My frustration with my current job situation

I really don’t know what to do with myself.

I don’t want to admit that. It feels like a declaration of weakness and, in all likelihood, will be seen as such.

Ever since I was escorted out of East Middle School Monday, April 8, by our school’s police officer, moments after being told I was being placed on paid administrative leave, I have spent hours and hours wrestling with how to handle this situation.

I have joked about it on Facebook and in a few conversations, simply because that is the way I deal with setbacks. I don’t want to let people know that I am worried to death about losing a job I love and worried that the steps that have been taken against me could end up marking the end of my teaching career.

Though I feel like a young man, let’s face it- I’m 57 and I have a pacemaker. Schools aren’t going to be lining up to add me to their faculties.

More than anything I am frustrated about the steps that have put me into this position.

I am frustrated that the question-and-answer session that led directly to my being placed on leave was barely more than five minutes.

I am frustrated that I was never even asked if I had made a profit off Scars from the Tornado. A more careful investigation would have shown that I have not and that I have made every effort to be open and honest with my students, their parents, and the taxpayers of the Joplin School District about what I would like to see done with that money.

I am frustrated that a book that says so many positive things about the Joplin School District and should be one that any school district should be proud of is being treated like it is part of a criminal activity.

The frustration extends to the accusations centering on my book No Child Left Alive.  I wonder why a few more moments couldn’t have been taken by the human resources director to hear my side of the story. She clearly says I will get my opportunity to tell my side, but should that opportunity have to wait until my job is on the line at a do-or-die hearing? Room 210 Discussion is not a classroom blog and I have not talked to my class about it for years. It mentions East Middle School at the top only because, for a brief time three years ago, I considered trying to set up a discussion blog. I did not do it and I have not pointed my students in the direction of that blog.

An investigation that was seeking the truth would have found that out rather quickly.

An investigation that was seeking the truth would never have led to the Board of Education and a vote that is clearly not in the best interests of the Joplin School District.

One of the people who left comments on my blog said some kind things about me- things that I deeply appreciate.

It is true that I am usually one of the first ones to arrive at work each day and one of the last to leave.  In 36 years of working, I have only missed four days. Three of those came last year and it took a pacemaker implantation procedure to pull me out of class those three days. When I am working at a job, whether it be at newspapers, where I worked 22 years, or the last 14 as a classroom teacher, I have never cheated my employers. I show up, I do my job, and I do it well.

I have always considered it to be part of my job to help younger teachers deal with the day-to-day problems they face. Young teachers, like the students who sit in their classrooms each day, are the hope of the future.

In the 10 years I have spent in this district, I have probably done as much as anyone to emphasize the positive, whether it be on my Journalism Club website, my Mr. Turner’s Corner, which is the only classroom website I have, or in The Turner Report.

In 5:41: Stories from the Joplin Tornado and Spirit of Hope: The Year after the Joplin Tornado, I wrote stories that specifically pointed out nothing but positive things about the Joplin School District.

In 10 years in this district, I have never once received a bad evaluation. My fellow teachers thought enough of me to name me one of the first two teachers at South Middle School to receive the Golden Eagle Award, something that is given to the top teacher, as voted by his or her colleagues. There are others I thought were more worthy, but of all the honors I have received in my years in journalism and education, the Golden Eagle Award is the one that means the most to me.

That year, I was also a finalist for the Joplin School District’s Teacher of the Year Award.

For 10 years, I have done my best to be a positive force for the children of the Joplin School District. You will find few people outside of those who have brought this action against me who would disagree with that assessment.

For all of that, I deserved more than five minutes with someone who clearly had already decided the outcome of the interview.

For all of that, I deserve to have this hearing canceled and be put back into my classroom,

Instead, my time as a teacher may very well have ended with a police officer leading me out of the building.

Can this really be the message the Joplin School District wants to send?

Besendorfer: Easiest way to bring down a male teacher is to accuse him of inappropriate conduct

It was not one of my proudest moments.

