Right or Wrong, I'll MAKE The Call

President Harry S. Truman had a sign on his desk in the Oval Office that read, "The Buck Stops Here." He even suggested a coaching scenario to explain what it meant. I paraphrase: 'It is easy for the Monday morning quarterback to say what he thinks the coach should have done the previous game but it is the coach in the heat of the game who must make his decision without benefit of hindsight.'


Keep this preface in mind as I share the following. Recently, I was made aware of two public school stories.


First, a fourth grade (elementary) school teacher expressed concerns to her administration that a 10-year old female student in her classroom had personal hygiene issues, i.e., dirty hands, elbows and unclean clothes. The teacher is troubled by other students who are beginning to make teasing comments 'openly' about the girl's uncleanliness. The teacher envisions the problem escalating, over time, from teasing to taunting, then rejection and perhaps by the time the child in in middle school she will be a truant with failing grades. The teacher reported this scenario to her building Principal requesting some type intervention by the administration, health services and social workers. The instructor was told by the Principal that little could be done and she should NOT 'make it' a bigger issue by calling it 'bullying.'  Somewhat like that sign: "Racism? Not In Our Town."  Bullying? Not In My School."Don't put that dollar bill on this Principal's desk!


Secondly, a coaching candidate is interviewed for a high school vacancy. The interview process finds a building Principal, athletics director and three other adults, some with no educational credentials to evaluate or interview. The candidate is told, "If you are called for a follow up interview, some student-athletes will also sit-in that interview session." How about THOSE (interview) qualifications joining in?


In the first story, we notice a public school teacher acting on a moral obligation to assist a child with potential health and social issues and an administration inept in leadership skills suggesting to downplay the issue. The second story is all about 'hiding' from and 'avoiding' the BUCK from stopping on MY desk. Superintendents, Principals and athletic directors have the State certification to make recommendations and evaluations of staff and those administrators' salaries reflect such expertise and duty. However, if a committee is formed to do 'interviews' then all individuals avoid accountability. If the hire works out, individuals and committee can take credit. Conversely, if the hire is a bust all individual committee members can and will hide behind anonymity in numbers.


Androgenic hair (body hair) begins growing over the human body after puberty; unfortunately some humans have little hair on their posterior!