The Bradfield Yearbook Saga in Numbers
Aside from the countless hours spent by salaried employees, HPISD has incurred $8,250 in attorney fees dealing with the Bradfield yearbook matter. Helen Williams said that approximately $2,500 of the legal bill was for “reviewing the new book to make sure it did not infringe on any copyrights.”
In addition, there was a “rush charge” of $3,185.60 to get the new yearbook printed at the last moment.
Total: $11,435.50.
Epic communications failure between school and volunteer mom who got handed the whole fricking project with no supervision or assistance whatsoever. What a total waste of manpower and school dollars that could have been avoided by either A) a meeting between the principal & yearbook mom halfway through the project, rather than at year’s end and B) asking one room parent to come to the school one day out of whole year & shoot candids of each class. Total, complete cluster***k.
Fail.
I know that the elementary schools have not always had yearbooks. However, we had them 25 years ago when I began attending elementary school in HPISD. I look can look at those yearbooks and see that there were candid shots of every child then. I hardly think lack of direction from the school is to blame. 4 elementary schools – 25 years, 100 other volunteer mothers figured it out.
Add this debacle to Hitzelberger park, and I know where the majority of my tax dollars went.
I am disgusted that her temper tantrum cost the district that much money. I understand the yearbook rush charge for the miscommunication, but the extra attorney fees for her to take it off the internet and not copyright it is atrocious. The first cost was a horrible mistake done without intent. The second was thought through and continued well after warnings. SO…how much did Bradfield make from the Scot Dollars sales this year? All those man power hours to make money to just throw it away over a little ego. Yuck.
Merritt, I thought you were writing a column on this subject for this week’s paper… or at least I was hoping you would. Is it still a work in process?
I am disgusted that her temper tantrum cost the district that much money. I get the yearbook rush charge for the miscommunication, but the extra attorney fees for her to take it off the internet and not copyright it is atrocious. The first cost was a horrible mistake done without intent. The second was thought through and continued well after warnings. SO…how much did Bradfield make from the Scot Dollars sales this year? All those man power hours to make money to just throw it away over a little ego.
khaki, I actually think both parties are equally at fault, not just the school. The volunteer mom should not have posted anything on the internet or refused to budge when asked to change her finished product. By the same token, the yearbook is a HUGE project; I do think someone from the PTA or the school should have touched base with the yearbook volunteer way back in January, so that this whole $11,000 debacle, I mean fix, was unnecessary. My kid went through UP and every teacher always had a mom who was assigned to shoot class candids at school events. Just an unfortunate business that could have been avoided with a little advance planning.
I don’t believe for one second that Sue Ann Reeves wasn’t given the history, guidelines, turnover notebooks – anything to help create that book. Previous chairs are always helpful – just ask. Going forward, the district should have legal agreements in place so that all creative material created by the district or one of its representatives (e.g. a volunteer) is owned by the district. This is a shame.
This is how I would sign Sue Ann’s yearbook:
SueAnn, wow! OMG! What a year it’s been. You caused such a massive stink over this yearbook and no one is LOL! Good luck on your move to Southlake. Call Shirley Cohn to list your house. HAGS!
So Kersten, what is the formal process for banishment from the bubble? I mean is there a vote in car pool? Are there options as to where and for how long? I didn’t see it covered in the FAQ, but maybe its there and I just missed it.
I haven’t a clue, I’m not the arbiter of such decisions. I do believe that Ms. Reeves ought to issue a public statement of apology for taking this issue in a completely unnecessary and expensive direction. She has yet to apologize and that has a whole lot of tax-payin’ Parkies pretty pissed. How’s THAT for alliteration?
@Jen- see May 21 issue.
I think all the ladies are jealous because Sue Ann is a real MILF…most of the rest of the parkie moms could stand to drop at least 15 pounds…most of them much more than that. But that sue ann is one good lookin’ lady!
Possibly the person responsible for this mess should reimburse the District. I think we as parents knock ourselves out raising funds day after day, and we have to pay for a parent to act like a spoiled child and refuse to do what is right.
