The airing of grievances.

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One of the more famous episodes of Seinfeld introduced the celebration of Festivus (for the Rest of Us), which included as part of its liturgy The Airing of Grievances.  Mrs. Dawg and I recently decided to adopt this practice in an effort to maintain sanity and mutual respect during a time of forced confinement to the home.  We’ve been together a long time, Mrs. Dawg and I, but this business of being isolated and yet together ALL THE DAMN TIME can wear on one. 

So we decided to air our grievances like the civilized people we are. We gave ourselves three categories: Grievances about IT; Grievances about THEM; and, most importantly, Grievances about YOU.  The grievant was limited to no more than three items in each category.  Furthermore, the idea was not to argue about the grievances, or to be defensive, but just to “air and let air.”  There is sanity in that.

It went well.  I think she took in my substantial and well documented observations about behaviors in which some improvement was obviously called for.   And for my part, I listened patiently to her petty complaints, which were mostly lacking in a factual basis. 

I wonder if this would translate into a school building.  What would it be like if the principal called for a faculty meeting periodically for the purpose of Airing Grievances? There would be an understanding that such a meeting did not trigger Policy DGBA.  No formal grievance conference would be held. It would be a griping/listening session and would work both ways. Administrators would be able to give breath to grievances about teachers (hopefully in the collective, rather than singling anyone out), and teachers could complain of the administration.  If everyone maintained a sense of good will and good humor, this might improve morale.

Try it and let me know how it goes!  We’re doing a Zoom with the Dawg today. Maybe we can discuss this idea. 

DAWG BONE: IT WORKED FOR SEINFELD!