Cessa's gone

Tonight.

We don't know that much but the outline of the story seems sadly familiar, predictable even.

By the time Rebel Girl arrived on the scene after her last class ended, a dozen students were helping Cessa and her two daughters load up a U-HAUL as campus police stood by. The sun had set. It was dark. Rebel Girl was told that Linda F. was on hand earlier.  Staff and students at the SAC were dismissed before Cessa's pre-arranged arrival time at 5:30.

What to say?

This is what others said:

Earlier today, a staff person wondered aloud if she should go over to say good-bye or if seen doing so, if she would "get in trouble." Two others overhearing this shuddered about the climate of fear and retaliation indicated by that question but admitted that sure, some staff people may be right to feel vulnerable since apparently Cessa was criticized for questioning authority.

A student cried out that at a meeting she and other students were told that due to personal problems, Cessa had decided to leave. That's a lie, the student said, you didn't decide to leave.

Another person pointed out that this is the so-called Year of Equity at IVC and the administration has just fired the single person responsible for bringing measurably increased equity on campus.

Students wept.

Cessa at the 2018 IVC's Foundation dinner where she received an award for excellence,
flanked by Glenn and Betty Jo Woolett. 

Someone else pointed out that Cessa did not deserve the treatment she received at IVC, recalling troubling characterizations of Cessa in public forums, meetings and emails.

Another recalled that those who made those problematic characterizations were not rebuked or corrected.

Still another suggested that the person charged with enforcing board policies written by others is never very popular, especially if those policies had been overlooked or not consistently observed before.

One mentioned something about Cessa's 425 vacation hours accumulated because of denied requests.

Another said something about negative evals that mentioned talking "too ghetto."

Someone else observed the challenges of changing an entrenched culture which forgives or overlooks so much in some but not in others, ever.

Finally another suggested that those who find the situation appalling should make a donation to the Te'Veannah Smith Advocacy and Social Justice Scholarship.

Do that.