Some call me "Flem"

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I'm an elementary school teacher turned high school English teacher, School-Based Teacher Leader (SBTL), and adjunct professor here in Philly. These posts are the views, as I see them, from room 105, my first classroom number. Enjoy, engage, and share!

Thursday, December 8, 2011

For real though?

Hello All!

It has been a while since I shared my most inner, secretive thoughts regarding teaching, learning, public schools, etc. Employing the use of sarcasm of course, the fact remains, it *has* been a while!

So much as transpired since my last post. We have a state legislature that appears to be determined and methodical in its efforts to rid the universe of the very thought and memory of public education! She sees public education as enemy number one and the root of all of the world's woes! Employing the use of exaggeration just a bit, the fact remains, it seems as if we are in the midst of the end of the traditional public school system as we know it. With the moving forward of Senate Bill 1 and other bills that expand vouchers, charter schools (the very thought of them makes my pressure spike) and business tax breaks, it seems as if public schools as we know it will become a thing of the past!

Indeed, so much as transpired. Dr. Ackerman is not longer at the helm of the School District of Philadelphia and has recently filed for unemployment. No comment. An older African-American gentlemen began to sour to the top of the wide field of REPUBLICAN front runners for its party's nomination to become the next President of the United States. Who would've thunk? The very idea that two black men would be running for President of the United States of America and then AT THE SAME TIME, on OPPOSING SIDES! But just as quickly as he rose, he fell, just like the economy!

The economy goes up and down like a roller coaster. Government budgets are tight and (to go back to my original topic) public education seems to be enemy number one! The solution, so they say, remove funds. Cut education spending.

Well, let me ask you this? Would you remove a police officer's gun because crime increases? Would removing doctors' medical licenses because a cure for aids hasn't been found make much sense? Or because streets aren't 100% litter free, let's remove the trash cans right? So, we'd do a better job educating our students if you cut the budget of an already underfunded educational system?

For real though?