The Emporia Gazette

Saying Goodbye

I will never forget the pain of that decision, and the feeling that I was betraying my pet by deciding on euthanasia. I felt that way even though I knew that his condition was terminal, painful, and untreatable.

I traded his pain for my pain, relieved his suffering and took on my own. And I would do it again. It's the last, greatest gift a pet owner can give.

January 28, 2012 at 6:14 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Police find the mother of newborn left in Dumpster

And a quick search on Facebook brings up her page...

October 22, 2010 at 10:50 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

EHS baseball team can’t rise above adversity

Kind of a harsh title and tone to use for a high school baseball team, don't you think?

April 24, 2010 at 11:59 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Bye bye Brandon

Ah, the curse of the successful Division II program.

April 20, 2010 at 11:18 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

5 to interview for ESU alumni director position

I am fairly sure the Alumni Director is hired and paid by the foundation. It is a legally separate entity from the University.

March 22, 2010 at 8:02 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Six teachers cut in North Lyon County

Kansas does not have any provision for "tenure" for a high school teacher. You can not earn a guaranteed position for life.

All you get, after a probationary period of three years (or two if previously earned), is "due process rights". You can still be fired for any reason, but they must state the reason.

Local contracts often specify how staff reductions will be handled. It sounds like this district has not conducted a reduction in force, but has simply elected to non-renew probationary teachers. (This is what I gather from the online version of the story.) If you want a different procedure, then change the negotiated agreement.

If what you want is to get rid of the probationary/due-process provisions state-wide, then feel free to do so. You should come to the bargaining table ready to compensate teachers for the loss of that benefit.

March 10, 2010 at 3:25 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Let students listen

tbluma, "tenure" is a perpetual right to a job. Kansas law does not make provisions for tenure for public school teachers. What you are talking about is the granting of due process rights, where the teacher's dismissal must include a stated cause, and there are provisions like the right to a hearing to challenge the cause.

Prior to being hired for the fourth year (third, if a teacher has already had due process rights in the prior district), the teacher has no due process rights, and is typically dismissed by non-renewal--simply not being offered a contract for the following year, with no reason needed or stated. Once they begin teaching their fourth (or third) year, then they automatically have their due process rights.

It is certainly a lot more than employees in most non-academic jobs have, but it is not tenure as you see with collegiate academics.

October 5, 2009 at 10:20 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Family Business

I've used a couple of others in town and I think this one is maintained very well. I ran into the gentleman and his son one evening, and they seemed very nice and asked how the cleaning machinery had worked for me. It was clear that they want to run the business well, and took pride in cleanliness and customer service.

I'm glad to give them my business.

October 5, 2009 at 12:48 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

A smooth Clean Sweep

This was a great service, and a great way to get rid of old, broken, and unwanted stuff.

Thank you to the organizers and volunteers for making this happen!

September 27, 2009 at 1:55 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Let students listen

tbluma, could you please point out what districts in Kansas grant teachers tenure?

I'm not aware of a single one.

September 6, 2009 at 5:55 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )