Well Buna....I Lied....

 I did not intend to. I do need a break. 

But still stuff  just continues to happen.  

In the last 48 hours I have heard from 3 teachers, possibly a up to 5th just done with teaching...3 have turned in their resignation effective the Christmas break.  How many more do I not know about?

All in this area. 

All from this area. 

Just done. Mentally, physically, just done. 

All four with 12 to 20 years experience. 

What we used to call " old hands." People who know how to teach.  

In the past, these same teachers made it to the May/June end of school time period before they left teaching. Now.....Just done. They are done. 

I wonder how many won't make it back from the Thanksgiving holiday period. Enjoy the week off and decide, I cannot make it to the end of the semester, traditionally, Christmas.  

I know I had a hard time coming back my last year for Spring Break, I was battling a person in the front of the school at the time and almost told them a string of adjectives and walked....But I figured I owned it to the Class of 2011 to complete the year.  

Glad I did not quit....and in another way, I wish I would have cussed them out and walked. 

The STAAR Exam, the kids just talking back and nothing happening....

And two saying, at 2 separate districts that admins told them that the testing was a " game." 

And both got into teaching for something other than the exams.  

Every year when I talk about the start of school, someone teases, I am not sure they are teasing as generally, they have a kid in high school, saying, " Mr. Thomas, you should come back...."

Nope.....I'm done. In more ways than one.  

It's Time, Been Time Buna.....

 And I address Buna because the majority of readers of this blog are from Buna. Ot have some form of tie to Buna. 

I told you a few weeks ago that I was taking a break, a sabbatical if you will from the blog, and then I write 7 blogs in 8 days. 

I even write this past weekend over the upcoming election. Readership sucked at an all time low, which tell me how much people really care about their right to vote. 

The well, is dry. 

I need a break, you need a break from the blog. 

Readership has dropped like a rock. And that happens. I've been posting too much and the general subject is well, people are not wanting to read anymore and what I really want to write on, well, no one really gives a good damn.  

I know there is a core readership , and they are the ones who actually "like" the blog on Facebook helping the post's the algorithm. 

And some of you never like, hate, love whatever, and likes are how I get paid, not in physical money,( I make nothing for doing this) but a reason for me to write.  

There are so many people dependent upon the school districts in this state, I wonder if they fear what would happen if they went away. And are super critical because of that. ( Y'all should get my mail/messages, negativity wears on a soul)....( I saw someone all excited about the price of gas decreasing. And while I too am happy to pay less at the pump, I wonder how much our economy will be effected? How will jobs be effected in SETX? And these same people will be asking in a few months will be asking " What happened to our jobs and with the paying less in local taxes, what happens when the state does not have that oil money to support every government entity that they promised to support? We are talking mostly schools and jobs will be the first school expense to be cut.) 

I will talk about this later, probably much later the way things are going... 

-Secondly, I am not well, not dying or anything, but I am now feeling more and more my age. More and more  things are going wrong.  There are days I awake and wonder " Why?" I am in lots of pain. I take a lot of pills and potions, gummies and wonder " What are body part, organ am I destroying to try and exist one more day?

So, unless something dramatic occurs, will take a break. I need one. 

I am too the point if someone offered a decent amount, I'd think about selling rights to the blog. Just to shut me up.? 

I may revamp the blog. 

Who knows? 

 

 

 

Early Voting Sites

 There are 254 counties in Texas. I am only going to do a a few counties for early voting- Here are the links-

 Will put the links to the regular election closer to Nov. 4th.  

 

Orange County 

 

Jasper County  

 

Newton County 

 

Hardin County 

 

 

Election Starting This Week?

 Yes, there is a Texas statewide election on Nov. 4. 

Early voting starts on Monday, Oct. 6 and last for 2 week. 

It is a Texas Constitutional Election and there are 17 items to vote on in Texas.  

1. Texas Technical College Funding- 

 The ballot language: “The constitutional amendment providing for the creation of the permanent technical institution infrastructure fund and the available workforce education fund to support the capital needs of educational programs offered by the Texas State Technical College System.”

The vote is to establish an endowment for the Texas Technical College. 

Unlike other 2 year Texas colleges it cannot issue bonds.  

The money would be used to build new buildings.....make Texas Technical College keep up with other states.....Critics say-creating an endowment for TSTC would limit government spending oversight and transparency.

2. Capital Gains Tax Ban

The ballot language: “The constitutional amendment prohibiting the imposition of a tax on the realized or unrealized capital gains of an individual, family, estate, or trust.”

This would ban the state from taxing people or businesses on profits or potential profits from capital gains.....such as investments, real estate, valuable items and certain personal property. Proponents of the capital gains tax ban say it doubles down on the state’s income tax ban......It stops a back door income taxes from occurring...

3.  Bail Reform

The ballot language: “The constitutional amendment requiring the denial of bail under certain circumstances to persons accused of certain offenses punishable as a felony.”

This proposition would require judges to deny bail in certain cases for individuals accused of committing specific felonies, such as murder, aggravated assault and indecency with a child. The state would have to demonstrate that bail is not enough to prevent the defendant from being a flight or public safety risk.

It is being done to stop crimes being committed by people out on bail,  often as they are saying on weak bail. 

4. Water Infrastructure Funding

 The ballot language: “The constitutional amendment to dedicate a portion of the revenue derived from state sales and use taxes to the Texas water fund and to provide for the allocation and use of that revenue.”

Texas water systems are not keeping up with the growth of the state. This is to fix old pipes, old buildings, etc, and keep up with Texas growth.  Also improve flood zone improvement. 

5. Exemption on Animal Feed

The ballot language: “The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to exempt from ad valorem taxation tangible personal property consisting of animal feed held by the owner of the property for sale at retail.”

