A Three

Tuesday, May 2, 1995

The astute reader will have already guessed what the title of this entry signifies. The word from the mount (that steaming mountain of shit known as the state department of edu-speak) has come down. We have received a three-year accreditation, the other schools in the district sixes (with three-year reviews). The appeal process--according to Joan in her hastily thrown-together memo (handwritten rather than computer processed)--has already begun.

[oh-and-a-special-NOTE-on-Joan: she must be feeling heat about being the mole, or at least others must have confronted her on it. Aimee had written off a note of concern about some statements Lupe had made yesterday... it seems that Lupe must have an insect of Biblical proportions up her ass over this schedule change thing, and she keeps pounding Aimee for some Leadership Team action to "save the plan." Well, yesterday, Lupe accosted Aimee again in the lounge before school. It descended into ugliness (though for Lupe that’s only a one-floor journey...up). Aimee finished by saving--make that shouting--something to the effect of "If you think you can do a better job, impeach me. I have a husband, I have a baby, I have a life... the job is yours!" Ladies and Germs, you’re now entering the town of Ugliness, California, population... well, how many adults do we have on campus? The Mayor of Ugliness shouted after Aimee, who ran fleeing (though not screaming) from the room, "That’s what they want... they want divisiveness!" Uh, yeah. Right. And they’re getting it...

[Anyway, where was I? Oh, yeah. Joan. Anyway, Aimee sent off a note to Joan, asking for advice as to how to get the raging queen off her back. The response was very interesting. Basically, cool it. Darkest-before-the-dawn stuff. But then she mentioned that she has to deal with this kind of stuff all the time, she who had personally betrayed her school to the district. An interesting statement. So someone’s called her on it. And her response is the laugh-in-the-face non-denial denial.

[And it seems to be working. Aimee seems to buy it. Seems to, at least. Or maybe my paranoia is turning to bitterness. Who knows?]

The running gag is that next time around, no matter how well we do, we’ll only get another three, since any other renewal term will throw off the district lock-step master plan of having all schools running concurrent WASCs.

[oh-and-one-last-NOTE-about-me: I had planned to take a week off from this journal stuff. Reading over the past couple of entries has been even more depressing than chatting with faculty members around this place. I figured that a week off might recharge my batteries, give me something to write about that wouldn’t be so dismal. But with the three, I had to check back into writing mode. And I’m sure there will be some fallout to the WASC accreditation... soooo, I might have to continue to write for now. Or I may just take that break anyway, then play a little catch-up. Only the Shadow knows...

[Nothing like a little suspense, huh?]