Devonne Brown

Imaged generated with AI

“How many buffoons does it take to run a meeting?” thought Alice. She looked outside the window and watched the ocean leave tidepools on the shore and wanted to be there more than anywhere else in the world. She was so excited that the conference was to be held at Myrtle Beach, but the meetings had proved to be interminable. The feral administration saw to it that the last two days held back to back sessions that lasted until three and four o’clock, peak sun hours, and then had requisite cocktail parties. Every spare moment of daylight was spoken for. 

It was downright depressing. At least the balm of alcohol assuaged some of the pain of sitting all day. Most of the information could have been handled in emails and memos. They promised tomorrow would break after the dreaded lunch, which would be provided and also required. Free at last. 

Alice intended to stay through the weekend. She’d booked her room, sans roommate to enjoy the sand, surf, and pool in hopes the sun would hold out. She’d heard rumors of scattered storms moving in. It would be just her luck to be stuck at the beach in the rain by herself. At least the horrific meetings would end and she wouldn’t have to listen to the indoctrination of the company’s new and improved educational programs anymore. 

Most new initiatives, like Common Core, No Child Left Behind, Star Academy, something that started with an M, and now Ron Clark, lasted no more than eighteen months at best, usually six before they petered out and teachers fell into their comfort zones. Usually there was carry over from each one, teachers picked and chose their favorite practices from each of the methods. 

Each program became a bastardized version of the original and nothing completely stuck. None of it was done intentionally, of course, the trainings for each were merely expensive book studies that insulted the intelligence of what admin believed were common teachers, incapable of following directives.

The conference created more resentment than cohesiveness, and Alice was not alone in her thinking.

“I would much rather have read the book on the beach, and discussed it over cocktails in the evening, and enjoyed the sun rather than sit in the conference room and watch the waves from the windows,” Lisa whispered beside Alice. Lisa was faculty senate president, and was always on the side of the administration and never confided in Alice, Linda, on Alice’s opposite side, the Mormon, who only used vodka to make vanilla, agreed whole heartedly. 

“I don’t drink, and would rather listen to drunks talk about these chapters than sit through this shit during the day, I think Ron Clark would agree. “ griped Linda. “I’ve even been to his academy.”

“I thought I was just being negative,” said Alice. 

“No, you’re usually right in your thinking. You just don’t say it,” Lisa said. “You should be more confident with your opinions. You’ll find more folks agree with you than you think.”

“I don’t want to ignite. I’ve been around the block enough to let someone else learn the ropes of education. I’ve been teaching for a long time. Let others have their ‘A ha’ moment’.”