I removed everything I had written in 2007 about a certain situation that occurred in the Reeds Spring School District (the official in question originally came from Lamar and the Turner Report has quite a few readers in Lamar who were interested.) from my blog.

This was not the last time I was asked to remove items from the Turner Report. It was the last time I did so. As I have noted on Facebook, any time Superintendent C. J. Huff has had a problem with something I have written, he has contacted me directly. He has also contacted me when he has liked things I have written. Any other complaints have come from "administration" and have been delivered through underlings.

And, as you might expect, I have documentation.

MNEA issues action alert on tax cut bill

(From Missouri National Education Association)

The Senate is expected to take up HCS/SS#2/SCS/SBs 26, 11 & 31 (Will Kraus) for final passage early next week, though the bill was not taken up on April 25. The House passed the bill on April 24 by a 90-68 vote. If the Senate passes the House version, the bill will go to the Governor for his signature or veto. 

 

SB 26 will significantly reduce state general revenue when fully implemented and will force devastating cuts to public investment in K-12 and higher education and other vital services.

 

The Association strongly opposes the radical cuts to state revenues contained in SS#2/SCS/SBs 26, 11 & 31.

 

The HCS version of the bill reduces state personal and corporate income taxes by two-thirds of a percent and phases in a 50 percent deduction of business income. The bill also increases the state sales tax by six-tenths of a percent, enacts the Streamlined Sales Tax and includes Use Tax nexus language for out of state sales.

Darrin Wright named news director at KZRG: Novotny added to news team

KZRG has named Darrin Wright as its news director, according to a news release from the station.

"News Talk KZRG has a new news director, as morning anchor Darrin Wright will take the reins. He’s also taking over co-hosting duties with Chad Elliot on the Morning News Watch.'

The news release also announced the addition of Sarah Novotny from St. Louis as a member of the news team.

Flanigan: Tax cut will be boon for Missouri business

Taxes (and revenues) will go down, cutting the money for school districts and needed services, sales taxes will go up and this will be a good thing, according to the latest newsletter from Rep. Tom Flanigan, R-Carthage.

The Missouri House took a considerable step toward tax reform and economic rebound this week, perfecting and passing HCS SS SCS SB 26, 11 & 31. This bill reduces income taxes at all levels.

Missouri must have a friendly business climate in order to compete in the global economy, and attract businesses to our state. But this measure goes further and rewards the hard work of individuals and the risks of entrepreneurs. Through SB 26, the House aims to make Missouri not only business-friendly, but family-friendly, entrepreneur-friendly, and job-creator-friendly.

Over a five-year period, this legislation will reduce the individual income tax from the current 6% rate to 5.33% and Missourians with incomes under $20,000 will receive a $2000 income tax deduction. For businesses, the current corporate income tax rate of 6.25% will go down to 5.5% and the businesses first $25,000 of corporate income wont be taxed at all. The most important cut, however, is the 50% reduction on the business “pass through” income tax. These “pass through” corporations – the sole proprietorships, partnerships, and S-corporations – generate more than half of the business income in the United States. Small businesses are truly what keep this country – and this state – moving.

Missouri will make up for the revenue difference by phasing in a 0.6% sales and use tax over the next five years. Opponents of tax reform say this will devastate the poorest Missourians, but this is false. Necessities like food, gasoline, and mortgages will not see any sales tax increase. Meanwhile, individuals who have the means to buy new cars every year will make their contribution through an increased sales tax.

To ensure Missouri does not have a revenue deficit crisis, the bill has a built-in stopping device. Each phase of the individual and corporate income tax cut is dependent on a revenue increase of at least $100 million from the previous fiscal year. Simply put, if the tax cut doesn’t work as expected, we won’t continue it.
Overhauling our tax structure will undoubtedly mean some changes, but these will be rewarding changes. A cap on revenue will force future legislators to be true stewards of Missourians’ tax dollars, instead of jumping to create a new government program every time a problem arises. New programs often start with good intentions, but more often than not, half the money allocated to programs for the less-fortunate goes to administrative costs.  In other situations the programs produce little benefit with less than promised results.

