Um. It's not just me after all. Whoa!

[Bang!Zoom!]

Ya'll know I've been whining and weeping lately..gearing up for another year of invisibility with the PS. You've all been great about it, thanks.

 

So, here I am tonight, at 11:37 p.m...reading about this and that..and I went hopping down the bunny trail of this lady I've been reading about a lot lately..her name is Diane Ravitch.

 

Well, I'm on her home page, playing some videos, learning..and this one in particular http://www.youtube.com/user/ParentsAcrossAmerica#p/a/u/0/8Vd89cY-jT0

 

It's a grassroots group called "Parents Across America". (PAA) http://parentsacrossamerica.org/

 

As I'm watching, I'm agreeing with about ah..75% of it. (I am pro charter) PAA is not. But anyway..as I'm listening, my jaw is clenched, thinking.."man, I wish there was something like that around here"...

 

I surf around the site some more..notice this tab: "Who we are" and a drop down menu of "Chapters & Affiliate's". I scroll down to my state..(WA) and

 

FREAKING WHAM!

 

There are 2 chapters here, not one, but 2! 2! Two PAA chapters for one city? What in the world?

 

I'm not sure if I ever mentioned it, but the school system in the city I'm going into ...the public school system is the largest employer in the city. Number One. And Goliath sized money/union issues.

 

It's always been my feeling way deep down that's the reason why things are the way they are here. I hate to think it could be true, it's just too stereo-typical..but I'm being honest, that's always what I've felt.

 

Anyway, I'm searching their philosophies before I get too excited here...but I'm thinking I'm onto something big here for myself.

 

Could it be possible I'm about to meet face to face a bunch of people just like me? Wow!

 

Wouldn't that be something?

 

I loved the last sound clip on the video above:

 

"All right! Let's go save America!"

Edited July 25, 2011 by one*mom

[Bang!Zoom!]

Just an update, I went ahead and spoke on the phone with one of the main organizers in the area.

 

I talked a little bit about my immediate ideas for goals; it went well! :)

 

He is going to help me find a network of like minded parents, so we can work together with our kids in small groups arranged by interest.

 

One of the more interesting things I learned in the short conversation is he was formerly the district superintendent for about twenty years. His professional educational background is dazzling. Simply dazzling.

 

Interesting huh? I'm kinda jazzed here.

[LittleIzumi]

Excellent!

[Bang!Zoom!]

I don't mean to get all "mushy" and stuff..but..for those of you out there so inclined, I just want to mark this day as an answer to sincere prayer.

 

He was listening.

[usetoschool]

:hurray::grouphug::party:

[Word Nerd]

That's awesome!

[Bang!Zoom!]

http://bit.ly/pLH48E

 

This is my new buddy.

 

:thumbup:

 

And he's an activist. Kewl! :patriot:

 

"Let's go save America!"

 

Indeed.

[BabyBre]

Just FYI - Note that the people at the head of PAA are many of the same people involved in the SOS movement, including Diane Ravitch.

 

I've looked into PAA as well, and their philosophy for solutions to not coincide with mine. They merely involve different beauracracy, not less beauracracy. I've read Diane Ravitch, and I do think she has a fantastic grasp of the problem, but in the solution we part ways. Gathering unions and socialists together (as in SOS) is not the approach I think will get us effective solutions. Frankly, unions have had the oportunity to affect education for decades and this is where it's gotten us.

 

I could make the same remarks about our school district that you made about yours. In my city (also in WA), I've been fortunate enough to get to know a parent who has become an extremely notable education advocate. She's very well known in our city education circles, she's known across the state, and she's published a book exposing the deception and corruption in our school district that's lead to an astronomical dropout rate and completely pathetic state test scores, among other things. She calls for parental involvement in curriculum decisions, she calls out our board members who are versed at ignoring the public they're supposed to represent, she calls for board meetings to be aired on public television, the district check register to be posted online, etc. The current school board candidates are all vying for her support. PAA has never contacted her. Not once. I don't believe their agenda involves holding administrators and government quite so accountable, just changing what's already there by drumming up support for the right people.

 

I was very disappointed to learn that.

[Bang!Zoom!]

Yep, they sure are the same outfit as SOS. :( :(

 

There's nothing "parent" about it. Nothing. It's really too bad. Anyway, as we were getting out the last of the move in the garage last night, I happen to meet some of my new neighbors. One lady, 6th grade teacher.

 

I asked her if she had any views on this area, the district and how they receive parents as volunteers...and she laughed...she told me flat out no way was I going to feel welcomed by the school I'm headed out to. She's in the last years of teaching here, so I'm not blowing off her opinion. She knows the truth.

 

They aren't going to let me write them grants. I can't fit in with PAA, I think it's totally slimy. I'm really disappointed. It's just baby shoot off the NEA is all...it's just a union tool.

 

I'm seriously thinking of getting a job outside the home.

[Roadrunner]

Move to my school district. I am bombarded by volunteer forms on a weekly basis :) Parents also run an art docent program. Pretty cool :) and the weather is perfect :)

Just infusing some sunshine. On a good mood today. MCT on the way!

[Bang!Zoom!]

My fella doesn't even grasp what happened out there in the parking lot last night. It's not that I'm expecting him too or anything..I would like..expect my BFF to "get it", but not him you know? I was hit by so much discouragement from that comment...but anyway..I don't expect him to understand my sudden shift in attitude.

 

I keep the roles of o/great/mighty/hunter/provider/man and "yo girlfriend, wuz up" as really separate worlds, this kinda stuff I don't bother him with.

