" Mr. T, I Hope the State of Texas Takes Over the Buna School"

 I  am getting more and more of these type of messages including a couple and I am paraphrasing here.... What would it take for the Texas Ranger to come in and investigate the Buna Independent School District? And as one message I received put it..." I know it is not what we really want, but in the end, will it save us?" 

I look at both the Houston ISD and the Beaumont ISD and cringe at what is going on there, and go...." Man, do we need that, or somehow an outside auditing source to come in and look at the money/finances instead?"  

I know in Watergate the inside source known as Deep Throat supposedly told Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward to  " Follow the Money."

Of course, when it boils down to it, nearly everything revolves around money. Sad....But true....

_ I know many of you patron and especially parents have "Had Enough" Many of you are starting to file reports with the Texas Education Agency( TEA) concerning actions and possible legal or illegal actions concerning the school district. 

There are people in the community getting stirred up to the point they are doing something about the district, not just complaining, but are going those extra steps. 

I've heard from patrons who are seriously looking at running for the board, and in November, there will be 3 position up for  election.....Now is the time to decide to run. 

- Someone was wondering why I was "griping" about likes on Facebook.  I do not think you know how much it helps readership, especially for my intended audience. The algorithm on Facebook is controlled by the likes, so much and helps me reach viewership. No one 'likes' and the number of hits are down. And I know who likes, loves, etc. the blog. And I SO appreciate it. 

And I know some of you cannot let people know you are reading.  We appreciate your readership. Some someone wrote me this past week and told me that they could not like for fear of what someone " at the church might think of them...."

Don't get me started on the church.....I wrote/am writing a blog on religion in 2026, including Buna and religion.  I am still polishing up, trying not to make too many people mad. Perhaps, I should not even care?  

- I number of you have told me that I need to somehow monetize the blog.  In the past, I had a Pay Pal link on the blog page, but I removed it because people who really should not have been given me a donation, were. I know I give it back to them at Christmas so they could get their kid's gifts, and get a hen, or ham for the holiday. ( I prefer a hen and dressing over turkey.) 

So, if I put a Venmo or Pay Pal wiget on the blog, don't feel like you must donate.  If I get enough to buy Mrs. Thomas and myself a pizza, Fred a bag of 9lives, well, thank you, and if not, thank you for reading. I am certainly not doing this to get paid. I am trying to fight what is more and more looking like a @ Lost Cause.@ 

- I was going to write more information in this blog, but I will save it for a future publication. I don't know where it will lead, and to be honest, I keep receiving information on the future topic, and it is changing what I planned to write. 

- Finally, if there is one thing I need more than anything else, please remember me in your prayers. 

Blog writing is often a hard, pay-less, often thankless labor. 

If I know there are people speaking to the Divine on my behalf, it helps a great deal. I do not think you know how much. I know many of you are not people of faith and if you would just think about me positively from time to time, just knowing you support me, well, it helps, a great deal.  Especially when you are feeling like you are out on that limb alone. 

 
 

 

 

 

I Get Chewed Out " Big Time" By Buna People in the Last Few Days.....

 And there are people reading the title getting so excited they are wetting their pants thinking it is members of the " Clique." (That according to the " Clique" does not exist.) But instead, it is regular blog readers. 

Sometimes I feel like Michael in the " Godfather III" being pulled back in.....BY the way, that is the only decent part of " Godfather III" it's the worst movie of the Godfather Trilogy. 

Again, I get to speak for people who cannot afford to speak openly. And to be honest, there are times I feel like I should not, and this is one of those times. 

The new principal at the high school, while being "sold" as an outsider, actually has ties to the ISD. 

Her father was my principal, my last principal when I was still working, and to be honest, he let me do whatever I wanted to do down in the senior end. It wasn't like I was going to execute an out of control senior, but I really pushed it to the limits until I realized, " Kerry Don, you can retire in 2011, you better not push that envelope too hard and blow it within the grasp of victory" ( retirement)....So, I took my foot off the petal. A little anyway. Those were the old " Glory Days" of what was referred to as the " Cuss Porch." ( There was less cussing going on than most people know. It was a good place to talk with seniors about anything from " Mr. Thomas, am I graduating?" To things as " My sister , (whom I had also taught, ) is dating a sorry, worthless guy, who uses her as a sex toy." He was bringing his friend over to have sex with her...." ( We got her away from the sorry so & so.)

I digress.  

So, we are now hiring his child like they have no ties to the school district......AND.......

Look at the family tree......Look at the board.......How are we doing this? ........Are they really the best choice or is this another " Brother in Law" deal, which the school district is notorious of doing????? 

One of y'all need to say something.  

