Motivation?

Yesterday, we teachers got a letter in the mail stating that our "cost of living" raises this year would be cut due to the fact that the legislature couldn't make up their mind about Texas teachers. Of course, the $100 annual raise won't put much of a dent in my wallet, but it's still disheartening in principle. Today, however, the district decided that our motivational speaker would be this assclown. You can look over his credentials and other material and even see video clips, if you wish. From what he says, he's never stepped foot into a classroom as a teacher, but apparently his principles work for everyone. These principles include always "remember the rainbow" which is the positive side of things and to stop watching or listening to the news because all news is negative and "what goes in comes out." Instead, we should listen to "motivational Christian speakers like Chuck Swindoll and James Dobson." Plus, under his guarantee on his website, he promises to never be rude to the audience members. HA! He spent 4 hours berating us as teachers and pointing out people individually if they were late or had to get up. In fact, when the school facility manager came in and brought come chairs for the people in the back, he told the man to pack them up and get out because since they were late, they didn't deserve to sit down. He pointed to some seats right in front of him (mind you, he was not on stage but standing on the front row so the people's faces would end up right in his crotch) and told them that if they needed to sit down so badly, they could sit right there. He also stopped his stupid little anecdotes about his fabulous mansion with a cool gameroom and about his 23 year old sophomore son to scream at a guy who came in late saying that he was welcome to come into the time management seminar. The guy walked right back out. He then continued anecdotes about how he likes to drive up to Whataburger drive thrus and speak in partial sentences just so that he can get the point across that the workers have no annunciation skills and about how he likes to go into the deli at various grocery stores and ask them to cut meat 12 different ways and then claim not to want it just to see if they would become angry or have good customer service. It was like listening to a frat boy give a motivational speech. The worst part, however, was when assclown told us that we (teachers universally) were the biggest "bunch of whiners" and should stop whining about pay raises because we don't "need anymore money. [We] need to stop getting ourselves into debt." He said that we wouldn't need to cry about pay raises if we would stop buying our $35,000 SUVs and that if we were so concerned about our money, we need to get out of the job. "PISD would be happy to see you go," he said. I listened to about 5 more mintues of his disgust with negative teachers who are perfectionistic and obsessed with money and the "destination disease" which is constantly looking toward the future instead of living in the moment. Finally, I got up, waded through the seats and walked right out the door. I wasn't about to listen to anymore. Only three other people went with me. He then said that negative people like to flock together and asked everyone else who were "postive people and liked the things they were hearing to please raise [their] hands and say,'OUTSTANDING.'" The four of us were amazed at the unbelievable positive roar we heard as we walked to our 10 year old cars.