In other words property taxes on animal feed cannot be included in Property taxes. The state is to make up what taxes are lost. 

6.  Securities Tax Ban

The ballot language: “The constitutional amendment prohibiting the legislature from enacting a law imposing an occupation tax on certain entities that enter into transactions conveying securities or imposing a tax on certain securities transactions.”

There is supposed to be a new stock market, bond market established in Texas, and it is to keep taxes on the market, especially those involving retirement accounts and pensions. Plus the state taxing stocks and bonds traded in Texas. 

7. Tax Exemption for Veteran's Spouses

The ballot language: “The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to provide for an exemption from ad valorem taxation of all or part of the market value of the residence homestead of the surviving spouse of a veteran who died as a result of a condition or disease that is presumed under federal law to have been service-connected.”

This change would allow state lawmakers to give property tax breaks on homes to the un-remarried spouses of U.S. veterans who the federal government determined died in connection to their service...The state is to make-up for what taxes are lost here. 

8. Inheritance Tax Ban

 The ballot language: “The constitutional amendment to prohibit the legislature from imposing death taxes applicable to a decedent’s property or the transfer of an estate, inheritance, legacy, succession, or gift.”

It stops the state from ever having an inheritance tax. ( It does not have one now)

9. Inventory and Equipment Tax Ban

The ballot language: “The constitutional amendment to authorize the legislature to exempt from ad valorem taxation a portion of the market value of tangible personal property a person owns that is held or used for the production of income.”

It would exempt up to $125,000 of businesses’ inventory or equipment from being taxed by school districts, cities, counties or any other taxing entity. Under current law, businesses don’t have to pay taxes on that property if it’s worth $2,500 or less.

The state would pick-up any taxes lost. 

10. Tax Exemption for House Lost in a Fire

 The ballot language: “The constitutional amendment to authorize the legislature to provide for a temporary exemption from ad valorem taxation of the appraised value of an improvement to a residence homestead that is completely destroyed by a fire.”

It would lower taxes on the property until your house is re-built. 

11. Tax Exception for the Elderly and Disabled

The ballot language: “The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to increase the amount of the exemption from ad valorem taxation by a school district of the market value of the residence homestead of a person who is elderly or disabled.”

  This constitutional amendment would allow the state to raise a homestead exemption, a discount on school property taxes that lowers how much of a home’s value can be taxed to pay for public schools. The increased exemption would shave off $60,000 from the taxable value of elderly or disabled Texans’ homes, rather than just $10,000 under the current exemption. 

 If the increased exemption for elderly or disabled homeowners is approved by voters, the state would have to help pay for revenue school districts lose. That could cost the state more than $1.2 billion in general revenue for the next two fiscal years and upwards of $477 million annually after that, according to from the state’s Legislative Budget Board. Recapture payments, or the tax revenue that school districts with higher property values send back to the state to help fund poorer school districts, would also go down.

12. A Change to the State Judicial Conduct Commission

The ballot language: “The constitutional amendment regarding the membership of the State Commission on Judicial Conduct, the membership of the tribunal to review the commission’s recommendations, and the authority of the commission, the tribunal, and the Texas Supreme Court to more effectively sanction judges and justices for judicial misconduct.”

 

Right now here is the make-up of the commission-

 

• six judges from six different court levels,
• two attorneys appointed by the State Bar of Texas who aren’t judges, and
• five citizens appointed by the governor who are at least 30 years of age and aren’t attorneys or judges. 

 

  Here would be the change

 

• six judges or justices of courts appointed by the Texas Supreme Court of, two of whom would have to be trial court judges (judicial members of the commission would not be allowed to be judges in the same type of court), and
• seven citizens appointed by the governor, who are at least 35 years of age.

 Here is the question? How political would the commission become due to these changes? 

 

13. Increased Tax Exemption for Homeowners

 The ballot language: “The constitutional amendment to increase the amount of the exemption of residence homesteads from ad valorem taxation by a school district from $100,000 to $140,000.”

Texans who own their home to see a boost in the state’s homestead exemption, or the slice of a home’s value that can’t be taxed to pay for public schools. The proposal would shave off $140,000 off the taxable value of the home, instead of the current $100,000.

Texas Homeowners would have saved about $500 last year if this would have been in place. 

Again, the state would make up for tax monies lost.....They are saying $2 to 6 billion dollars......Does Texas have the money?

14. Money for Dementia Research

 The ballot language: “The constitutional amendment providing for the establishment of the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas, establishing the Dementia Prevention and Research Fund to provide money for research on and prevention and treatment of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and related disorders in this state, and transferring to that fund $3 billion from state general revenue.”

One of the Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick's pet project....Again, does Texas have the funds?

15. Codifying Parents Rights

 The ballot language: “The constitutional amendment affirming that parents are the primary decision makers for their children.”

Not sure what this really means and they do not really know. Some of it involves history, but what is historical truths? Yours? What they want you to learn? 

16. Clarifying Citizenship for Voting

 The ballot language: “The constitutional amendment clarifying that a voter must be a United States citizen.”

I thought we did this already? We jumped through hoops when we got our last driver's licenses to prove we were US Citizens....And the last time I used my US Passport to vote, they bitched.  

I know I try and not add my feelings, but more political theater.  A waste of money of something already being done. Our Texas ID/ Licenses already tell whether we are US Citizen's or not....What are they wanting a national ID, like in the old Soviet Union? We already have one in your license. Try and fly without one. And the last time we flew in both Pittsburgh and Seattle, they really wanted our passports. 

