Random thoughts on May 20 - primarily about education.
This happens to be the end of week in school in which we administered Maryland's High School Assessments, and also 3 days before the end of my 65th year.
I was in a computer lab for most of the day, yet I myself was not online, except when we needed to help a student who somehow had been knocked off testing and need to his exam restarted for him. Thus I feel very unconnected with the outside world, even more so than on a normal school day.
This was also a week in which my role as lead union rep consumed an inordinate amount of time. I had hoped to step down from that post for next year, but the person I had hoped would replace me is (a) doing his masters, and (b) about to become a new father. Somehow I know that I will have to continue this additional responsibility for one more year.
The additional hat I wear as an adviser to some on the Hill about educational policy also ramped up. Yesterday late afternoon I spent an hour with the LA now responsible for Education and Chief of Staff of a friend in the House, first going through the items in the bill already introduced by Duncan Hunter to eliminate programs - most of these items were proposed for elimination by the Obama administration - and then to anticipate what information would be need as additional bills are forthcoming towards reauthorization, albeit a piece at a time, of the major education act.
So let me offer random thoughts primarily about education.