LOADED WORDS: WHAT IN TARNATION IS HOLGAZANEAR?

By Juan Montoya

In the Spanish to English online dictionary, the word "holgazanear" is defined as "to idle, laze or loaf around."

The word was contained in a translation of an English-language letter written to all BISD bus drivers by Transportation Department administrator Art Rendon.

The offending clause said in English: "BISD school buses are not to be used by employees to loiter in once they have finished their routes Employees may not use a bus to visit with coworkers."

The Spanish translation stated: "Los autobuses escolares del distrito no deberan ser utilizados por los empleados para holgazanear cuando ya hayan terminado sus rutas. Los empleados no deben de ir a otros autobuses para visitara sus compañeros de trabajo."

Even though the word "loiter" in one form does mean "holgazanear" in formal Spanish, the connotations associated with it differ from person to person. In the case of the bus drivers, many apparently took the word to mean that they were loafers or did not possess the work ethic or the will to work. In other words, "maltrabaja."

This is quite different than the relatively neutral "loiter," or "hang out" that do not impugn the character or values of the subject.

Why Rendon or his assistants chose to use that loaded word in the missive titled "Guidelines for clocking in and clocking out/Other General Procedures" is beyond us, but apparently the drivers and their supporters were not pleased.

Lost in the translation (if you will) were other parts of the letter that did not belabor the point. For example, the administration was not cutting the number of hours to 32, but rather, as was stated in the letter, guaranteed 32 works weekly. It did, however, proscribe the manner of clocking and and out when the routes were over to deter unauthorized accumulation of hours not worked.

Additionally, the letter prohibited drivers from "engaging in games of chance or pyramid schemes during working hours or on district property. The collection or solicitation of money by one employee to another for the purpose of promoting games of chance or pyramid schemes is prohibited."

Just what is that referring it to?, we wonder. Is it actually gambling, or the locally popular "tanda," where pools of investors (say 10) chip in a set amount ($20) every week and then take turns getting $200 when their place on the rotation comes around?

Or is it office pools like those collected in the March Madness in college basketball or "porras" during the Dallas Cowboys season?

Regardless, the missive also prohibited sexual harassment or other behavior leading to a hostile work environment, washing the buses outside the scheduled washing rotations, taking a bus anyway after a cancellation had been posted, etc.

The district noted that drivers are assured of 32 hours of employment each week including benefits such as free health coverage and paid days for vacation, illness and holidays. There are also opportunities to earn additional and overtime pay for student trips when necessary, the district said in a prepared statement.