Attended a rally...
Saturday I attended a "No teacher left behind" rally on the steps of the Angelina County court house. This is a group of teachers that are organizing to keep try to keep the bills passed in the legislature in the best interest of all schools, students and teachers in the state. Seems that recent bills and policy favor the few and the powerful.
The speakers at this rally were good, there were several area superintendents as well as State Rep. Jim McRenyolds. My favorite was retired Lufkin superintendent David Sharp. Since his his retirement he has changed his hair style, grown a goatee, looks quite rakish, maybe the image change foretells a political run and based on his comments I think I would vote for him.
He told about how the few riches people influence the bills in the legislature, how the richer school districts have the money to lobby, an accepted way they practice a form of discrimination where all kids look alike, drive the same cars, shop at the same malls and have the same value system. If you have a kid that is different, has some problems, and you might be of another ethnic group or you just find yourself on the outside of the sheltered enclaves you are out of luck. I think on the eve of MLK Day these remarks show us that discrimination is alive and well, only instead of aiming at one particular group, the aim is widened out to everyone that is different. Sharp told the crowd you will know why the Walton family has poured money into lobbying for school vouchers when they open a Wal-Mart school in your neighborhood. My thoughts on this even though Sharp did not draw the connection is that it is just another way, just like government contracts in a war, for the tax payers money, that should be funding the programs that have a further benefit is funneled into the pockets of big business. Sharp also pointed out how polices enacted by those in power are setting up public schools to fail, making them look bad.
Sharp concluded by saying enough money can never be raised to counter the tactics used in politics these days. Instead each person has to vote.
Ok, enough of the politics, just telling what I saw and heard and I have seen enough evidence to say that what teachers in the state of Texas are saying is true.
On a family note, my Uncle Don's funeral is today, had a good visit with various cousins and we all have come to the conclusion that we need to stop meeting like this. I took phone, address and email info from them. It might take some planning, a year or more but we need to have a fish fry or something like that. Be a fitting celebration of all those Wallace boys now gone.
The speakers at this rally were good, there were several area superintendents as well as State Rep. Jim McRenyolds. My favorite was retired Lufkin superintendent David Sharp. Since his his retirement he has changed his hair style, grown a goatee, looks quite rakish, maybe the image change foretells a political run and based on his comments I think I would vote for him.
He told about how the few riches people influence the bills in the legislature, how the richer school districts have the money to lobby, an accepted way they practice a form of discrimination where all kids look alike, drive the same cars, shop at the same malls and have the same value system. If you have a kid that is different, has some problems, and you might be of another ethnic group or you just find yourself on the outside of the sheltered enclaves you are out of luck. I think on the eve of MLK Day these remarks show us that discrimination is alive and well, only instead of aiming at one particular group, the aim is widened out to everyone that is different. Sharp told the crowd you will know why the Walton family has poured money into lobbying for school vouchers when they open a Wal-Mart school in your neighborhood. My thoughts on this even though Sharp did not draw the connection is that it is just another way, just like government contracts in a war, for the tax payers money, that should be funding the programs that have a further benefit is funneled into the pockets of big business. Sharp also pointed out how polices enacted by those in power are setting up public schools to fail, making them look bad.
Sharp concluded by saying enough money can never be raised to counter the tactics used in politics these days. Instead each person has to vote.
Ok, enough of the politics, just telling what I saw and heard and I have seen enough evidence to say that what teachers in the state of Texas are saying is true.
On a family note, my Uncle Don's funeral is today, had a good visit with various cousins and we all have come to the conclusion that we need to stop meeting like this. I took phone, address and email info from them. It might take some planning, a year or more but we need to have a fish fry or something like that. Be a fitting celebration of all those Wallace boys now gone.
posted by Carl at 9:29 AM
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