A Desperate Hunter's Trap

Last week Principal Palpatine sent me an e-mail regarding the music stipends that I've been receiving for the last decade. These stipends have been on the books for... well probably since the school opened. They provide for extra duties above and beyond the regular teacher contract. It seems she thinks she has an angle to pin me down on the marching band issue.

Why? I'm not exactly sure... we seemd to come to a mutually beneficial agreement at our last meeting. The only thing I can think of is that she's frustrated that despite the arrangement, she never did get me to agree that marching band is a required part of my job responsibilities. And in all honesty, I think it translates into her being pissed that I didn't kneel before her and offer her an unconditional surrender.

Okay... the truth.... yes I've been getting the stipends. (about $10k worth). But to be honest, I never looked at the description all that closely... until now. After Palpatine e-mailed me regarding them, I talked to people both in the union and on the Roll & Recompense committee. They gave me a copy of the sheet that lays it all out in black-and-white.

Except it isn't all that black-and-white.

Two of the items seemed to be linked to marching band. One refers to football game performances and competitions. The other deals with parade performances. Now... marching band isn't specifically mentioned in either of them, and I think I can at leats defend the stipend for football games by pointing out that I do take a pep band to the home football games. The parade stipend... well... it's kind of hard to defend that one. Fortunately, it's the smallest of the stipends (just over $2k).

Yesterday I got an e-mail from Assistant-Principal Bob who wants to meet with me regarding the stipends. It reeks of Palpatine mainuplation. To be sure, I checked with my union rep (who is also on the R&R committee). She said that it's probably just to confirm the status of my stipends, and to check up on how they are being implemented. I'm willing to bet that when I show up to his office, Palpatine will be there.

Actually, I'm not scared. I already have a game plan. If they ask why I haven't been fullfilling the conditions of the stipend, I will respond that said conditions have never been explained to me. These stipends have been given to the existing music teacher for decades, and I will gleefully point out that my three predecessors also received them without being challenged.... and without maintaining a marching program of any kind.

I will also point out that with the exception of the parade stipdend, marching band is not a specified (or even implied) element.

I will finnish off by saying that if the R&R committee deems that the conditions of any stipend are not being fullfilled, I will willingly surrender the stipend in question.

Cards in my favor:

I can refuse any stipend, even if I already signed for them.

Principal Palpatine is NOT on the R&R committee.

They can not penalize me for stipends paid to me over the last decade.

So... is it a trap? Sure, but I think it's a weak one at best. Her most powerful tool (the basic contract) does not come into play here.

I'll let you all know how it turns out.