Officials Strike in La?

[ajmc]

Sorry guys, but the harsh reality is that, IN GENERAL, schools, ADs, coaches and spectators (who pay school taxes) take the job we do (no matter how well we may do it) for granted and view us as a necessary evil. I'm afraid it's always been that way and there doesn't seem to be any great change on the horizon.

ADs and some coaches may appreciate the effort we put forth and the impact our performance has on the overall product, but even within those that appreciate what we do, few respect us as paid professionals on an equal level as themselves. Perhaps it's the "part-time" nature of what we do, not that conversion to full time makes any sense.

I suspect the teaching, coaching and administrative personnel in schools IN GENERAL view officials as being closer to PTA, school maintenance personnel, school bus drivers, teacher's aids and other positions that are designed to assist making their principal (and superior) roles easier. Some professional level school personnel are very adept and subtle at displaying their sense of superiority, while others are pretty blatant and smug.

The same people who are most offended at any suggestion that their group cut expenses to keep the entire group active, likely see that tactic perfectly reasonable as it relates to officials.

It is what it is, however, and has been that way since whenever we started.