Alright Buna ISD...You Better Get With the Program....

 I am seeing more and more people disgusted with the Buna Schools that they( on social media) are talking about moving their kids out of the district to private school....

Most are even discussing the need for a private school in Buna.  Something they don't have to drive 20-25 miles to every day.

I had the opportunity to speak with someone in the community a  short period ago about setting up some sort of school. They were leaning towards some sort of school with religious/Christian ties.  They are very serious and a lot of work is going on behind the scenes. 

They talked about me teaching a couple of the upper level classes when they get to that point. 

I shot them down saying, I am neither physically able, nor inclined to go back and teach, even a couple of classes today.....Plus, my style would not translate to the kids of 2025. 

Hang in there, competition is coming for the Buna ISD.....And Buna Schools, you need to get your act together. 

Well, Now That I'm That Bad Word I Refuse to Say.....And Now 4 People Have Called Me That Term....

 And you know me, I will use questionable language....Even though I know better. 

No, in the last few days not only have the numbers on the blog been huge, I lost my mind and anyone who had "Buna" attached to their Facebook site and sent me a friend request, I confirmed their request. 

Yeah, I know, it'll lead to a "purge" at some point. And the board of directors will demand me clean up the Facebook. 

For those of you who are new.......

I was the government and economics teacher at Buna High School for many, many years. I of course am retired and have been that way for a while.

When I started this blog almost 15 years ago now, I had planned on it being about just about anything else than Buna and South Jasper County. It has of course evolved into that over the years. That said, I may write on anything that strikes my fancy. Politics, Britain, Economics, Theology, History heck, even though it isn't my area of expertise, Sports.... I've become a huge fan of English football ( soccer for you uneducated) in recent years. ( I follow Bournemouth, and Leeds United)

Yes, I catch heat from people who think the Buna ISD, the community does no wrong......I especially like to make fun of the "clique" that Buna people within the clique swear doesn't exist.  ( I'm sorry, it does...) 

Some weeks I write almost every day of the week....Sometimes I don't write for days and days.... 

I went to a divinity school and often have a different view on theology and religion than a lot of people within the church.  

As eluded to above, I often cuss in the blog, and as I said, I was raised better. But, I feel better after I swear. 

To make myself even more hypocritical, I get up every morning to pray at 4am, and  I have a prayer list with many readers on it. 

If you are new and I cannot get people to really understand, please like the blogs on Facebook. So few compared to the readership it is somewhat a fascination why?  I know some cannot for obvious reason.....

Again, thank you for reading the blog.  

 

 

 

 

Buna ISD....On The News........

 

So, last evening KBMT12 had the runaway from school incident on the news. It's on their website this morning. 

Gen Z and Gen Alpha kids are a different group of kids than I or anyone older has taught. 

Raised on the internet, they just are, and the thing is, they are going to get worse, they just are. 

Education, and this is a prediction, is going to change dramatically in the next few years. 

I know to a certain extent it has not reached the East Texas region totally yet. But it will. 

Already the kids are using the 6-7 phrase and to be honest, I do not think most of them even know what it means. 

Apparently it came from a hip-hop artist by the name  Skrilla. Yeah, not a clue either, and don't really care. I've seen some of you wonder on Facebook what it means?

And apparently it means several different things.  

Not to be confused with the term " All sixes and sevens." A British term meaning a state of confusion.  

But I digress. 

Good, bad, whatever, the world is changing. As I have said for years now, I could not teach today, my style, my personality, I could not do it today....

And often, I wonder to myself, " Should Buna ISD be given some grace in the way things are now?"  But the trouble is, they have to change with the world, and I wonder if they are changing for the good, or are trying to keep things so old fashion and sometimes we will be left behind???

But I keep seeing the district making missteps, and say to myself, "What in the Hell are they doing up there?"  

Oh man, this retirement is the best job ever...... 

So, We "Lost" a Kid at Buna Schools

 Fourteen right at 15 years now, when I started the blog, I never predicted it would evolve into an op-ed prose publication most, on events in South Jasper County, particularly , the Buna Independent School District. I originally wanted to write about politics, and a lot of economics and  a lot of British travel, their elections, British History....And while I do on occasion, Buna Schools is our main subject and like I said, a lot of the times this is an opinion publication with information/news. 

I was supposed to call and talk to someone later today about the kid to "walked off campus" at school.  At this point in time I have heard from so many people, about the situation, I don't know if I need to interrupt her day. 

High school teachers often have what is called " Gallows Humor."  

Which is humor in a grim or hopeless situation. 

We often have to be to keep our sanity.  

One of the biggest "jokes" involved was when we would leave with a bus load of kids for a 7AM to 9PM UIL (Generally around 13-15 hours)academic event, especially for regional events which took place at Blinn College, or Tyler Junior College. We always spent the night at a motel/hotel because we would have to check in for the contest around 6:30AM. We would have kids all over the campuses. All day......

The joke was " We left with 50 kids, we only lost 1, that's a pretty good average."  

In reality, we were scared to death of a kid running off, or even worse, getting hurt. I always checked when I was UIL Academic Director where the nearest emergency room was.....You never know....

I know people are all upset about the kid leaving and it seems like a the kid's teacher not knowing for a lengthy period of time.  

I know if it was my child, I would be too. 

The kid was found, supposedly, up on Hwy 62 near the laundromat. 

That's a heck of a walk. 

I am a little upset with the response by the school.  

Then the tardiness of the district's Facebook post about the child.....Come on, I knew about it hours earlier.   

And there are so many stories going around, again, I am not sure what to believe. I had 59 ( literally) people write me. And I do appreciate it, but sometimes, I get bogged down. And please keep sending me information. Don't stop. I appreciate every one. 

That said, a kid left his class, supposedly to use the restroom, and left campus. 

That shouldn't have happened. But it did...

I am a little disappointed in the teacher, whom I taught and actually think is a pretty good person, whose class the kid left. In the end, after all the finger pointing, you'll be the one they'll say, you fecked up, you fecked up bad. ( Sometimes you feck up and not even try, it's just the nature of school business.) You need to prepare yourself mentally for what's to come. It could get really bad. If you survive the year, you may want to look for another teaching position in another district. And trust me, I fecked up bad before. You know me, I can't often help myself, and go places I shouldn't. ( I often jumped from one pile of crap to another, so I understand being in trouble. )

 Let me give all of you a suggestion, don't rely on family for employment. Or even work with family if at all possible especially if family is in leadership. It could turn out very badly. Could make for some interesting Christmas gatherings.   

