the shortest staff meeting ever

Could the digital revolution herald the demise of the endless staff meeting?

This afternoon we sat for fifteen minutes listening to five or six brief speeches about the potential change to semesters (we're wacky on trimesters, and hopefully for keeps), and that was it. We were dismissed early.

How? How could it be possible?

E-mail.

For the past week teachers had ranted and raved back and forth over the school e-mail server, pounding out passionate missives about the various benefits and deficits of the semester switch.

When we got to the "live" meeting, we'd already said--and digested--all the arguments. We sat, waited, checked watches, surreptititiously picked at hangnails, coughed, shifted in our seats. When the awkward silence lasted beyond an agonizing minute, our principal dismissed us. We'll vote when ballots arrive in our mailboxes.

Fifteen minutes in a staff meeting. ¡Viva la Revolucion!