17.  Property Tax Exemption for Border Security Infrastructure

The ballot language: “The constitutional amendment to authorize the legislature to provide for an exemption from ad valorem taxation of the amount of the market value of real property located in a county that borders the United Mexican States that arises from the installation or construction on the property of border security infrastructure and related improvements.”

Proponents of the measure say this will address that added to private land by the state could increase that property’s appraisal and burden on property owners, according to the House Research Organization. Critics say the state should not incentivize more border security infrastructure on private land and that the change could shift the tax burden to other local property owners

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So, You Want to Teach School....And Do It Right? The Job Sucks Sometimes.......Here is a Story....

 

 I have a hard time writing what amount to a "Headline" for the blogs, never mind I was forced more than once to be a "Headline" judge at UIL contests. Hated doing it. 

So, when I was teaching in a much larger high school than Buna, there were all types of troubles that occurred when I was teaching there.  

One Monday morning, I walk into the school and there was total silence.  

At a secondary school, kids are loud. Walk the hallway of a secondary school, high school, junior high, middle school,  during period changes and it is loud. Kids are talking, lockers shutting, walking, several hundred kids and the commotion is just loud. 

This Monday, no one was saying a word.  

You knew something was up.

It was not long before word spread that one of the cheerleaders had tried to commit suicide over the weekend, and she was still in the hospital in Houston. 

An overdose of sleeping pills, opiates, and vodka.  

Very popular girl. A girl who knew everyone, liked everyone.  

Word soon spread that she was on the verge of death....

And finally, it was discovered she was brain dead.  Machines were keeping her alive and they were waiting for family to come and say goodbye. 

The family, for whatever reason were not disconnecting the machines.  

And she stayed hooked on life support, for weeks.  

Not for sure why....

Finally, after an agonizing period of time, and the doctor's, other family, suggesting this can't go on forever, she is unhooked. 

An autopsy is run and it turns out she is pregnant. They think it is the boyfriend's and the boyfriend is adamant that the child is not his, that he and the girl had not even had sex.  

DNA in those days was very slow and it was finally discovered the father was a family member.  And after weeks of research, it was the father of the girl 

It turns out they had been having sex for years, apparently, allegedly, willingly. 

The girl had asked for birth control and both parents had told her no, and there was some belief that the mother knew of the affair.  

The father, at the time of the girl being unplugged, was laughing, it seems he though he had gotten away with it. 

The father after what seemed like a painstakingly long period of time, was convicted and sent to Huntsville, for what I felt was not a long enough period of time.  

The school, set up a group therapy, a PhD in psychology was  brought in for counseling and guess who was chosen to to be the moderator of the sessions? We met twice a week, for several months. That's right, the Govteach. And I met with several of the kids one on one in between the group sessions. 

That was the same year, I was counseling the student who was dying of AIDs. ( She passed in the Spring of that year.) 

It was too much. 

I left that school at the end of the year. 

I quite liked it there at that high school, but emotionally, I was drained. I was shot. Teaching school is hard enough, but the additional duties......Well, I was breaking down crying several times a week on my 50 miles drive home.  

Again, sometimes, bad things are foreordained, had I not left my previous position, I would have never gotten the phone call to interview at Buna.... 

So, You Want to Teach School....And Do It Right? The Job Sucks Sometimes.......Here is a Story....

 I have a hard time writing what amount to a "Headline" for the blogs, never mind I was forced more than once to be a "Headline" judge at UIL contests. Hated doing it. 

So, when I was teaching in a much larger high school than Buna, there were all types of troubles that occurred when I was teaching there.  

One Monday morning, I walk into the school and there was total silence.  

At a secondary school, kids are loud. Walk the hallway of a secondary school, high school, junior high, middle school,  during period changes and it is loud. Kids are talking, lockers shutting, walking, several hundred kids and the commotion is just loud. 

This Monday, no one was saying a word.  

You knew something was up.

It was not long before word spread that one of the cheerleaders had tried to commit suicide over the weekend, and she was still in the hospital in Houston. 

An overdose of sleeping pills, opiates, and vodka.  

Very popular girl. A girl who knew everyone, liked everyone.  

Word soon spread that she was on the verge of death....

And finally, it was discovered she was brain dead.  Machines were keeping her alive and they were waiting for family to come and say goodbye. 

The family, for whatever reason were not disconnecting the machines.  

And she stayed hooked on life support, for weeks.  

Not for sure why....

Finally, after an agonizing period of time, and the doctor's, other family, suggesting this can't go on forever, she is unhooked. 

An autopsy is run and it turns out she is pregnant. They think it is the boyfriend's and the boyfriend is adamant that the child is not his, that he and the girl had not even had sex.  

DNA in those days was very slow and it was finally discovered the father was a family member.  And after weeks of research, it was the father of the girl 

It turns out they had been having sex for years, apparently, allegedly, willingly. 

The girl had asked for birth control and both parents had told her no, and there was some belief that the mother knew of the affair.  

The father, at the time of the girl being unplugged, was laughing, it seems he though he had gotten away with it. 

The father after what seemed like a painstakingly long period of time, was convicted and sent to Huntsville, for what I felt was not a long enough period of time.  

The school, set up a group therapy, a PhD in psychology was  brought in for counseling and guess who was chosen to to be the moderator of the sessions? We met twice a week, for several months. That's right, the Govteach. And I met with several of the kids one on one in between the group sessions. 

That was the same year, I was counseling the student who was dying of AIDs. ( She passed in the Spring of that year.) 

It was too much. 

I left that school at the end of the year. 

I quite liked it there at that high school, but emotionally, I was drained. I was shot. Teaching school is hard enough, but the additional duties......Well, I was breaking down crying several times a week on my 50 miles drive home.  

Again, sometimes, bad things are foreordained, had I not left my previous position, I would have never gotten the phone call to interview at Buna.... 