Even if it is legal, and way I read it, it is not, I have questions there........AND....

It is a bad look. 

Really bad. The elected official should resign. And the patrons of the community should be asking for their resignation....

I am going to talk a little about an event that happened to me right before the school district which I retired from hired me low those many years ago. 

I so wanted the Gov/Eco position at the school I graduated from in the 1970s. I interviewed for it in the early 1990s when it came open. my curriculum vitae( CV) looked good. I had taught AP European History, AP US History, AP Macroeconomics, I had the certification, I had double digit years of experience. My first round of interviews went well. I knew I was going to get the job. 

Between my first and second round of interviews, I found out about another candidate.....They had a surname I did not. They were in the " clique."  

My Mom and Dad are/were ( Dad has since passed) wonderful people. They are in an area not associated with the " Clique." The music world, yes, but political, school, they are not. Never mind my mother taught 4th and 5th grade for 39 years. My Dad, was not a politician. He saw them and phonies, and while he is correct in that sense, it doesn't help in the real world. Sad, but true. It is part of the reason my brother had to move 350 miles away to run for office. Again, sad, but true, he had to make a name on his own, without attachments. 

The district of course hired the other person with " The Name." 

Not going to lie, even though I knew it was coming, I was crushed. I cried alone in the dark for about a week.  

It was 3 weeks later the district I retired from called and went through 3 rounds of interviews. I went in dressed up like a member of the House of Lords, pinstriped suits, and in truth, did not give my best interview. I sort of needed a job, but if I don't get hired here, well, there is another school up the road. 

And dadgum if they did not hire me....A job I expected to stay at for a year, at most.....I stayed 20. Until I retired. My late hardcore Presbyterian Grandfather would say, " You were foreordained."  

You may say, " Well, it worked out for you" but in many cases, it doesn't. And leaves many more questions than answers.  

And they might become the best principal the district ever had....But how it occurred, well it has questions....

As one patron of the community, the ISD wrote me...." I think we have we and more importantly, who we voted for has lost control of the district."  

Another wrote " We certainly are paying a lot in property taxes to be the personal job bank for people with ties to the district." 

 

 

 

 

 

Okay Buna ISD Parents, Patrons....It is your Turn to Get " Chewed Out"

 I generally get upset with leadership at most school districts because say what you want, most of those in the upper echelons of any leadership, they are looking to do two things, move to their next job, make more money. Just like in the business world.  

And say what you want, they will often throw people under the bus in their move towards a better job, more money. I'm sorry, but I have seen teachers, other administrators , even kids and parents tossed under that proverbial bus to improve their position in the education field. I was literally shocked when I first started teaching. 

By the time I got to Buna Schools, I had learned to " game the system" often doing so to try and take care of mostly the kids. 

I made Machavellian moves behind the scene most of you never knew about and trying to take care of my seniors, well, I made plenty of enemies, but so many people in the school business especially in the leadership forget why they are in education.  I almost came to blows( Literally) with believe it or not female teachers who started teaching as a secondary field in the life, and probably should never have been in teaching to start with. They just did not understand the job. They shouldn't have been there. And so many people today just do not understand while, yes, it is a job, they didn't understand there is more to it than doing "just enough" to collect a paycheck.

-  Parents, patrons, you are paying a lot to the school district in property taxes. A shocking amount. 

And so many of you just pay and say nothing. You don't question where in the world the money is going, why certain people are hired, why certain things such as building were promised in school bonds you all voted on never materialized. ( Where is that theater, UIL quality that was to be built in what now is a rock parking lot that extends behind the stage at the activity center. Where did the funding wind up going? Look at the stage next time you are at a ballgame. It is all step up for plays, UIL State of Texas sanctioned plays////UIL Band sanctioned Sight Reading and Concert Contests..... Where is the auditorium? ) ( Allegedly coach threw a fit because he wanted a new court to play that season rather than wait for the activity center to be completed. Band, choir, theater kids, and there are more of them than athletes apparently are second class citizens.) 

I am starting to hear more and more parents upset believing that the entire ai scandal is being being scapegoated. That we will never know the truth. That " Buna ISD is just another government entity hiding the truth." 

So, Mr. Thomas, Govteach, Kerry, Kerry Don, where are we going here? 

I can't do this alone. My job is to point out what is happening. Write opinions. 

It is your job to do something about it. 

Raise Cain.  

Go to school board meeting. Question what is going on. Speak at board meetings. And DO NOT TRUST ANSWERS.....Do some research yourself. 

Run for the board. And if you get elected, don't just " Go along, to get along."  If you don't get elected, run again.....Sometimes you need to keep running. 

