The Show Goes On
I chuckle each day I drive up to my school and see smoke coming out of the chimney and lights on when I walk in the door. No matter what kind of hell the day before brought or how dysfunctional the school system is, we always do manage to put on the show each day. The bell always rings.
I have another good conservative friend I met at Teach For America (TFA) training back a couple summers ago. A very sharp and humble guy from Texas, he brings an amazing attitude to his work as a teacher in another Northeastern city. We will both be finished with our two year commitment in June, but are trying to decide what the next route is. After seeing the state of our inner city schools, any other job we take will feel very shallow. Knowing the desperate need in these schools, any good person would have a hard time leaving.
During a recent email exchange, I asked how he was doing and told him that things were going well in my classroom, but were maniacal in the overall school and district.
His reply:
Things are going well, but honestly, I am counting down the days. My kids are learning, and aside from the administrative and district deficiencies, I really can't complain. I think it is a testament to our work that we can truthfully report such stark paradoxes with all seriousness. Adjoining sentences like, "The school year has been quite good" and "Our school is a hell hole and a natural disaster" (as I wrote to him) bring clarity to what each of us is up against everyday. Strides are made, but to a certain extent we are only a band-aid. I look forward to our movement reaching critical mass. Hopefully we can broaden our impact and gain support for innovative and conservative answers to the most embarrassing problem we have in our country.
His last sentence is very powerful. The state of so many inner city schools nationwide is nothing short of embarrassing. To think that we allow this to happen in America!
Michael Steele says he will be taking the conservative message to every community in the country. Let him start in places where communities, adults – parents especially, and leaders are failing children. I am confident that he would be spending a lot of time in areas that vote overwhelmingly for liberal Democrats.