Rejected!

Time for me to get pseudo-serious for a moment…again. I have a great story for tomorrow's post about my kids...and being home alone with them while my wife is out of town on business...yep, just me and two 3-year old twins...trust me, you don't want to miss tomorrow's entry.

Or today's for that matter...

Well, I didn’t get the school board seat. Eleven people applied for it and they called four out of the eleven in for interviews (I was one of the 4)

It was given to someone else.

Everyone is telling me not to be upset or distressed about not getting selected, saying: “At least you applied for it.” “You got called in for an interview, 7 applicants didn’t.” “Your name is out there now.”

Well, I am upset.

I am distressed.

I am also very, very curious.

What made this other person a better choice than me, or the other 2 that were interviewed for that matter?

The local newspaper, in an article about the selection, printed that a member of the board remarked that “community involvement set (the) appointee apart.”

Huh?

Maybe I’m being naïve…or dim…or just plain bitter that I didn’t get the position, but I fail to see what ‘community involvement’ has to do with being the most qualified to sit on a Board of Education. Am I missing something here? Have the parameters of what a school board does changed?

I thought the purpose of a school board was to clarify the districts purpose, employ a superintendent, delegate authority, monitor performance, and take responsibility for its own actions (wow, that’s a unique concept)

I understand that it is important for the board to connect with the community, but to make it the pivotal reason as to rank potential school board members. I would think that being a team player and believing in the district would be more important and more of a necessity than community involvement, but maybe I am wrong.

Don’t get me wrong, I do things for the community. I participate in the Polar Plunge (that’s when you jump into a frozen lake in the middle of winter to raise money for Special Olympics), Ronald McDonald House, United Way, take part in events with the Chamber of Commerce group I am a member of, but something she does was more impressive, or touched (and I could get into some trouble with this statement) a particular demographic that the board was looking for.

The board president went on to say, “Her ability to work with a team, and her belief in the strengths of the district made her stand out.”

I work well with a team; I pointed that out in the interview – citing examples of exemplary work and conduct and success.

I also believe in the strengths of the district. In fact, I strongly believe in the district’s strengths, and I told them that in no uncertain terms.

But I goofed, I think, when one of the board members asked me what the weaknesses of the district were, and I told them.

I know, I know. Silly me, I told the truth and stood by my convictions…I apologize, I guess I got confused and thought they wanted the truth…not a cleverly conceived lie.

(Sometimes I may be less observant than others, but I make up for it with cunning and guile, and what I lack in memory I more than make up for with exceptional powers of deductive reasoning – and yes, that does come with a cape)

The woman who was selected stated that the high rate of poverty among school children in the schools is the primary concern that the district needs to address, saying: “Most folks don't realize when they deal with schools with a high rate of poverty; there are issues that go into the classroom. The school district has to become a part of those issues, even if they're not an issue of the school district...”

How that falls under the jurisdiction of a local school board is beyond me. Haven’t we been hearing that since George “Puppet-in-Chief” Bush (thanks again Scott) stol— (sorry, I have to stop doing that), “won” the election in 2000? That the era of big government is over. When a school board member decides that they need to get knee-deep into the high rate of poverty, aren’t we crossing a line???

Am I right? Or am I just being bitter again about losing? Eh, maybe a little of both.

The woman chosen went on to state in the paper that she is undecided about whether she will run for election when the seat expires in ‘07, as she doesn't consider herself a politician.

Whatever…

I mean, she sure answered the questions from the paper with a politico-like response, with answers like:

“It (the district) needs support, and it needs people who care.”

“It (the board) doesn't need people in there with an agenda.”

“The foundation of a great community is a great school district…” (That one gave me pause as I said almost the exact same thing in my interview, except substituting ‘strong’ for ‘great’ school district)

I can hear any politician in DC or any state capital saying that as well.

I am certain she will be running for the seat in 2007…

…and so will I.