The legislature should not be in the business of creating government jobs. Bureaucratic jobs often outlive their use and underemploy their workers. In the past few months we have seen federal employees – educated, hardworking individuals – lose their jobs due to sequestration. The only way to stop this trend is to encourage businesses to open up in every town and city. We have to remove the barriers for smart, dedicated individuals to set up their own shops and furthermore, we need to encourage families to reinvest in the local economy by allowing them to keep more of their money.

That is what SB 26 does for our state. It enables entrepreneurs to fulfill their dreams of starting a local business. It attracts corporations to relocate to Missouri, bringing with them hundreds of positions for good, family-sustaining jobs. And it gives Missourians a break, allowing them to keep more money and spend it as they like, on goods and services in their local economies, and giving their own neighbors a helping hand.

SB 26 now returns to the Senate for final legislative approval before heading to the Governor’s desk. This measure is something both the House and Senate believe in. No matter the Governor’s action, your Republican-led House will continue to pass similar legislation to help our state rebound, and put more of your hard earned dollar back in your pocket.
 

Rep. Sommer: More guns do not lead to more violence

Where are these people getting their information? In her latest newsletter, Rep. Chrissy Sommer, R- St. Charles, says she has seen no studies that show more guns lead to more violence, says the number one weapon used in violent crimes is a baseball bat (would that also be the number one weapon for violent crimes resulting in deaths) and she repeats the crock that the best way to stop a bad guy with a gun is with a good guy with a gun.

 One of the pieces of many pieces of legislation that the Missouri House passed in the last two weeks was House Bill 436, otherwise known as the Second Amendment Preservation Act. I am very proud to say that I was one of the co-sponsors on this piece of legislation and I wanted to go into a little more detail about what this bill does. 

This bill strongly states that all past, present, or future federal acts, laws, orders, rules, or regulations that infringe on the people’s right to keep and bear arms, as guaranteed by both the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution and Article I, Section 23 of the Missouri Constitution, are invalid, will not be recognized, are specifically rejected, and will be considered null and void and of no effect in this state. 

Now, many argue that more guns leads to more violence. I have not seen any studies that show this statement to be true. As a matter of fact, according to the FBI, the number one weapon used in violent crimes is a baseball bat. Yet there is no cry to ban baseball bats in America. 

I agree that we must help prevent another Sandy Hook. However, the surest way to stop a bad guy with a gun is with a good guy with a gun. One example my friend and colleague Rep. Bryan Spencer brought up this week on the floor was that in a place like Israel, where terrorism is a part of life on a daily basis, the teachers there are trained and they all carry firearms to protect their students. Now, I’m not saying we force teachers to carry firearms, but maybe we put a police officer in the school, or, maybe we allow teachers who choose to conceal carry to actually conceal carry on the premise. 

The fact is under no circumstances should we keep firearms away from law abiding citizens. This fundamental right is protected under the Constitution of the United States. The Patriots at Lexington and Concord fired the “Shot heard around the world” on April 18th, 1775 to stand up for those very liberties. The British were marching on Concord to confiscate their powder and arms. The Minutemen (not professional soldiers, citizens protecting their homes and rights derived from their Creator) stood up to the most powerful army in the world to protect those rights. 

Hartzler: Don't blame Sandy Hook murders on guns

In her weekly newsletter, Fourth District Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler says we should not blame guns for the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Conn.

The issue of protecting our Second Amendment rights was the topic of much conversation this week on Capitol Hill. I was proud to lead a one-hour Special Order on the floor of the House of Representatives to allow my colleagues and me to share our thoughts on our Constitutionally-protected right to keep and bear arms while protecting ourselves and our families.