Anytime the local media gets to " sniffin' around" and asking questions well, it isn't good.( I saw a text from the digital media person at Channel 12 concerning the incident) And about 25 people sent me former KBMT-12 newsman Kevin Steele's post about the situation. ( Thank you to all of you)

( There also seems to be a problem with lack of police, right now supposedly, Buna ISD has one officer for 3 campuses....That's another story./....) 

Buna, the news from the district is poor.  You need to get on the point. I don't know if it is the times, the district is being poorly run, or it is just a run of bad luck???? Admit failures, be honest, when I fecked up, I told the truth, it somehow disarms the accuser who is expecting you to lie and right now, the patrons see you as not being straight forward and you not telling the truth. Be honest. Otherwise you're just another political entity avoiding taxpayer's question. 

  

 

 

Been Throwing Shoes @ Buna Schools....

 You've probably heard by now, but there was a shoe throwing incident at a school in the Buna ISD. 

A shoe thrown at a teacher, or student depending on the story...... and the instructor threw a shoe back back.  

You probably received a message saying no child at school was harmed....But did they say anything about any adult be harmed, or not?  

One of you throws a shoe at me, or in my class, I was throwing a shoe back.... I didn't care.......

In the heat of battle, there is some confusion.  

Anyway, I was told the teacher was relieved of duty.....

Another of the hundreds of reasons I do not recommend people teach....Or reason I am so glad to be retired.. 

I'm working another another blog and teachers being concerned about the safety of the school.  

Buna, What Exactly Do These People Do???????

 When I retired, and it doesn't seem that long ago, there were just two administrators at the schools, and one Supt. of Schools and they had just hired a Business Manager. 

Heck I remember there was a while at the high school there was no administrators actually at the high school and the faculty/staff sort of rallied together and ran the place. 

I remember I was exceptionally hard on the seniors and told them not to " Screw up" during this time period. 

There are so many people working at the school now that, well, I could not tell you what they actually did.....

Buna now has 1 adult hired for every 5 kids.  

They got folks I have not a clue what they do. My understanding,  some are there to help teachers teach......

Instructional Coach.......WTF is that even, and I bet I have forgotten more about teaching than they even THINK they know.  

And Buna ISD has 2 per campus.  Sounds like a WPA, CCC government make work job from the Great Depression. 

Someone, a longtime resident of the community asked the question...." How many of the jobs are make work jobs for a friend of the friend in the community." 

I wonder, and that time is coming, there is going to be lay-offs all over Texas in education....Will administrators be first? Or will teachers?  Demographics, the way education is changing. 

This may sound strange, but I blame Lamar.  

Lamar now has more people working on Master's degrees than people working on Bachelor's. 

And most of those Master's are people working on Education Administrator degrees. All online, on the cheap. ( Well, cheap compared to other schools)

My child, when he was still band director up at Pineland got one of those degrees. He got it just to get a Master's. He did not want to be a school asst principal or principal so, his specialty in leadership was in ESL Leadership, and his language expertise was one that at the time, no one had from Lamar.......

Korean. 

Live in South Korea for a while and you pick stuff up.  

Yeah, like there are thousands of Korean speakers here in SE Texas. Not even that many in Houston.

He got into the program, realized he did not want to compete for a or even be an ESL administrator, and decided he'd spent so much, he needed to go ahead and complete the degree.  And he said it wasn't that hard....

You may say, well, even if they get a MEd, they get more pay....Trouble is the pay at most schools for a MEd is so low staying the the classroom, it takes 10-15 years to pay it off.  Ans how does another administrator cert actually help you learn how to teach? Know what to

Anyway, unless something dramatic happens, going to let the info on Buna ISD cool down. Just a sign of the times. 

Call me prudent, call me scared, call me chicken. Sometimes, well, you need to step away for a little. People are just not right at this point in history, and it's both sides.....

Is the Buna ISD About Bankrupt?

 Buna ISD has always been a poor school district, it does not matter the number of new Waffle Houses being built on Hwy 96 in town.

All you have to do is look at the your property taxes. I was somewhat stunned when I learned how much the patrons of the district were paying for the school district.  

And I wonder seriously about the future of the district. 

There are things coming and you won't understand until it hits you in the side of the head.  

Yesterday I heard of at least maintenance person the district can't pay what seems to be the prevailing wage. 

Allegedly, the person in the question was asked to punch out for at least 2 hours at lunch.....Non-paid lunch.....Before they punch in for another half of their work shift.  

You can rest assure they are looking at leaving the district and looking at another position, either with another school district or in private industry. If they are leaving, how many are people are looking.....

Do not forget how many people are needed to make a school district work. HVAC techs., diesel mechanics, electricians, plumbers, guys that just do labor around the campuses. There is constantly something broken. And your kids often tear stuff up. 

Then there is the janitorial staff keeping the place from looking like " Yucca Flats After the War." You know what a hallway looks like, normal wear and tear, sand, dirt from kids just come inside? And what classes look like after there are 30 kid in them all day long. That's every school in America.   

And the ladies feeding 1000s of kids, breakfast and a noon meal. And look at health inspection, the schools always make a 100. This is with feed a hundreds of kids a school, every day.  The health scores are always higher than the greasy spoon you eat at in Beaumont every day for your lunch. And you wonder why those of you working in Beaumont get diarrhea a couple times a month?

These ladies are not making a king's ransom.....And they have a hard job, and often the hottest place on campus is the cafeteria. Big stoves, big ovens....

And I am not even going to discuss bus drivers, the district can't find those... God bless them.....

As I was told last night by someone, and they were correct, they treat those people, maintenance, custodian, cafeteria, drivers like " Trash." And I don't think the average person knows how much these folks in districts around the state pay these people. 

Already the district law enforcement is saying....The leadership doesn't understand the first thing about law enforcement, and they are leaving.   They are telling to do things that are counter initiative to everything they have been taught and have learned in being a police officer. They were afraid they would not be where they need to be, when they are needed. 

And generally, most cops want to do right.  

And already I am hearing from teachers. 

Done. 

They are just done. 

