Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, May 27, 1990 TAG: 9005250289
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV4 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: Jack Chamberlain
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Well, folks, it turned out to be just a tropical depression from Florida, a gust of hot air breezing through, stirring up the New River Valley's dust, hopes and expectations, then blowing South again.
Gee, Jim, was it something we said?
Is that why you're suddenly breaking your legal, binding contract after barely a year, leaving the folks of Pulaski County holding an empty bag of promises and dreams?
I'm sure when you told the folks in Vero Beach, Fla., you were going to Pulaski County, Va., they said, "Where the heck is Pulaski County, Va., anyway?"
So, where are you going, now, Jim? Muscogee County, Ga.? Where the heck is that, anyway?
At least you are leaving the children of Pulaski County, the New River Valley and Southwest Virginia with an object lesson in contract law and professional ethics.
We'll call it the Jimmy Jump.
Hey, kids, see Jimmy jump. Jump, jump, jump. He's running out on his legal, binding contract - which says he'll be superintendent through June 30, 1993 - and his commitment to you, your teachers, your parents and the taxpayers of Pulaski and Virginia.
Is he doing right? Yes. No.
He took his $79,500 salary - that would buy lots of ice cream for the poor kids at school - and his perks for the year, and now he's returning South with three years left on his legal, binding contract.
Essay question: What are the legal and ethical ramifications when a professional violates his legal, binding contract? Extra points for spelling ramifications right.
The likelihood of a Burns Bugout has been in the wind for weeks. School Board members muttered that they wouldn't let a little thing like a legal, binding contract stop Jim Burns from abandoning Pulaski County if he could find happiness in Muscogee County, Ga.
Say, where'd you say that was?
I guess it's like when your wife says goodbye because she doesn't love you anymore. Or maybe she's just found something better. What can you say? "No, you can't go! We have a legal, binding contract"?
Well, maybe she'd stay. But it really wouldn't be the same, would it?
Can you imagine the flap and feathers if the School Board, also bound by the same legal, binding contract, had tried to fire James Burns, for whatever reason?
"So, Jim, you think academics should be ahead of Cougar football, eh? YOU'RE FIRED!"
"Hey, Jim, what's the idea of getting everybody upset about nativity scenes in schools? YOU'RE FIRED!
"Jim, you wanna do what? Raise high school graduation standards so all graduates can read their diplomas? YOU'RE FIRED!"
Can't you just see the lawyers stumbling all over themselves to defend Jim's legal, binding contract?
THEY'RE HIRED!
The School Board wouldn't have a prayer - which is just as well, because school board prayer is probably on just as shaky legal ground as those nativity scenes in school.
But that's another story.
Remember when the Montgomery County School Board wanted to unload a superintendent a couple of years ago? After months of negotiations, it agreed to pay more than $100,000 to buy out his legal, binding contract just to get rid of him.
Say, Jim, didn't the Florida folks buy out the last nine months of your legal, binding contract before you came here? How much did the taxpayers pay you for leaving early - $94,000, right?
But this is a bugout, not a buyout.
So, how much do you figure you owe Pulaski County taxpayers for breaking your legal, binding contract, Jim?
Let's see, how much did county taxpayers reimburse you for the move up here from Vero Beach - $8,012, right?
What about those other perks in your legal, binding contract? That tax-sheltered annuity. Those vacation and sick-leave days. That travel allowance. Are those still legal and binding?
Hmmmm. Surely, Jim, you owe the good folks of Pulaski County something for leaving them in the lurch without an educational leader.
A refund of the moving expenses, perhaps? Forfeit those perks?
What's to negotiate? You, not the School Board, are breaking your legal, binding contract. Think about that as you prepare to move on down Interstate 81 - by U-Haul, we hope!
Jim, if you were an ordinary, mindless, gutless bureaucrat, I'd help you pack. But most thinking folks could see you had the vision and fortitude to lead Pulaski County to the top among Virginia's school systems.
So, I guess some of us are just deeply disappointed, and feeling a little betrayed. And we're a bit envious of Muscogee County, Ga., wherever that is.
Seriously, Jim. What was it?
Was it that stupid ice cream thing?
by CNB