Tuesday, December 1, 2020

State Auditor to Protestin' Professor: Pay Up.

 State Auditor Shad White issued the following statement. 

“Today my office issued a demand for $1,912.42 ($946.74 principal and $965.68 interest and investigative costs) to Prof. James Thomas for his ‘work stoppage’ (his words) on September 8th and 9th. ‘Concerted work stoppages’ and strikes are illegal under Mississippi’s no-strike law, and paying someone for not working violates Sections 66 and 96 of the state constitution. It’s simple—the taxpayers of Mississippi cannot pay someone when they did not provide the good or service they were hired to provide.

In this case, Prof. Thomas told the world on social media and his students in writing what he was doing:

‘I have strong feelings about this – if you have tenure, your #ScholarStrike activity needs to be a work stoppage. Tell your students you’re not working.’

Over two days Prof. Thomas ignored every single email from his students. My agents and I personally read each of those emails. One student was worried because they were having trouble responding to a writing prompt. Another could not access a lesson plan online. One student could not submit an assignment on time because of a technology problem and worried about getting full credit. Still another was worried about an assignment and asked if Prof. Thomas would be responding while on Scholar Strike. There are others.

Prof. Thomas had three classes to teach on those two days, and he did not teach them. He also told his students,

‘I will not be responding to emails’ and

‘I will not be holding meetings via zoom, including office hours . . .’

In short, he refused to perform his job duties, and his tuition-paying students suffered as a result. The taxpayers and donors to the university suffered, too. When Prof. Thomas realized he was going to be called on the carpet for not performing these duties, he attempted to explain by saying, ‘100 percent of my job requires time spent thinking . . . . If I’m thinking I’m working.’

Thinking isn’t going to cut it with me. If an employee of the state auditor’s office came to me and said they would not be responding to my emails, they would not be at work, they would not be performing audits, they would not be available for calls, they would not be available for meetings, and that this was a work stoppage, but they would be thinking over the next two days, I would not pay them.

Prof. Thomas’s attorney has never made an argument that addresses a basic principle in the Mississippi constitution and law: you cannot be paid if you did not work. I suspect this is because his attorney knows Prof. Thomas has no argument about Sections 66 and 96 of the constitution and the law.

The Office of the State Auditor takes Prof. Thomas at his word that he engaged in a work stoppage. If Prof. Thomas wants to make the argument that he lied and didn’t actually engage in a work stoppage, then he and his lawyer are free to try to spin that yarn now.

As for Prof. Thomas’s termination, our investigation revealed that Prof. Thomas’s contract is with the Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL). IHL will ultimately have to decide if they will take Prof. Thomas to court to hear the matter of his termination. Questions about that should be directed to IHL.”

If Prof. Thomas fails to pay the demand within thirty days, the case will be referred to the Attorney General’s Office. In September, Texas A&M University suspended Professor Wendy Lee Moore for two days without pay for her participation in the Scholar Strike.


29 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is fantastic! Keep of the great work Shad.

Professors like this guy are not interested in teaching or education. They are only interested in indoctrination.

Anonymous said...

This snowflake libtard needs to transfer to UC Berkeley where he would be accepted with open arms.

Anonymous said...

He should be fired by the University for being a law breaker.

Anonymous said...

Thomas should write the check ASAP as the bill only increases daily. In the end he's going to lose.

Anonymous said...

dont stop with just him, plenty of professors hardly working...

Anonymous said...

If you let one person break the law, everyone will want a free pass. Keep up the good work.

Anonymous said...

Shad, "It’s simple—the taxpayers of Mississippi cannot pay someone when they did not provide the good or service they were hired to provide."
Taxpayers, "Great. Now apply that to Brett."

Anonymous said...

The auditor is young but is already fluent in abusing his power. Sounds like he had a future in politics in the fiftieth state.

Bill Dees said...

I wonder when we'll see Shad's demand letter to Brett Favre?

Anonymous said...

Thank you Shad. Good job.

Anonymous said...

Thomas is a narcissist.

Anonymous said...

@ 2:36 and Shad is not a narcissist? Oh that's right, he's just trying "to live His will".

Anonymous said...

Why is the demand against the instructor? Someone at Ole Miss authorized the payment after the instructor put the world on notice that he was not working. Seems like the demand should start at top and let them recover the funds from their public servant.

Anonymous said...

Lock his ass up!

Anonymous said...

