Yesterday at the faculty meeting our principal, Chris, introduced the subject in the following way. "Maybe I shouldn't be bringing this up, but I noticed that a significant number of teachers are out on Thursday and Friday. And coming before the long ski week I can't help thinking that there are some people taking advantage of the situation. So if you have to go back and visit your sick Uncle John, I can understand that. And I know that you are not obligated to do this, but I would appreciate a heads up."
I am taking Thursday off to go to the Apple Show in San Francisco. Somehow in my head I started making justifications. I also felt angry at him that he was making such a request. When I got back to my room I fired off a quick email: Something like "For the record: I bought tickets for a show in the city back in October with no idea when ski week was. Also I intend to join my cousin from back East, his girlfriend and my son on Friday February 26 for a wine tasting."
I talked to Donna about his comment and about my email reaction. She says administrators are always trying to but in where they don't belong. "You work hard and they should respect that. They have a system of substitutes to take over when you are not there." She is right. Now I regret even writing this email. Yet I thought by sending it to him I might embarrass him a little by the detail of my answer. But in honesty I think that there is a little of "cover my ass". It is "cover my ass" when I do not need to cover my ass. I retire in June.
These negotiated days were hard fought by our union to get administration's nose out of our business. I know that he likes having a good relationship with the teachers, but his kind of comment destroy the trust and relationship. It is kind of a administrative knee-jerk reaction. As a principal, Chris gains from the sheer ineptitude of our last principal, but he will erode good will from making comments like this. It is less than professional.
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