 

 

I'll Tell You A Story

 This is part of the history of Beaumont, that the Father's of Beaumont do not want known...

Back in the 1940s-1950s, Beaumont was wide open. Gambling casinos, whorehouses, I knew a couple of older ladies who worked there back in the day. They were "reformed" when I knew them. One made a heck of a pot of vegetable beef soup. 

The James Commission was formed and the Texas Rangers were sent in to shut down all the "businesses."  

They just went " underground." 

And I've been told there is still a pretty busy escort business servicing the hotels in town. ( Servicing is not a good word.)...Anyway, tuition at Lamar needs to be paid.....

In the late 1970s, there was really one major " fancy" hotel in Beaumont and it was on I-10.  This was long before all of the hotels were built on I-10 out towards  College Street to Walden Road.

A fellow history major was in the walking by one of the places on campus at Lamar were they put up index cards, other notices of help wanted. 

College students were always looking for jobs, to pay well, for rent, food, etc. And one of these advertisements was for a part-time weekend clerk at the fancy hotel on I-10, near 11th Street.  ( The hotel burned down mysteriously, after they tried to turn it into a retirement home, after the influx of hotels down I-10 going towards Houston started to open.)

Cyndi saw that the job was Saturday from 9PM to 6AM...Sunday 6PM to 6AM. And it even had as part of advertisement, " Plenty of time to study after 2AM. 

Cyndi is now a retired HS history teacher from a local school district, and even though she is retired, I will not use her real name, even though, knowing her, well, she tells the story herself. I knew her husband, and he taught also, and he's no longer with us, but still won't go there with names.  

And Cyndi is still an attractive woman....

She applied for the job and within a day of her applying was called in for an interview. 

Cyndi said it was the best interview she ever had, the hotel manager even had coffee brought in for the interview.  

The manager told her her duties and the pay was good and then here was the kicker....

She ( Female management) tells Cyndi, " Sometimes the two girls who work weekends get busy and you will need to "help out." 

"This doesn't happen often, but you'll get to keep 60% of everything you make, Mr. XXXX who's in charge of weekend security  gets 20% and the hotel gets 20%....You'll find the percentage is much more generous than other businesses." " It'll come in handy tuition time..."

Come to find out, the last girl was leaving because she had graduated and she was moving to Dallas to marry her fiance. 

Cyndi, thanked the management for the interview, and told her, she did not believe it was for her.....

So, you never know what is going on....Do you? 

Another Lamar student took the job....Blonde girl.....Cyndi pointed her out....

  

 

 

 

 

 

Passing of Former Buna Student

 I was told yesterday of the passing of a former Buna student. 

Young man, in an industrial accident in Pt. Arthur. As I write this, the press had not released the name. 

Family man, young child and wife.  

You never know how much time is planned for you. 

As a friend of mine often said, " You want to make God laugh? Tell him what you have planned for today. " 

Please, if you have not already done so, write a will. 

Please, if you can afford it, take out life insurance. 

Live every day, and enjoy your life every day.  

And most important, tell those closest to you, that you love them. 

BTW- I love y'all.  

 

So, You're Having An Affair....And If I Know, Who Else Does????

 ( I have shortened the blog about 4500 words. May write some 'tea' later blog)

I am told stuff, that, I probably should not know. I often think it is because the person who tells me, can't really tell anyone else and it not be all over the community. And it is often the spouse who tells me, and the cheater, often, doesn't know, that they know. 

And I am often shocked when I hear who the person(s) involved are. 

And to my surprise it is more prevalent than you realize.  

Which makes me wonder in reality how naive is the old Govteach? 

Often the spouse of the cheater does not know that their spouse is " running around" as it was once referred to, until the husband or wife contracts an STD. And it is generally Chlamydia. Sometimes it is an STD that antibiotics will not cure. 

Many times I am told about a divorce and wonder if there is no intimacy in the marriage, and more times than not, the wife whose husband is being unfaithful will say, " I have been sleeping with him regularly" or  " I have been doing stuff for him...... sometimes I am doing things that I find disgusting. Because I love him...." " And he cheated anyway." 

I have had guys tell me they have come home and found their wives in bed often with " A relative....or a close friend." 

What kind of a relative or friend has sex with another person's spouse? 

Answer: A sorry-ass individual-

Most of the time, and this is pretty much commonly known, where people find their affair partner is at the job....At work....

It's about 70% of affairs start at the workplace. 

And the people who cheat more than any other? 

Well, many of you are in this profession and it isn't in education.( And you'd be shock at it the number of people have affairs in the school business, and Buna was not one of them....Or if it was, they kept it well hidden, which could have been the case, as there were some of us who wondered. Other schools I was at, well, people were asked to resign because the kids caught them in the act on top of the science lab tables....Cut up a frog yesterday, screw an English teacher today. An all purpose table, just different kinds of science experiments. .....We'll let you guess what field has the biggest cheaters. I don't want to get letters from people in that field saying " I never cheated...."    I did not say you did....

And I know for some of you , it is difficult to behave...

To which I call BS....

My first teaching job was in adult education-

I was hired to do a combination of US Citizenship classes and GED classes.  The school was part of Beaumont ISD. 

When I was hired, little did I know that most of the "classes" would involved one-on-one instruction, and my "shift was from  1pm until 9pm in the evening. M-Th. Friday I worked a normal 8-4 shift. 

From 4pm until 9pm, I had the school to myself.  I had keys to the building to lock up, and would lock in Joe Rodriquez, who work nights as custodian. It was his second job. He was a mechanic at the local BMW, Jaguar, Land Rover, Peugeot dealership. There was one in Beaumont at the time. 

