Saturday, May 24, 2008

Let's Carry Around Starbucks Mugs

Recently our school planned a "Teacher Appreciation Luncheon and Raffle" for us because it was, you guessed it, Teacher Appreciation Week.
One of the administrators got the raffle prizes . . . . . .

Want to guess what they were?

Starbucks gift bags with Starbucks products like Starbucks cookies and Starbucks mugs inside!!!!!

When I saw the prizes I felt sick to my stomach and when I found out an administrator was responsible for them I felt even more "uncomfortable."

I sought her out and privately asked her, "Why Starbucks?" and was met with some pretty hostile remarks and attitude (complete with her hand in my face -- you know, the splayed fingers, other hand on hip kind of body language)
I will save you the blow by blow description of the situation. It came down to this.
She felt it was not important that Starbucks contributed to Planned Parenthood.
Her most vehement arguments were (get ready for this)
  1. everyone around here is drinking it
  2. it was free (i.e.: donated by Starbucks)
It boiled down to those incredibly well thought out and conscientious reasons. Hopefully you read that last sentence with the dripping sarcasm it contains.

I tell you - I was flabbergasted and sorely disappointed in her. Then I started getting mad. I became incredulous. I tried to walk away with some dignity.
Oooooh noooo, not possible. The hand was back up and in my face as she reiterated that she was the decision maker and that my opinion did not matter.
I waited (of course. . . . . as patient as a saint in my mind's eye!) and then I decided, in that calm kind of way that comes over you when dealing with, say, a 3 year old, to say one last thing.

"We have different opinions. My opinion, however, is based on our Catholic teaching of NOT supporting an institution like Planned Parenthood that performs almost a million abortions each year."

I guess part of me snapped because with this last line I mirrored her "talk to the hand" gesture . I said, "Let's leave it at that, shall we?"

Well, she is a younger woman than I . . . . . and I am guessing that the hand in your face is akin to, "Yo Mama!" from my generation. She got even redder in the face, her belligerence accelerated, her lips turned into thin white lines and she nearly spat at me with her next (very long winded) tirade. I quickly learned that, like a 3 year old, she also adamantly craved and felt she deserved the last word(s).

I let her have the last word(s). They still made no sense to me.
"Everyone is doing it. It was free."

9 comments:

Barb Szyszkiewicz said...

Obviously "everyone" is NOT doing it. You're part of everyone. She apparently has not guessed that, or is choosing to ignore it.
But you have given her food for thought. It might take her a while to chew on it. I hope she comes around.
May I suggest "gifting" her with some delicious "non-Starbucks" coffee from a place that does not support PP (maybe Mystic Monks)? :)

Soutenus said...

Good idea about the gifting - I would not thought of that by myself!

Shelly said...

So - go jump off a bridge! [oops, sorry :o/ ]

Shelly said...

since you don't know me - i should probably explain that i meant that to be directed towards the lady. :O)

Soutenus said...

Shelley,
LOL -- thanks for the clarification but, ever the optimist, I was leaning towards that interpretation! :-)
I really was flabbergasted, disgusted,& even amused (in a morbid sort of way) at her rationalization.

Shelly said...

thanks for your alaskan idea-ers!

Unknown said...

Ugh...

Of course that specific institution likes anything that is free... that's their motto. Sorry, I can't tell anymore the institution apart from some of the administration, which is probably unfair...

Ok, school rant is over.

By the way, good for pointing something like this out. Interestingly enough, in my secular work environment, I point out why my fiance and I boycott Starbucks and I have had them on my side. Now, they don't drink Starbucks as often. My co-workers haven't gotten that defensive either. Interestingly enough we used to have our Bible Studies in Starbucks remember? There are just so many reasons not to drink Starbucks: one of them their coffee is not that good anyway. Have you tried Dunn Bros? I think they're going to have one in your area... it's really good coffee (roasted fresh every day).

Guess who I am? :)

Soutenus said...

Dear Saintintraining,
I will absolutely try Dunn Bros! Thanks for leaving a comment and for the encouragement it provided. I do not know how much longer I can stand the environment (or if I should).
Anyway, might you join us - even now and again - for our summer reading group? Pretty please? You add so much! I absolutely love having you (both) there.

Daniel said...

I can just picture it! You should put the hand in her face more often. When that promotion happened we almost left the school. We thought they were finally letting an incompetent employee go. To our disappointment they replaced her with someone equally as incompetent.
To tell you the truth we would pull our kids if you and a couple other teachers ever left. We are taking it year by year and do not trust or have respect for the administration. It is all about the teachers for us right now.

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