CAT Tracks for October 27, 2009

CAT Tracks for October 27, 2009

THE CAT & JAMES GIBSON VERSUS CSD #1

One day down...two to go.

The Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board (IELRB) hearing concerning Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) charges filed by the Cairo Association of Teachers and James Gibson against Cairo School District Number One opened today at 9:30 a.m. in a conference room at the Hampton Inn just outside of Carbondale, IL.

Actually, testimony did not begin until almost noon as attorneys for the two sides engaged in some pre-hearing dialog.

The only person to testify today was James Gibson.

The hearing recessed at approximately 5:30 p.m. and will reconvene at 8:30 a.m. tomorrow. (Wednesday, October 28th)

That's it!

What?

You expected a scoop..."insider information"???

Two things wrong with that reasoning...

It's a closed legal proceeding. I ain't about to violate any confidentialities! Heck, they might send me to jail.

Secondly, couldn't if I wanted to! I wasn't "inside"...I sat in the lobby of the hotel all day, waiting my turn to testify. Guess I'll "sleep on it" and try again tomorrow.

So that you are not completely disappointed, here is what anyone sitting in the lobby of the Hampton Inn could have determined (assuming they had a scorecard of participants)...

Gary Whitledge sighting. The former Cairo Superintendent of Schools (in charge during the 2005-2006 school year that prompted the various charges) made a brief appearance in the lobby. When it quickly became obvious that he would not be called upon to testify today, he was released...most likely to return tomorrow.

Current Cairo Superintendent of Schools Leotis Swopes was in attendance and attended the closed-door hearing.

Representing Cairo School District Number One (as advertised in the October 13th edition of CAT Tracks entitled "Rape, Pillage & Plunder") were attorneys Belinda Becker and Dennis Weedman of the law firm Robbins, Schwartz, Nicholas, Lifton & Taylor, LTD.

Representing the "complainants" (CAT & James Gibson) was Christopher T. Hexter of the law firm Schuchat, Cook & Werner located in St. Louis, Missouri. (The Illinois Education Association often "out-sources" a legal case due to a special subject matter (like the Americans With Disabilities case involving Julie Newell) or due to "circumstances beyond their control", in this case health issues involving a previous attorney.)

Also present for the Association was IEA Region 2 UniServ Director Jim Tammen.

And, that IS it!

Oh, one final observation...
As James Gibson and his wife were gathering their belongings to make their trip home to Poplar Bluff, MO (a trip of approximately 135 miles one way) and I to Cairo (a trip of approximately 60 miles one way)...to be repeated bright and early tomorrow morning, lo and behold, who did we see entering the elevator of the Hampton Inn, garment bag over the shoulder and bag in hand?

I'm not going to name any names for fear of violating some rule of confidentiality. Suffice it to say that the individual resides (Sunday nights through Thursday nights) at 4203 Sycamore Street in Cairo, IL...the little house on the prairie in front of the Cairo Jr/Sr High School.