We will start this morning with this declaration: I have talked with Jared Hensley and I have worked with Jared Hensley. I believe Jared Hensley is a good guy who made a very public mistake that could be a potentially career-changing miscue.
Hensley stepped in it big time with a video that included either awful word choice or a terrible attempt at an even more terrible joke. The video went viral.
Here's the story from the TFP and here's the story that was among the morning headlines today on ESPN.com, among other online locales.
Cher even retweeted the story with some shots at Hensley's video. Outstanding.
And Cher, we believe this: Here's betting Hensley truly wishes he could turn back time and find a way to never do that video.
Still, this is one of many issues that offers very little middle ground for common sense and understanding.
The folks who think Hensley should be dismissed are wrong. The folks who think his words should elicit nothing more than "don't get your panties in a wad, snowflake" are wrong, too.
There has to be middle ground of understanding of honest mistakes between the avalanche of outrage and the outrage against that avalanche of outrage.
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50 percent of nothing
Not sure if you saw the Florida teacher who claims she was fired this week for falsifying grades.
Sounds awful, right? In truth, the teacher was fired for NOT falsifying grades.
Meet Diana Tirado, the Port St. Lucie middle school teacher who refused to uphold the school's suggestion to give students a "50" on work that was not turned in.
Yes, no effort equals a 50 in Port St. Lucie, which means there could very well be students in Tirado's class who, if they had no idea of the subject matter, would be better served actually not trying.
And we wonder why U.S. public education continues to lag behind that of other countries.
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Speaking of educational shortcomings
Does anyone else think that the only person connected with the Hamilton County Department of Education who wins when the school system goes to court is attorney Scott Bennett?
Seriously, name the last time there was a legal matter within a stone's throw of Bonny Oaks and you thought, well, that makes sense. We'll wait.
Pick one. The Ooltewah basketball case. The Luka Hyde case. Who knows what could happen with Hensley and Soddy-Daisy. We could go on.
Each time, our school system appeared to have made questionable legal decisions that lead to costly appeals and lawsuits.
And save the mumbo-jumbo of "insurance covers it." Yes, insurance may cover the cost of the lawsuit in the short term, but the system is still going to need insurance, and when insurance companies have to pay money, well, more times than not premiums rise.
Sharply. A lot like Bennett's billable hours, apparently.
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Saturday's stars
Let's tip the A2 visor to the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office deputies who saved an 11-year-old boy during this week's flooding in Soddy-Daisy.
And let's not forget the neighbor of the preteen who was caught in a culvert during the overwhelming rain storms and rising waters.
In a day and age when so much of the discussion about our law enforcement offices trends to things they do wrong, let's offer a huge thank you when they save lives.
Like Wednesday, which makes it like almost every other day.
Enjoy the weekend, friends.
Contact Jay Greeson at jgreeson@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6343.