 In the wake of the Newtown, Connecticut tragedy, there has been much discussion of gun control proposals designed to keep our children safe. As I spoke, I acknowledged that there are evil people who use guns for evil purposes, but quickly pointed out that firearms are a tool and should not be blamed for the actions of misguided individuals. Furthermore, we must not allow tragedies to rush lawmakers into passing hastily-written and emotionally-driven legislation that would infringe on the rights of law-abiding citizens to protect themselves and their loved ones.

 I cited two Missouri cases in which victims of crime were able to defend their lives, thanks to firearms. There is the 2008 case of a Cape Girardeau rape victim who was almost assaulted a second time, days later, by the same rapist. She protected herself with a 12-gauge shotgun borrowed from a friend. Then there is the 2005 case of a Kansas City homeowner who defended his life with a gun against a knife-wielding intruder. There are many more examples of firearms being used to protect the lives of honest and decent citizens.

 We must have meaningful conversation about mental health issues and other possible contributors to violent behavior. We must commit ourselves to addressing the human factor behind gun violence, rather than emotionally attacking the tool used by the attacker.

Southwest Missouri Democrats schedule picnic, pie auction

(From Southwest Missouri Democrats)

The Southwest Missouri Democrats are hosting a Picnic and Pie Auction at 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 4th. The event will be held at the Joplin Community Center, located  at 110 Main Street in downtown Joplin with guest Auctioneer Pat Kelly.

"Come out and join us as we welcome Spring and enjoy the fellowship of other Democrats", said Jordan Overstreet, Executive Director of the Southwest Democrats. "This event will feature food, a live pie auction with Auctioneer Pat Kelly, and an afternoon with friends.  This is an event you won't want to miss." 

Hot dogs, hamburgers, sides, and desserts will be provided.  Attendees are encouraged to bring a pie for the auction.  There is a suggested donation of $10 for adults, $5 for children 10 and under. Donations will go to the Southwest Missouri Democrats mission of improving Democratic performance, cohesiveness, and presence in Southwest Missouri.

McCaskill: Your stories made a difference

(From Senator Claire McCaskill)

This week, your personal stories made the difference when I chaired the first hearing of my new subcommittee, focused on how we can save billions of taxpayer dollars.

My new Subcommittee on Financial & Contracting Oversight gives me jurisdiction to crack down on waste, fraud, and abuse throughout the federal government.  And I came prepared to my first hearing, armed with your stories about aggressive marketing by medical equipment companies.

I was spurred to begin an investigation into medical equipment sales tactics when I received a letter from a doctor in Chesterfield who told me how medical device companies "badger" her patients and submit prescription requests for equipment her patients did not ask for-all so those companies can bill Medicare for the cost. You can find her letter on my website, HERE.

I then reached out to all of you for your personal stories dealing with these companies.  I was amazed by all of the responses I received, particularly from a woman and her mother who told me how they continue to receive calls daily from companies trying to get them to buy products they don't want or need.  It's that kind of aggressive sales tactics that has to stop.

Unfortunately, the hearing began with two empty chairs set aside for representatives of medical equipment companies who were invited to testify before the subcommittee, but refused to voluntarily appear.

These companies are profitable for only one reason and that is the American taxpayer.  In the coming weeks, we'll continue to look for other ways to get these two companies' representatives to testify, and work to better understand how we can free Medicare patients of tricky or misleading sales pitches.

It wasn't just the sales tactics that caught my attention.  I questioned witnesses from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) about recent reports finding CMS had failed to recover more than $70 million in overpayments to medical equipment companies.  When they were unable to provide answers to questions about the exact amount that has been lost to fraud, I told them that either their sampling was off, or that their auditors were failing at their task. Both are unacceptable.

We need to crack down on abusive marketing tactics by these companies, and we need more safeguards in place, and stronger consequences for companies who engage in illegal or abusive behavior.

