Films in Jeopardy
Well, my hearing started on Wednesday, August 8. It was the one-year anniversary of our departure for Zambia. I remembered the same sort of butterfly-in-the-stomach, oh-dear-I-think-I'm-going-to-vomit feeling on morning the year before. I hadn't been able to sleep last year, either. This time, I kept going over the exhibits, making sure everything was in order. I forced myself to lay down about 2:30am. But by 4:30, I was back up again, pacing. Everything -- my livelihood, the films, my career, my reputation -- everything was on the line. How could I lay down?
It was a hard day. In these sorts of things, the prosecution goes first. So they called their witnesses and I listened to (in my opinion and the opinion of student witnesses in the room) falsehoods and misrepresentations. It's a hard thing to do, sit quietly when things are being said that you know to be false. But, I didn't think coming unglued and shrieking would serve me in the long run, so I held myself in check. By early afternoon, it was apparent we would not finish. We hadn't even started the defense!
So, the continuation will be on August 23 and 24. I am frustrated with the long delay. First, the hearing committee has only heard the prosecution side so they are left with that impression of me. Second, it gives the prosecution a lot more time to try to find ways of plugging the holes punched in their arguments. I will NOT have that same opportunity because it will finish on the 24th. I won't get two weeks to recover and come back. Sometimes, life just isn't fair. (I can hear myself in my head, "Who ever said life was fair?")
I am ready and eager to get on the stand. I believe with all my heart and soul that I have done nothing wrong. I have always done my very best to serve the students and the school. I care passionately that my students learn the skills they need and go on to good jobs or higher education. Their success is my reward.
I think the thing that is most shocking to me is that the District is trying to claim the copyright to the films. After I have spent over $88,000 on the films, after I sold my house to pay the expenses, after the students gave a month of their lives to go to Zambia to make the films, after spending a year editing the films and working to get distribution, NOW the district comes forward demanding the films. We've been blogging about the films and posting images for over 15 months. The District benefitted from the publicity and exposure. Why make a grab for them now? I am still puzzled by that. Well, it will all get sorted out on the 23rd and 24th. Stay tuned.
Note / Backstory:
For those of you who may have just stumbled onto this blog, I have been the Media Arts Program Director at Mesa Community College since 1998. Students pursue degrees in digital animation, illustration, graphic arts, web design and imaging in the five (5) Certificate and/or five (5) Associate Degree programs in my area. About 104 individuals have earned around 141 degrees or certificates in addition to the thousands of others who have attended courses to advance their technical skills.
I love teaching. I love my students. I love my programs. I have been one of the luckiest people on Earth because, for the last nine years, I have been able to do something I love every day. Something that makes a difference. Something that contributes to people's lives and livelihoods. I have so many students who have taken what they've learned and gone on to careers the love. (They write some of the best emails!) On May 11, I received Notice of Intent to Terminate from the Maricopa Community College District. In my opinion, every allegation in their Notice is false and I intend to prove it.