The majority of my students were females, ages 25-55 mostly in their 30s, mostly getting a GED because they were either getting a divorce, or  were in the process of getting one, not all, but many. 

They were and considered themselves as Cougars, MILFs, MILFYs, and the school was a place they got away from home. 

I was not the Kerry Thomas you got at Buna. I was 22 years old, still had hair, wasn't a fat tub of goo, and I dressed fairly well, ( I always have dress well, or tried to)  

I had just started dating St. Debbie and I have always kept my dating life fairly private. And even though, I knew Deb was " the one" she played typical " poker face" Deborah. I did not know she was smitten until she told me later. And likewise knew this is the one. Once again, this was early in the relationship. ( My then girlfriend was very stoic in our relationship. She cried once, when we decided that we were exclusive, I thought I had messed up, when in reality, she was happy, and when I proposed, she started jumping up and down with excitement...)

But back to my first job in education. 

I had to watch myself at all times. 

The women, thought nothing of being handsy, putting their hands on my upper thigh, patting me on the rear as they walked by, putting their head on my shoulder. 

And there were all sorts of propositions.....

Had one ask me, " Kerry, when's the last time you've had a piece of a$$?" ( In adult ed, you were called by your first name)

Another when we were working on her algebra lesson said, " You know, old p*ssy is better than no p*ssy." " I can make it happen." 

As we were closing up for a Thursday, a 30something tells me, " My husband is at on Mobil graveyards, and the kids will be in bed, why don't you came by the house about 12:30am?" " I have 'protection' if you are worried about that." 

On my desk one evening was a key to the old Ridgewood Inn on I-10. There was a note attached saying, " I'll be there about 11pm, And it was signed D.B. ( I took the key by the hotel the next morning and told the clerk " This was left at our school.")

My now wife's initials for her maiden name was the letter "B." I called her and asked to make sure she'd not been to Beaumont, she hadn't. ( The first time my wife and I spent the night together in a hotel room was on our wedding night.)

I had one in the middle of an English lesson tell me..." Let me know, I can rock your world."  

And I thought it would get better once I started getting Debbie to come by school and I actively put my arm around her, give her kisses as she left. 

If anything, it got worse.

 I am not Casanova,   I am not Don Juan, I am not a flirt. I am certainly not a libertine.I am convinced my wife and I were made for one another, we are hooked up sort of the same way. The only person I act as a roue' with is my wife, and well, I feel if you are " into someone" you should show it especially husbands and wives to one another. 

I never put myself in a place to run-around..... It is part of the reason behind the "Cuss Porch."

As I have told you I moved my lectern into the corner of my classroom as to not be aware of what color under-attire my female students were wearing that day, or not be able to see all the way to St. Louis if none were remember when dressing that morning. I wanted both of us to maintain some dignity. You must remember, I believed, one of my jobs in teaching was to try and protect my students. Even though you were grown individuals. 

I have a problem with people who stray outside their marriages. I could name names if I wanted, but I don't for several reasons. You know who you are. You know who you are hurting. Some of you are the same people who get all up in arms about the people in Paul's letters to Cornith, yet, you ignore what you are doing.....And I know I have done plenty of wrong things, Lord knows I have sins,  but when you do things that harm your family.....

Well, thus endth today's lesson.... 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And So It Begins

 They have announced that Lion Elastomers , the old Firestone plant on Chemical Row in West Orange ( Orange) is closing at the end of 2025. 

Rumors have been around for at least 2 years that I know of Lion closing their doors. 

I know at least 100 Lion employees and they are not saying how many contract workers will be laid off.  

I wonder how many of these guys were/are close to retirement? 

A friend of mine who is now in consulting, he has a MS in Chemical Engineering. Told me that they are probably not the only ones looking at lay-offs, if not total closure in our area.  

I am telling you, the economy is not good folks..... 

 

Those Damn Mormons....

 I have a friend of mine who always refers to the members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints as " Those Damn Mormons."

The thing is, he's Mormon. 

I've known him for at least 60 years. 

So, a former student of mine contacted me about those damn Baptists in Mid-county. It seems that one of the First Baptists down there pastor preached a sermon in which he said that 
" The Mormons are going to Hell." 

The most sincere Bible study and serious I have ever had was with Mormons. 

They're going to beat you to death, because they unlike most of you, have actually studied the Bible.  

Only 13% of people who call themselves Christians in America have read the entire Bible cover to cover.....Oh, you may have read the Christmas story during the holidays out of the Gospel of Luke, some of you might have read the dirty parts out of the Old Testament.  ( I am telling you if I ever pastored a church and I'd be fired about the first week, I'd send all the young people out and preach my first sermon on the Song of Solomon. )

And if you actually talk to one, their concept of salvation is pretty much the same as everyone else's in the Christian realm.  

Now I know everyone gets all hung up with them and that " Third Book" and I've spent a lifetime debating them over it and well, neither one of us get very far...... And I unlike most of you have read that book, more than once. And as a former student of mine who is now a M.D. and LDS said concerning our discussions. "We'll just agree to disagree. "
 

Now, I come from this in a different viewpoint than most of you. I grew up with Mormons. A lot of Mormons. I don't know why, ( I know why) I gravitated towards the Mormon kids that I taught. Always have. I know what makes them tick. I understand their humor, I feel comfortable around them....I still have a love of fruity like drinks like Orange Crush and IBC Cherry....But I still am a coffee, tea drinker. Will take a "nip." Always will be.   

I don't know about you, but you don't know what is in someone's heart. You really don't know what God's grace is going to entail. 

You better be careful,  when I was in SWBTS seminary there was a serious study by the Southern Baptists in which they concluded that only about half the people in the pews on every Sunday actually might be under God's grace. ( Saved) 

The study of course was quashed by the powers-that-be.  

