Our dear friend the Reverend Tatum, not sure how you retain a title if you don't fulfill your obligations, but that's besides the point.
He began a group The Good Hands Program to help students learn a lesson. At first thought this seemed like a good thing to help our kiddos understand how to earn our keep and be responsible.
Now it comes out that the district told him not to run the program and he did anyway tying himself to the contract the district awarded him to work with students. We all had a bad state about the deal but that's approved and done. So this summer deal seems like it was not part of it. Now students are asking for their hard earned money and Tatum wants the district to pay it.
So pointing fingers at this point is not finding a solution to the situation. Tatum is responsible knowing that he was not to move forward with the program.
The only other reservation we have is how these children were on the campuses without anyone in the district knowing or for that matter reporting that underage children are working? I can see the district saying that they did inform Tatum about this but at the same time does the district not bear any responsibility for supervision? The information pasted all over the facebook page and no one noticed?
Normally the district tells its principals to let hourly pay employees know that they cannot work overtime without approval and that they cannot come to functions after hours even if they want to volunteer because by law they have to be paid for "helping" the school. Would this rule apply to some degree?
Again students went on a false premise that their work would pay off and now someone needs to save face, pay the students and move on. The message the students are learning is surely not what was intended but adults will be adults especially when money is involved. I heard a phrase in the bible say that money is the root of all evil.. not sure if anyone is listening nowadays. Funny how even the most reverend of them all does not apply any teachings.
You be the judge!
http://www.star-telegram.com/2014/07/29/6004471/students-say-the-school-district.html?rh=1
