“All politics is marketing. And in marketing, there are but two variables: product and salesmanship.”
― Pineapple Grenade
I’ve been deeply involved in the world of public education for nearly a decade now, yet I am still consistently amazed at just how weird it all gets. You would think the world of academia would adhere to some sort of logic and consistency. Unfortunately, and I chalk it up to the politics and money involved, it does neither. Instead, it continually seems to be driven by self-interest masquerading as a desire to do what’s best for kids.
That’s not to insult teachers or principals. because at its core level, public education does remain centered on kids. I’m reminded of that constantly, just this morning I received a copy of an article about a teacher that continued delivering instruction to her students, even while undergoing chemotherapy. Fortunately, those kinds of stories occur with regularity, because most teachers enter the profession out of a sense of service. It’s when you move up the stratosphere that things get a little less altruistic.
For example, on Wednesday, I wrote a story about Tennessee’s Commissioner of Education Penny Schwinn sending a letter of rebuke to Metro Nashville Public Schools over their handling of federal funds. In her letter, Ms. Schwinn cited an audit from the state comptrollers office, an audit that won’t be completed until March. As a follow-up, I sent an email to department spokeswoman Victoria CONTINUE READING: ALL THE WORLDS A STAGE, AND WE BUT MERELY PERFORMERS – Dad Gone Wild