Tired warriors in the fight for #public #education

Weary is the best word to describe it. Many are tired.

There are those who’ve had backs against walls. Others who’ve been marginalized. “Naysayers, crazies, lunatics, loose cannons,” they are told. Or, in some cases, worse.

We must remain true to some very basic principles:

1. Those who’ve never taught should not dictate education policy, at any level. I’ve stood before classes of young children, even as recently as four months ago.

2. We must understand that the various connections between for-profit companies and public education mandates are no coincidence. Someone, somewhere wants a piece of the roughly $600 billion education marketplace.

3. Do not entirely trust persons with grants. That money’s coming from somewhere based on an ideology. Everything could be cool, could be fine. Lots of very fine grants out there, without which very little could be accomplished. But there are individuals that put the strings  (attached to grant awards) before students. Know the difference.

4. Push, push, and push some more in non-traditional venues. These spaces are the new normal. We will have future leaders in just a few short years who think nothing of putting it all out there on Twitter, Facebook, blogging, and other platforms. So, at some point, if that’s a cause for concern, then large groups of people are going to be standing tall before the man.

5. And finally, some good counsel from a friend: you can’t drag a bunch alcoholics from a bar to an AA meeting. Folks have to be willing to seek help for themselves. In the end, we lose the sober-sages to satisfy our addictions.

More to come. Stay with us At the Chalk Face.