And I have spoken to more than one that are looking to leave at Christmas break. They're say, yeah, I'll lose my certificate for a year, but living like this, well, I can't keep going on.   

Many others are already waiting until May to turn in their resignation.

Most are saying they are being micromanaged to the point they are not really teaching. They are just going through the motions.

And word is out in the area. Look at the number of people who do not have certificates teaching in the Buna ISD.   

There are "Old Hands" in the school district that are  stuck. For whatever reason, they have to stay, and many of them would love to leave.  Many times they are just hanging on until they get their pension from TRS and it is getting harder and harder to get one. 

A lot if not all is micromanagement. 

And then, while pay has increased, it is not enough to attract qualified personnel to the town.  

I had one of those in the Houston area, and I left years ago, eventually the school district ran him off. 

Look, most teachers, especially at the middle school-high school level know what they are doing. ( Like my Mother who taught 4th and 5th grade for right at 40 years didn't know exactly what she was doing...And so many administrators have less than 3-7 years in the classroom.)

Let them teach. That is why they took the job. They have degrees, they are professionals. 

Could you imagine Mr. Thomas trying to implement some administrator's idea, fantasy of what they think government/economics should look like, especially one who never taught a day in gov/eco in their life. 

I'd just shake my head, agree, and teach however I planned to do so originally. 

If you fire me, well, I was looking for a job when I found this one.....I know, I know easier said then done. 

I wonder how many people are going to leave Buna? Move their kids? Already people are inquiring about Evadale and asking me about what school they should move their kids to? ( OF, BC, LCM///Heck, Vidor is looking better and better.)   

It's something that Buna has just never "gotten" the school district is for every kid. From the kid who didn't have two nickles to rub together to Richie Rich. 

I don't know, maybe the state needs to come in and " blow it up."  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Story Time From Uncle Govteach.....Or as My Actual Nephews Call Me....Kerry....

 I like to tell stories from the old days.....Let you know what a high school near Houston was like....

The fight business was real and it was scary. And this was long before they had police officers either hired by the school district or hired full time by the schools.  I know there are sheriff deputies still hired at LCM ISD. ( Correct me if I am wrong) and places like Vidor, Buna ISD have their own police departments. I remember when the Pct 4 Constable in Jasper County was the Resource Officer in Buna.....

But long ago, fights? 

The teachers broke them up. 

I helped break up a fight between two 250+lb football players in the Social Studies Hall. I hit the ground and hurt my already brittle back, Laird Engel the chemistry teacher was walking down the hall town the science wing got involved and he hit the ground. The toughest one of the group was Charlene Chumley a math teacher who had come down the hall to help, rolling around with one of the fighters in a choke hold. Come to find out Charlene had been raised only girl with 5 brothers. And this was everyday for her growing up. I also found out she grew up on an actual ranch in South Texas and her dad raised her as another guy. 

I hurt my back. And I went to the doctor. The district fought me too and nail not to file worker's comp. It is one of the few times I was glad I had a brother as a lawyer. He was working for a firm and an older partner called the Supt. of Schools and read him the riot act. 

Now that time my back improved and I only missed a couple of days of school, but that right there shows you, it is just a job. A school district will throw teachers under the bus in a heartbeat. 

- Let's do some sex at school. 

We had an English II teacher and a science teacher decide that they were going to have sex at school. And they did it of all places on top of the biology lab tables. Early, early morning before school. And get caught by a couple of kids coming down to another class to make-up work they'd missed. UIL Academic kids. Only ones who gave a damn enough to show up that time of day. (Both trying to get into Rice. One eventually did, the other one had to settle on Tulane. )

Both of course resign, and I do not know how, both of their spouses stayed with them. Maybe both spouses thought, " I get a Hall-Pass now?"

The room was later used as a classroom, but was forever known by kids and faculty as the ' Sex Room.' The new teacher who was assigned the room took half a year for someone to tell her what happened in the room. (New college grad English teacher, of course. ) 

Not good enough?

I was eating lunch in my room one day with another couple of teachers when Mrs. XXXXX our hall custodian came by and said, "Can y'all come look at some thing with me?" She never asked us anything and generally only spoke pleasantries. 

We follow her down the hall and hear what can only be called @ sex noises@ come from a classroom that was being used as a storage room. Why it was unlocked, I do not know?

We open the door and there was 4 students, 1 girl and 3 boys engaged in as Shelton from "Big Bang" would call, "Having Coitus. " All "nekkid." . We step outside after they realize we are there and tell them to get dressed. 

The stories changed 4-6 times from all 4, and in the end, all 4 were booted off campus for a month. None of the boys returned.  She did, like nothing ever happened. 

- Still not good enough? 

School is a rumor mill and many times, it is the truth, sometimes it is just rumor. 

Toward the end of a school year, the rumor was an 18 year old girl ( In those days 18 could work in such clubs)was "dancing" at a club in the, well, let's just say Houston. 

Well, she went from driving a beat to hell Dodge to a really nice Acura Sports Car. Brand New.I didn't think anything about it. Graduation present was what I thought.   ( Acura used to make some nice sports vehicles)

I know I had a set of twins whose dad had given them both F-250s at graduation to work in his rice farming business. A tax write off. The rice farm is long gone, but both are rich from Liberty County real estate development and are living out around Rocksprings. BTW- Boy and girl. Boy married his high school sweetie, the girl married a boy she met at A&M who was a business genius. ( But again, I digress)

It wasn't until one Friday afternoon, I had seen her come to school like everyone else, jeans, t-shirt. 

By the time she made it to my last period economics class, she had changed. 

Tartan skirt, white dress shirt, knee length socks, and a sweater.......Dressed for work.....At first, I said nothing. She hadn't used a trowel to apply her make-up yet..... Looked like a Catholic/Episcopal schoolgirl.......Being ever the smarta$$,  I couldn't not help it and asked, "Miss the bus to St. Catherine's School for Wayward Girls?"

She laughed.  

I should have been fired at least 100 times....And I was able to weasel my way out so many times.... 

Story is she used this to put herself through a fancy college in North Texas....Only dancing back in Houston away from her school.  Married to a lawyer..... I wonder if he knows? 

After graduation I found a card on my desk for a free 'lap dance' at a Gentlemen's Club in Houston, one I couldn't afford the cover choice for...I found the card a few years ago in a box of junk I collected over the years teaching. It was tossed away with a other stuff stuff I couldn't even remember where it came from? 

