“The administrators in the last week have not felt

“The administrators in the last week have not felt that the teachers are behind them...The atmosphere has been very cool,” Mrs. Massie continued. Children sense these things, she claimed. "Are you presenting a positive image to the children?” she asked the teachers.

While the School Board may get the impression that teachers are concerned primarily with salary, the teachers likewise have the impression that the Board's main concern is keeping the budget to the legal minimum, interjected Jennings Hobson. He suggested that a dialogue take place between the teachers and the Board throughout the year — not just at budget time.

"I see two factions now and that depresses me more than anything else,” commented Mollie Hobson. "Is there someway we can go home...as I like my children to go home, as happy people?” she asked.

"Just because 1 have a job to do (as a School Board member) doesn’t mean that 1 won’t be your friend or that I don't have respect for you,” answered Mrs. Massie. She asked the teachers to be broadminded enough to ask themselves “Have I thought of the other person’s point of view?”

Bitter Resentment

"The teachers say they bitterly resent my comments,” the School Board chairman continued. “Well, I bitterly resent the Rappahannock Educational Association’s resolution but I plan to walk out of here thinking about what I can do to make the system work better.”

“I’m glad to hear that you want to find a way we can work together,” Bomberger responded, volunteering to elaborate on any question that Mrs. Massie might have regarding the teachers' resolution. "I thank you that you will go out of this meeting tonight working for improvement. 1 hope the other Board members will do the same.”

High school teacher Roger Flincham maintained that the communications network