This fight isn't over, but after this week's hearing I'm ready to put together solutions that will save taxpayer dollars and protect our seniors from buying products they don't want or need.

I'll update you as we continue to investigate this problem. And again, thank you. Your stories made all the difference. 

The Joplin School District's charges against me

As most Turner Report readers are aware, I was removed from my classroom at Joplin East Middle School April 8, placed on paid administrative leave.

Last night, as I read over the 28-page list of charges against me, I grew both angry and depressed.

Finally, I began detailing the charges on my Facebook page.

I am going to take a different approach for this blog and simply repeat the way I reported it on Facebook last night and early this morning:

I have already written my first blog post on my situation (other than the KOAM video). I am awaiting suggestions on it. 
Basically, though the charges against me are "immoral conduct" because I posted the Daily Kos article that I linked to on Facebook last night on a website called Room 210 Discussion that I started at South so students and former students can have discussions about the kinds of issues we have always discussed in class. The site was never used as a classroom website and never really caught on, but I did not shut it down, nor did I shut down another failed website called Room 210 for Teachers. THe Daily Kos article, which I will link to again in a few minutes, had a part toward the end that said that encouraged people to download and discuss No Child Left Alive. Every once in a while, I copy and paste one of my articles into some of my lesser websites, in case someone comes across it on a search engine.

By putting it on Room 210 Discussion, the charges say, "Mr. Turner posted class materials on the Room 210 Discussion blog so that students would have to visit the blog in order to fully participate in class."

I would be surprised if any of my students have ever heard of Room 210 Discussion, unless, of course, the ones who were interviewed during the investigation were told about it by the HR person. It is not a part of my class nor has it ever been. I tried to tell that to the HR person, but she said, "You will get your chance to talk later." I am still waiting for that chance.

(More to come)

***

Toward the top of page two, the charges say, "The book, No Child Left Alive, written by Mr. Turner, contains the following sexually explicit and violent passages;" I do not intend to repeat those. I have never said there is not sex in the book. It was never intended for young readers, which is why it is the only book I have written under my real name, instead of Randy, the name I go by.

Pages 2 through 17 of the charges is simply one paragraph after another taken from the book, no additional charges. Some of them are sex scenes, although there is nothing that comes anywhere near to pornographic (something that should be apparent to those parents who have downloaded it since all of this started." Some are simply high school students talking with each other. Some of it is violence (there is a school shooting incident toward the end of the book.) Some of it is language. The language and scenes are appropriate in the book, but I am not going to put them on Facebook.

***

Continuing, the charges say, "Mr. Turner encouraged his middle school students to read his books, including No Child Left Alive, in order to discuss them in class." That never happened and they are fully aware it never happened.

***
"Although the District recognizes Mr. Turner's right to privately author and publish creative works, providing inappropriate materials of a sexually explicit nature to children is immoral conduct and negatively impacts his ability to be a positive role model as a teacher in the District.

***

Also from the charges, "Mr. Turner's immoral conduct as described herein renders him unfit to supervise and teach children. His integrity and respect have been compromised by his actions, and his continued employment would adversely impact the students, the educational environment and the District as a whole."

***

Continuing the charges, all related to my putting the Daily Kos article on Room 210 Discussion: "Mr. Turner's immoral conduct as described herein is contrary to justice, honesty, modesty, and good morals so as to render him unfit to serve as a role model for children."

***

That was all from the first charge. The second charge, which begins on page 18 is "Willful or Persistent Violation of Board Policies." "Mr. Turner willfully and/or persistently failed to obey the school laws of the state or the published regulations of the Board of Education by providing and promoting obscene material he authored entitled No Child Left Alive that contains graphic depictions of sexuality, rape, domestic violence, and school violence to 12, 13, and 14 year old children through his blog for his middle school communication arts class."

