The subject of education always evokes strong feeling, students get emotional over the smallest thing, then parents become outraged, board members appalled, teachers disgusted, always plotting to overthrow the regime, fire this or the other, protest and strike, as I explained education is inherently a subject which provokes strong feeling, because it is so important, a key to the future, a once in a lifetime opportunity.
That said, I have been loosely following the pissing contest between the MinEdu and SMOA, the foundation running the local high school, mind you, the only local academic high school, serving students in grades seven through twelve. It’s never good when there’s a pissing contest among Chiefs, because then the Indians get restless and cranky.
In all honesty Colegio Arubano is the most important school of the island, as it educated our brainiest kids, and it has a bit of an attitude. School board and management march to their own tune. While they certainly want to collect a stipend from the Ministry of Education, they do not want to report to that authority, not even consult it. Not even symbolically.
On the other hand the MinEdu who ends up paying the bills, feels entitled to an opinion, having been raised with the adage that: He who pays, plays!
So, the school has been without a headmaster for over a year. In yesteryears there were two attempts to hire and break it an ex-pat but they fizzled. This year they wanted to hire an ex-pat again, a Dutch educator, and since the minister got no say in the process, she decided to exercise her right to veto the candidate, aborting the attempt to hire him — he’s too old, she said. And besides, in an election year it was politically correct to insist that Colegio Arubano picks an Aruban rector, someone who grew up in our antiquated system and knows how to navigate it, someone on a first name basis with everyone who counts.
Then they went to court. And then SMOA lost, on a technicality, says SMOA, nevertheless it was a win for the MinEdu.
While I totally adore her, I will quote one of my opinionated friends, and say, that the minister who works in the same office building with a member of the board of directors of Colegio, Bart Kool, could/should negotiate terms of engagement in the cafeteria over coffee and cookies, but alas she is also protective of her turf and wants to be in charge of her own department’s decisions!
So you know what happens when two parties with an attitude meet? Nothing.
In analyzing the reasons why Hilary Clinton lost the elections I read that she was defeated because she totally pooh-poohed the Trump camp, totally dismissing their wills, wishes, ideologies, never even considering any of their claims, strictly sticking to her side of the fence, never even trying the shoe on the other foot.
I know it’s difficult to talk to people who are misguided, arrogant, and useless, but in the Trump-era it is a skill we must acquire, and I am talking to BOTH sides of the conflict. I totally agree you are surrounded by nitwits, but they are your nitwits and you have to live with them.
