That Soapbox Was Getting Dusty. (Rant – be warned)

**Note – if you are sensitive to this issue, in favor of over-legislated public education, you should probably click away from this post. There are LOTS of happy, mommy posts to laugh and smile at. Or, you could always click on the category, “I’m a Dork…and your point is.” You’ve been warned.**

Chicago Teachers Strike

Pathetic. Senator so and so “urges a quick resolution?” Really? How nice. She got her name in the paper. The LEGISLATION that starves school districts to death (funding) and ties a standardized testing noose around their necks is to BLAME for this; not teachers. Not school districts. Kids lose because BURRO-crats are running education.

School districts put measures in place because they are staring at a “federal intervention” shotgun in their face. If a district doesn’t perform at some ridiculous standard (a standard that completely disregards REAL children), they will deny funding and even shut you down. They don’t give a damn about kids. Or teachers. Or schools. Or scores. It’s all talking points and campaign sound-bytes. It’s popular to slam public education.

What people FAIL to accept is that there are PEOPLE who make up those classrooms. People. Not buildings. Kids. Teachers. People who spend their entire lives dedicated to OTHER PEOPLES children. These people are worked to DEATH. They are buried under BURRO-cratic paperwork, unfunded federal and state mandates (you HAVE to do this – or we’ll come in and make you do it – but, oh yeah, you don’t get any extra funding) , children with social/economic/emotional/learning issues that would make your head spin – every single day of the year. These people work HUNDREDS of hours of overtime. Buy supplies for the children who come to school with nothing. Keep food in their classrooms to feed children who have NOTHING else.

This senator wants a quick resolution? Fund schools appropriately. Pay teachers for PROGRESS. And STOP wasting everybody’s time with “accountability standards” that do NOTHING about improving education for all children and everything about creating a culture of fear and anxiety. Create the learning objectives to create a top-notch workforce and support children who choose higher education OR workforce preparation, then GET THE HECK OUT OF THE WAY and let the professional educators decide what’s best for the children in their classroom/school/district.

End of rant. *stepping off soapbox*