Again, Room 210 Discussion is not my classroom blog, nor has it ever been. We use three blogs, EMS Roundabout, which is the Journalism Club blog, Mr. Turner's Corner, my classroom blog, and Room 210 Civil Rights, which I created to go along with the third quarter research project.

The charges continue, "Mr. Turner's actions as described above are in violation of Board Policy AC (Prohibition Against Discrimination, Harassment and Retaliation, which prohibits sexual harassment."

"No Child Left Alive, which Mr. Turner made available to middle school students through the Room 210 Discussion classroom blog, contains communications of a sexual nature, including comments about sexual activity in violation of Board Policy AC.

"No Child Left Alive, which Mr. Turner made available to middle school students through the Room 210 Discussion classroom blog, includes written descriptions of physical conduct based on sex in violation of Board Policy AC."

***

According to the charges, I also violated the policy about staff/student relations. That is explained on page 20. "Mr. Turner engaged in conduct that violates Board Policy GBH by violating other board policies, including, but not limited to Board Policy AC, and by making No Child Left Alive available to middle school students through his Room 210 Discussion classroom blog.

"The actions of Mr. Turner in making No Child Left Alive available to middle school students through the Room 210 Discussion classroom blog demonstrates a failure to maintain professional boundaries by communicating with students about sexual topics in violation of Board Policy GBH.

"Mr. Turner further engaged in conduct that violates Board Policy GBH by using a means of electronic communication in a manner that was not authorized by his supervisor.

"Mr. Turner engaged in conduct that violates Board Policy GBH by making No Child Left Alive available to middle school students through the Room 210 Discussion classroom blog, thereby using electronic communications to communicate with students regarding matters of a sexual nature."

***

The next part, which I am not going to print word for word indicates that since Room 210 Discussion "bears the imprimatur of the district," that I am responsible for what is on there.

***

According to the charges, I also violated district expectations which require me to "refrain from using profanity." Mr. Turner violated Board Policy GBCB when he posted on a classroom blog made available to students, and encouraged them to read for discussion purposes No Child Left Alive, which fails to provide quality instruction, contains sexually explicit and age-inappropriate content, and contains profanity."

***
The charges also accuse me of teaching about human sexuality, which says you must "present abstinence from sexual activity as the preferred choice of behavior in relation to all sexual activity for unmarried students because it is the only method that is 100 percent effective in preventing pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases and the emotional trauma associated with adolescent sexual activity."

***
I forgot to mention on the last one that I was supposed to do have done that "when I posted No Child Left Alive, by failing to adhere to District policy and procedure on the Room 210 Discussion blog.

***

I am also in trouble because I did not ask for approval to assign No Child Left Alive for discussion (which would have been hard to do since I didn't assign it in the first place). "Anyone wishing to distribute unofficial material must first submit for approval a copy of the material to the principal or designee 24 hours in advance of desired distribution time." I violated Board Policy IGBDA, they say, "when he posted, made available to students, and encouraged them to read for discussion purposes unofficial material in the form of No Child Left Alive on the Room 210 Discussion blog without obtaining prior authorization."

***
From page 24 (we are nearing the end) "Mr. Turner violated Board Policy IIA when he posted, made available to students, and encouraged them to read for discussion purposes No Child Left Alive, which fails to meet the district's high standard for quality instructional materials and fails to advance the goals of the District on the Room 210 Discussion blog.

"Mr. Turner willfully or persistently failed to obey the school laws of the State or the published regulations of the Board of Education by providing and promoting obscene material he authored entitled No Child Left Alive that contains graphic depictions of sexuality, rape, domestic violence and school violence in 12, 13, and 14-year-old students through his blog for his middle school communication arts class after he had notice of policies that would prohibit him from doing so without District authorization."

