David - it is ridiculous that he is back!

The maids are coming today. Kelly and a friend helped me declutter most of the house. The office didn't get any attention and CJ's room was up to him to clean up.

Normally when they come, they clean upstairs while Crowley and I hang out downstairs and then we swap. Today...not so much. I don't want to crawl up the stairs with him on a leash and me trying to drag my computer with me. So, we are going to keep our couch potato location.

David, do you have an old-style tape recorder with microphone attachment for interviews that you could send to school with Matilda? Coach her to very obviously turn it on and hold the mic out toward the evangelical recruiter whenever he starts talking to the kids.

Ugh, David. I had hoped that saga was over. Hope it is solved without major efforts.

It's officially a clusterfuck now.

The Principal and Vice Principal met with me. They made it clear that they didn't want Mr. Whiteside at the school but that the decision had been made at the district level.

After a long, forthright discussion of what could and could not be done, they referred me to the School District lawyer who had made the decision.

I just tried to call him and he specifically refused taking my call, referring me back to the Principal!

Muthafuckin' weasel stonewalling lawyer bullshit!

More infuriating it was conveyed to me that the district is basically bending to legal threats from the religious group's attorneys.

My way forward is through direct parent contact and action, the PTA, the School Board and possibly the ACLU depending on how grumpy I am about this shit.

But I don't appreciate getting the stonewall from the school's lawyer.

That is awful news, David.

Know any crusading journalists, David?

David, I would recommend asking the principal what reassurances they were given that this guy won't pull the same shit again. If what he did was against district policy, then he probably got a warning, and there should be a process in place for reporting if he does it again. That may be all you can do at this point, but it's good to know the school officials are on your side.

Oh, David, I'm sorry. That's terrible.

RAAAAAGE. Goddamnit. And I DO NOT get it. Solo contacting the kids via social media and taking them out for ice cream ought to be a super-firing no-second-chances that-is-IT offense.

And feel free to weaponize me if you need to, (i.e., if the group starts whining about being persecuted just like Christ): "My churchgoing Sunday school teaching wife also thinks this is bullshit and wants him gone."

There was a shooting threat at the college my dad works at this morning. They caught him pretty quickly, but still. Not loving this.

David and JZ, that's appalling. I'm sorry you have to go through so much bother to make your school safe for your daughter. Your district leadership is full of crap.

I'm glad your dad's ok, Dana.