Elvis Has, But Steve Only Sort Of

KY played his last card with me. It's a predictable, amateur move I, and others, expected.

The man is nothing if not consistent. His M.O. remains the same: lie until he perceives the right moment to strike a perceived enemy, then do his dirty work behind a lame excuse. He's done it before. It's the "Taint" maneuver. It's lame.

Anybody remember his insinuating at a Board meeting that I lied when I called him out for giving me a verbal, telephoned "heads up?" Anybody believe we have to fire a full-timer before hiring another full-timer? Probably not even KY believes those things, but who knows?

The intent of my "firing" is to quiet you.

Remember, KY and his minions control through fear. They think they've made an example of a troublemaker, and that starting in the fall, you'll all behave because you know they'll fire you if you don't.

Again? Really, really?

In my case, KY fired a fully tenured member of Edison's faculty in the second year of a continuing contract. The Taint maneuver is usually only effective on untenured folks, even when they've got steel in their spines. KY did not rely on any contractual reasons for firing me. He doesn't have them.

Instead, he made up a literally insane rationale that serves only to encourage more people to associate the man's rationales with his general state of being. With KY, you're watching someone who doesn't seem to be quite in possession of all his reasoning faculties lash out at folks with whatever weapons he has handy.

The poor administration is all-in now, and those of us fighting for Edison are sitting on a wealth of good will and excellent legal footing. I am overwhelmed by all the good words and kindness you've all sent my way in the past week. Yes, KY has told me not to come back in the fall, but he tried to do that once already, to me and you, and you, and you, and he tail-tucked (by equivocation, of course, but that's a bow) when we--the Edison Community--reminded him and the board that it's the Edison family, and our trio of counties, he works for.

This isn't over. Unless you let them get back to business as usual.

This ain't about Marlowe, or Marlowe's job, or Marlowe's family, or showing KY who's boss (though watching KY leave the building the last time will be a sweet moment, when it happens).

Our movement is about saving the College from a maniacal cadre who will destroy it rather than realize their time at its helm is long past, and about showing a slow-to-action and slow-to-understanding Board of Trustees that their jobs are to shepherd the college, not protect a fool whose reckless behavior has cost, and will cost, dollars, sense and perhaps existence.

I'll give up on Edison when the doors are padlocked. Until then, we're all still in this together, and I'd be horrified to think the tired, boring Taint maneuver spooked anybody if it hasn't spooked the fella KY performed it on.

Victory is certain, if not near. Keep heart! Keep faith! Don't let up on these wretches!

by Steve Marlowe, under the Editorial Junta account.