Afraid of losing that tithe......Damn Baptists.  

 

 

 

 

Buna Schools, Those Darn Tests, Looks Like We Got Lucky, Blog Email

 After listening to Country music for about 2 hours, all of a sudden the computer decided, Kerry, you need to listen to Alice-in-Chains....Okay.....

-Buna Schools 

In the last well, 96 hours, I have received even more messages from people concerning Buna Schools, the tax rate, and concerns about just what their kids are learning....

A couple of ex-students on mine who have their kids in Buna are worried about their kids going to high school. One is really concerned about their child being being prepared for university. I know I looked at my class as one even if you were not going as soon as you graduate from Buna, you may go, 3-5-10-15 years from now. 

I wanted Buna kids to show they were as bright, if not brighter than most kids sitting in a college classroom.  

You know, in 2025, I am not sure if you can even do that anymore with the changes in society. 

I've had people just dump on me concerning the schools because, as one explained..." I need to tell someone." 

And that's fine, first rule of pastoral counseling, is " Just listening." 

- Ancestry

I have been surprised at how close the latest run and my research on " Family Search" has been. Scotland, West Midlands of England, Wales, Acadiana is where my people originated from according to what I have found in genealogy. And dadgum, this run was dead-on. 

BTW- Some of you know, but my family surname a couple of generations ago was not Thomas. I'll write a blog about it one day. When I was a kid, my parents, uncles, aunts did not want the story told. I think because their grandfather was the one change his name under nefarious circumstances. And every one of them loved their grandfather.  

-Lucky

Man, you better thank Jesus, or whatever deity you pray to. Looks like no hurricane threats this year to anyplace in the Gulf. And with cool/cold fronts starting to come through, the threat looks less and less.

I ain't kidding, I am still not right from Harvey.  

-Future Blogs 

Going to have a couple of future blogs you may not care for....Also, will write a blog concerning an incident with a former student that I often think about. ( Just for you Mr. Vaughn.) It shows you what kind of a "Hell on Earth" some of your students face. I tear up thinking about it. 

-- Blog Email

If you want to email me rather than send a message through Facebook. Here is an email I have set for the blog. 

As always, all information, correspondence, is kept anonymous. 

thegovteach.deaux@gmail.com 

  

 

 

 

 

  

 

Holy Buna ISD Tax Rate Batman!

 Again, this is being written under the influence of 70s Rock....Particularly, Led Zep....Kashmir, Lemon Song, Whole Lotta Love, Black Dog, D'yer Mak'er....." I don't know, but I've been told, a big legged woman ain't got no soul...."

If I may speak like Robin from the old campy Batman TV show from the 1960s......

I get up and take a look at the numbers readership on the blog, and I'm just stunned. Large reads. 

As I was reminded yesterday, I can say stuff that most folks can't and there is a great fear of retaliation, by residents, especially against their kids in school.  And don't tell me otherwise. 

When you fear a government entity, well,  things need to change.....And people somehow see a school district differently. It isn't a big warm fuzzy. 

It is the largest taxing entity in the county. Near as I can tell,( I've not used that idiom ever in the blog) it is that way in all 254 Texas counties.  

And somehow mentally, many see it as a benign agency.....And I am thinking it is because children are involved.  People you sit with on the church pews. 

But don't pay those taxes to the benign agency( the school district) and they'll take your home away. 

The year I graduated from university, I got stuck in a 300 level class on local governments.  It was a class offered in the Government Department ( Years ago, it was called "Government," not Political Science as it is today in most colleges)and I needed 3 hours to obtain my teacher's certificate in order to teach government. The guy who taught made us open our eyes at what local governments really were. Not all bad, of course, but we as citizens need to keep an eye on what is going on. 

Yesterday, and last evening, my message box filled up with people writing me about the school. I even sent me the budget for Jasper County, Buna ISD for me to go over. I am going to send it on someone on "staff" who reads these things better than me to go over and tell me what I am missing.  

Some people were shocked that I " went there."  

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

I'm going to have to start looking at tax rates, budgets, spread sheets etc. for future blogs. 

The blog is going to do some deep dive research over the next few weeks, months, talk to some folks, and see what I come up with.....

Who knows, I may have to leave the country........Make it Scotland.....Or Ireland....I'll go willingly, happily...... 

Okay, I am going to TRY and go back into a short sabbatical......Maybe look at buying a corduroy sports jacket. Maybe one with elbow patches. The Lord knows I try and dress like I taught school or sum-thin' one time or another... 

On a side note, I may need to set up an email for the blog. I am getting so many messages they are messing up Facebook private messages. I think I have read them all at this point however. We'll let you know about the email. It might be something I need to put at the bottom of every blog I write. ( Please do not stop sending messages. I read every one and most have a lot of great information)

 

 

Buna ISD and High Property Taxes....

 I had not expected to write this, and I am up this morning blasting 70s Rock in the computer room like I am still in high school.( My friend Jo Beth will be proud of me, I'm listing to partly to the British band Trapeze. ).... I am expecting St. Deborah to come in and tell me to turn it down....Nah, we have a noise-making " White Noise" machine in the master bedroom sounds like a Boeing 777 taking off....

But I digress.....

Last night the Buna ISD's Board of Trustees met, and it was discovered that the Buna ISD had a surplus of $2.3 million, which can neither go to students or teachers.....The money will go towards paying down debt...Which is not a bad thing.  

I am assuming keep this up and debt will be paid off....Or not......Schools are bad about spending " other people's money" and incurring other debt. 

Trouble is, you folks in Buna ISD are paying more in property taxes than the "rich folks" over in Hardin County at Lumberton ISD....

