A Simple, Simple Story Forward: Secretary of Education Arne Duncan is defending the collapse of test scores (first to have Common Core testing) in NYC as a “…good thing. Now we are telling the truth about the failure of public education.” Public school educators , across this counare horrified at his response. As they stand in sympathy and empathy with their peers in New York, feeling their pain and frustration, they are angry…oh, so angry. They know the millions of ways that Arne Duncan is wrong. They know that Arne Duncan is supporting corporate take-over of public education, and the results of this nonsensical test will help his cause. They know that, as always, it will be their students who will suffer the most from the fall-out. The NEED is for everyone to understand this anger.. to have a glimpse into the life of an educator. Therefore, this is not a story for educators. It is, instead, a meager attempt to help non-educators have an understanding connection with the frustration and anger that educators have for Arne Duncan’s comments, his agenda, and his use of power. A Simple Simple Story………..One day, you come upon that one piece of furniture that you have always envisioned in your home. It has to be assembled, but you know that you have the skills to do it. So, you order it, and it arrives on your doorstep. Silly with anticipation, you begin the job of assembling it. First, you notice that the directions are unclear, maybe even misleading and/or conflicting. But, you think you can eventually figure them out as you go. Next, you see that a few crucial attachment pieces are missing and the tools sent to assemble the piece don’t seem to fit any of the hardware. Still, you soldier on. You are determined to create this long invisioned masterpiece. The lumber seems to be longer than it should, but you cut and trim where necessary. And, when the predrilled holes don’t line up, you drill new ones. You have to spend more money on materials to cover the flaws in the pieces sent to you, and even more on what was withheld from you. This project is making you work much, much longer and harder than anyone could ever imagine. Finally, exhausted, battered, bruised, and generally at your wits end, you have your piece of furniture completed. You are pleased that, regardless of what seemed to be insurmountable odds, it looks great…just like the picture on the box. You move it to the special spot you had in mind for it, and it doesn’t fit! You measure the finished piece…the measurements differ from the ones on the box! “What’s going on here,” you ask the manufacturer’s rep, “Arne”, when you finally get through to him. “Oh, we changed the measurements, but saved big money by not changing the box or some of the parts. Couldn’t you see that? You are such a LOSER. Don’t even ask for a refund or a break. Do not ask for a replacement, as you will never be allowed to try this again without one of us directly supervising you…at your expense. Look at the mess you made….YOU FAILED!” Non-educator…..you are now about 1/10000000th as angry and frustrated as the educators in New York City, and all of the rest of us whose life’s work has been smeared by Arne Duncan, based entirely on one unreliable, non-researched, experimental test.
Posted on: Thu, 08 Aug 2013 03:03:22 +0000
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