Arkansas Blog

Simply reeeeeediculous.

Any idea of how many settlements (and how much money) the new board/superintendent have reached with former employees and others?

I'm going to sue the district, lose, and then ask for a generous settlement, too. I have a few house repairs that a $15,000 - $25,000 settlement could pay for. Do I need John Walker as my attorney?

Bill and John Walker have no shame.

Good lawyer Friday's got working this case. Gotta love affirmative action...

I quote from Khayyam M. Eddings's letter:

"Weather the Board decides to settle this case or not..."

Hey Khayyam, whats the weather like high up in the Regions building?

I don't know how many times I have dictated letters only to have them come back w/'whether/weather" type misfires. Sometimes we don't proofread our copy as well as we might especially if we are in a hurry. Perhaps if he thought his memo would be broadcast across the Internet Eddings might have given it a little closer look.

I don't know Khayyam Eddings but I know people who do and I have heard him described as sharp and fair-minded. I certainly find no fault w/the conclusions he has reached in his memo. It is unfair to fixate on a single typo at the expense of the body of his lucid little memo. To suggest that Khayyam Eddings's employment at the Friday firm is due to affirmative action based upon one typo is not only ludicrous, it is borderline racist.

Wait. I take that back. It IS racist.

Black is the new teflon.

Anyone suing a school district because the daughter didn't make the cheerleading squad needs to pay court costs for everyone involved.

Would it be considered racist to ask opinions about the Martin Luthur King Commission taking in several hundred thousand tax dollars per year to only put on a banquet or 2 a year?

How much was Walker raking in then?

80, 90k per year to organize a banquet?

SWEET!

"Would it be considered racist to ask opinions about the MLK Commission taking in several thousand tax dollars per year.......?"

Of course not. Besides, when it comes to requests about public matters, the intent of the requester is irrelevant.

I noted several grammar issues aside from weather/whether. Possessives seem to be a big problem. Methinks the attorney needs a new secretary -- or are they called something else nowadays?
But back to one of the basic issues: a "means test" to determine whether or not (prospective?) cheerleaders must pay fees for practice sessions seems to be a problem, but "Wonder Doe" has a personal trainer? Can't afford the session fee -- choke! -- but can afford a trainer? Uh HUH.
And the district is paying for a psychologist to fashion a behavior modification plan for "Wonder"? A behavior modification plan? So she can be a cheerleader? What happened to keep your grades up and BEHAVE?
Has April Fool's Day been moved up this year?

>>I noted several grammar issues aside from weather/whether. Possessives seem to be a big problem.<< Doigotta

Please list the grammar issues regarding the use of the possessive. I don't see any.

"To suggest that Khayyam Eddings's employment at the Friday firm is due to affirmative action based upon one typo is not only ludicrous, it is borderline racist.

Wait. I take that back. It IS racist." -bopbamboom

Indeed...and well put!

I went to school with Khy and I can say that he is definitely sharp to say the least...

The Friday firm is lucky to have him as I am sure he had his pick...

It depends some on the nature of the young woman's disability- which, as she is a minor, we will not know. I do know I have lost respect for Mr J Walker, and never had any respect for the child's father.

Here is the episode summary from MTV's "My Super Sweet 16" which featured Alyson "Wonder Doe" Walker. Click on the blue name for the videos. You can actually observe her disabilities: politeness, proper grammar, being a bitch, etc.!!! The LRSD should bend over backwards to give this spoiled little brat everything she wants. She DESERVES it (or at least that's what her parents tell her). No wonder she didn't make cheerleader. According to the text below "she's been talking about her My Super Sweet 16 for two years." If she would have only focused on being a cheerleader instead of trying to impress everyone with her wealth, I'm sure she would have made it.

Alyson ain't a small-time girl, even though she hails from the small town of Little Rock, Arkansas. Little Rock's claim to fame has always been that it's the hometown of former president Bill Clinton, but Alyson is going to make sure her My Super Sweet 16 party makes its way into Little Rock history!

Around town, Alyson is known as "the rich girl," and she proudly shows off her designer purses and handbags. Despite her high-end taste, Alyson has no interest in looking like a princess at her birthday bash. Instead, she chooses a military theme and wants everything to be crunked out. And she doesn't want to hire a superstar performer, so she asks local duo Dre and Jantae to perform their popular song "Jump Rope" at her party. She's been talking about her My Super Sweet 16 for two years, so it better live up to the hype!

Time for operation invites! Alyson and her VIP girls head to a local park to hand out the coveted invitations. Those fortunate enough to be part of the roll call receive dog tag-style invitations. The less fortunate have to work for a dog tag -- those stragglers that impress Alyson with their dance moves score an invitation.

Alyson decides that even though she already has the crunkest custom-made military outfit to wear to her My Super Sweet 16 party, she wants to show off her sexy side, too! She goes shopping for a gown and settles on a stunning turquoise number because it makes her "feel like a million dollars!" Yes, sergeant sexy is in the house!