I've been told that allegedly, the school taxes are so high in Jasper County that Commissioner's Court can't raise taxes for roads, bridges, law enforcement.....And I've driven down many of your county roads, they are a mishmash of potholes and patches. 

I taught in a district in which there was a property tax election to roll back taxes....The school used scare tactics saying we'll have to drop, football, band, ag classes......The rollback passed and nothing changed....Some ambitious soul might want to do some research and see if that is still possible, or even feasible. 

Or not....... 

Just saying..... 

Psychologically, Get Ready......

 Not going to lie, had a hard time spelling the title this morning.....I have a mental block with the spelling of certain words, but alas( I need to start using that word more, sounds Victorian/Edwardian) I carry on....

We are about to have a war. 

Perhaps two wars at once. 

One with Iran, on October 1, the US Air Force moved 12 refueling tankers to Qatar. Fighter jets, U.S. Navy vessels are being positioned towards the Middle East. 

As many of you know, I read at least 6 British newspapers a day, and a lot of other European English language publications. German, French, Italian.... They're convinced Israel, the U.S. are going to war with Iran.  

When? 

It could be tomorrow......Or next month.......Or several months. 

Iran is ready this time and may use their more modern rockets instead of "old stock" they used last time against Haifa and Tel Aviv.  

Then two, we are making saber rattling towards Venezuela.  We already sunk a Venezuelan ship that the U.S. claimed was transporting narcotics. 

Claimed. 

They are talking about "Boots on the ground" in Caracas.  

I am wondering if this is to take our mind off the economy? 

I hope I am wrong.  

 

Tout Quelque Chose....Buna Schools. Newbies. Oct. 9th. " I'm Tired Boss" " Muckraker" I Address My Former Students

 My relatives "across the river" are apt to use the Cajun French term "Tout Quelque Chose" which translates into Standard American English as...."A Little of Everything".....And that is in the blog today. 

- To My Former Students 

Got to thinking last night that perhaps I am expecting too much from today's schools. The world changes and when I was there well, years ago now, we literally " Caught lightning in a bottle."  

I had three building principals who let me do whatever I wanted to do, teach whatever I wanted. And I took it and ran with it. Hard..... I was hard on y'all, really hard, and you took it and at first I thought you were not going to make it....If anything, it showed me Buna kids are as bright as the Richie Rich kids in wealthy privileged towns. 

No fooling and you may not believe it,  toward the end of my tenure at Buna I was spent. Shot. I was grading essay papers on deer stands during deer season. Instead of drinking beer with the boys after duck hunting, I went home and read your essay tests. 

Looking back on it, I wonder if I would do it the same way....Yeah, I would.....

Y'all have turned out well. I do not think you understand how proud I am of my " Buna kids." I brag on you every chance I get. 

And you didn't all just stay in this area, which is a good thing to me....You need to experience the world. Ex-students are in Hong Kong, Japan, Belgium, Indiana, California, hell, I have a compound of former students in Maine, folks in Canada, Colorado, Utah, Hawaii, Florida etc.....And many of you are spread out all over the state of Texas.... 

Many of you are starting serious world travel. A bunch of you have gone overseas the past 3 years and that itself makes me proud. I have a couple of students who love England as much as I do.

I am proud of y'all. 

- So, what's the deal on Buna ISD? 

And often I wonder myself. I'm retired. I need to be planning our next trip with St. Deborah, but instead, it is literally 3:30am and I am writing a blog. 

Someone wrote me a literal essay last evening ( a couple 3 people did) telling me, "you are the only person who can say  what we are thinking, feeling.".....And this sentence got me. "I am paying higher property taxes here than when I lived in xxxxx.......And I feel like the Buna school just doesn't care." Another other writer said, " I wish I could say something, but I don't want what I say to come back on my kids, and I got X more to get out of that xxx damn place." 

So, I get up, early in the morning, talk to Jesus, sit down at the tower computer, and write.....Afterwards, I put on my flak jacket, hit publish and get ready for the blowback.....and again folks, this a ( I'll call it this because most of the time it isn't) a labor of love. I certainly ain't making no money.  In a fantasy world, a former student would send me and Deb to Britain for a vacation for writing this, but in reality, this time, I am afraid if we go to Scotland, we'll liquidate everything here, rent a flat in the Caithness and stay.

 - Newbies

Welcome. I don't know most of you from Adam. I was the government and economics teacher at Buna High for many years, since retired. 

My actual studies are in history and theology. Yes, I am an ordained minister in a church affiliated with the Church of Scotland no one has ever heard of..... But don't let that fool you, personally, I am a little rough around the edges. I often cuss on here, talking about consuming adult beverages, and other questionable things. 

I am always interested in your stories, problems, tips and if you write, there is a good possibility I will write on it. All information and especially you will be kept anonymous.  

And please, don't attack other people's race, creed, religion in the comments. My daughter in law is Chinese, and we went to Kunming in Yunnan Province for the wedding. Our son lived in China for over 3 years.  My wife and I travel as a hobby. We are looking at going back to the UK for a 5th time. 

- Muckraker

Someone called me a "muckraker" yesterday.... You're going to have to do better than that. I'll wear that with honor. It'll put me in the same league as Upton Sinclair (The Jungle) and Ida Tarbell.  

- Oct. 9th. 

Those of you interested in genealogy take note, Ancestry.com will have a DNA update for everyone then. I am curious to see if mine comes back as "Regular White, Pale White, or White Bread White...." And I wonder after I see the results will I be singing from Gilbert and Sullivan's operetta HMS Pinafore's : He is an Englishman?"    ( Seriously, the last run the Coonass came out and I am wondering if the trend will continue?)

