Saturday, October 25, 2014

C. J. Huff spreads Bright Futures message to Poplar Bluff on taxpayers' time


 Just one week after he delivered the keynote address at a professional development meeting for the Elk Island Public School District in Sherwood Park, Alberta, Canada on a weekday, Superintendent C. J. Huff was attending another speaking engagement.

The accompanying photo and video show the Joplin R-8 superintendent, as a representative of the Bright Futures USA non-profit organization, which is allegedly an entirely separate entity that has nothing to do with the Joplin School District, delivering an address to the newly-created Poplar Bluff Bright Futures during its Friday, October 17, kickoff breakfast.

The Poplar Bluff appearance marked at least 13 days, counting his upcoming speech in November at Saskatchewan that Huff has been absent from his duties as superintendent during the work week while delivering speeches that either talk about his role in making sure there would be school in Joplin in August 2011 or about the positive impact of Bright Futures.

C. J. Huff's 2014 weekday speeches:

Thursday, Jan. 23- Wisconsin Association of School Boards

Thursday, Feb. 20- Columbia- An Evening With C. J. Huff- Council of PTAs

Tuesday, June 3- Bright Futures USA training session for Hazelwood Bright Futures

Monday,July 14, -Wednesday, July 16- National School Public Relations Association, Baltimore, Maryland. (panel discussion)

Thursday, July 17- Bright Futures USA presentation in Beaufort County, North Carolina

Tuesday, July 22 Tenth Annual Arkansas Safe Schools Conference, North Little Rock

Monday, August 11- Bright Futures USA morning speech in Pea Ridge, Arkansas

Friday, September 5- Mid-morning speech at Kansas City Rotary Convention

Thursday, September 25, Friday, September 26- Speeches in Chicago, Illinois

Friday, October 10- Keynote speaker at professional development for Elk Island Public School District, Sherwood Park, Alberta, Canada.

Friday, October 17- speaker at Poplar Bluff Bright Futures kickoff breakfast

Tuesday,November 18- Saskatchewan School Boards Association

This year is not the first year that Huff has chosen to take his show on the road during times when he should have been on the clock for Joplin R-8 taxpayers.

As noted in the October 16 Turner Report, Huff was paid through the Washington Speakers Bureau for a speech he made Tuesday, May 7, 2013, at the New Mexico Mines and Safety Conference.

The arrangement of the speech through the Washington Speakers Bureau was confirmed by Randy Logsdon, senior safety advisor for Intrepid Potash-New Mexico.

"He was selected as a keynote speaker (Leadership in Action: Build Better Teams by Creating Common Ground) because of his experience and insight following the tragic tornado in Joplin," Logdson told The Turner Report, in an e-mail.

"The theme for the 2013 NMMHSC was “Everyday Heroes” and his remarks helped to set the stage for the remaining 1 ½ days. He followed up the keynote with a break-out session(A Conversation with C.J. Huff) immediately following the keynote session."

The New Mexico appearance was not the only one Huff made on a weekday during 2013.

C. J. Huff's 2013 weekday speeches:

Tuesday, January 8- Panel discussion in Washington, D. C.

Tuesday, February 12- Midwest Education Technology Conference, St Charles

Tuesday, May 7- New Mexico Mine and Safety Conference

Friday, July 26- Building Emergency Coordinator Annual Training, Virginia Tech

Thursday, October 17- California Emergency Management Training and Conference, Santa Rosa

Thursday, October 31- Community Prayer Breakfast, Blue Springs (keynote speaker)

The list does not include some that were within a short distance of Joplin, including weekday speeches in Pittsburg, Grove, Springfield, and in Joplin.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

It doesn't matter. He will just give himself extra vacation days to cover his double dipping.

Anonymous said...

CJ Huff to the BOE, "You're not the boss of me."

Anonymous said...

Odd that one so obsessed with attendance holds himself to such low standards. Way to lead by example Dr. Noshow