If you can't fire them...

In relation to a post I made the other day about school closings in Portland, Roguepundit finds this example of government employment tradition in Oregon. He quotes from the Grants Pass Daily.

The Grants Pass School Board fired Wilson in June for threatening students and using foul language. One of his most outrageous statements was telling a female student the only way he could be fired would be if he raped her. The state Department of Education's Fair Dismissal Appeals Board didn't go that far, but did order District 7 to rehire Wilson.

The three-member board confirmed Wilson's behavior, but said it didn't justify firing. Wilson didn't really mean those threats of violence to the girls and others, the board concluded. It's disturbing the board apparently feels it's OK for the driven choir director to be verbally vulgar and belittling to his students.

He goes on to site other examples. Really, its a testimony to large beaurocracies that the unions ensure their employment. Agencies and programs continue to grow while the reason for their existance slowly ebbs away. This is occurring with the Portland School district, as Schools are closing, but teachers and administrators are not being let go.