Re “Maybe Pam Was a Pawn in All of This, Says Silver”
In the last installment, fired Culver City High School drama teacher Sheila Silver introduced the potential spectre of an off-stage person(s) maneuvering policy in the School District.
“Understand that this is speculation, but I have a feeling,” Ms. Silver said.
Last seen, she seemed to absolve her perceived chief adversary, former Principal Dr. Pam Magee, and now she adds another name.
“There is the possibility (of an unseen hand) because I know, I know, what a really good man (new Principal) Dylan Farris is. And I’ve never heard from him in all of this that has come down the pike the past couple of weeks.
“That is really out of character for Dylan.
“And that was when I began thinking, what if whomever is calling the shots instructed him…?
“I have no idea who that person would be, or if there is such a person.”
Meanwhile, after a turbulent two years at Culver High, marked by numerous awards for her theatre students, Ms. Silver this week started her newest assignment as Director of Drama for San Juan Hills High School, near the southern coastal tip of Orange County.
A Career Question
“First, I had to work through, ‘Can I be part of a system that allowed such a thing to happen?’
“In the end, everything the School District in Culver City did, is legally protected.
“Was it moral? Did it have integrity? Was it ethical? Was it compassionate?
“Those are questions people who made the decisions will have to answer.
“Everything they did is protected by the law. That’s frightening. That is frightening.
“And so, I had to do a lot of work on, ‘Do I want to be part of this system?’
“I think I am at my best when I am teaching, when I am in the classroom.
“To my surprise, I had three different job offers.
“It is my understanding that when people were contacted, including Pam Magee, all of them were very supportive.”
Almost always ready to burst into a large smile, Ms. Silver couldn’t hold back this time.
Grinning, practically giggling coquettshly, she said that “either they wanted me out of there that badly, or they just…
“Pam gave me a beautiful written job recommendation, a letter I could put with my application.
“As I understand it, as it was told to me, when Pam was asked by one of the people thinking of hiring me, if any of this was my fault?
“This was so wonderful — Pam said ‘Sheila was the absolute right person in the absolute wrong place.’
“Isn’t that kind of her?
“The person who told it to me had no reason to share it.
“I am really, really grateful for that because it helped me to go wow, this is so beyond me.
“Isn’t this great?
“It makes me feel like happy for Pam that she is going to be in a place (Palisades Charter High School) where she has more autonomy.
“I am so happy.
“I am just talking about what inspires me about humanity.
“Who knows what people are driven to do and why? In the end, hopefully the good comes out.”
In this case it did, the rejuvenated Ms. Silver decided.
(To be continued)