I originally thought perhaps I could give it to a 'saint' when I was feeling particularly 'randy.'   

Yeah, never used..... 

You want more stories? I got some to make you cry your eyes out..... 

 

 

 

 

So, Buna Can't Keep Teachers.....Or Find Ones Certified.

  People like the old school " Teacher" just aren't made, or can't hardly be found anymore. 

And of course there are reasons why including the kids have changed, parents think they know more history, math etc. than the person in the classroom.  

Again the important word here is...." Think." 

Then again, there is the lack of appreciation.  And I know the old Don Draper saying...."Appreciation?  That's what the money is for..."

Trouble is, compared to every other district in Texas Region V, Buna is near the bottom of money showing appreciation. 

Or do you think we appreciate the chicken sausage gumbo without Chicken.....Or Sausage....IYKYK.  I still tell stories about that.

I shouldn't have gotten mad, or disappointed.  

But yesterday, I saw a young lady whom I performed her wedding showing off the stuff she received for working at her place of employment. 

One included a belt buckle for 5 years service.  

I found the "pin" that Buna ISD gave me for 5 years service. It was in my wife's costume jewelry box. ( I may as well say, jewelry box, she has no real fancy jewelry. )

I measured the pin against a dime. The dime covered the pin like a full eclipse. And the writing on it, even with my reading glasses, well, you need an electron microscope to figure out what it says. 

I received one for 10 years, I think it was supposed to have a faux "jewel" in the center, but if you take a good look, it has fall out, long ago. Also, about half the size of a dime. 

For my 15th year, I get a windbreaker. We were supposed to get a choice of another pin, or the el-cheapo windbreaker. And the windbreaker was about 5 times too large. An entire Bedouin tribe in the North African desert could live in it. I tried to wear it to school.    

Now I know the Buna Schools is trying to do a little better pay-wise, but I wonder about the appreciation? 

And I am not talking about appreciation. Now I know the ISD got meals for teachers at this past in-service, but the "gubmint" teacher in me  wonders if they wanted the teachers on campus to keep an eye on them, so they won't tell newbies what is REALLY going on at the Mexican place in Silsbee? Mr. Taucer and myself found it was good to get off campus, if just for a few minutes, get a sandwich and a DietCoke/Regular Coke and see people we know up town and just give them a " holler." Re-charge those batteries.

I don't know. Too much micromanaging, too little pay, too little respect. 

I was told one time that me going and spending a week at the University of Texas-Tyler to get my Advanced Placement Macroeconomics qualification ( It was the only school in Texas offering the school that year. There were teachers from Austin ISD, Richardson ISD, Fort Bend ISD, Galveston ISD, Pharr-San Juan ISD, Ore City ISD at the school. We had people from Louisiana schools taking the course as it wasn't being offered over there. The AP Government class that year was being offered at of all places Louisiana Tech out of the way for everyone even in Louisiana. Ruston is even 70 miles from Shreveport. )

Anyway, I was told " It's like a vacation. " 

What? 

I am taking time off in the summer, to go get AP qualification for the school district. Away from my family, in late June, and rather than stay at the fancy hotel the conference suggested we stay at, which was a fancy downtown hotel, I stayed at a hotel saving the Buna ISD about $100 a night. I ate at Luby's, which was much cheaper then, and at IHOP. I splurged one night and ate at Texas Roadhouse the night before I left. And I paid for most of the meal out of my pocket, my meal stipend wouldn't even touch the bill. 

I passed the test, and by Noon on Fridays I was headed South. 

Vacation? 

I have never had homework or had to pass an exam at the end of any vacation I've ever been on before, or since.  

This is the mind of a school administrator.  And many admins stay gone to these overnight, spend the week in Galveston, San Antonio, Dallas conferences. Stay at the higher end Hilton or Hyatt or someplace nicer.....Never anything like the Holiday Inn Express /Ruston, Louisiana....And while there, those administrators " Hob-Nobbed " and looked for their next job. I had to pass a test to KEEP my job...

 We had 2-3 hours of homework every night. We had an exam to pass at the end of the week. And it was so hard the guy who had a Master's degree from UT-Austin in Economics said, " Wow, that was hard."       

I know Buna is trying to try, but in truth, trinkets, while they're nice,  donated tax-write-off meals seem  nice and all, sometimes just actual actions like telling people how much you appreciate them and be able to tell them what is going on in that teacher's world means a great deal. 

I keep hearing from people who tell teachers, " Well this is what you signed up for." 

You know, it really isn't. You aren't and in truth can't be prepared for what might happen at your school, in your classroom. Even a veteran teacher like myself expected the worse, and many times, it was even worse than that. 

Mr. Vaughn, here's a quick story. 

I witnessed a kid stab another kid, high schoolers,  with a large yellow handle Case Stockman's pocket-knife. Blood everyplace. I can see it to this day. No cops. No other faculty. It's you another 100 kids and it's you and wind up tackling the kid with the knife.  You get into trouble for the kid's parents for " Tackling the kid with the knife too hard." I almost get sued and the school district doesn't take your side. 

Here's another one. 

Two girls get into a fight in the cafetorium at Dayton HS. They are swinging like it is the Middleweight Championship of the World.  Girl fights are scary. They try and kill one another. When boys fight, they are generally glad to see a teacher show up so they can stop hitting one another. Girls do not care. They are literally trying to kill one another. Luckily, a newly hired asst. principal is there. It takes all we have to get the girls apart. The asst. principal, Tim Gaissett. has to take one girl down by pulling her hair. I bear hugged the other girl. Still both were fighting us to get to the other girl. We had to put the girls on the ground. 

When Tim and I got up, we were covered in blood. Covered.  We had to check and make sure it was not us hurt.

One girl had her nose broken, and had a cut beneath her eye that had to be stitched.,the other her head split open and got 13 stitches. In spite of that, they still wanted to murder each other. 

The lady custodians refused to come in and clean up the blood. It was on the floor, on the tables, some was on the wall.  

Head wounds bleed badly. 

There was so much blood on Tim and me, we could not get it off of us. My shirt was saturated.  I wanted to go home and shower and burn my shirt( And it was a good one too. an Orvis long-sleeved brown and green tattersall.) They did not let me. I was told, " You should have had a change of clothes in your closet at school." I found dried blood later in my beard.

