“Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies.”
Sorry for not posting much today. I woke up at 4:30am to see if the Level 2 State of Emergency alert was still in effect for Delaware. I saw something about it being lifted at 10am, and I fell asleep again. At 9:00am, I woke up again.
I shoveled some yesterday and a good neighbor came over with his snow blower. After he finished, I began shoveling our porch when I found the above picture. One lone flower, buried underneath the snow, still alive in the harsh winter. I had to get a picture of it. For some people, they would think “Big deal, it’s just a flower.” But I am a deep philosophical kind of guy and I look for meaning in even the smallest things.
To me, this was a symbol of hope. I haven’t had much reason to hope lately. The battles have gotten harder, and longer. They are more time-consuming. For the longest time, I’ve been scared. Scared there is no hope for education. That no matter what some of us do or say, no one is listening. But I think they are, cause our enemies are speaking louder and trying to carry out all they can in a hurry. These reformers have been patient for well over a decade, sinking their teeth in wherever they can and thrusting the knife into public education. But because of those like myself who are fighting them, every chance we get, we are making a difference. They are getting a bit sloppy. Actually, they left a lot of tracks uncovered, and many of us are finding them in the oddest of places.
I’m not giving up. Not by a long shot. I may be quiet at times. Those are the times they need to worry the most. That means I’m doing lots of research that is already bearing fruit. I will post a lot about this research… when I’m ready. In the meantime, keep opting out. Keep asking the questions. Challenge them. Call them out. Write letters to the editor. Whatever you do, don’t let nagging questions gnaw at you. Let them out. Take a risk, be daring. Be vocal. We can’t get there alone. We need all of you who are willing to rise up to the challenge. These are children we are fighting for, never forget that. They need us to be their voice.
The Season Of Myths 
Beautiful post & photo! I’m the same way, I find hope and inspiration (and take pictures!) in the most simple, small, mundane things that many seem to just overlook or see as insignificant. I love your determination! Good luck with your work in the public education system. I don’t know much about it but I frequently hear/read what a wreck the system has become and it’s so good to see people, like you, working to better it. ❤
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Dude… your cause has never been stronger – keep on keeping on. I don’t think you realize how valuable your advocacy is to the state. Your proximity to Dover combined with your own unique energy has turned the lights on in the bureaucratic and legislative sausage factory for the first time. Keep on poking at the rot and untangling the lies. It’s probably not necessary that you post every day, but your coverage of DOE and legislative meetings can’t be found anywhere else and fills a huge gap.
Simply to publish the salient points of the minutes, and to analyze the meaning, surely makes the establishment profoundly uncomfortable.
Also remember this – nothing good has ever happened in Delaware education without the intervention of the Federal courts.
It occurred to me that the status quo has a huge advantage, because the education establishment will always possess mailing lists with direct access to parents and teachers, which you or I cannot do. The professional media, while occasionally useful, usually does more harm than good in education. Thus the blogs.
It is hard to organize parents about education because by its nature, parental involvement in schools is transient; when your child ages out your enthusiasm wanes. The politicians can afford to wait you out.
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Thanks Mike, I really do appreciate what you wrote. If there was a way to reach every single parent in the state, I would.
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very beautiful post and feeling 🙂 Thank you so much 🙂
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