As Euripides the Greek philosopher once said, " Question Everything, Learn Something."   

"Sometimes you must break some eggs to achieve a specific goal ; and it may get messy. "

 

Writing This Blog for Myself

 For you newbies, I do this on a rare occasion. I write on something most of you have absolutely no interest......Sorry. I can't always write on the same thing. 

Today is election day in the UK. 

Local elections in England. For what they would call councils. 

In Scotland, election for the Scottish Parliament, known as Holyrood.  

And in Wales, an election for the Welsh Parliament.  

The people in the UK are upset with the Prime Minister, Kier Starmer and the House of Commons, which is controlled by the Labour Party which is the party of the left in the UK. 

Since the National Election in 2024 in the UK, people almost immediately became upset with the Labour Government controlling especially the economy and immigration policy. Labour had been put into power because the Conservative Party, known as the Tory Party, had done a bad job on both economics and immigration. And had controlled Parliament for 10+ years. 

In Scotland, there is a movement for Scottish Independence. And there is a party in Scotland that basically is as we talked about in government class, a " One Issue" party. To gain independence from the UK. 

That of course is the Scottish Nationalist Party. Or SNP. 

Odd group and while many members are Center-Left in their political leanings, there are conservatives within the SNP> An example of that was the first movie James Bond himself, Sean Connery, who was a SNP elected member of the Scottish Parliament, and was at one time a Tory.  

If they win today, one of the first things I look for them to call for is an election calling for the independence of Scotland from the UK. This will be the second independence referendum, the first one failed in 2014. 

Trouble is, I do not know, if the economics in Scotland is strong enough for they to keep from going broke....

I visited a political " center" for the SNP when we visited our 3rd time to the UK and picked up some " goodies" while there. If I had been still teaching government, they would have " appeared" in Room 22. 

In Wales, the party of Welsh Nationalism is the Plaid Cymru....Which simply translates to the " Party of Wales." 

They too are seeking Welsh independence.  The national legislature in Wales is called the Senedd. 

 Plaid Cymru  is leading in the polls as I write this blog. 

Not to confuse things and to keep this somewhat simple, there are relatively new parties in the UK that have really increased in popularity over the last couple of years.....If they win, we will write on them later this week, but to avoid too much confusion, we will only discuss the  Plaid Cymru and the SNP today. 

I know I will be listening, watching the British media this evening watching for result.....We'll let you know....  

  

 

Getting Rich in Buna ISD?

 It has been a while since I have received as many links either from emails, texts, private messages, etc. 

And this one was the link to the story on KFDM Channel 6's website concerning the pay of local Supt. of Schools. 

Of course, you work for a government entity, then you are subject to the taxpayer knowing how much you earn in a year.  

And to honest, that is the way it should be. 

So, I got to thinking....Who in government makes less than the Buna ISD Supt. of Schools? This according the US Government and the State of Texas....

Who makes less?

All salaries are per year.  

Your 2 US Senators at a salary of $174,000.....

Your Member of the US House, also at $174,000...

Gov. Greg Abbott $153, 750....But he does get a nice house to live in.....

All 31 members of the Texas Senate- $7200

All 150 members of the Texas House- $7200

But the members of the Texas House and Texas Senate only work 140 days every 2 years.  And they get a per diem every day they are in Austin.....But it is still less than $20,000.....And that is generally only in one year. 

I know a District Attorney in charge of 4 counties, one of which has about double the population of Jasper County, has a large staff he is in charge of, and most of his employees must have law degrees, must be a member of the Texas Bar..... He makes less. 

And he can put you, and has put people on " Death Row." ( "You can't think too much about it, other than remember what horrible crime the person committed to be sent there.")

( By The Way, little known fact, District Attorneys are paid by the State of Texas, not the counties they represent.) 

Now I know MOST Supt. of Schools now have Doctors of Education,  but don't get me started on the number of school administrators places like Lamar University or East Texas State( East Texas A&M now) "churn out like cord wood" now.....Don't get me started on the value of any degree today, and the British are saying the exact same thing about receiving degrees from Oxbridge....( That's Oxford and Cambridge)( I'll get mail on this paragraph....)

And as my friend, Tommy Mayhood always said, "the farther away from kids you get in education, the more money you make. "

The thing is, I wanted to be with the kids. I literally loved being the Gov/Eco teacher at Buna. Even for " 30 pieces of silver" I wouldn't take an administrative job. It is how much I loved being in the classroom. I know this is odd, but I literally looked forward to going to school. ( And people always ask this, " So why did you retire ?" Two reasons, I felt myself not being as good as I once was in the classroom.....And I wanted to travel while my health allowed me.)

