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Maybe
I was absent the day that my school explained the definition of
the word…. ‘public’. As it is used in the phrase ‘public servant’.
You know those folks that work for some governmental function which
as I recall was funded by those of us out here known as ‘taxpayers’.
So, under that scenario the folks who work in the government technically
works for us, the taxpayers, isn’t that about the way you see it?
I do.
Well, here’s one that’ll curl your toes, up outside the great city
of Washington, D.C. there lives a employee of the school district
by the name of Dean Tisadt. Mr. Tisadt is listed as the chief operating
officer for the Fairfax County school system, which is just outside
of Washington, D.C.
It seems that the other day a snowstorm blew into town and left
about three inches on the ground. In our part of the world that
would shut down the city, but I suppose up north it might be somewhat
normal or then again, perhaps not. Anyway, a student at Lake Braddock
Secondary School looked up the home phone number for Mr. Tistadt
(it was a listed number) and called his house to inquire if the
school was going to be open or if there was a snow day.
Sounds pretty
reasonable to me, how about you?
He left his name and number on Mr. Tistadt’s answering machine.
I suppose he went on to school, but was surprised to have a message
from Mr. Tistadt’s wife waiting for him when he returned.
“How dare you
call us at home! If you have a problem with going to school, you
do not call somebody’s house and complain about it”. At some point
she utters the phrase… ‘snotty-nosed little brats’ and then comes
back on the line to finish out the conversation by saying … “Get
over it kid and go to school.”
Isn’t that lovely?
The student,
one Dave Kori then posted Mrs. Tistadt’s response on Facebook and
Youtube, along with the Tistadt’s home phone numbers. Sounds fair
to me.
I suppose Mrs.
Tistadt’s peace and quiet was shattered over her little temper tantrum.
Perhaps she’ll think twice about how she should respond to someone
asking a legitimate question and needing a civil and mature answer.
This brings
me back to my point, the last time I looked this country has a national
debt of some ten trillion dollars. If any corporation had a debt
of this size, they would be long gone many years ago. In case you
didn’t realize it, the government and yes, the school districts
are a part of the government ….are not a profit center. They do
not, I repeat do not, generate a profit. They are funded solely
by the efforts of hard working people like you and me. But think
about it, how often do our ‘employees’ get away with kind of abuse?
Pretty regularly,
if you ask me. How many of us dread going to the post office or
calling the IRS for something? Not all of the time, but most of
the time we are treated as if we are dirt and that our questions
and or inquires seem to be bothering these governmental personnel.
Not all of them to be sure. I have a high regard and respect for
those citizens of ours who work for the government and I never fail
to tell the ones that are civil and polite and helpful how much
I appreciate their attitude and their assistance.
But you and
I both know that there is not a ‘the customer is always right’ mentality
out there waiting for us with most of our governmental agencies.
Most of us can tell horror stories about the ineptness and the condescending
attitudes we have all been subjected to at one time or another.
This wife of
this school district official is a good example. Do you think it
ever occurred to her that the parents of this boy actually pay for
Mrs. Tistadt’s livelihood?
I don’t think it did. I think Mrs. Tistadts has the attitude that
she is the employer and not the other way around.
Perhaps that
will change the next time a vote comes up for a salary increase
for this district.
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