School, education, learning, understanding…it’s all very difficult. I am one of the most open and honest bloggers out there. I know, most everyone thinks or says that about themselves. But the truth is, I’ve took a stand. I’m not going to homeschool my children because that is not in the best interest of my family. However, I am not going to sit by the wayside and accept everything that the public school system is trying to sell me.
I’ve done my research, I know what I know and I am and always will be honest about it. I don’t believe that homework is necessary. If I tell you something, I mean it. And what I say here on this website is what I mean. And what I say to people face to face, I mean.
I created a site for the first grade class where my son is a student. I even made sure that I said “I am doing this site strictly verbatim as the information comes home, I have other sites where I can and will express my opinion, but I will keep this site strictly facts.” And, I’ve done that.
I have not interjected my opinion once on that (PhD in First Grade) site. That’s what this site is for. This site (Education Uncensored) is for me and the people who agree, disagree, public school teachers, homeschooling parents and anyone in between. What you will read here is my opinion. What you will read on the other site is facts.
Now, with that said, let me clear up a bit of information that isn’t quite clear in the post on Sara Bennett’s site that I wrote and I am so proud to have on her site.
As I spoke to the administrator tonight, she brought a couple of points to my attention and because my respect for authority is as it is, I respect her and our conversation tonight was nothing but professional and I have more respect for her now than I ever have.
Please let me clarify some of my statements:
“I started PhD in First Grade to help parents and children keep track of the “massive amount of homework given to the first graders.”
I’ve already covered this above, but indeed, I created the site to help parents and children keep track of the (and these are my words) “massive amount” of homework. It is my opinion that it is too much. But I never make that statement on the “facts” site or in front of my son. Period. I can separate the facts and let’s just hope that this is the case for everyone involved.
and the principal quickly asked me to serve as a Parent/Teacher Liaison.
This needs to be clarified for many reasons. I am not there to fight anyone’s battles. I am not there to protect anyone. I am there only and I mean to clarify, only to help when I can help.
“it’s not my role to get into the privacy of students, parents and teacher’s conversations”
I have enough drama in my own life, in my own house and with my own children. But, if someone needs me, I want them to continue to feel free to ask me to help them in any way. But, it is also important for everyone involved to know that if there is an issue which is specific to their child, they need to go through the proper channels and speak to the teacher, the administrator, etc. I feel I am there to help on a broad scale, not for individuals or in any way to intervene when I really have no reason to stick my nose in where it doesn’t belong.
“helping everyone learn to use the monitoring system that our schools use via the computer”
This is/was and will be my number one goal. Period.
“I also used this as an opportunity to ask parents their opinions on the “H” issue.”
Trust me when I tell you it wasn’t difficult. Many parents feel the way I do and many parents before have not said anything for fear of the backlash that their own children might face.
With that, let me make this clear, I don’t have any fears that any teacher in my son’s school would mistreat my child or anyone else’s child because of something their parent has done. And, that is important.
I would not be so willing to speak up if I felt that my child was going to suffer. And, anyone that knows anything about me knows that my children are my life. But, as an educator, I believe in the people even if I don’t believe in the system.
“open to reading the statistics regarding the “H” word.”
Unfortunately, I can’t convince anyone just yet that these statistics are real. The only statistics that are being looked at come from the other side. But that’s ok, I don’t mind that part. I’ll keep digging in my research and one day……….
“several teachers that I approached regarding the “H” word said to me, “I don’t give it unless it is absolutely necessary. The board (school board) is not real fond of that technique but that’s how I like to handle my class.”
Obviously, I’m not naming these teachers because while I trust that teachers aren’t going to mistreat my son, I’m not so sure that a teacher’s job would be safe (even if they had been teaching for many years), if their views were openly discussed.
“And, therein lies the problem. The “H” issue rolls downhill and it all starts with the State Department of Education pushing “higher learning” and “better test scores” without knowing that the “H” word is not the way to accomplish this. It trickles down until teachers are actually evaluated by the way they handled the “H” word.”
Please, let this ring in everyone’s ears for a minute. Please, I know the process, I know the political correctness of it all and I know the fear of losing your job simply because you disagree. And, with that, teachers are venues of communication and they do what respected administrator and publishers (of books) tell them is best. I want to help people see that those people don’t always know what is best nor do they have the child’s best interest at heart. Publishers of text books need to maintain their popularity and keep their business a business.
“If you live in Alabama and you are fortunate enough to have found Sara and the book she co-authored, by all means, contact me. Let’s make this a state wide campaign, we can be much more successful that way.”
I mean this, there is a fight to be fought, a way to fight it and even if it means that I have to speak up first and gather my information then I need the help of anyone involved!!!!!!!!!!!!