CAT Tracks for November 1, 2009

CAT Tracks for November 1, 2009

This "missive" woulda, coulda, shoulda been included in yesterday's CSD Halloween Costume Contest except for one small fact...Dude discarded the bandages to "reveal" his inner self.

The "Invisible Man" only wins a costume contest when adorned in gauze, glasses, gloves, and a hat. Remove all that and the normal accoutrements of daily wear and, well...he's not there!

Such was the case with Cairo Superintendent of Schools Leotis D. Swopes this past week...

CAT Tracks previously reported the Superintendent's absence from his taxpayer-provided cottage located at 4203 Sycamore Street (aka the little house on the prairie) on Tuesday and Wednesday nights of this past week...when he opted to bill the financially-strapped school district for two nights of lodging at the Carbondale Hampton Inn.

Well, there appears to be more to the story...

It is rumored that the Superintendent was absent from the District on Monday of last week also. I would venture a guess that the Cairo Superintendent of Schools was meeting with the District's attorneys trying desperately to come up with a strategy for refuting the charges of abuse being brought against the District by James Gibson.

I'm sure that Superintendent Swopes would feel it an onerous burden indeed to have to drive from his Chicago home to lowly Cairo to meet with District attorneys on Monday, go over their strategy and his testimony during the day, spend the night in his lonely, little house on the prairie, and get up bright and early on Tuesday morning and drive to Carbondale for the hearing. I mean, it would be, oh, so much more convenient (albeit more expensive to the District) to drive from Chicago to Carbondale and "take care of business".

Plus, the cottage doesn't serve "free breakfast" like the Hampton Inn. Also, the "nearby restaurants" (for lunch and dinner) are much more varied in Carbondale than Cairo.

Hey, it's a "no-brainer" when you stop to think about it. And, as we well know...money is no object when it comes to creature comforts for "the powers that be".

Outraged?

Can't say that I am...

Been there, seen this too many times to really be appalled anymore. I reserve my feelings of outrage for the inhuman treatment that Cairo School District officials inflict upon their employees.

However...

I will say that my "outrage meter" did register an upward tick when it was reported to me by a flurry of "concerned citizens and employees" that the Cairo Superintendent did not make an appearance in the District on Thursday or Friday either...allegedly missing the entire week!!!

What's up with that???

When the hearing ended on Wednesday evening, James Gibson met briefly in the lobby with his attorney and the IEA UniServ Director, climbed into his car, and drove two hours...home. As previously reported, Superintendent Swopes strolled into the elevator and returned to his room...all in maybe two minutes.

Did Leotis stay in Carbondale on Thursday and Friday...huddled with the District's attorneys, trying to salvage some semblance of a defense after the devastating testimony as to the District's retaliatory actions against an innocent employee?

Did Leotis (after spending Wednesday night at the Hampton Inn) decide that he needed even more "down time"...to rest and recuperate from his 45 minutes of "grueling" testimony on Wednesday morning, returning to the friendly confines of Chicago for a long weekend?

This extendend absence follows on the heels of Superintendent Swopes' "Annual Absence" from the Regional Institute...Where, oh, where has our Big Dog gone?

Speaking of hypocrisy and double standards...

Uh, Ron...where did that come from? You weren't speaking of such!

Well, excuuuuuuuuse YOU. Anytime you speak of Cairo School District Number One and its officials...

Okay, I shall be specific...

Cairo Superintendent of Schools Leotis D. Swopes missed the District's scheduled SIP (school improvement) day this past Wednesday afternoon.

But, but, but...Leotis had an excuse! Leotis was at the hearing in Carbondale. I mean...even as good as he thinks he is, Superintendent Swopes cannot be in two places at one time!

C'mon, Ron, even you have to cut the Superintendent some slack on this one! He was on "official business".

Hell, no!

Leotis will not excuse Association officials from SIP days (or any other days) to "take care of business".

Leotis will not allow employees to use personal days to miss SIP days (even when those days were used for doctor's appointments.)

The final irony...

Yes, Leotis would "excuse" his absence from Wednesday's SIP day...he had to help defend the District against unfair labor practice charges brought by an abused employee and his exclusive representative...CAT.

However, last year and this year, Leotis Swopes - by denying the contractually guaranteed Association Leave and Personal Leave days detailed above - has caused the Association to file yet another ULP and grievance against the District! Yes, Leotis is guaranteeing that the District will have to pay lawyers to defend itself against indefensible actions in an arbitration hearing and a hearing before the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board.

My only (catty) hope...

That the arbitrator or the judge for the IELRB does NOT schedule the hearings on a Cairo School District SIP Day. If they do, Leotis will be there (refreshed from his all-expenses-paid stay in a quality hotel) to testify for the defense. The "aggrieved" - the lowly employee or the CAT representative - will be absent, denied permission to attend by Leotis, himself.

Gotta admit, District officials may have finally hit upon a winning strategy...refuse to allow the victims of your wrongdoing to go to court and testify against you!