Figuring out what I wanna be when I grow up.
Oop..I AM grown up...


Wednesday, December 14, 2011

BE NOT APATHETIC

I'm frustrated right now.

About the middle of last week, there was a note in one of the kids' school bags informing us that our school principal will not be there after the Christmas holidays, and he's going to a new school in the next town over, and some woman will be our new principal, and blah-de-blah, he hopes we will show her the same welcoming spirit that we showed him.

Am I the only one who cares?  Because, I care.  I like this man. I think he's an excellent principal.  He knows every kid in the school. He knows their idiosyncrasies, their limitations and strengths, and their issues.  I hate to sound like a corn dog, but he instills the kids with excellent morals and school spirit.

See that?  I'm all grown up, right?  I like morals and good school spirit now!  Isn't that great?  But, in highschool, I was all ANTI-SPIRIT, AND YOU PEOPLE ARE SHEEP, STUPID, LAME, PREPPY SHEEP AND THIS SCHOOL IS BULLSH*T AND HOW COME YOU'VE ALL GOT YOUR HEADS BURIED IN THE SAND AND CAN'T SEE THAT???  YEAH, GO AHEAD AND PAINT PURPLE AND WHITE FLOWERS ON YOUR FACES. I'LL BE OVER HERE IN REALITY-VILLE.

Yeah, that's how I used to be.  Whatever.  I still say it made me interesting.

So anyway, we've been offered a steaming load of "too bad, so sad," and nobody gives a crap.

I have learned that this is provincial policy for the school board to be able to move a principal around to another school on a whim, even if it's mid-year, and totally disruptive to the school.  I have also learned that principals in this province only stay at schools for five years anyway, and then they're shuffled around.

Oh, I'm sorry, but I was under the impression that this was RETARDED.  What about continuity at our schools?  What about school spirit?  What about the principal being the captain of his/her SHIP?

So, I wrote my letter to the school board and it was IGNORED.  Nicely played, school board.  Great tactic.  Then I was scrambling around after school, feeling out a few of the other parents.  Aren't you upset that Mr. So-and-so is being sent to another school? I asked.

In response I got SHRUGS, and a general attitude of "yeah, this sucks, but what are you gonna do?"

APATHY!  ARGH!  I HATE APATHY!

Even The Man doesn't get all fired up ever about this stuff.  And do you know what I said to him, which is the same thing I will tell EVERYONE:

NEVER BECOME COMPLACENT.  ALWAYS CHALLENGE THE STATUS-QUO.  

I believe that.

I have exactly 7 days to do any kind of ralleying/lighting fire under asses.  Is it a total losing battle?  I don't even know how to get my word out.

So, I was flapping my yap to The Man about it again today. I don't know what's the point, I said, if everyone else is apathetic.  Even that one guy parent at the school?  I think he was MOCKING me.  When I mentioned that we should do something, he said; "should we start a protest?"

"YES!" I said, all excited.

 think he was making fun of me though.  Sigh.

Oh yeah, so as I was saying, I was telling The Man that why should I bother, because even HE isn't behind me, har har.  I like to rib him. It's my job.

I said;

"If there were a poster of ME being a CHAMPION, YOU would NOT be behind me in the picture."

Exasperated, he finished making his lunch and quietly escaped back to the safety of his dining room table desk.


Seriously though, see THIS?


I TOTALLY don't see him in there.  Take THAT, HUSBAND.

So what does one do, my friends?  What does one do?

30 comments:

  1. You look totally bad-ass with that warrior paint goin' on! And of course I live for post where your head is placed here and there. Please, don't ever replace that particular image. It kills me every time!
    Okay, I have no idea what you can do in the time given. You never know, it could be all for the best and the new Principal will be totally cool.
    m.

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  2. i TOO, WAS VERY SAD! Shocking really! Teh school board sucks @$$...they listen to no one but them selves (closign ND in NOTL...remember that huge issue!) So, i did what i thought would perhaps maek me feel ab tiny better...I drove my @$$ down to the school where this new principal is coming from (in Grimsby) to introduce myself...which go tme no where, she unadvailable blah blah blah....BUT I said kinda like Arnie "I'll be back" adn I will...teh school is like 2 seconds away from my office. I have asked some my carriers who attend this school....are you sad she is leaving? Did you like her?? i go ta bunch of "meh" answers. I got some, "yes, I am sad, shes cool"
    What can we do Karen? Chain ourselves to the school in protest? Write a letter to the editor? Hmmm....I have spoekn to some other parents, who are sad as well...but wont get off their butts to do anything...we all feel trapped by the school board. They have proven time and time again, they are in charge and they dont care whos feeling they hurt.
    I too, love that Mr B. knows my kids name and knows his favorite hockey team and that he likes lame kids jokes. Sigh...

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  3. forget it.........they move the good ones around so that they can "improve" other schools.....same thing happened at our kids school.....i was really bummed out....nothing you can do. sorry for the apathy.

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  4. Mark, I'm so pleased you appreciate my head cropping, just as I enjoy foregoing housework in favour of cropping my own head.

    Hm. You make a good point. I just don't know what it takes to inspire people to make things change though...

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  5. Steph, my next step is to contact our local paper. I'm friends with one reporter on facebook. Ah, good old facebook.

