Jail, Former Students, And I Got P*ssed Off

 I am always disturbed when a former student winds up going to jail. Or pleads to a crime that I never dreamed of them committing. 

When you walked across the stage, and received your diploma at Buna or Dayton, or wherever, I had high hopes for you. 

All the faculty hoped for you to become a productive member of society.  

I had people all upset or misunderstood that I should have somehow there should be a level of legal forgiveness for a former student involved with Evadale LL.

What?

I think they need to do life without parole. And if they do the 35-40 years in Federal Prison, plus whatever they get in state, well, they're not going to get out. 

I know many of you have remarked due to the nature of the crime, he will be a pariah, that he will not " last long in prison" as one put it. 

I hope he does the next 30 years in prison, a pariah to the other inmate, the guards, having to look behind his back for the next 30 years. 

I don't know, maybe I expect too much from some of you. 

Maybe I need to go back and delete a few more people?

"Yes, I've Had an Affair"

That is how more than one of the private messages I received over the last few days began their letter to me. 

I was somewhat surprised ( I shouldn't have been) at the number of people who wrote me to tell me they had had an affair on the boyfriend/girlfriend or their husband/wife. And that the cheating partner often had a history of affairs. Each time the partner forgave them, until, often, that was " enough" and they left the cheater. 

A couple of times the spouse/partner did not find out until they were diagnosed with a STD.

I even had a lesbian couple break-up when one of the ladies confessed to the other one that she might be pregnant. ( She wasn't but it was a scare.)

I was told about people having alleged dalliances at their school, and was told the names.....The administration knew about the supposed affairs, a couple of people even had stories concerning parents have trysts with faculty. ( Nothing new, I've seen that at other schools)

It was like a couple of people who wrote me confessed like they were seeking absolution.  

Et ego te absolvo a peccatis tuis
in nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti.

I don't know, reading the messages upset me. I didn't expect it from some people. 

Sometimes temptation is too much for people.  

It makes me wonder. 

As many of you know, my first teaching job was in adult education in Beaumont ISD.

I taught bought GED courses and U.S. Citizenship. 

Most of my students were 25-45, 80% female, recent divorced, trying to get a little better education because they needed a job. 

For a 23 year old guy, well, I had to watch myself. 

I was not the old, fat, bald, surly Mr. Thomas you got at Buna High. 

For many of these women it was " open season."

MILFs, Cougars are real. Nothing is more scary that a 35-40 year old woman, hot to trot, and assumed their 23 year old teachers would be " ready to go."( Not all were cougars, many just want to get a GED and go on with their lives.)

Many of these women after their divorce " Saw more dicks than the urinal at Buccees."

Some of the ones wore clothes that would have gotten you sent home at most high schools in America. 

I literally had to watch myself. I was newly married and trust me, I did not want to mess up. I knew the good thing I had at home.

One of the scariest was a 29 year old US Citizenship student, looked 18, from Switzerland, who decided " She was in love with me." It was so bad, one Friday she left a motel key on my desk with the room number on a note, and what time she would be there. 

Needless to say, I went home that Friday as soon as I could. 

Don't be telling me about temptation. You can avoid it.

 

Been Caught Cheating

 As many of you know and I often make known on here. I am still an ordained minister, and often, I am called upon to officiate at weddings. 

I was approached by a family I know to marry a couple this Fall. 

A younger couple, they both called me earlier in the Spring to ask me and talk to me about what they wanted at the wedding.

It's planned to be quite an event. Large venue, large catering, they have already put down a large amount of money, at least the families have, both of them.

Was told by the parents that, " They were the perfect couple", they've been together for so long and this is going to be the marriage of as one of the parents told me, " Perfection."

He had a job which required him to travel quite a bit and he was often on Oklahoma and in Colorado for extended periods. 

This past week, the boy called me on the phone and asked for advice. A member of the family had suggested he call me.....And it involved a situation, while I've taken pastoral counseling, it's a good bit out of my expertise. 

It seem the bride to be had a sit down confession with the groom to be. 

While he was gone on business, she carried on several affairs....Including sleeping with 3 boys at one time.

He was crestfallen. 

