“I don’t need to compromise my principles because they don’t have the slightest bearing on what happens to me anyway.”
– Bill Watterson, Calvin and Hobbes
Chief has squashed my plan of taking a class this coming semester to prep for grad school. The reason given is that Wise (who is enrolled in the very program I’m after) has a lot more leeway to take classes since she doesn’t have a front desk position and work with the public as I do. A decision that makes sense on paper, and which I can grudgingly understand…if it were not for the fact that several police officers and other supervisors for the department take classes very frequently, often for multiple semesters in a row (and shouldn’t police officers deal with the public just as much, if not more than me?). AND if it were also not for the department history and manifesto I retyped and edited four days ago, containing an entire paragraph about how the department strongly encourages and accommodates the further education of its employees through university classes.
Although I find the logic painfully baffling, I also understand that it’s an executive decision on the Chief’s part which, in all fairness, he did mull over for several days (before crushing it into tiny, tiny pieces). And though I admit I wish I could throw my level-headed acceptance of this ruling out the window and throw a (mild) tantrum, that’s not really my style.
I prefer weaseling around the problem. I’ve enrolled in some independent study courses and am looking into evening classes as well, which fall outside supervisor oversight. It’s annoying to try to get into them at this late date, but I have at least three terms between now and when my application would be turned in so I have plenty of time to formulate a new plan of attack!
I could switch departments (unlikely with the hiring freeze, but I won’t rule it out). My French course, offered through independent study, could potentially count as my final language requirement and remove all obstacles. I could say, “To Hades with it all!” and become a full-time student again (plunging us back into poverty, but only for a year or couple of semesters towards the end of J.s degree – very unlikely, but still possible depending on my level of desperation). I could stage a coup and overthrow the school, take the president hostage, and demand he let me take my one single class (extremely unlikely).
There are options, my darlings.
Small Dog Syndrome 
I know it’s the most unlikely, but I liked your last plan the best. If you need help carrying out such a plan, I am always a fan of a coup.
Hmmmm. If you were to quit, the hiring freeze would prevent them from replacing you. I wonder which is worse for Chief, 3/4s of C. or no C. at all?
Seeds of managerial doubt sprout up all the time when the wind blows in new bits of information. Perhaps some ‘thinking out loud’ is in order with those who have the Chief’s ear.
That Manifesto also sounds interesting. It’s terribly hypocritical to have such a policy and not use it–especially with the lower life forms who most need the higher education. I wonder what an employee ombudsman would think about such hypocricy?
Perhaps the leadership of the old (hope to return) office can offer some guidance or assistance or moral support. They might be interested in hearing about your efforts to elevate your mind. They might be inspired to renew their efforts to recapture their lost darling who is so unhappy and so unappreciated. They might be enlightened to know you are still interested in them.
Who knows?
I happen to know a (crazy) girl who just quit her cushy job at BYU Broadcasting to move to Fargo. If you are interesting in non-profit fundraising…I might have a contact for you.