" 100 percent of my job requires time spent thinking . . . . If I’m thinking I’m working.’

This dude actually said that ?

Laughing my ass off !

Anonymous said...

" The auditor is young but is already fluent in abusing his power. "

How is the State Auditor abusing his power ?

Please elaborate 1:44.

This "professor" was not following any State of Mississippi Employee regulations.

If I had to follow the rules for thirty years at a State Agency . . . why does this guy not have to follow the same procedures ?

Anonymous said...

Saw on FB that Dickie Scruggs offered to pay for him.

Anonymous said...

" Dickie Scruggs "

That name always me me laugh.

Apparently Zeus thinks he can ascend Mount Olympus again.

Anonymous said...

The professor and the auditor are both a couple prima donnas who just need attention. They probably would be good friends if they met under different circumstances.

Anonymous said...

A while back I went on the professors Facebook page and was shocked by the numbers of UM professors back him and advocate for a Union. I thought he was just one but it appears there are many others.

Anonymous said...

" I went on the professors Facebook page and was shocked by the numbers of UM professors back him "

Honest question:

Where have you been ?

This isn't a Mississippi thing, but has been going around the nation's "academic institutions" for many years.

Now forget about the Professor for a second and try to put yourself into the shoes of that student that was very worried about failing his class. The student may have only had a simply question . . . but Professor dumbass was "on strike" that day.



Calm Down said...

Shad just got my vote.

Anonymous said...

I'll write the same thing I wrote last time this was posted here.

Fire his ass. Sociologists should be as cheap as dirt. There are thousands of them out in the unemployed market who would likely volunteer to kill the OM Prof to get his job. Many of them at a lower salary than he makes.

Anonymous said...

@6:31 and that’s all he cares about. Shad, like previous state auditors, is using the position for his own personal gain and political aspirations. It is what it is. Sorry to all you true believers who think he actually cares about MS taxpayer dollars. BS.

So...You Never Even Made The B-Team said...

For the chortling cormorant who perpetually grunts about Brett Favre: First, he is not and has never been a state employee. Secondly, he fulfilled the obligations of the contract into which he entered. Thirdly, shut the hell up with your perpetual grunts from the throne down the hall.

Anonymous said...

This is a political red herring to distract people from the TANF incompetency of assigning this to Jody Owens. And I'm not talking about #4. It goes much, much higher.

Anonymous said...

SECTION 96.
The legislature shall never grant extra compensation, fee, or allowance, to any public officer, agent, servant, or contractor, after service rendered or contract made, nor authorize payment, or part payment, of any claim under any contract not authorized by law; but appropriations may be made for expenditures in repelling invasion, preventing or suppressing insurrections.

In his earlier letter, Shadrack cited the good prof for violation of the union strike provision for certified teachers in a public school district. Glad to see Shad is upping his game!

Anonymous said...

What a douche.

Anonymous said...

I have had three of my four children attend college already. I laugh my ass off whenever I go to the events held at the college.

The (mostly) liberal professors and administration walk around in their gowns with ropes and colors which signify their rank among their peers. It is a total clown show. Hello Dr., good morning Dr., Nice to see you Dr. and on and on.

Fortunately as students age they realize these teachers and professors for what they are.


Recent Comments

Search Jackson Jambalaya

Subscribe to JJ's Youtube channel

Archives

Trollfest '09

Trollfest '07 was such a success that Jackson Jambalaya will once again host Trollfest '09. Catch this great event which will leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Othor Cain and his band, The Black Power Structure headline the night while Sonjay Poontang returns for an encore performance. Former Frank Melton bodyguard Marcus Wright makes his premier appearance at Trollfest singing "I'm a Sweet Transvestite" from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." Kamikaze will sing his new hit, “How I sold out to da Man.” Robbie Bell again performs: “Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be Bells” and “Any friend of Ed Peters is a friend of mine”. After the show, Ms. Bell will autograph copies of her mug shot photos. In a salute to “Dancing with the Stars”, Ms. Bell and Hinds County District Attorney Robert Smith will dance the Wango Tango.

Wrestling returns, except this time it will be a Battle Royal with Othor Cain, Ben Allen, Kim Wade, Haley Fisackerly, Alan Lange, and “Big Cat” Donna Ladd all in the ring at the same time. The Battle Royal will be in a steel cage, no time limit, no referee, and the losers must leave town. Marshand Crisler will be the honorary referee (as it gives him a title without actually having to do anything).