He of course wanted to call the whole thing off......But, family with an economic interest in the wedding, wanted him to forgive the girl, who went into crying hysterics when she told him, and the family said, " See how it goes between now and the time of the wedding in the Fall."

They thought I would agree and would go with " forgiveness."  

I did not. 

I literally told him to " Get the hell out of here." I told him, leave he girl, see if you can get the engagement ring back and to avoid the family( both), move. See if your job will let you transfer.( Apparently there is a possibility there.)

I am pretty sure he is going to " get gone" to avoid all the family. I may catch hell for my advice, but I do not care.  

BTW- These are people I doubt you know. Not from " here."

Years ago, I was dating a young lady and went through a situation that almost ruined me on females. 6 months before dating this young lady, my long time girlfriend and I had broken up, mainly so she could go and date another guy. That break up was a literal blessing. 

The young lady I was dating and I, well, she implied we were " exclusive." I've never dated anyone or wanted to date someone who was seeing other guys. You want to do that, well, you can do it without me. 

I've dated girls in which it amounted to 1-2-3-4-5 dates and basically let the girl know, it was fun, but I don't we " got it." And generally the girl agreed. 

The young lady I was seeing the time, well, it was turning into a long term situation with another boy. We however, were dating months.

I was to the point I was starting to have feelings for the girl. 

It was around that time I discovered she had a long time boyfriend who lived in Houston. He worked weekend evenings, thus she and I going on on the weekends. ( He came over during the weekdays to see her.)

Here's the strange part. 

The boyfriend knew about me......And was okay with it. As a matter of fact he came in and asked her " What we had done." Including " Had we slept together yet?" " And when you do, be sure and do this for him." ( I did not find out about the questions he asked about me  until later. And was revolted.)

We never slept together. As I have told you, I have slept with one person. I have an old school beliefs on that. Don't judge me on this, I wouldn't judge you. And I married someone who waited. It was important to BOTH of us.....But I do not expect you to. This is my personal mores. Again, no judgement here, if I was in my 20s today, I may look at my sexual mores differently.

But back to the young lady with the Houston beau. 

I broke up with her as quick as I could. Did so in person. Told her I should not be dating another boy's girl and I am ashamed I had, and would have never gone out with her if I had known. 

She cried. Asked me " Not to go." 

I literally was done with girls. 

I did not ask a girl out for 2 1/2 years. I went to school. I got two sometimes three jobs. 

Then my senior year, a little freshman girl  appeared. I thought she was too young however....

Literally, that little freshman girl pursued me. I did not have a chance. Apparently I impressed her and she set her sites. I didn't have a dog's chance.....

Best thing ever happened to me. 

So, my name is probably mud with the groom's family. That said, I think I did the right thing. I hope he move someplace and starts over. I hope he find " the one" there. 

 

 

Buna Folks....And Others....

 In the past few weeks, including yesterday, a number of people have joined " The Govteach Part Deaux" Group, other people have friended me on my Facebook site.....

Let me remind the new folks, especially those of you who do not know me, I " Jump the rails" from time to time. 

Yes, I write on Buna Schools, yes I write on South Jasper County politics, but often I write on whatever strikes my fancy. The other day I wrote on Blue Bell ice cream. And I am due one on economics.

Be warned. I may swear. I may go after organized religion.( And I'm ordained still in a denomination with ties to Scottish Presbyterianism....And yes, I went to school at a Southern Baptist seminary) I may go after politicians. I may talk about my undying support of the Second Amendment, but and more, I am writing on the topic, that well, just keeps on giving, The Buna Independent School District. 

Just letting you folks know. At some point, I am going to upset you. 

An Open Letter to Buna ISD Employees

 I don't know what to title this blog, I've changed it( The title) 4 times already. 

Let remind everyone working at Buna schools. What you are doing is a job. Just a job. 

Yes, it is despite what people will tell you, a pretty important job. You're are tasked with the care and education of the community's children. 

Sadly, this job is often political. 

Very political. 

Independent School Districts( ISDs) in the state of Texas are government entities. They receive tax dollars. Both state and federal monies. Most of your property taxes go to fund the local schools. 

