The Hated One

Small town politics is a remarkable thing and I'm getting a first-hand view of the dirty, dirty underbelly. As I report the news (you know, my JOB), I'm getting some interesting feedback from a variety of weird sources. Apparently, I'm getting trash-talked behind my back.

One of our LJs knows, well, everybody. She and a bunch of other LJs from other papers get together and gossip. They're gossiping about me. Apparently the PR chick from one of the school districts that I cover whined about my reporting to this other reporter from another paper. What sent me over the cliff was that she complained about something I never even printed. We changed the story at the last minute because they changed their story. My colleague ripped the reporter for reporting rumors.

(I have a cat's tail hanging over the screen. Now she's rubbing her head on it. I'll have to stop and pet her. Hold on.)

(OK, she's satisfied and in the window now.)

They don't like me because I'm "too pushy." When I was still green they treated me like a buddy. Then the director of HR didn't return my calls. I had a deadline. I called him twice a day for a week. He didn't return my calls or left blow-off messages. So, early on deadline day I showed up at his office and politely offered to wait. I only needed a few minutes. I understand that he's a very busy man, I told his disconcerted secretary. I understand completely, but I have a deadline. I'll wait, thank you.

I waited for nearly 45 minutes before he called me back. It wasn't so bad. They had chocolate in the waiting room. When I finally got into his office, he had to call the superintendent for some information.

"Guess what I have in office?" he sneered over the phone. "A reporter."

He didn't consider me a person. I was a very annoying and disgusting thing. Whatever. I got my quote and my info. My editor grinned when I told him the story.

When I was sick a few weeks ago they had a very important budget meeting. It needed to be covered and I was in no condition to do that. While they were debating cutting teaching positions my fever hit full bore. Shiver, sweat. Shiver, sweat. We sent a very competent LJ in my place (the one from above who knows everybody). She was very professional and introduced herself to everyone. When my editor told me that she would be covering the story, I breathed a sigh of relief - and went back to bed.

The school board? They asked where I was. They made it clear that they didn't trust her reporting. (She's young, but she likes covering meetings.) When she clarified a few things the next day, they attempted to positively rewrite her copy. She turned them down.

This past week I wrote a story that ended up going into both papers. Actually it was two VERY different versions of the same story with shared information and quotes from a state senator. She introduced a bill that would require the posting of salaries and compensation for superintendents. This is in response to a house bill that would cap the salaries of superintendents at the same rate as that of the governor. The senator's take: Local control. Constituents are able to make that decision, but they need easy access to the information.

One superintendent, already peeved because I got some vital info wrong (that happens, sorry to say) gave me a very quick quote and refused to say more. When I asked for the salary info, he curtly told me I'd have it momentarily. He hung up without a goodbye. Within three minutes later the info I requested appeared my inbox. I gleaned a couple of other quotes from a school board meeting. You get what you can, from anywhere you can get it.

The other school board delayed getting me the info (as usual). When they finally got back to me on Monday. They had a list of talking points. Read that as grievances. They had concerns about the administrative costs. They were concerned about having to post information already available through the Freedom Of Information Act.

When I asked for the salary info for the superintendent the other top ten paid employees in the district, they hemmed and hawed. Then I filed a Freedom of Information Act request. I'll hear back sometime next week.

The senator that I interviewed called me today. That doesn't happen. Busy politicians don't call us. We call them and beg for a quote. She called me and wanted to know why I wrote two such drastically different stories. I explained about different school districts wanting to hear from their people and not from the district next door. Then she confided that one district drives her crazy with their complaining while the other does an amazing job on very little money. Believe me, I noticed.

And that bill she introduced? Those complainers might just be the cause of it. The last Superintendent made $300,000. We'll have to see what the current one makes.

"That does it," she said. "I'm filing for the top ten salaries with the freedom of information act, too."

Hornets nest. Shaken, not stirred.

I miss the kids.

TARB

P.S. The Athletic Director I wrote about previously resigned under duress. They even wrote his resignation letter for him. He refused to sign it and wrote his own. The press release regarding his resignation was titled: "Athletic Director Seeks New Endeavors." What a load of bull.