Cairo Association of Teachers - Newsletter



CAT Tracks for October 14, 2008
SAD...

In "Birds of a Feather", I indicated what can happen when a person stirs up hate by using unfounded, untrue charges to push some agenda.

Cries of Muslim, terrorist, "kill him" from a crowd directed toward the first serious African American candidate for President of the United States.

For this very reason, I expressed my dismay and disgust that Cairo Superintendent of Schools Dr. Leotis D. Swopes would use racial terms during his presentation to the Meridian Board of Education on the night of October 2, 2008...apparently in an effort to get rid of Cairo High School to balance the District's budget.

Since Superintendent Swopes concluded his racially tinged remarks by drawing attention to the four members of the Cairo Board of Education present at the meeting...saying that they were there "in support", it is legitimate to ask just WHAT it was they supported...

After the Meridian Superintendent quickly gave an official written response OPPOSING the presentation by Cairo Superintendent Swopes, it was hoped that the Cairo Board of Education would do the same.

Although CAT has had its differences in the past with the Cairo Board of Education, the members of CAT (including myself) would hope that the members of the Cairo Board of Education do NOT consider us racists! Therefore, the members of CAT hoped that the Cairo Board of Education would go on record denying their support of the racially-charged remarks made "on their behalf". Unfortunately, that has not yet happened...

And, speaking of becoming a target when the pot of hatred gets stirred...

Somebody in the "audience" stood up this morning and yelled out ugliness about me!

The following was placed anonymously at some residences (doors and car windshields) in Cairo this morning...



Well, at least we know folks out there are reading CAT Tracks...

I'm NOT going to mount much of a defense here...to do so would be to give such attacks too much credit.

  • The first "circled" section (below the headline)...about "retiring at full pay and benefits"?

    The context for that statement was that I gave up trying to "save the high school"...gave up trying to force the administration to maintain the high academic and behavior standards that the teachers (black and white) wanted...standards that would BENEFIT the students (black and white). When the Cairo Board of Education removed my wife from CHS for trying to "run the place" in the vacuum created by a series of incompetent administrators, it was a clear message that the BOE was determined to destroy "our school". As they say..."You have to learn to pick your battles." My priorities shifted to supporting my wife in her health and employment struggles.

    I might also note the closing to that first section "I tried (with limited success) not to care." When you truly believe in high standards, it LITERALLY HURTS to watch what you have treasured be destroyed, often in the name of "caring for kids". There is enough uncontested literature out there that warns adults against the dire consequences of trying "to be friends" with the students instead of being their teachers and role models...setting the necessary parameters for them to grow.

  • And, actually, THAT observation leads directly to the final "circled" section..."The daily bedlam that is Cairo Jr/Sr High School..the circus atmosphere."

    Am I going to deny that statement? To do so would be to throw away any credibility that I have established over the years...BECAUSE THAT "ATMOSPHERE" IS WHAT MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION, SUPERINTENDENTS, PRINCIPALS, TEACHERS, PARENTS, AND VISITORS HAVE BEEN SAYING...FOR YEARS!

    However, the implication...that somehow THAT observation has anything to do with "Black Children" is TOTALLY FALSE! AGAIN...repeating the first bullet...the "adults" created this mess, NOT the kids! Unfortunately, the children - black and white - suffer the consequences.

Any lack of learning...any lack of discipline at Cairo Jr/Sr High School is NOT A RACIAL THING!

THAT is why I have vociferously objected to the remarks made at the October 2nd meeting by Cairo Superintendent of Schools Leotis Swopes. Rather than being constructive, his remarks were counter-productive...DIVISIVE AND DESTRUCTIVE! In light of Cairo's racial history (which he may or may not know), the remarks made by Superintendent Swopes were IRRESPONSIBLE.

In a related aside...

Since my attacker has cited a previous edition of CAT Tracks, please permit me to reference another edition, ironically entitled The Gospel According to Ron. (Probably should have gone back and changed the title on that one. My attacker will be charging me next with blasphemy...that I claim to be a prophet...or God. Although, I was told to "adjust my halo" once by a school board member when I spoke in defense of a defamed teacher, I do NOT claim heavenly connections!)

One of the very true statements that school personnel make from time to time is "The kids know!" You simply can NOT "fake it" with kids...they KNOW how you feel.

DISCLAIMER: Don't get me wrong, many kids will "lie" if it is to their advantage. Kids will even "play the race card" (knowing it is NOT true) if they think it will get them something...or out of something! I mean, adults (especially politicians!) don't just develop that ability overnight.

However, put kids in a non-threatened environment with nothing to gain for "stretching the truth"...and they will tell you EVERYTHING!

IF Cairo Jr/Sr High School were staffed by a bunch of racist teachers, you (and the city, the state, and the entire country) would know! There would be NO KEEPING IT QUIET. That Cairo Jr/Sr High School teachers do NOT care about their students (black and white) is simply NOT TRUE!!!

My point in citing "The Gospel According to Ron"...

Those of you who have access to the CHS Alumni Web site...READ the comments by former students on the "Favorite Teacher" page. You have white students identifying black teachers as their favorites. More "on target" (for the purposes of this discussion), you have black students identifying white teachers as their favorites. Many of these same white teachers STILL teach at Cairo Jr/Sr High School. It is THESE teachers whom current Cairo Superintendent of Schools Leotis Swopes says can NOT teach black kids. It is THESE teachers whom Superintendent Leotis Swopes says are committing "acts of violence" against black kids by not teaching them. Yet...it is THESE teachers whom our former students cite as THEIR FAVORITES!!!

Our kids...and our former "kids"...are NOT dumb...they are NOT naive! They spend/spent days, week, months, in some case, years in day-to-day contact with the teachers at Cairo High School or Cairo Junior High School. They came to know the hearts and minds of their teachers. They (especially with the retrospection of maturity) come to appreciate the efforts of their teachers - BLACK AND WHITE - to nurture them and prepare them for the world beyond Cairo.


Returning to my opening remarks...

BY HIS WORDS, Cairo Superintendent of Schools Leotis Swopes cast the Cairo Board of Education as "supporters". Superintendent Leotis Swopes painted himself AND the Board of Education members present into a corner. THAT is why it is incumbent upon the Cairo Board of Education to take a stand. The Cairo Board of Education MUST RESPOND!

We are waiting...


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