Wh#*e Suburban Moms and Local Control

Arne Duncan now promotes local control.

As a professional educator, this comes as a terrible surprise to me. During his service as Secretary of Education, he used the national government to force feed common core down the throats of wh*#e suburban mom's who didn't know how to make informed choices about their children's education.

Common Core, much like its similarly legislated predecessors (ESSA, NCLB), has grossly failed to address;

Marginalized populations.
Globally competitive high school graduates.
Globally competitive competencies in public school attendees.

Now those Moms know best? Why now?

Didn't Arne participate in the federal funding of public education from the national level, even threatening to withhold school funding from those who didn't meet federal mandates?

Yeah. He did.

I was there, in the room, when as a local leader, felt the incomparable weight of the tentacles tightening around my waning lack of control, as I fought mightily to meet the requirements of Race to the Top. Which by the by, had no measurable or sustainable impact on teacher retention or student performance.

But now, if a sitting President speaks about withholding funding, its all about local control.

I have 3 children in school. I'm speaking with local leaders, teachers, staff, community members, and moreover, children - all of whom want to go back to the brick and mortar school building.

They, we, are being held hostage by misinformation and inaction at the hands of county health departments, state governments, news agencies, and activists, who want to centralize government and unflinchingly eradicate local controls.

Friends, go to your school board meetings. Ask questions. Demand accountability.

Onward!

Dr. J

Comments

1.5 Reasons to Take a Different Path - The Hippy-Cow Way

The Hippy-Cow Way I remember early in my career asking a question something like, "Why don't we try [insert idea here]?" And the quick reply, "Because this is the way we've always done it." Wow. 2020 is teaching us that the way we've always done things..does not work. Yeah. The age-old rut that can trap us all. Frustrating isn't it? As a child growing up in the Aspen Valley, I remember traveling many miles along Highway 82. Glenwood to Carbondale, then to Basalt, and on to Aspen. Two lanes most of the way, it was and is the main route connecting all of these Rocky Mountain towns. The drive can be breath-taking in the Fall. And most take this route because, well, it's the route we always take. It's familiar. Safe. Known. Well traveled. You get the idea. There are other ways to get where you're going. Roads less traveled that hold great sites and great reward. One of my favorites is the Hippy-Cow Way. Known only to our fam...

Prayer for an Educator

It's rare to sit in the staff lounge for the 30 minute lunch break we get and be able to reflect on one's career. Today was one such day...causing a flood of memories. I offer this prayer for educators May you have protection when you do the home visit on the little girl who's father beat her with a 2x4 for getting a C. May you have wisdom when consoling the teacher who gave her the C. Go with courage to sit next to the little girl who all alone weeps at the lunch table because she has lice. Teach her mother with tenderness. Be vigilant when the little boy describes the cigarette burn on his eye given him by his mother because he complained he was hungry. Hold fast at the 9 o'clock hour, still at school prepping for another day, while your own children go to sleep not having seen you all day. Have wisdom when all at home is falling down around you - and you know the children at school need you now more than ever. Be with joy when t...

What I've Learned from Trees

I grew up in the Rocky Mountains, and now reside there as a middle-aged man. God's country. My family has lived here for six generations, founded to towns, owned gold and silver claims, timber, farmed and ranched here. My father was killed and is buried here. All around me are these beautiful and majestic trees. For a time, my business was trees. Well, commercial landscaping. Purchasing, planting, cultivating, trimming, and growing trees. I can look at a tree and tell you if it is healthy, I can tell how it's been cared for, and when/where it should be trimmed. Over the course of my life I've learned a few things about these beautiful creations. Aspen trees are known for their breathtaking Fall colors. But did you know that they are the world's largest living organism? Their root systems are connected and when one member of a grove is sick, the others support it with nutrients. Because Aspens are a united grove, they aren't as susceptible to disease and insects ...

Principles of Principals

Search This Blog