Meet KIM Waaaaaade at the Entergy Tent. For five pesos, Kim will sell you a chance to win a deed to a crack house on Ridgeway Street stuffed in the Howard Industries pinata. Don't worry if the pinata is beaten to shreds, as Mr. Wade has Jose, Emmanuel, and Carlos, all illegal immigrants, available as replacements for the it. Upon leaving the Entergy tent, fig leaves will be available in case Entergy literally takes everything you have as part of its Trollfest ticket price adjustment charge.

Donna Ladd of The Jackson Free Press will give several classes on learning how to write. Smearing, writing without factchecking, and reporting only one side of a story will be covered. A donation to pay their taxes will be accepted and she will be signing copies of their former federal tax liens. Ms. Ladd will give a dramatic reading of her two award-winning essays (They received The Jackson Free Press "Best Of" awards.) "Why everything is always about me" and "Why I cover murders better than anyone else in Jackson".

In the spirit of helping those who are less fortunate, Trollfest '09 adopts a cause for which a portion of the proceeds and donations will be donated: Keeping Frank Melton in his home. The “Keep Frank Melton From Being Homeless” booth will sell chances for five dollars to pin the tail on the jackass. John Reeves has graciously volunteered to be the jackass for this honorable excursion into saving Frank's ass. What's an ass between two friends after all? If Mr. Reeves is unable to um, perform, Speaker Billy McCoy has also volunteered as when the word “jackass” was mentioned he immediately ran as fast as he could to sign up.


In order to help clean up the legal profession, Adam Kilgore of the Mississippi Bar will be giving away free, round-trip plane tickets to the North Pole where they keep their bar complaint forms (which are NOT available online). If you don't want to go to the North Pole, you can enjoy Brant Brantley's (of the Mississippi Commission on Judicial Performance) free guided tours of the quicksand field over by High Street where all complaints against judges disappear. If for some reason you are unable to control yourself, never fear; Judge Houston Patton will operate his jail where no lawyers are needed or allowed as you just sit there for minutes... hours.... months...years until he decides he is tired of you sitting in his jail. Do not think Judge Patton is a bad judge however as he plans to serve free Mad Dog 20/20 to all inmates.

Trollfest '09 is a pet-friendly event as well. Feel free to bring your dog with you and do not worry if your pet gets hungry, as employees of the Jackson Zoo will be on hand to provide some of their animals as food when it gets to be feeding time for your little loved one.

Relax at the Fox News Tent. Since there are only three blonde reporters in Jackson (being blonde is a requirement for working at Fox News), Megan and Kathryn from WAPT and Wendy from WLBT will be on loan to Fox. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both and a torn-up Obama yard sign will entitle you to free drinks served by Megan, Wendy, and Kathryn. Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required. Just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '09 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.


Note: Security provided by INS.

Trollfest '07

Jackson Jambalaya is the home of Trollfest '07. Catch this great event which promises to leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Sonjay Poontang and his band headline the night with a special steel cage, no time limit "loser must leave town" bout between Alan Lange and "Big Cat"Donna Ladd following afterwards. Kamikaze will perform his new song F*** Bush, he's still a _____. Did I mention there was no referee? Dr. Heddy Matthias and Lori Gregory will face off in the undercard dueling with dangling participles and other um, devices. Robbie Bell will perform Her two latest songs: My Best Friends are in the Media and Mama's, Don't Let Your Babies Grow up to be George Bell. Sid Salter of The Clarion-Ledger will host "Pin the Tail on the Trial Lawyer", sponsored by State Farm.

There will be a hugging booth where in exchange for your young son, Frank Melton will give you a loooong hug. Trollfest will have a dunking booth where Muhammed the terrorist will curse you to Allah as you try to hit a target that will drop him into a vat of pig grease. However, in the true spirit of Separate But Equal, Don Imus and someone from NE Jackson will also sit in the dunking booth for an equal amount of time. Tom Head will give a reading for two hours on why he can't figure out who the hell he is. Cliff Cargill will give lessons with his .80 caliber desert eagle, using Frank Melton photos as targets. Tackleberry will be on hand for an autograph session. KIM Waaaaaade will be passing out free titles and deeds to crackhouses formerly owned by The Wood Street Players.

If you get tired come relax at the Fox News Tent. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both will entitle you to free drinks.Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required, just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '07 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.

Note: Security provided by INS
.