Silly parents. School yearbooks are not about the kids, they’re about the “arteeeest” don’t you know.
BIG FAT F!!!
maybe the HPISD attorney could donate his services just like the many other volunteers that dontate their time, energy, talents and professional abilities. IJS.
I have so enjoyed a good laugh reading about what passes for a controversy in your world. You all should be thankful that you have the time and energy to get yourselves up in a lather over this. You are all clearly very blessed. I wonder what the parents who are cleaning your pools and houses, mowing your yards and working three jobs think about your tough lives where you have to change ****tail ring to dinner ring so that you can raise 100K, and could raise 250K if only your mean old fuddyduddy of a principal would let you advertise alcoholic drinks. I guess those are needed to drown out that nagging voice in your head that is telling you that you really ought to be using your time and talents for more worthwhile pursuits.
@B: “maybe the HPISD attorney could donate his services just like the many other volunteers that dontate their time, energy, talents and professional abilities. IJS.”
Well for one thing, the district’s outside attorneys aren’t volunteers. That’s not what they signed up for – unlike actual volunteers who don’t expect payment. And even if the attorneys decided to donate their time (and again, why should they?), it wouldn’t make Sue Ann Reeves any less wrong. Why don’t you donate money to the district to offset the cost? IJS.
On an unrelated note, one item in Merritt’s post stuck out: “Helen Williams said that approximately $2,500 of the legal bill was for ‘reviewing the new book to make sure it did not infringe on any copyrights.'” Whose copyright were they worried about? Sue Ann’s? That seems weird.
@tfagl, dahling, please help us squelch those horrible, nagging thoughts in our head! Tell us what worthy pursuits we should pursue to get over our terrible guilt over living such fruitless, frivolous lives! We’ve all been fretfully waiting for one as wise as you to lower yourself and come to our communitys Internet board and tell us how pathetic we are and show us the error of our ways. Thank you for coming, we are so relieved you sought us out. Excuse us while we all rush out and start more wothwhile pursuits.
Neal: the ‘outside attorneys’ have kids in the district. So while the rest of us donate our time and resources, maybe they could also. Maybe the district should choose from one of the many local attorneys that would be happy to donate their expertise. IJS.
kersten,
I like the “alliteration”,yet,I do beleive that its not fair to beat up on SAR using this platform.
Granted, she may have p*ssed off the entire bubble and burned a few bridges here and there, but leave it at that.
By wishing her good luck on her move to Southlake?
Come on.
You have stooped to a level that I have seen many “Parkie moms” do before,
stare down their noses while sippin their
low-cal-1/2caf-skinny-soy-latte, while jackin up the carpool line at MIS b/c ur too busy yakkin on the phone.
Or is this business as usual in the bubble?
Run people off they dont eat,think or dress like you.
RU486 – lighten up. It was a joke. I would never, in real life, use HAGS in written communication. And for the record, the only soy I drink is in sauce with sushi, I don’t “do” carpool line because I work full time and can’t jack jaw with my girlfriends while we’re waiting for our kids (miss you, girls! xo) and I’m not “from here,” so I don’t really care if people dress, eat or think like me. In fact, I hope they don’t. I do care, however, that I write big checks to HPISD and one person’s actions cost the district more than $10,000 which would be much better spent elsewhere.
@Kersten,
Right on, sister!
So @RU486 is chastising Kersten for saying something negative about SUR, while saying things like “stare down their noses while sippin their
low-cal-1/2caf-skinny-soy-latte, while jackin up the carpool line at MIS b/c ur too busy yakkin on the phone.” Sorry dude – you were way more personal and childish than she – what she said was funny, what you said insulted all women in the area, period. So buzz off you petty, jealous name caller.
I guess RU486 (oddly named for the “abortion pill,”) thinks Southlake is a really bad place since he thinks Kersten dished up the ultimate insult. So that makes you entitled to insult her and every other park cities woman?
Bottom line is the yearbook. One person wasted a lot of money that could have/should have been spent on something more valuable than a lawyer. (no offense, lawyers). Don’t get into petty nonsense and name calling. You obviously don’t live in the district or you would understand.