It almost looked like we'd been baptized in blood.  

Of course, fighting over a boy.  

This was during the AIDs scare. Even now, blood born pathogens are a real thing.  Not going to lie I got tested a couple of times afterward. 

I burned my clothes. I avoided "being" with my wife until I got the " all clear" from the doctor.  

That was my last year in Dayton ISD. 

I hated my principal. I need to tell you stories about that sorry so &so...He's dead now.....Not supposed to speak ill of the dead. I'll make an exception in his case. 

Teachers need some respect and from what I am told, Buna isn't given their faculty what is needed.   

 

Buna Schools....And Something Most Have Not Considered......

 So, I keep seeing  from the district leadership. 

Yes, I know it is a difficult job. But you should have known this before you took the position. Let's face it, most people and I am serious when I say this, go into administrative positions not because they are not there to help the kids of the Independent School District, but rather to improve their fortunes. 

Those of us, who COULD have chased the almighty dollar yet stay with the kids because, well, it's where we can actually do some good, and some of us actually LIKE teaching 17-18 year old people. And some of us actually feel it is where we are called to be.....A poor paying, small district, in the middle of no place.....

Not because we are from there, are because the salary they are offering is better than the last berg I was working at.   

It is another reason why I did not go into the ministry. So much of it is moving from one place to another, seeking an even larger paycheck. You rarely if ever see a clergyman move to a poorer paying church. Southern Baptist preachers are notorious about doing this.....

And sometimes where you wind up is hard. You wonder if you are going to survive. You often look in the mirror that first couple of years, tying that perfect "Cravat" trying emulate George Bryan "Beau" Brummell.  

And it somehow comes together.....

Other times, in an act of desperation, you seek Jesus in what seems to be a time of disconsolateness .....Folks, don't wait to go there....Go there and stay talking to the Divine. It's why I get up every morning at 4AM and have intercessory prayer. 

Sometimes you are not where you are supposed to be, and we do not realize it until we are there.  

I seriously wonder how many times serious prayer is done before these moves. I know I almost didn't go to Buna several different times and events just kept happening to send me to South Jasper County. 

Sometimes it is time to retire/ move on in life, especially if in desperation we are using prayer, scripture to help us mentally, and that should have been done first.....Not in a time of despair.  

- Even though we are in a period of anti-college, there are still positions when require a university degree. I know the corporations in which my children find themselves employed require bachelor's if not a master's degrees from institutions of higher learning that even gaining acceptance is quite difficult. 

While businesses like Exxon-Mobil, Chevron, Conoco-Phillips appreciate a Lamar University graduate, there are many other international businesses who have not a clue who or what we are. Even outside of the oil patch in Texas the school isn't well known. And I blame to a certain extent Lamar graduates themselves, but that's another story for another time. ( Trust me, when I was in graduate school with Baylor, A&M, UT, Tech, LSU, OU grads, I beat their brains in knowledge-wise, and academics. And often did so with great relish. BUT, again, that's another story....For another day. )

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

With the latest scores Buna ISD made, it makes it harder for Buna graduates to get into harder colleges, better known more prestigious universities, and trust me, there are people in Buna want their kids to attend these schools.  

And when a university acceptance committee looks at potential academic's applications, the high school they attended is a pretty big deal. ( I know when Reid went to the University of Texas' Business School they looked at LCM and what was going on there.)

If a school is making a "D" trust me, the applicant from that school is questioned in committee....."Do they have a  rigorous enough academic background to do well at this institution?" And many times, the committee answers...."No." 

Another reason people outside the ISD looking for a nice quiet town to move to in which their kids can get a good academic background a school OTHER than Lamar...Or McNeese?

Just something else to be concerned about Buna.    

A Trend?...... The Time I Almost Broke Up With St. Debbie

 I need to "lighten up" a little this weekend. If this is actually "lighter." It may not be. 

So, on Social Media there is a trend of female posters kissing their male best friends. Just to see what will happen. 

That may friends, is not that new of a trend. 

It happened back in the day. 

Ladies, in many cases, the boy is hanging around, hoping, praying that the girl will realize what is sitting next to her, and trust me, unless he is a gay friend, 95% of the time, the boy is hoping the friendship will turn into some sort of a romantic relationship. 

And many times when the girl kisses the boy, he goes for it.....Why not, what does he have to lose?

Sarah Locke-Stockwell post a video of her family, friends have a good time down at the creek. Something I remember doing in high school and especially college.  

I know a group of boy I associated with, some going to Lamar, some A&M, one at Baylor, one at McNeese  all camped together 1-2 weeks a year at Sam Rayburn during Summer break. 

We pitched tents on a peninsula away from everyone else not to bother them.  

Yeah, we drank some Pearls( Old school Texas beer) , some Heineken Darks, smoked some cheap cigars, I smoked a corncob pipe with Captain Black cherry tobacco one year,  one year we just cleaned up catching white perch and had fried fish, and potatoes until we grew gills. Cooked on an old Coleman stove.Swam. told lies and stories. 

Lots of horseplay. 

A couple of guys were trying to figure out where they were going when their parents found their grades.  

Every year, a group of girls would come up one day to...."Check on us."

A couple the boys wound up marrying a couple of the girls and are still married. 

One of the girls was "My Friend" and God bless her was not the most attractive girl in the face there was....That said, she had the body of a Playboy Model. God sometimes helps folks out in different ways. We will call Her 'J' ......

After we  swam out afternoon, we all came up to the tents, and sat down in the chair in a semi-circle. J came up, in her bikini and proceeded to sit in my lap. I was telling some sort of bologna story at the time, ( I know, Kerry Thomas telling a wild story. Shocking I know)  

As I completed the story, she turned and started to kiss me.....I turned away and the kiss landed on my cheek, in an attempt to defuse the situation, I kissed her back on the cheek. 

You see she had apparently liked me for a while, and instead of waiting until I was girlfriend less, I was during that Summer break, she had become the @ Practice Girl@ of a guy who had a football scholarship at an SEC school. He used her for sex. He had convinced her he liked her. And during the trip she "told us" she was no longer with the football player. 

So, kiss your boy who  is a friend isn't a new thing... 

Well, maybe, maybe not...... 

I could not go there. I had gone through maybe you have another boyfriend of not before. 