    I'm still frustrated! I get more frustrated whenever someone shrugs and tells me nothing can be done. I don't get frustrated at the people saying it, just at the sentiment!!!

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  6. I get all fired up over stuff too, and the hubs just ignores my ranting. Then by the time I'm done ranting I'm too tired to do anything constructive.

    Seriously though, it's really HARD to rally people behind you for anything, unless it's about money - THEIR money.

    Maybe the principal wants to leave, what then? See, it's hard if you don't know the behind-the-scenes politics.

    God, I'm freakin' exhausted just writing that.

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  7. Find out what school he is moving to, and drive your kids there. But wait! There's other important factors in a great school: walking distance, teachers, facilities, other parents and students, etc.

    So...if there is enough good stuff to enjoy and develop at the existing school, I say meet the new coming principal ASAP to bring her up to speed on all the great aspects of the school and leadership and look forward to her bringing her own fresh perspective on all these great successes. (i.e., "No pressure, lady!") I think she would get the message in a hurry and you can still be part of a great thing.

    Just my two cents.

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  8. I...am afraid of confrontation. The most I would do is write a strongly worded letter. It's not apathy, it's FEAR.

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  9. karen, i'd love to see some head cropping done with a different face. perhaps you could make a serious face to add and enhance some pictures that you find on the internet.
    and as for the serious portion of this post, i've got nothing. i've never succeeded in convincing anyone to change their mind about anything. i guess i'm very uninfluential. or uninspiring.

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  10. well that's cold comfort, Melissa, but at least it's honest :)

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  11. Flannery, everything you wrote rings true with me. So much ranting IS exhausting! But fun sometimes...

    yeah, I had thought about whether or not HE wanted to leave the school. Bummer.

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  12. It's good advice Matt. What scares me is this...what is the track record of inspiring WOMEN in the school system? Call me cynical, but a lot of those ladies can really suck it. Okay, okay...our principal was no picnic either in elementary school.

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  13. Shalini, you make a good point. If we are shy, any kind of confrontation is nearly unbearable.

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  14. Sherilin, it just so happens I've got a whole new whack of karen faces to crop and paste in the near future. Progress!

    As for real life progress...well, I'm working on it.

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  15. Whatever you do, don't get Mel Gibson involved.

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  16. Fighting for what is right is always a fine thing to do.

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  17. It happened to us, too - a few years ago. Shocker and I don't know the school system, so any advice may suck on that end, but my personal advice: get to know the new lady STAT and befriend her even faster. Why? You're not there all day, the kids are - people stay make kids pay the price if they don't like your parents. ((did I fail to mention, been down that road, too? Not pretty.)) Bring some pastries, or one of your fabulous pies, a big box of Starbucks Coffee for the teacher's lounge and have the kids make a welcome to our school card. The worse thing that comes of that is NOTHING.
    The alternative of being known as that woman who raised holy hell could be ugly. I don't think you can change it, but you can always change you - and sometimes we do it while screaming inside for revenge (normal).
    Good luck!!! I think you can make one sweet yummy pie, K!

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  18. Hmmm, don't know whether you can change the outcome in this particular instance, and of course it will be a good plan to be welcoming to the new head, but I'm with you on feeling frustrated with apathy. At the very least, your concerns should have been replied to by the school board, it's very rude not to respond to a parent!
    I guess a lot of folk just won't be that bothered, and others don't want to be thought of as trouble-making or confontational. I don't think asking questions is confrontational behaviour myself, but then I have a high tolerance level for it!
    If all else fails - go Braveheart and show 'em your bum! xxxxxx

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  19. Good for you, is what I say! Will it make a difference? Who knows...but at least you care. That's what is wrong with everyone today, they don't care.

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  20. maybe the principal actually requested a transfer, a good idea before you fight for him to stay.if it is you who makes him stay against his will you and your kids will be on his hitlist!;)

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  21. No changes to head-cropping, changes to head-cropping. No Mel Gibson, Mel Gibson maneouvers. So much contradictory advice!

    At least everyone agrees with snuggling up with the new principal under a bear-skin comforter, with romantic music. Unless she is a follower of your blog. Then you're screwwwwed.

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  22. but dbs, maybe he could go all BRAVEHEART on their asses.

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  23. thank you Laoch. I actually appreciate that very much.

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  24. Christina, that is excellent advice, but I can't see it happening. I'm feeling far too crusty to be optimistic yet. I will wait and see, and in the meantime, lay low.

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  25. Curtise, I forgot about the bare bum part. Excellent strategy! I'm still ticked at the school board. How DARE they ignore me!

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  26. I thought about that Paula, but I don't think that's the case. But yeah, I thought about that, and then I opened my yap anyway.

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  27. Ha ha ha Matt! You're hilarious...ah well, it wouldn't be the first time I lipped off and offended a reader :) Luckily I don't do THAT too often. Sigh. Me and my big mouth.

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  28. That's why I don't blog: 'Think private thoughts!' That, and because I'm lazy.

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  29. private thoughts! Those would NEVER get me any friends :) :) :) :) :) :/

    Anyhoo, is it lazier to sit here cropping and pasting heads all day Matt, or getting ALL the laundry washed. Yes, I think we are in agreement then.

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