***

As I reach the middle of page 24, finally all of the nonsense about No Child Left Alive is over Now we turn to Scars from the Tornado, which coincidentally i also posted an article about on Room 210 Discussion. (Why I picked those two times to post on Room 210 Discussion and Room 210 for Teachers, I don't know, but I did." All of Page 25 is a repeat of this story, which appeared in the March 13, 2013, Turner Report:
http://rturner229.blogspot.com/2013/03/final-day-for-free-scars-from-tornado.html

***
The charges the note that I copyrighted the book that "Scars from the Tornado is for sale to the general public on Amazon.com for $3.99 and is also available at some retail locations.

"Mr. Turner instructed his eighth grade students to write the stories, essays, and comments that were late incorporated into Scars from the Tornado."

"Mr. Turner then compiled his students' work into a book that he has marketed for personal gain.

"The parents of students in Mr Turner's class did not give permission for Mr. Turner to publish their children's classroom works."

***

These are called signed parental permission slips.















***

No one ever asked me about any of these things. During the 10 minutes I was interviewed, the only question about Scars from the Tornado I was asked was if I had ads for it on my classroom blogs (they were probably talking about Room 210 Discussion, I thought they were talking about EMS Roundabout and Mr. Turner's Corner." After I said yes, I was immediately placed on paid administrative leave.

As for the other allegations, the writing was not a classroom assignment, it was voluntary writing for a contest, for which prizes were awarded (out of my own pocket, I had better add).

***

I am charged with conflict of interest for copyrighting the book, which the school says is its property and for "when he attempted to use his position with the District to cause patrons and students to purchase Scars from the Tornado on amazon.com." 

This makes me angrier than just about anything I have seen (and I am plenty angry about all of this).

1. If profit was my motive, I certainly would not have given away 1,111 free e-copies.

2. On Facebook and on the Turner Report, I asked readers for suggestions on how proceeds from the book should be used. I mentioned the Joplin Fire Department's Christmas for Kids, other projects, and finally I really loved the idea Sheri Cornett came up with to form a Scars from the Tornado Foundation with those who contributed to the book serving as the board of directors and giving money to other schools who are faced with tragedies similar to the Joplin Tornado. I talked this over with Bud Sexson, with other teachers, and I wrote about it both on Facebook and on the Turner Report. I also talked the idea over with my students, who were in favor of it.

3. I have yet to receive a cent from Amazon.com The book was published in March and no money will arrive from that source until sometime next month.

4. Bud Sexson was also told, as were readers of the Turner Report and my Facebook page that in my efforts to raise money for the book, I lost more than $4,000 to Google. This was also written on the national Daily Kos.

5. And though I hate to mention this, in case he is reading, I also owe $250 now and $250 later to the book's designer, David Hoover.

6. In other words, I have not made a dime off Scars from the Tornado and the people who made these charges already know that.

***
The 28 pages ends (and isn't it about time) by saying, Mr. Turner engaged in a conflict of interest in violation of Board Policy GBCA when he caused his students to create work product that he used to publish and students created for class for personal gain without School Board or parent authorization after he had notice of policies that would prohibit him from doing so."

Again, I have not made a dime off Scars from the Tornado. If this book was such a bad thing, then why did my principal not tell me I couldn't write it during any of the at least four times I talked with him about it?

***

And that, Facebook friends, is why Joplin School Administration thinks I should lose my job after 10 years.

***

Did I mention that for what some of you have just been reading, I was escorted out of the building and to my car, just after school ended and while buses were loading by the school's police officer (and stupid me, I forgot my jacket so I had to be escorted back into the building and then escorted back to my car.)

***

The interrogation of me on Monday, April 8, before I was escorted out by the police officer (and I don't blame him, he was doing his job) took only 10 minutes and part of that was spent telling me I could not record the conversation and then being asked to remove my I-phone from my pocket, turn it off, and leave it on the table."

***

Much of the end of the time was spent telling me what I could and could not do while I was on leave. For 28 pages of charges, I probably was asked about six or seven minutes worth of questions. I was not allowed to explain about Room 210 Discussion, nor was she interested, and I was never asked the Scars from the Tornado questions.