Posted on 01/23/2008 6:51:55 AM PST by wintertime
Snow days, kids and school officials have always been a delicate mix.
But a phone call to a Fairfax County public school administrator's home last week about a snow day -- or lack of one -- has taken on a life of its own.
(snip)
It started with Thursday's snowfall, estimated at about three inches near Lake Braddock Secondary School in Burke. On his lunch break, Lake Braddock senior Devraj "Dave" S. Kori, 17, used a listed home phone number to call Dean Tistadt, chief operating officer for the county system, to ask why he had not closed the schools. Kori left his name and phone number and got a message later in the day from Tistadt's wife.
"How dare you call us at home! If you have a problem with going to school, you do not call somebody's house and complain about it," Candy Tistadt's minute-long message began. At one point, she uttered the phrase "snotty-nosed little brats," and near the end, she said, "Get over it, kid, and go to school!"
Not so long ago, that might have been the end of it -- a few choice words by an agitated administrator (or spouse). But with the frenetic pace of students' online networking, it's harder for grown-ups to have the last word. Kori's call and Tistadt's response sparked online debate among area students about whether the student's actions constituted harassment and whether the response was warranted.
Kori took Tistadt's message, left on his cellphone, and posted an audio link on a Facebook page he had created after he got home from school called "Let them know what you think about schools not being cancelled." The Web page listed Dean Tistadt's work and home numbers.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
* 630 WMAL Ping *
Of interest to public eduaction ping lists. This matter was covered by WMAL all morning long. Pass it on.
He didn’t record it. It was voicemail.
And overdone on WMAL.
the kid should not be calling the Administrator at home, period.
“Yep. Because they have no other options.”
If you have what it takes to be your own boss, why would you want to work for someone else?
Sheep or shepherd, which do you want to be?
Three inches of snow? You friggin wimp. Last Monday I had to drive 40 miles in a blizzard (already a foot of snow on the ground) to get to work (where another six inches fell) so I could drive home and blow it all out of my driveway.
Everyone teases about a minor snowfall shutting down whole cities in the south. But, since my area gets one good snow every 7 years lately, why not? Stay at home for one day - play in the snow with the kids - make some chili - enjoy.
Here’s another story. Years ago, my wife wife worked in an accounting office with a boss from Chicago. He was the only man in the group, and would fuss and cuss everytime his staff was out on a snow day. My wife would go in late every snowday after the traffic cleared, and hear him bluster on and on about what big pansies the locals were. Then one day, *he* was the last one in, because he had slid his SUV into a ditch. After that, he was much nicer about it, and decided that everyone should use their own judgement on snow days. It seems that Knoxville snow is wetter and slicker than dry powdery Chicago snow. :) (absolutely true, when the slush re-freezes overnight)
Most employers also need to understand simple economics in this case. There’s no economic incentive for a low-wage earner to risk wrecking their car to make it to a $6.50/hour job. They risk incurring a high insurance deductible ($500/$1000) if they wreck, as well as lost future wages when they’re out of a car for days/weeks to get to work.
Fletcher J
When you leave a message on a voicemail you are in effect giving permission to have your voice recorded.
Okay, you obviously don't understand Northern Virginia. Three inches of snow, and most folks forget how to drive, causing accidents everywhere.
If Mrs. Tistadt had handled this appropriately, i.e. by quietly referring the matter to her husband, this kid wouldn't have gotten any fame. He'd have gotten called into the principal's office and or his parents would have gotten a call from Mr. Tistadt. Mrs. Tistadt ensured that the kid got his 15 minutes of fame by starting a pointless pissing match with a rude teenager. Adults ought to behave like adults, and if they don't, they can't reasonably expect teenagers to behave like adults.
And let's keep in mind that this kid is a product of 12+ years in public schools which expel kids for giving a Midol to a friend who has cramps, or for bringing plastic butter knives to school (but do nothing about kids like the Va Tech killer, who went through all his years of school displaying signs of extreme mental illness). Little wonder they feel the urge to assert themselves against the wall of educratic stupidity.
Huh?
One phone call = harassment?
OK then I want to file against all those damn telephone sales people.
Sorry but unless this was an unlisted number then there is no harassment unless he called repeatedly after being asked not to.
It was a listed number.
This kid had better have a unique talent to counterbalance his problem with authority.
Answering Machine are illegal? Due tell.
This thing has been all over the news here in the DC area. As Silvie can attest, the basic facts are NOT in dispute...
Okay, the kid had bad judgment & thinks he’s the center of the galaxy — he’s 17! The lady was out of line by stooping to a 17 y/o level as well.
Most people would say “depends on the pay”. I am my own boss, more or less. But I’m not getting rich at it either. And my health insurance isn’t so hot. I have no pension or company provided 401K plan.
I think most self employed people are self employed because they can’t deal with idiots for supervisors. Not because there’s so much more money to be made going it alone.
Yes, but most public schools seem to try to hammer it out of the kids first.
It is pretty safe to guess there will be (unrecorded, untraced, and unofficial) reprisals, if the wife's attitude toward students is any indication.
yep
Chris Core said that it was on CNN... wonder if Drudge will post it too... someone there must read FR ‘cuz every time something interesting is posted here, they post it there within an hour or two...
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