Rumor

What is a rumor?

A story that is spread orally, akin to gossip, a cousin of a lie. A rumor has a life of its own, it grows new appendages and personality traits with each new telling. But aren't rumors sometimes based in truth? Aren't rumors sometimes, occasionally, fairly accurate?

Not according to our school principal. According to him, a rumor is a narrative that lacks any basis for discussion. When a teacher asked today if it was possible that 20 days could be cut from the end of the school year, his response was, "That is a RUMOR. Nothing will be decided until after Feb. 20th, and all decisions will be made by the board."

One might wonder why he didn't address the possible validity of this rumor: that yes or no, there is or isn't a chance that the school board will buy teachers out of their contracts for a fraction of the pay and will or will not end school 20 days early. Sounds like evasiveness rather than being up-front, which is his supposed goal. If he really wants to be honest, he could address all of the rumors, discussing which ones may happen and which ones won't and which ones truly are just fictions.