Sure enough, the football player got her pregnant about 6 months later. Big scandal. She lost the child in the process, left the state and last I heard had graduated from a college in Louisiana and married a guy from near Alexandria.  

- One day, I am going to tell you about the asshole Kerry Thomas. 

I dated a couple of three girls after a break-up with a longtime girlfriend. And I had decided I was going to initiate the breakup before we got too serious.  

The last girl was about 5 years older than me, and she decided I was 'The One.' Even offered to " Suck my dick" anytime I wanted to stay with her. 

That made me run away even faster. ( I'm not kidding, some guy will write me and say..." I would have stayed, a little while, just to see if she spit or swallowed." Some of y'all just nasty. )

I literally didn't date anyone for 2 years. Was seriously looking at an Anglican Franciscan Monastery near Dallas to live once I graduated college. They have a massive peach orchard....And Lord knows I like peaches. 

Quick lesson- The difference between monks and friars. Monks stay in and chant....Friars get out and about the community. Monk's robe are black...Friar's robes are brown....(A paper on the development of Franciscan vs. Augustinian communities on Friday, 5000-15,000 word essay of course.  Of course a development of 13th Century theology versus 5th Century theology needs to be included. ;) ( Take hardcore Church History classes in seminary and you write on this)

It was about that time I met my wife, and we had been dating for about 2 weeks. Not even that long. 

Not serious, not exclusive, no " I love yous" nothing like that, when she told me...."My friend weeks ago has me going on a blind date. I promised her I would go, and it was weeks and weeks ago"///She even told me that she wouldn't go if you didn't want me to.....We were not exclusive, I wasn't sure where this was going....I did not object. I probably should have.   

She went on the double date and before they even started, she had them bring her home and called me to come over. She did not tell me what had happened. I think she had one of those ..." What am I doing?" moments. 

I was going over and was going to tell her, " Hey look, I don't think this is going to work out."( I am not 'the one' I'm not going to compete.)

When I met her at the door, it was like I had been at sea for 2 years. And she expressed how much she had fallen in love with me. 

Literally,  I was smitten. 

One of the people who'll probably read this married her husband after 17 days. And while I was a little taken back, we could have eloped and married St. Debbie at 17 days too.  

And believe it or not,  I am a romantic at heart. I think I've read too many Victorian novels. ( Then again, for the first time about 2 weeks ago, I read Lake District Poet Thomas De Quincey's book " Confessions of an English Opium Eater." He suffered from extreme facial pain. So much he considered taking his life.)

So, any of you have a story like this? 

 

So, We Had a Political Assassination.......And I May Need to Let Buna ISD Rest....

 I had fully intended to tell stories in the blog today......One including a trend among young people today that actually was a trend that often happened in the 1970s. Actually Sarah Locke reminded me of something that happened long ago that applies to today....

One of the stories involved a girl in a string bikini sitting in my lap, and no, it wasn't St. Debbie. That occurred about 2 years before I even knew St. Debbie existed.( I was almost "cool" at one time....What happened to me???)

Part of it is to let you people know everything that you think is new, is actually old....

Hell, this blog is about what you think is new is actually old....

We had a political assassination yesterday in of all places, Utah. 

The country is all in turmoil because we've not really had a major actual assassination occur in a number of years. 

As a youth, America was under turmoil like most of you do not understand, and I lived through it.

It was a 10 year period. 

I remember vividly when I learned of it. 

The 1960s, early 1970s were just different. 

( I am going off the top of my head here) 

-I vividly remember JFK's assassination. I was in Mrs. Park's class Room #12 when Arlen Portie( Yes, you Mormons should know her family. I've known the Portie's for 68 years), the Principal of Pine Forest Elementary came on the PA and told us that he had been killed in Dallas...... 

- The next day, I was at my Uncle OJ and Aunt Mart's house when Jack Ruby shot Lee Oswald live on TV. I witnesses it as a child, over and over again as CBS repeated it. 

- In 1968 I was in a Weingarten's Grocery Store in Vidor. It existed where the City Hall of Vidor now sits. The long time clerk named Bobbye told us about the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. And the adults were concerned about the long term events in the country. He had been shot by James Earl Ray standing outside his motel room in Memphis. 

- Also in 1968, I remember getting up in the morning to learn that Sen. Robert F. Kennedy had been assassinated after he had won a primary election in California. He had been shot and killed by a supporter of Palestine, a man by the name of Sirhan Sirhan, who was born in Jerusalem. I saw it on NBC. 

- In 1972 longtime Alabama Governor George Wallace was was shot while campaigning in a presidential primary. He was not killed, but was put in a wheelchair for the remainder of his life. He was shot by Arthur Bremer. BTW, Bremer was paroled from prison after 35 years and in May of 2025, his probation ended. I remember seeing small story about he being "free" from government supervision. 

Debbie and Kerry were walking a street a couple of years ago, in Derry, Northern Ireland, not ones to shy away from questionable places only to read where a car bomb exploded  in an attempted assassination on that same street two weeks later. 

These of course were people on both sides of the political ideology. 

And as I told Mr. Howell on Facebook yesterday, there have been political assassinations since the beginning of time..... i.e. Julius Ceasar , heck there is a photo of Cousin Andy and myself in front of Guy Fawkes' house in York, England whose plot involved in perhaps the largest attempted political assassination in history. ( Many of you know I am fascinated with British History, especially English Church History, and had portraits of Tudor-Stuart Queens at one time in my home, but alas they've been replaced by wedding pictures of Reid and Yu 'April' Zhou.)  

I am afraid we are going into a period of unrest, and this one I am afraid will be worse than better. 

Here in America, we missed this,but, in the last week, there were 6 German politicians"mysteriously" die.  

Russian drones infiltrated Poland's airspace yesterday and Poland shot most of them down.  Poland is a NATO member.

They are ramping up talk of a European war. I know we have postponed a possible Italy/Switzerland trip.....We almost went to England literally yesterday. Found a deal with Delta/Virgin Atlantic Airlines, and were on the verge booking the flight and I'd found a German car( Bryant Long would be proud of me) I was about to click to rent when the phone rang. The person I sleep with has to adult later this week. 

The world's economy is in the tank.  Already conspiracy theorists are wondering if his assassination is " Hey look at this, not how bad things really are over here." 

And don't be surprised if there is a riot in London this weekend near the UK Parliament buildings.  

I am telling you, it is going to get worse before it gets better.  

