Random Observations About Last Night

* An older woman was passing jibes to a group of teacher unionists across the aisle from her, and a guidance counselor whose name I'd have to look up, but who is very active and vocal with union matters, brought over one of the policemen on duty to chastise her. I didn't hear any of the particulars, but it struck me as an example of an adult tattletale bully.

* School Committee Vice Chairman Mike Burk had a heated exchange with one speaker, demanding that he explain what services ought to be cut from the children's educations. I suspect an unspoken retort for many in attendance would have been that educational services for children shouldn't be cut, but benefit services for teachers should.

* Superintendent William Rearick at one point asserted that not a single resident had attended any of the school committee meetings and made his or her voice heard. That's a lie. I went to many school committee meetings, and my voice has been heard via email, via letters, and via op-eds. Nobody on the committee seemed to object when I was defending them from the union.

But in the course of that participation, I lost confidenc in the school system that threatens programs regularly as a mode of argumentation for more money, that already offers less than I enjoyed as a public school student, and that tolerates teachers' "working to rule."

* Republican Representatives John Loughlin and Joe Amaral were in attendance and both (although I didn't see Mr. Amaral as frequently) seemed to vote on the side of the tax-raisers at every opportunity.

* Now that I've got a private school tab to cover (somehow), I've been trying to shave every unnecessary penny from my spending, down to such things as a flavored beverage at lunchtime. The Town of Tiverton has now undone all of that effort.