumes/extras keep many girls from their dream of being on the drill team.
    Follow the leader and if you ask questions, then be prepared for the fall-out.
    Only compete at competions where you are sure of a place.

    Really, the lessons DJ has taught for so many years are too many to discuss. Since this is my blog, I'll let you know that it out of kindness that I am not deleting your hateful spew. Since it doesn't surprise me that DJ's followers have hatred for facts, your hateful remarks are powerless over me.

    DO watch your manners over here, however, as I don't have to tolerate your nastiness.

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