Finally.....

I keep some things from , well, everyone. 

I get ugly, ugly messages from people concerning the blogs I write. 

Especially, concerning Buna Schools. 

The messages I receive from people are not the ones that bother me, and in truth, for years, I just blow them off. Mostly I think they are funny. And me being me, I make fun of them. 

Lately, the messages have become more, hate filled. 

When someone tells you that " I hope you wind up in Hell" well, people are different than when I started the blog. 

And it's not the messages I receive, it is the people who don't write....They're the ones I worry about. 

I can see some "not quite right" simp  trying to impress some female associated with the ISD. 

People, wherever in the world are " Not right." 

Knowing me, in my mind I will rationalize me continuing to publish blogs on Buna Schools, but I may take a couple of days before I go after the district again.   

 

 

   

 

   

Buna ISD and Excuses....

 " Excuses are like assholes.....Everyone has one....And they all stink......"

I am going to digress before I talk about Buna Schools, briefly. 

Thank you to the person who sent me a cover from the band, My Morning Jacket covering Lou Reed's, Velvet Underground's " Oh Sweet Nuthin'"  Plus Gov't Mule and Grace Potter covering " Gold Dust Woman."  I don't know how they knew I was a big fan of guitarist/singer Warren Haynes?

But, this is not what the blog is about.....

So, apparently, at the Buna ISD's School Board meeting last evening the building principals were allowed to address the recent scores from the State of Texas. 

Bad scores, let me remind you. 

And excuses were made. 

It seems they used the same " Shop-Worn" excuse " The scores don't define us."

Then, they used COVID as an excuse.....Hell, that was 5 years ago, you should have "righted the ship" by now.  Other districts have.....

Bullshit......Hell, I'm calling double Bullshit, tell someone outside of Buna ISD looking at the district. They're literally looking at the district going, " They ain't learning shit there are they?"  They again look at Buna's scores and then look at Port Arthur ISD's, Beaumont ISD's, West Orange-Cove ISD's and Buna is like them......Perhaps even worse in a rural setting. 

Scores are how people look at a district. Yeah, the system sucks, but it's what we got. Sometimes, even if we don't like it, we got to work within said system.  You keep poor scores, guess what, the State of Texas comes in and takes over. 

Then, some were saying that this was " Only a hiccup."  

And looking at the scores going down over the last 3 years,  That don't look like no damn hiccup to me. Three years is a trend. And I know the politicians have to say this, God-forbid they say, the feckin' truth.... 

And with continual poor scores, don't tell me the Texas Education Agency doesn't have Buna Schools in their sights.  I'm telling you, it is starting to get close to the TEA coming in and taking over the district....

There is also seems to be a problem with classroom management.....That's a fancy-ass term for controlling the kids in your class. 

A concept, literally foreign to me. 

And I know kids are "different" in 2025. But I'd figure out a way that I am in charge. They may think I'm a demon from Hell, but we are going to be in control. 

I am wondering how much this is due to teacher hiring practices of the school district?  How many non-certified people are teaching in the district?

You can't control the kids, you cannot teach.  

Literally, that is Rule #1 of teaching school.  

Seriously, and I know after reading some of the pieces I write you may think to the contrary,  but, I really seriously want to see the Buna ISD do well. Sometimes when I see what is going on I wonder if I worked there like a damn dog for "nuthin'." 

 

 

 

 

 

This Blog is for You Mens.

 Mens,,,,That;s the way my late great-grandmother said it.....Some sort of far Northeast Texas pronouncing. It's where I got the " Cold enough to get married " from. Northeast Texas has Scot-Irish roots we do not have down here. A number of us in SE Texas have Coonass roots, including the writer of this blog. 

Okay guys, and this is serious( like there are no womens reading this....She didn't pronounce it womens,,,,I am for fun...) 

You have a project you are going to do.....New deck, porch, boards to replace around the house.....

Even if you are not ready to do it, and some of us are saying,  " I'm going to do it when it gets a little cooler." 

Anything that requires lumber.....Buy it now....

Okay, putting my economics hat on now....( I need a green fedora when I do economics....I'd look like a feckin' leprechaun at St. Patrick's Day.)

The price of lumber is down.....Part of it is the cost of houses and people not buying them. The Federal Reserve of course has raised interest rates and the cost of buying a home has gone up, along with anything with an interest rate, id est ( that is)cars.  ( Again with the Latin, wasting that divinity school education)

And the number of sawmills that have closed down, thus the price of lumber is still low. 

Later this month, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve is going to meet and there is a large pressure for them to vote to cut the interest rate. ( Many want large cuts)

So much so, the stock market has gone all in to investing in publicly traded housing construction companies.  The two major companies I looked at, one is up 24%, another is up 40%....People expecting "The Fed" to drop the interest rate at least .50 basis points.....Some are saying, 3 whole points. ( I doubt that.They are still afraid of "caused inflation", and it's bad enough as it is now.)  

And if they do, they are expecting new homes to be built.

Trouble is, with the present economy, can most people afford a new construction home? 

Wall Street is banking, " Yes." ( I am wondering if they are reading this wrong? I keep seeing massive lay-offs in the news, and people not being able to find work.)

And with the low cost right now of lumber, there is nothing in the supply chamber to ship, if lumber, mostly 2x4s, plywood is bought by construction companies. And the old supply and demand takes effect. 

Sawmills have to ramp-up. They have to get lumber cut, shipped to the mill, got to hire workers...This stuff doesn't turn on a dime. In many cases it takes months to get up to speed. 

So, you might want buy that lumber soon, put it in the barn, the shed, in the garage for future usage.  

I may write on the "Labor Paradox" next......Yes, working on a Buna ISD curriculum blog, and it is turning out harder than first expected.  ( I may go deep and talk about Richard Cantillion, the Irish-French economist and his " Essai Sur La Nature Du Commerce En Général." Yes, I read it in English. Tell you stuff to scare you.)

 

 

I've Been Saying This For Years....And I'm Still Not Hopeful....

 I've been around longer than most of you reading this, and yes, I know there are some " oldsters" reading this blog. 

The Texas Legislature Sine Die this past week and really didn't accomplish what they were originally called into "Special Session." 

