and that seems wrong Kat- I mean unlawful.

Yeah. Except I think there was probably a clause in there about termination of the contract by convenience.

The principals don't know yet. I'm supposed to tell my principal tomorrow.

It fucks me up short term, but I was planning on going back to the classroom in the fall anyhow. I'm on loan to my employer, but still an employee of the district. It fucks up the teachers who resigned more.

Damn, Kat. That seems wrong. You've agreed to a contract; it seems weird they can terminate at any time.

Can someone explain this Harry Potter Lexicon thing to me? From the JKR standpoint looks like:

From my understanding, as the copyright owner, she has first right to make money off the subsidiary works. They are making subsidiary works without her permission, and therefore she can't make money off a lexicon. I thought they had a dictionary of HP. I haven't researched it or anything, but seems like she's in the right on this one, just as if I'd tried to publish a lexicon of Vampire People. That's your right to do.

It does seem wrong. But keep in mind, this is a $17.5 million contract that has lasted for 10 years with my employer as the sole provider. It caused a stink, I think. And the district is looking at huge budget cuts.

They are claiming that in 2003-2004 my employer went over budget (though under budget this year and last) and (even though in 2004 and 2005 my employer provided $100,000+ in work that the district never paid) and so they are using the new date as recoupment.

What I think is most interesting is our last day is the last day of the official state standardized testing that the coaches provide a tremendous amount of support for. How convenient that it's our last day.

I'm on loan to UCLA, but still an employee of the district. It fucks up the teachers who resigned more.

I'm relieved you are still in district, but man, for those other teachers? Sheeit.

Yep. Some had retired from the district and this was a late life job. But many haven't. One is 8 months pregnant. For sure, all of their benefits will continue until July. But after that, they're on their own.

Mom'd been just trying to get to retirement being useful (and lord knows, she'll be the best volunteer ever once she retires!) and the PDT thing fit that well. Now she's gearing up for classroom again (and psyching herself up for it by pitching in with sessions with new teachers, which is making her fond of the classroom again, so that's good.) But I do worry about her, cause she will tell you she just doesn't have the stamina she used to.

My parents are lucky in that their retirement looks financially ok, but I worry about their functionality. They aren't retiring people. Gotta keep busy!

From my understanding, as the copyright owner, she has first right to make money off the subsidiary works. They are making subsidiary works without her permission, and therefore she can't make money off a lexicon.

Ah! Jeez. Thanks for the sum up. I can't figure out why it is going to court, though. I read a few arguments about how if she wins it will have a chilling effect on academic works, but the argument seems thin.

The thing with the Lexicon is kind of dual: (1) somebody trying to publish a subsidiary work without doing any of the legal background to check whether that's legal and (2) somebody trying to do same without telling the copyright holder till it was in print.

The whole thing went to court because the plaintiff (JKR) had to file a restraining order to make the defendant stop the presses. Unless the defendant subsequently abased himself before a third grade class and allowed them to trample on his head, it was basically doomed to go all the way to trial.

OMG People did you know that MTV had a reality show about a HIGH SCHOOL NEWSPAPER?! It's pretty much exactly like my life in high school, and I'm willing to bet, like most of the buffistas'. When I saw the commercial for this on the same channel that makes bank off The Hills, I thought it was an April Fools joke. But NO! It is all true. It is NERDTASTIC. AND AWESOME. AND UNFORTUNATE.