I know the Supt. of Schools in Texas can negotiate their pay. And I know it is often a difficult job.......Just something to think about today. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Buna Let Me Remind You......Teachers, Parents....

 ¹ To all things there is an appointed time, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.

² A time to be born, and a time to die: a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted.

³ A time to slay, and a time to heal: a time to break down, and a time to build.

⁴ A time to weep, and a time to laugh: a time to mourn, and a time to dance.( Why did the Baptists hide this from us?)

⁵ A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones: a time to embrace, and a time to be far from embracing.

⁶ A time to seek, and a time to lose: a time to keep, and a time to cast away.

⁷ A time to rent, and a time to sow: a time to keep silence, and a time to speak.

⁸ A time to love, and a time to hate: a time of war, and a time of peace

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 1599 Geneva Bible( The Bible that the Pilgrims carried with them to the New World)

 -  I know I should not have used an entire Biblical passage to start my blog, but this well, it came up first thing this morning. 

- After prayers this morning, I decided to take a look at the positions that are now open at the Buna Independent School District, and while there are several, I look for more to occur between now and the start of the 26/27 school year. They always happen. 

 Let me remind you teacher, yes, you like what you do, yes, you like the kids, but, it is a job. It is how you pay the rent, your mortgage. 

If you are unhappy, don't think the Buna ISD is owed something by you....It is not. You were looking for a job when you found the one you have now. 

Any school district will discard you like an old sock with a hole in it. 

Sometimes, many times, you need to change school districts until you find the right fit....Or perhaps in 2026 you realized the education business is not for you. 

Sometimes you need to get out of a district for your mental health.  

I see an opening right now at the school in which they had a teacher and somehow politics gets involved and the position is now open...I will talk about this, during the summer break. 

I seriously wonder if Mr. Thomas was teaching in 2026 how hard they'd be trying to " get rid of me?" And don't think they wouldn't. There were more people than you know glad to see me gone when I retired.  

-  Parents likewise. You have kids, you have a responsibility to get them some form of education, and if the local school district is not providing it, once again, you need to step-up. 

Sometimes you need to move out of the district. 

Sometimes you may need to teach the kids at home. 

Sometimes you need to give the school district in which you reside absolute hell.  

While there are sometimes bright people in school districts, there are often people running the place who don't have sense "God gave a goose."  And never mind many just do not understand Politics 101. Never mind any of them having read Machiavelli's " The Prince."  ( And that might be a good thing.)

It is basically 3 months before the new school year starts again, if you need to make a move, now is the time to get it in gear and do something. Don't wait.  

 

Again, It Could Be Worse....Bad Kids? S*x?

 And the computer is confused this morning.......playing a combo of Billy Joe Shaver( Got to love "Ragged Old Truck") Crosby, Stills & Nash, and Renaissance composer Claudio Monteverde's music. 

It is May. 

It is perhaps the roughest month to teach school. The kids right now are worthless. They don't wanna do nuthin'.

STAAR Exams are done....( Is anyone wondering if the commotion that occurred during the exams will have sort sort of affect on the scores? You know the school is concerned, especially for the high schoolers taking tests.)  

The kids can see the end. Teachers can see the end. 

And I say this as a former teacher that classroom teacher is tired, there is no tired like the month of May for teachers. 

Senior teachers have been fighting Seniorities for weeks now.  

Teachers, you got less than 3 weeks. You got this.  

( If you are planning on leaving the district, heck, any district, now is the time to be looking. )

- There were several people who were concerned about " sexual reference" I was included within....

Hey, it is the cost of writing blog. Doing so I have made myself a public figure( Even though I unless there is a trip to Houston, Lake Charles, England, Scotland in a trip, I hardly even leave the Compound here in Lemonville.) and I am subject to such. Probably more than you know. I get some humdingers I really should post. I really just go on because if I stopped every time I got insulted over the blog, well, there are not enough hours in the day. 

It is sort of why I have not started a podcast. I wonder what type of " Fresh Hell" that will bring? ( That said, looking at perhaps moving the parts of the blog to Substack....Monetize? Perhaps somethings? Or not?)

It is a concept that our political leaders and school officials especially local ones. do not understand. Lead a political organization , a taxing entity, you are subject to flak. Sorry, you just are, don't get mad, fix whatever you messed up. Don't get mad especially at your patrons paying for the district. They have a right to criticize you. That's what that Amendment 1 is all about. 

That said, thank you for worrying about my well being.  I need all the prayers and moral support I can get. 

- Okay, I had planned to take a few days off before the school situation(s). I am going to try and take off a few days that way, things will get stirred up and I will be writing every day.