Quick Latin lesson- Sine Die translate into English " Without a day." Refers to the indefinite postponement or termination of a meeting, assembly, or court case, with no specific date set for its resumption. ( Got to show off those Latin skill from seminary. And SWBTS no longer even teaches Latin.  Again, a waste of a theological education.)

And to be honest I am glad they didn't....They played politics, and that's another story, but we aren't  going there in this publication. 

So, Govteach, Mr. Thomas, Kerry, Kerry Don, what are you talking about?

In the 2025 legislative session, the Texas Legislature passed a law making the .03% Delta 9, Delta 8 products illegal. The governor of Texas vetoed the law. 

In two special sessions, the legislature failed to pass a bill.  And the governor is threatening a 3rd session. 

Since I was in junior high, there has been a " War on Drugs." 

Sorry, it has failed. 

I will get blowback, but it is time to legalize, at least THC/marijuana. 

It's been time. 

I know for veterans with PTSD THC has been a lifesaver. I know for chronic pain, it is better for folks than those on opiates. Or a mix of the two keeps them from unaliving themselves. And don't tell me the medical marijuana route. The price of the prescriptions are cost preventative. 

Yes, they need to make the purchase age 21+. If you got to be 21 to buy a Guinness, buying THC should be 21 plus. 

But it's time...It's been time......  

 

  

Damn....That Didn't Turn Out as Expected? Man, I Got My A$$ Chewed Out....

 As you know, and I've said it many, many times, I hear stuff that well, I probably shouldn't know. 

And some of this stuff,, well, it doesn't really  shock me, but it somewhat disappoints me, but then, I am old and sort of expect some sort of dignity. 

And I know sexuality and the world and beliefs thereof has changed since I was young, heck it changed and I was more accepting of things. Even my 94 year old mother who literally would have killed me when I was young for being sexually active in my younger days, is a little more understanding, especially with grand-kids.  

And I need to stop using " And" to start so many paragraphs. 

So after I posted a quick thing I learned on Facebook yesterday concerning being a " Side Chick." ( I cleaned that up, I think the kids today call it " Side Piece." )

About 2-3 hours after I made that post, I heard from two people. 

Both apparently were, " Side Chicks."   Both were livid I had found out about their "activities." 

The thing is however, neither were who I had heard about.....

Look, I don't think you should be having affairs with married folks. I know for some of you that is an old fashion belief. 

One wife, is a hill I am willing to die on.....I'm not one of those cult-Mormons living in Arizona, Mexico with 6-8 wives. Those that have been booted from the regular LDS Church.  

I am of the age something happens to St. Debbie and she goes before me, I am done. I've been married 44 years. I can't replicate what I have now. That said, I fully expect me to go first. 

Not sure if it is guilt, or whatever, but not everything I hear is about you. Sometimes you need to keep your private life private and not show me your cards. 

And to the one who "unfriended" me on Facebook, like I'd sit around and drink whiskey with you....

" Bye, Felicia."  

Well, This Isn't Good.....And Future Buna ISD Blogs....

 In the last 5-7 days I have been just mesmerized at the worldwide turmoil.....

And I will admit, I am a little more worldly concerning the international scene and we've been place many folks have not, that said, I am really proud at the number of you starting to travel overseas, especially Europe.  

I know a couple of you have recently been to Italy and that's the next place we may travel to......I say, " Maybe." ( We are looking hard at South Tyrol/ Switzerland. South Tyrol, which is in Italy, was at one time a part of the old Hapsburg Empire( Austria) before World War 1. And they still speak German even though they are Italian citizens. Italy captured it during the Great War as it was called back then, and they've just kept it.....Quick history lesson this morning.)

That said, yesterday we discussed we might need to postpone our 2026 trip to Geneva, Zurich, Northern Italy.  ( We discussed, we might just "get up" one morning and go. We keep a couple of carry on cases ready for just that, packed ready at a moments notice. Passports ready in a moment's notice.)

That said, I saw the following news stories.........And it seems like the governments in Europe are psychologically preparing their people for some sort of military conflict....

Germany- The government has said their is no money to spare for university research. All money is going towards the defense industries. Tanks, drones, ammo stockpiles. The Germans are turning money originally for science over to the German Army. They are talking possible war....2026 or 2027.....( That's all we need the damn Germans re-arming.)

France- The Minister of Health in France has sent letters to every hospital in France telling them to prepare for war by March, 2026.  The letter speaks of "receiving thousands of wounded soldiers, even re-repatriating foreign troops."

UK- The Home Office in London has given dozens of contracts for what is only described as " Emergency Morgues."  All the morgue must hold at least 700 bodies and have freezing capabilities. They are talking about thousands of these morgues. 

Then, while you were eating hot dogs yesterday, the rest of the world is in protest.  

Serbia- Huge protests against the government.  

Indonesia- And they are burning government buildings there.  

Australia- Anti-Government, anti-immigration protests.  

UK- Anti-Migrant protests as it is called in England.  

You want to see the thinking behind the British protests, look at this YouTube site.  

And these are just a sampling of what is going on worldwide, I know in our area of the world, we are somewhat shielded from what the rest of the world is thinking, doing and as I have said, we are about 5-10 years behind the rest of the world in many things.  

- Buna Public Schools-

I have read everyone's private messages concerning the Buna ISD and their child's problems. And trust me I understand. You must remember, I literally took care of many of you to get you graduated. And lobbied for more of you than you know....

There are blogs coming. Many in your wheelhouse.  

I am wondering what is going to be the outcome? 

Already people are upset with the Supt. of Schools......Already people are ready for her to retire, hell go. ( Hell, I am trying to write a blog and not sound too much like a misogynous neanderthal...I may need to go ahead and write it and really piss off some people.)   

Sometimes folks writing a blog, well, you have to do some actual research on stuff. and well, you want to get your " ducks in a row." 

All this said, you still miss the mark, or what you are saying,well, it is so misunderstood what you originally intended is taken totally differently, and sometimes, people see it from an angle and the blog turns out good....And sometimes, not so good. 

Sometimes you shoot at a mark, and just miss entirely. 

Writing a blog, many times when I hit "publish" I wonder two things....I wonder if I did good? I wonder if I did too much damage?  

And I can't say this too much, I thank you for the readership, and as always, write me, and while I may not quickly, or even answer( Sometimes I literally don't have an answer, or know what to say.) I read them all. Many times I say nothing and instead just start formulating a blog.  

And as always, all information received is kept anonymous.