 

I'm tired of getting my hopes up and getting squashed. As tired as I was from four days of moving, I was up at 4:30 A.M. today with this nagging sensation of needing to make a choice of some kind.

 

I need to come to a decision on this stuff very soon, and one that feels right in my soul.

 

Am I being unfair to a person that I've never met, to a school I've never stepped foot in to jump to these conclusions?

 

Probably huh...

 

And you know what else I'll have with my humble pie? How about a side of "get your life in a place where stuff like this doesn't make a difference anymore".

 

I don't know if that's inviting apathy or healthy living yet..maybe some of both?

[BabyBre]

I asked her if she had any views on this area, the district and how they receive parents as volunteers...and she laughed...she told me flat out no way was I going to feel welcomed by the school I'm headed out to.

 

 

I'm so sorry. :grouphug: But, you actually are absolutely right in that you're not the only one who feels the way you do. As you found with your teacher neighbor, teachers know what's going on. If you've found one that's willing to talk about it, consider yourself lucky and hope she is too. Many parents only have a feeling - that nagging sense that something just isn't right, but well, they're the experts.

 

Is your child enrolled in that school? I think I would blow my top if my dc's school told me I wasn't allowed in the classroom in any capacity. When we first enrolled at our school, I took the oportunity to volunteer for granted - volunteers are in such high demand at our school. Teachers literally have impossible jobs. Since it's really inconceivable that there is nothing for a volunteer to do, there's certainly another reason they don't want you in the classroom. Jeez, when you talk about transparency and accountability, that room with my child in it is where I insist upon it.

[Bang!Zoom!]

I haven't been out to the building yet to introduce myself and get a feel for it. I'm calling the district today to find out essentials like bus schedules and the like.

 

I'm not going to remove myself from talking things over with that fella that heads up PAA in this area; I'm hoping he can introduce me to someone that lives in this area and is really good with grant writing.

 

I know that the district here is the largest employer of the entire city, the budget stands at an annual 135 million dollars with just a handful of folks calling the shots. I've read a enormous amount of press about the admin attitude toward involving the public here. None of it was positive.

 

It's written that it's all top down thinking; very bureaucratic.

 

I have some thoughts about the funding channels I could help with as far as grants and awards, I'd really like to concentrate on submitting grants that were aimed specifically at the teacher who will be my daughters primary room educator. Those were my early thoughts, to spend my time focusing on just that teacher, just those kids..and if I happen to run into something that would benefit the school at large, then fine...run with that..but..the larger the grant field, the more adults that get involved and slow things down.

 

You know, meetings and things.

 

Back in my charter days, I was on a grant team for the funding of the library there; that is how I learned to write grants and proposals. In three years, we had an amazing fully grant & award library built, and it was flipping spectacular, it really was.

 

So I know the power and final results of this work, and I would love to contribute this again in a meaningful way. And it's also a skill I can take with me wherever we happen to end up as well.

 

But I am not going to fight a system that does not want me there either.

 

I followed SOS and PAA for about a week and a half, I built what is called "listening" channels on twitter and news feeds. I included both pro/con channels in an attempt to get balanced information.

 

I'm going to be honest and say I was really ticked off at PAA for what I felt was almost an abuse of the concept of parental involvement. They get up on these media sites and when you look/listen to the videos, it's all parent this..all parent that..all yippee skippy let's take back our schools. Talking the talk that all parents who want to be involved want to hear.

 

But when I looked at the actual efforts and aim; there was no parent anything. Just union talk...and then it got worse.

 

The union teachers and affiliates of PAA publish articles that slam parents, play the blame game and it's just sickening. I saw no real attempts at advocacy, but a veil and misuse of the concept of parent involvement as a leader phrase for something else completely.

 

SOS was invited to go have meetings with the White House during the weekend rally. SOS refused the meeting.

 

The reporting from SOS was absolute propaganda in nature.

 

I have about four years of poly sci formal studies...but a lifetime of civic participation behind me. When I learned by working with various think tanks for example..as well as the science course..how to dissect and analyze, critique and understand political movements - just basically how to get to the bottom of the agenda of any lobbyist front...this education taught me how to investigate and make sense of things.

 

So when I said I was following SOS etc., closely, I was applying poly sci skills in order to properly remove the spiel and spin and get to the heart of it.

 

Diane is indeed fascinating..how effective and why she does what she does is still sort of out there for me, though I have various theories on it. I also agree that she has a very firm grasp on the micro issues involved in problems in educational and administration efforts of public schools.

 

I keep finding myself rehearsing for my first face to face meetings with my daughters teacher and school district.

 

I'm not a mom who sells candy bars. Not by a long shot.

 

The impact opportunities I'm looking for are for immediate effect and benefit to my daughters experiences. If I can do that by supporting her classroom and teacher, cool beans.

 

My daughter and I walked to the park today, I sat there snapping photos of her playing; and I can feel the time rushing by just like I did with my oldest one.

 

She came and sat by me, and I asked her, "So, what are you feeling about school coming up, still excited, have anything new to add?"

 

"Naw, nothing new to say Ma, I still just hope my teacher actually gets to know who I really am this year, knows what I'm about."

 

She ran off to play on the swings again, and I thought about what she said some more. It's her needs that are the most important for me to support and work on.

 

How I accomplish those dreams of hers is still unknown.

 

How do you create those bridges of understanding for your child and the teacher, so that they are strong, positive and motivating for both of them?

 

How do you guys do it?

Edited August 1, 2011 by one*mom