Skip to main content

The First Day



No first day of school pictures here. Our bird has flown. I’m enjoying all the first day pics and posts, though. I’m no longer a school parent, but I still care very much what happens in our schools.

I read with some dismay that some hold the sentiment that only folks with children in the schools should have a say in redistricting. Certainly those with children in the schools will feel the results in a personal way that others will not. I have no argument there. But all of us pay taxes to support the schools. And, in my opinion, we are all responsible for supporting and advocating for the best possible schools in our community.

A friend summed it up well when he said that those seeking to exclude non-school parents are:

...abandoning the most romantic notion of public education - that the entire community is involved and contributing towards the betterment of your child. 

 I don’t think my voice should mean more than anyone else’s. I just don’t think it should be excluded. Nor should the voice of an uncle, or grandparent, or a retired teacher. And while we are at it, that means we don’t exclude renters in favor of home owners, either. When you see how far some people are willing to go to exclude others in order to make their own voices louder, you see exactly the kind of obstacles we face in supporting better schools for all children.

Post your pictures today if you have them. Recount your first day adventures. Some of us may not have kids in school but your children are a valuable part of our community and the first day of school is a big deal.

Let this be a year of learning and growth for all of us.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Getting Fresh

One of my favorite days in the Spring comes when this year’s list of Farmer’s Markets is released. That happened this week. New this year are markets in Old Ellicott City and the “Merriweather Market” which, according to the address, will be located here . I mistakenly thought at first glance that it was in the new-construction part of the Merriweather District. I find the name confusing considering its actual location. I’m going to guess that this market is an initiative of the Howard Hughes Corporation because the name seems chosen more for branding purposes than anything else.  Alas, the market in Maple Lawn is gone. The thread on the markets on the County Executive’s FB page will provide you with quite the education in who actually runs the Farmers Markets vs what people often think is going on. Short answer: they are not  chosen nor run by the county. Each market is an independent entity, sometimes started by community volunteers, other times supported by local businesses...
Post a Comment
Read more

They Can Wait

This is not a typical Saturday post. That’s because, in my community, it’s not a typical Saturday.  Oakland Mills High School, after years of deferred repair, needs massive renovation. It’s pretty simple: when you don’t fix a problem it gets bigger. The school system itself said the the OMHS school building was  "no longer conducive to learning" back in 2018.  2018 .  But Thursday the Boad of Education voted to push it out of the lineup of important projects which will be given the go-ahead to proceed soonest.  In my opinion it’s a terrible decision and sets a dangerous precedent. To explain, here’s the advocacy letter I sent in support of Oakland Mills High School. I was rather proud of it. I am writing to ask you to proceed with needed renovation at Oakland Mills High School in the most timely and comprehensive manner humanly possible. I have read the letter sent to you by the Oakland Mills Community Association and I am in complete agreement. You are extremel...
1 comment
Read more

What Kids Are Thinking

  It’s a Monday in February, and if you guessed that a lot of Howard County students have the new cell phone policy on their minds, you’d be right. It will mean big changes and it will be stressful, no matter how much good we hope it will do in the long run. But on this particular Monday cell phones might not be top of mind, as amazing as that seems. Some kids will go to school wondering if they or family members will be seized by ICE. Some will fear that their parents’ employment will be purged by the ongoing rampage of Elon Musk and his cronies through Federal Government. Some fear heightened and renewed racism as programs that supprted Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are vilified and destroyed.  Some worry that it soon won’t be safe for them to use the bathroom in school anymore. It goes without saying that some kids fear going to school every day because of the prevalence of school shootings.  And look! Here’s something new to fear. That old hate group, Libs of TikTo...
Post a Comment
Read more