As a teenager growing up, I always was told that I needed to make sure I took care of my little sister. When she was around eleven, she came to me crying hysterically that kids were throwing rocks at her. Despite my advanced age (I was 18), I went to those kids and started throwing rocks at them (my mother was furious, and rightly so), but no one messed with my sister. I think I scared those kids half to death.
When my son was young, we were in the Library one day when a group of Juvenile Delinquents cornered him and started throwing books at him. He was terrified, and when I got there, I determined that I would protect him at all costs. I chased those kids into the middle of a New York street and with traffic flowing both ways, I caught one of them and spanked him. Quite a spectacle.
When Sharon was growing up, and was picked on by a teacher in the middle of the rotunda at her high school, I called the principal and explained that if that teacher did not publicly apologize to my daughter and undo the embarrassment that she was caused, this story would be in every newspaper in New York City as well as in the courts. I also explained that I fully expected my daughter to receive an "A" in her coursework so her college applications were not affected. Sharon was protected.
When my husband was rendered paralyzed by ALS, there was a situation where he fell getting into a County sponsored limo and was left there, on the floor, by the driver. I was furious. The owner of that Limo service is probably still shaking by the explanation of what was going to happen to him, his service and his very lucrative County contract unless my husband received a full apology from him, the driver was fired, and my husband was treated royally from that time on.
I'm sure that those who know me remember all of these events quite well!
Bottom line here.....I will fight to the death to protect those I love. No one messes with my loved ones without having to deal with me...and that is not always a pleasant experience!
I am getting that same feeling now, watching my kids lose their educational benefits due to a top heavy, selfish, wasteful, school Administration and I am determined to protect them at all costs. Many people have applauded the fact that I am apparently relentless in my quest to see that this damage does not happen. They don't understand that for me this is just as personal as those incidents reported above.
I inherited my love of Broadway musical theater from music and drama classes starting in the elementary schools. My school library was my second home and I loved seeing my friends (note that it was never me) winning their competitions in their gym classes. These were the things that I loved about school and that love of education is with me to this day.
We are in a situation here in Broward County where administrative waste and excess is threatening to take all those things from our kids. I won't bore you by listing all the ridiculous excesses, they can easily be found elsewhere. I will say that I will fight to the death to make sure that it does not happen. I am hearing school board members blame it on administration and I find it mind boggling. To begin with...who works for whom? I don't ever remember voting for a school Superintendent or an Area Director. I do remember voting for school board members and I know that I have the power to help reelect them if I so choose. I will only choose to work with those who are working with our public.
We did an amazing thing this week. The strength of the public lobbying here in Florida was so intense that we caused a Republican governor to veto a Republican bill and ensure that our teachers did not get the short end of the educational stick on a state wide level. Too many people are resting on those laurels and not remembering that though teachers on the higher level were protected, a large number of our elementary school teachers have been cut or eliminated from their positions. It is going to take a major battle to reach the public and get the outpouring of emotion that saved our teachers salary and tenure. Here in Broward county, what is the good of salary and tenure if there is no job.
What is the good of an educational system that is not well rounded for our kids. What is the good of a school system that takes the joy out of the educational system. What is the good of an educational system that focuses purely on academics without bringing out the creativity of our children.
This needs to change and we need to alert everyone to the power of their vote. You have that power, you just need to use it.
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