The politics of schools is bad, it always has been. When I was in the Magnolia ISD ( Northwest of Houston) they had a political situation develop in which every administrator, and 40% of the faculty and staff left. The next year, an additional 30% left, including me. The school district, has never really recovered. The district has grown, but not like other areas that encompass portions of The Woodlands. 

Be wary. Watch your back. Things can go south in a heartbeat. 

If it comes down to you versus an administrator, the boss will throw you under the bus in a heartbeat. I've seen it happen more than once. 

Sometimes the district decides it no longer needs you, for whatever reason....I've seen that too. 

There are members of the community who would love for some of you to just " Go away." Hell, even get fired.  ( For several reasons)

It's a job. Just a job. Yes, you like the kids, the work,( People in the community don't understand how hard the job really is, heck it was hard every day being the persona of " Mr. Thomas.") we all did, but you still get a paycheck....Again, it's a job, a damn job. 

I led prayers this morning for Buna faculty and staff. I got a bad feeling it's going to get worse before it gets better.

What You Gonna DO????

 So, I keep finding on YouTube, on news sites, teachers that for religious reasons not wanting to teach kids who are gay, or trans, or whatever....

I don't know, is this something new? Have I missed something? 

I've always had kids in my classes who were gay, and heck, even at Buna, I've had people that I knew were going to identify, as the other sex....and they did...

Never once did I ever think about not teaching them. 

Not once. 

I was going to treat them just like I would any other kid. Heck, I've recruited gay kids to be on my UIL teams. Heck, I wanted to win and didn't give a damn who you were, or are, sounds mercenary, well, in Current Events, I was...

I understand it is "different" in this area....Over Here as we might say, but there are LGBT here too.....

I don't maybe it is because I taught in the Houston area for 10 years, and we had every flavor of person there was, every religion there was....

I don't know, somehow there are people who think teachers are somehow turning kids gay, yet their own high school age children are involved in Bacchanalian style Roman Orgy on many weekends. And somehow, they're okay with it. I guess as long as the kid can make it to church on Sunday. 

There's a lot of stuff that makes me uncomfortable, but you know, as long as it doesn't mess with me, I don't really care. I got bigger personal worries. 

Whatcha gonna do?

 

 

Getting Your A$$ Whipped...Coming Soon to Buna ISD?

 This past Sunday, the "Daily Diary of the American Dream" as they once called themselves, the Wall Street Journal(WSJ) had a front page article as how dangerous schools are now for teachers. 

In the WSJ, they had a story about a teacher getting beat up by a gang of kids, just because they could. And they know the punishment is, well nothing for the students. 

I don't know, it was fairly violent in the schools I taught in, in the Houston area before I came to Buna. I saw a stabbing. I sought medical aide after breaking up a fight in which I hit the floor in the process. 

Now, when I first went to Buna there it was different than the Houston schools, but you know, the bad stuff that was in Houston, eventually made its way to Jasper County, and Buna. 

I no longer am in the business. I thank Jesus every day I am retired. Oh, I keep up with Texas schools, and specifically local schools, especially, the Buna ISD, and I probably always will. 

I am concerned. Who are we going to get to teach school? I mean seriously. How many people are actually training to become teachers in college? How many people in the classroom now are looking at some way to get out? 

When I ask this, I am serious, who in their right mind go into it anymore?

What are schools going to look like in 5-10-20 years?

No Buna...Just No.....

 I made the mistake of posting that the government/economics job was open again at Buna High School...And as I said, this will be number 5-6 person to hold that job since I retired. 

I don't want it. 

Don't even suggest I come back. 

Yes, there is now a coaching position " with" the job, but there was one with it when I was hired in 1994. I never coached a down, half, or inning of any sport.  So, that can be changed. 

I seriously doubt I could do it. 

Kids have changed.

Parents have changed.

Hell, education has changed. 

I don't want to do it.....And a couple of people said I should apply in private messages. 

To hell with that.

I will be 66 years old in August. I am old. I don't want to deal with kids. 

Besides, I am seriously looking at two major surgeries in 23-24. Then, I'd like to travel to either Florida or Orange Beach, AL and recover for a couple of week.  Hell, I don't know, I may go to Canada in the Spring of 24. 

Teach school? No, I'm done.