Attention! Next up, Alyson needs some sexy soldiers to escort her during her grand entrance. It's time to find eight hot guys who will be lucky enough to stand by her side. To see if they've got what it takes, Alyson makes all the hopefuls compete in her own version of boot camp. Their tasks include showing off their dancing skills and completing an obstacle course. At the end of the day, Alyson selects the eight hottest guys to be her party soldiers.

But what's a Super Sweet 16 without the perfect amount of bling? When her mother takes her to the jewelry store, Alyson coyly tells the sales assistant that her daddy didn't give her a budget. The sales assistant offers Alyson a deal she can't resist: diamond earrings, a necklace and a bracelet of her choice for "just" $165,000! Alyson readily accepts the offer, justifying the expense by saying "life's too short for ordinary diamonds!"

On the day of her My Super Sweet 16 party, Alyson reluctantly rolls out of bed to get her hair done, and incessantly nags the hairdresser about how long it's taking and when she will be finished. After what seems like hours, her 'do is finally done, and she storms out without even saying thank you. Alyson cheers up a bit when she slips into her military outfit and waits for a Hummer to pick her up for the party. Unfortunately, the Hummer doesn't show up on time and Alyson freaks when she learns that it won't be there for another 20 minutes! Oh no! The party is starting without her!

At the party, Alyson's guests arrive and are awed by the decorations, especially the fake volcano. But the volcano lets off so much smoke that the fire alarm goes off and the fire department is called! All the guests are evacuated and the firefighters work hard to clear the smoky air while Alyson is stuck at home stressing about the state of her sweet 16 party. Will it be allowed to go on despite this fiasco?

Luckily for Alyson, the fire department allows everyone back inside and Alyson's Hummer finally arrives. Her long awaited grand entrance goes off perfectly and her party is totally under control.

Alyson sneaks off to change into her glamorous gown and her guests are impressed with how "girlie" she looks. The DJ announces the special guest performers, and all of Alyson's friends are excited to hear the popular "Jump Rope" song they love. Alyson dances on stage and all eyes are on her ? exactly how she likes it! Then, just when she thought things couldn't get any better, Alyson's parents surprise her with a brand-new Volkswagen convertible! Alyson shrieks with delight and drives off in her new car, knowing her Super Sweet 16 is definitely one for the history books.

Now, tell us again. . . what was the nature of her "disability"? Oh, right. Her parents. I understand now.

Here's why they want to settle. Apart from the fact that the odds of the 8th Circuit reversing the District Court are slim to none, that is. If this thing actually got into a posture of litigation, the Mandarin proclvities of this child would come out in discovery.

The LRSD, to the limited extent that it remains a reasonably sentient guardian of the public fisc ,might ought to heed sensible legal advice and leave well enough alone.

This law suit is so pathetic...I have a friend whose daughter is now on the LRCHS cheerleading squad...beacuse of all the upheavel they are no longer cheering period.
That a suit like this could be heard at the Appeal level is just absurd!

Maybe I should have said non-possessives, Slydog. Check out the end of the document. "Doe's" is actually a subject followed by a verb in at least two instances.

"The undisputed evidence was that Doe's never requested a due process hearing, although they were apprised of that right. Because the Doe's failed to exhaust their administrative remedies, the Court correctly held that it lacked subject matter jurisdiction to hear their claims."

Had there been reference to the "Doe's" request or the "Doe's" failure, the apostrophe s would have been correct.

When I get the time, I'm going to explore the document to see if I can find a split infinitive or two. But back to schools and litigation and even the possibility of state takeover, I see the travails of Helena, Gould, Altheimer, Grady, and Eudora "coming soon to a Little Rock theater near you." (Fellow blogsters may interpret these words any way they wish.)

Nope, doigotta. If it was the Does' failure, or the Does' request, it would be s-apostrophe, not apostrophe-s.

We could call out the National Guard, .......but they are all in Iraq.

Weel Doigotta I'll remember not challenge you to a parsing contest. Ms. LaGrone had enough trouble keeping me in my seat much less figuring out possessives. As for split infinitives, I always thought that was what happened to a woman who wore tight underdrawers and bent over to pick up that lucky penny on the sidewalk. In fairness howsomeever I shouldn't stereotype so much as it did happen to me onecet.

You've got to be kidding me. The Walker's are asking for $15,000 because their daughter did not make a cheerleading squad one year? Of course everyone does know she DID make it the next year. While they are trying to settle their lawsuit, their daughter is a member of the very squad they are trying to damage. YES "Wonder Doe Walker" is currently a Central High Cheerleader.

If you have not seen the Editorial on page 10B of the Arkansas Democrat today (2/1/08) - DO! It's titled
NOTHING TO CHEER ABOUT. This Editorial sums up the Walker case PERFECTLY.