I’m holding my breath until they cut these comments off to see if I can pass out and sue People Newspapers for oxygen infringement.
“RU486”- Yes, she pissed off ALOT of people and burned many bridges- but more importantly, she WASTED approx $10,000.(hopefully it will not increase!) All of us “Parkie moms” have worked long and hard to raise funds and appreciate the value of all the $$$ donated to the district.
“The person responsible? Please, there is no such thing. Does she have a lot of blame here? Of course, and reacted in a way that didn’t further her cause, and frankly made her look foolish to many. But let’s not let others off the hook, rarely do issues like these arise from one person. MK had it right at the top of this thread. Dr. McNutt certainly shares much of the blame here, I find it hard to believe that this couldn’t have been easily avoided with some checkpoints earlier in the year. Someone on the PTA certainly should have found a reasonable solution to this problem, before it escalated to this level. But rather than recognizing their part in this, they (and many of you) have decided to pick a scapegoat, and keep this story alive with the sole purpose of continuing to bash this lady. I for one will think twice about volunteering around here.
@D – don’t be ridiculous. No one is beating anyone up simply because she’s a volunteer. She made choices that penalized others and violated childrens’ privacy. I don’t hear anyone saying that Dr. McNutt didn’t contribute to the problem, but this volunteer chose to take a path that required legal intervention. And apparently, there were checkpoints and the volunteer blatantly disregarded Dr. McNutt’s request for changes. There are hundreds of volunteers who work everyday in our schools and don’t cause problems that become legal issues.
BTW, I hear MIS needs carpool volunteers. How about you and me sign up together?
I didn’t say that she is being beaten up simply because she’s a volunteer, now did I? If that’s what you took from my post, well, you may want to re-read it. I was simply stating that this isn’t a one person deal, which most people would take away from my post.
Oh, and I volunteer enough, along with a full time job. And I don’t get my panties in a bunch because of jerks in the carpool line, life’s too short.
This seems simple. Apologize and write a check for $11,435.50.
This is a one person deal and that person owes some apologies.
This is a one person deal because ONLY one person cost the district in excess of 10K. Up to the point she published the kids personal info, I had no real opinion. I don’t even really care about the rush charge because of the mess (well, maybe a little). I do care about the rest of the money that is a direct result of her childish behavior.
KMom: Why do you think RU486 and I are talking about you personally? Hmmmmm, might the shoe fit? If you really want to influence SA or the principal (or really anyone), might you consider inviting her to coffee and having a civil conversation in person? Or do you really think snarky comments on a very public website is a good way to settle a conflict? My snarky comments are meant to stir the pot. What’s your goal?
frequent blog readers know the aforementioned is short on tact
Two words sum up this disaster: Comic Sans
As a Bradfield parent I think most people are losing sight of the true issue which is that our parents work very hard to raise money and keep it where it should be – in our schools! The fact that this situation has escalated to the proportions it has is truly ridiculous! The district or maybe Bradfield parents should file a lawsuit on SAR for posting all of our children’s information and pictures with out any password protection or any parent’s permission!! SAR should repay the district for the money spent on this frivilous lawsuit!!She is an embarrasment to Bradfield and all of the wonderful parents who dedicate so much of their time to our school!! GOOD BYE SAR!!!!!
@tftgl, your comments were all sweetness and light, hmmm? Or were they an overall attack on our entire community? Of course they were, you came on here and spewed hate and disdain for the parents in this community, and said that you laughed at this rotten situation that has happened at this school. It’s not funny. One woman held the elementary – that’s 5 to 8 year olds – school annual hostage. She then posted it online revealing way too much personal information about these folks very young children without their consent. Then she cost a whole lot of hard earned $$ FOR NOTHING. You came on to the stir the pot, it was stirred, quityerb!tchin, or whining or whatever it is you are doing now playing victim.
OK, everyone. Since we obviously can’t have a discussion without resorting to personal attacks in this thread, the comments will be suspended.
Please, lovely people, let’s try to keep things light-hearted. Mmmmmkay?