- I'm Tired Boss

I am tired. The blog is wearying. I am going to take a few days, if not a week or more off. Behave. I don't want to come back on Monday and have to write.  

Thank you for reading.....

 

 

-  

 

 

  

Well, The Buna ISD Just Keeps Giving Me Material...........It's a Bad Look.....

 I was minding my damn business this morning, listening to the London Philharmonic playing the J.S. Bach's Brandenburg Concertos 1-6.......This time of year now to Christmas, I lean/pretend I'm " High Church"  ( I generally play them, Led Zep or Alice in Chains, Audioslave etc when I write.....) And I get the itch to write.....

In the last few days I have received electronic mail from people who, well, not a clue who they are, but upon further review, they are people " In the know." ( My traditional sources confirmed what they are saying, and I cannot say this enough, you do not know how much I appreciate the tips, the stories, the information I receive from folks, without you, this blog, well, it would not exist. I thank each and every one of you for your support and as always, any information I receive is anonymous. )

When you teach school you want to be there for every kid......Whether they are Richie Rich or they don't have two nickels in their pocket. 

Maybe because I grew up in Vidor and grew up with kids that were rough, rough....In more ways than one. And yes, I am what people would call  over-educated, and chalk dust runs through my veins, and I grew up in an educated home, but still, the hardcore Vidorian comes out from time to time....Yes, we are all victims of our environment.  

Look, as I have said for years, I loved my rough kids, the kids who were "different." The kids who struggled. As many of you know, I am " different." My entire family sees me as well, some sort of misfit. Even as a child I was that way. ( I like to call it as the British would say, " Being a tad bit eccentric") 

Trust me, I understand. 

So, Kerry, Kerry Don, Govteach, Mr. Thomas, where the hell are we going today? 

So, after the child absconded from the elementary school a few weeks ago and there was a Katzenjammer process to find the kid, the parent approaches the media about the entire process. 

And in what I call a bad look, a really bad look, the school district calls Child Protective Service( CPS) on the parents.  

School district, why did you wait until AFTER the situation to call CPS? Did you not care about the kid until after the district looked bad? 

I wonder if Richie Rich's kid had run off, the district would have done made the phone call? 

I doubt it. 

If you are in the education business people, you have to be fair. You got to treat every kid the same. I know in Buna the " clique" is alive and well, and there are those who think they deserve better treatment, but you know, the property taxes paid by the poorest of poor mean just as much to them as it does to those who live in the " Poshest Manor House." 

In the last few months, I have gotten more correspondence from people unhappy with the Buna Schools. I know there are always people unhappy, but in the last few months, well, it's growing like mad. I literally could write every day about people unhappy with Buna. It is more than you really understand. It is "old name" Bunaites.( And many of the rank and file in the classrooms are looking to leave.)  

One day, you are going to look up at Buna Schools and wonder.....What happened?  

I've never done this before in this publication....Perhaps it is time for me to start calling out names, and start asking for resignations, retirements?  

Someone quick, better get a handle on the situation..... 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

Okay Buna, Let Me Remind You.....You Better Be Careful

I had not planned to write a blog today. There are times, well, you need to just "give it a rest." 

And I am going to try and keep the blog short. 

It has come to my attention that allegedly the administration is passing around the Maury Show broadcast of the parent of the kid who ran away from school.  Like they are trying defuse the situation.....Make the parents look bad. 

Come on, running a "PR program" against your patrons/families is a bad look. 

Show some class Buna ISD.... 

Let me remind you, one of my favorite students of all times was on Maury along with her husband, concerning a show in which opposites attract.  

She as many of you know is a " Little Person" and her husband is what 6'3"? 6' 4"? And they are nuts about each other. ( I'm very sad I missed the 30th reunion this past weekend. I wanted to see her and others, but I had to adult this past weekend.)

And no one criticizes them about being on the show....

Look, I had a number of you who sent me a link to the Maury Show and the folks with the runaway child....

I mean seriously.......Who Cares? 

I am stealing this from the Japanese......" A man(woman) is what they are at that moment in that room."   

If you want me to, I can recall some of the dumb stuff many of you did.....

And concerning the folks being in the media, even if it is considered campy. 

I watched a YouTube video in which a biologist was on the Discovery program " Nekkid and Afraid." He expect the program to be his 15 minutes of fame and then, he'd go on being a biologist. The entire thing has lead to him starting his own TV production company. 

When I was a young kid, I wanted to be a baseball player.....High School/College, I wanted to be History Professor. I made it to teaching 12th grade gubmint and economics. And it was what I was supposed to do....Certain things I am convinced are foreordained. 

The vast majority of Gen Z and Gen Alpha kids career goals are being an influencer. I was called one by a couple of folks and well, it sort of upset me.  When I started the blog I never dreamed it'd be this big, would be doing it coming up on 15 years, and literally there are people who know me as a blogger, and not a gov/eco teacher. A re-invention if you will.... Yeah, it's shocked me too. 

Yesterday, and it has been coming for a while, I made the executive decision to go ahead and get a camera and start doing podcasts in 2026. 

I have been putting it off, partly because I don't have a " BBC World Service" accent.....When I speak I sound like cornbread and purple-hull peas......I know, I have heard me speak when I co-hosted the radio show on KJAS. 

I get up this morning and already 16 people have written and asked to be on the podcast. Less than 12 hours since I posted my decision on Facebook.....I hadn't even got it organized good yet.... People were asking I didn't even know read the blog....

So don't tell me if I ask many of you  won't be on the podcast...... And those of you who say "No, I won't "....I can be pretty damn persuasive.....Never say " Never." 

Well, longer than I expected.....Maybe I won't blog until next week....... No such luck, no rest for the wicked....Isaiah 57:20-21( Again, a waste of a divinity school education.....)