Another Non-Truth from the Tiverton Teachers' Public Face

Here's what the NEA's man in Tiverton, Patrick Crowley, had to say when I suggested that a particular legal claim of his — that a failure of the administration to pay the teachers for their day of striking proved that they were not considered salaried and were therefore entitled to overtime — was, well, deceptively selective:

I am arguing that the law has many other sections and decades of case law. Maybe Justin should cite my entire letter since he seems to have been forwarded a copy of it. He seems to have left out a few sections, including the case citations, the RELEVANT section of law, and the other sections cited.

If he doesn't. I'd be happy too.

At the time, I thought that last word was a typo, but it may be the correct "too," after all, considering that Crowley never got around to further explanations or to sending me or publishing his letter. Luckily, a little persistence has paid off, and I've managed to find a copy of the original document, on NEA letterhead, no less (PDF). As readers can see for themselves, the letter contains a single case citation, and it is irrelevant to the point that I was making, relating, instead, to the penalties for not paying overtime "if it is the policy now of the school committee to consider the teachers non-exempt employees."

Presumably some teacher or other in the Tiverton system will have occasion to correct any students who've gotten the idea from the teachers' union that lies of omission are perfectly acceptable in rhetorical writing.