Exorcist IV: Pazuzu And The School Board
In the “funny but wrong” category:
Raymond Cote resigned as the head of the Mahopac Board of Education in the Putnam County school district (in upstate New York) after an open microphone at a meeting caused him to be overheard saying, “Oh I know, I know. This one here, ‘Chubby wubby.’ She gets fatter and fatter at every meeting. She really does!”
This isn’t political correctness. This is a leader demonstrating contempt and lack of respect for his constituency. Denigrating parents based on weight and personal appearance makes Cote untrustworthy as a school board member obligated to be responsive to parental concerns. He also announced he would not run for re-election. to the board. He got that right, at least.
His apology, however, was ridiculous: he embraced the Pazuzu excuse, in which someone who says something horrible claims that he was somehow not responsible for the words that cane out of his mouth, as when Linda Blair served as the ventriloquist dummy for the demon Pazuzu in “The Exorcist.” Cote emailed an apology to parents:
“I would like to apologize for my choice of words after the close of the board meeting on April 8, 2014, which are regretful. My words were inappropriate and do not reflect my feelings or attitudes. I will strive to regain the trust and respect of the community.”
Interesting!
1. If the words didn’t reflect his feelings, whose feelings do they reflect? Of course they are his feelings. Why would he say something completely alien to what he thinks…unless…it was the demon Pazuzu!!!
2. It wasn’t his choice of words, it was what his choice of words expressed. Is there a choice of words that would be a, kind, civil, respectful and acceptable way to say the parent gets fatter every meeting?
3. The words may have been regrettable, but they were not “regretful.” Maybe finding a literate, English-speaking head of the school board is an idea whose time has come.
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Pointer and Facts: ABA Journal
Ethics Alarms 
Unfortunately, I think this situation is just a small demonstration of the contempt most “educators” have for parents, the children in their care, the communities they serve, even their own institutional subordinates. From “Common Core” to serial child molestation by teachers, to sadistic embarrassment of students, to “teaching the test” so students’ scores will reflect well on them…ad nauseum… our schools are in such deep trouble that it boggles the mind. There are exceptions, of course, but one should also realize that for every incident like this one (and worse) there are likely hundreds that don’t make the news, the net, or even community gossip.
Horrified, for the nth time.\
Elizabeth, you are dead right on this. The causes, of course, are multitude and read like an indictment of the entire educational system, from the liberalization of the colleges that teach both the administrators and the teachers, to the teachers unions that force subpar school districts to keep substandard and possibly malicious teachers. The solution, at least the easiest solution, is to break the monopoly public schools have on education, by supporting more charter schools and allowing school vouchers so that not-necessarily-rich people can afford a quality education for their children. This would also break the stranglehold unions currently have on schools, especially if more states become right-to-work states. It would also stop what I believe is the ludicrous idea of electing school boards. The school district in which I live has as it’s chairman a construction contractor with an eight grade education and an amazing knowledge of the techniques involved in pouring cement…and enough money to defeat any normal opponent. He also thinks it is a fine idea to pay the superintendent of schools $250,000 a year in a school district in which the median income is $35, 000 per year. Frankly, I like the idea of leaving educational decisions to educational professionals, if such can be found.
Agree with you (almost) completely. Unfortunately I think now the “educational professionals” are as bad as the rest, and whatever REAL professionals out there are one in a million. My son went to one (adequate) private school, one GREAT one (but $25K a year a bit too much for middle school!), then was home-schooled, with tutor, for high school. Fortunately he is extremely bright and inherently and intensely curious, and has learned more history, e.g., on his own than would ever been taught him by anyone. I have no doubts about his future — whatever he chooses. But the millions caught in public schools run by morons are tomorrow’s voters… ain’t that great?
Ditto the college kids caught up in the ulta-liberal, anti-First Amendment, pointlessly politically-correct colleges and universities.
Well there goes his political career. You’re absolutely right! The devil made him do it. 😉
I’ve long suspected that Pazuzu was alive and well on this website. Maybe if I sprinkle a little holy water on my screen…