There's something to be said for Kitchen Table Wisdom - you know, like in the old days when people sat around the kitchen table after a meal and talked about life, the universe and the meaning of it all - as well as the gossip doing the rounds in town...

Well, that's what this place is - a place to share common wisdom, thoughts and feelings about things important and unimportant, that bring us joy, laughter and happiness and that trouble, sadden, confuse and anger us ...

What I write here is what's 'real' for me. It won't always be PC or 'nice'. We're missing out on true connection and chances to grow and change because there's too little authenticity, too little honesty, too much holding back what we really feel and mean.

Welcome to my world...

I used to have a copyright claim here, but I've removed it...

Ideas don't belong to anyone -

they come to those who are receptive and are to be used for the well being of all...

I find images and movies and music all over the web

and I use them to accent/expand on my thoughts and understandings...


If you feel you have experienced or received something of value in reading my posts,

please consider either:

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or paying it forward to those who need

material and emotional/spiritual sustenance in this world...


Thank You


As You Think, So It Is - Your Beliefs Create Your Reality

If your Reality isn't Working for You, Create a New One!

Life Unlimited!


Namaste

(the Divine in me, recognises and honours the Divine in you)

Sahila




Friday, September 24, 2010

No Time To Let the Grass Grow



Well... doesn't time fly when you're having fun?   Are you having fun yet???   I'm not sure I am...

Is it the Irish or the Chinese who have that wonderful curse: "may you live in interesting times!"?

I'm living in interesting times;
  in the past month, I've been busy moving house and going on fall camp with my youngster and 100 K-8 other kids and 30-odd(?) parents.

And we, as a species and a planet, seem to be living in interesting times.   And on many levels it feels like time is running out...

The earth - our mother, who will survive without us but without whom we are doomed - is under constant assault (some would say rape).


And some of our own kind seem intent on raping the rest of us and generations to come, for the power and control that comes with their actions.

 

I've been spending a great deal of time, energy and focus helping fight a rearguard action to save public education from privatisation.   This education 'deform' agenda has been playing itself out for a long time, behind the  scenes.   It appears the final stage of implementation is occurring now - its come out of the closet and is being pushed down the public throat in a propaganda extravaganza this week by the 'bought and paid for' media, including NBC, CBS, Time and Oprah...

NBC's Invitation-Only Education Nation "Summit"

 

 

Some of us started posting comments and criticisms of the Summit on NBC's Education Nation facebook page    

Eduction Nation Facebook

 

Basically we were saying:  "Hey there - you're having a national Summit about education, your panel is stacked with reformers, as are your sponsors, and you've forgotten to ask the two major stakeholders - parents and teachers - to the table.   What gives?

 

No answers to our repeated questions and once we started putting up posts that gave stats and data and suggested well qualified, articulate people who should be on the panel, we (me and some of America's best known anti-reform critics) got booted off.   And so one of us set up an alternative page for like-minded dissenters... 

MisEducation Nation Facebook Page

 

 I dont know if we can win this one...
 

If you ask me, the only way out of this is actual, physical national protest...

 

I hate being the pessimist here... but "Seattle nice" and civil discourse aint gonna cut it in this fight.

 

We can't match the money or the press coverage (unless the NEA/AFT (teachers' unions) get off their arses, work with us & spend some big money - but so far they've been totally inept or they're part of it).

 

The only thing we have - if we can unite and mobilise it - is big names and numbers. The longer we wait, the more people are exposed to the propaganda and believe it...

 

Only physical protest - lots of loud noise - is going to stop this., because the agenda is almost completely implemented - this media blitz is the final push... another six months and its a done deal...

 

I wish I could get people to see this... Everything I've predicted for the past two years has happened, on the timeline I expected, here in Seattle and nationally...

 

The Mayoral loss in DC will not stop it - people seem to think Broad Foundation plant reformist Chancellor Michelle Rhee is gone because Fenty is.   But that's not a given, the public haven't made the connection between Rhee and Eli Broad and the national takeover of the education system/administration.   And, if she goes, Broad/Gates will slip someone else in there - that person might have a different style, but the agenda will be continued...

 

I keep pointing people to the Broad/Gates Lines of Influence maps:

Broad/Gates Foundation Lines of Influence - National Picture

Influence in Seattle

as well as the links on the Broad website showing where superintendents and "fellows" are working across the nation:

Broad Residency Alumni - Where Are They Now?

Broad Residents - Where Are They - Map

Broad Fellows and Superintendents - In a School District Near You

Broad Fellows and Superintendents Around the Country - Map

and to the blog Broad Report:

The Broad Report

There are no important/places/cities/communities that are now untouched... If Broad/Gates haven't reached critical mass yet, they soon will...


We need to challenge that with our own unity and voices...

There are many groups working against this 'deform' agenda - Parents Across America, United 4 Kids, Save Public Schools and dozens of others around the country.   I wish they would all unite under one banner, bring in all the teachers, community members, minority groups...  Only something as big as the anti-Vietnam war protests is going to stop this...

Our problem is we have no time... and our failure to stop this will hurt our kids and will take 20 years to run its course before we get the chance to turn that around...

I truly don't know how to get people to understand this...   One needs to feel it in one's gut - and know and understand history and the forces behind it all...