HOW MANY ARE YOU WILLING TO SACRIFICE – Dad Gone Wild

HOW MANY ARE YOU WILLING TO SACRIFICE – Dad Gone Wild

HOW MANY ARE YOU WILLING TO SACRIFICE

Your eyes seek conclusion in all this confusion of mine
Though you and I both know it’s only the warm glow of wine
That’s got you to feeling this way
But I don’t care, I want you to stay
And hold me and tell me you’ll be here to love me today – Townes Van Zandt, Be Here To Love Me

“Out of anger comes controversy, out of controversy comes conversation, out of conversation comes action.”
― Tupac Shakur

Saturday afternoon found me at McCay’s rifling through records. I had about $20 in store credits and was hoping to find some new gems. It was cause for celebration when I found a copy of Townes Van Zandt’s Our Mother the Mountain record. It’s not often that you find a record by the iconic troubadour and so I quickly snatched it.

Sunday morning, I popped the record on the turntabled and lost myself in the literate blues of the consummate songwriter. Unfortunately, that joy was tempered when I received the news that the young man who bore his name – Justin Townes Earle – had passed at the age of 38.

Back in the early 2000s, I worked down on Elliston Square at Georges. There was a group of young ‘uns, all of them between 21 and 25, that used to regularly come in and drink pitchers of beer, play pool, and carouse. They were tattooed and greased up, the woman with hair teased or scarved but just as tatted. I christened them the rock-a-billy kids, as they almost seemed to be a throwback to another era.

It was clear they were artistically talented. Among their number were future members of Old Crow Medicine Show, the son’s of Nashville musical royalty Kevin Welch and Gary Nicholson, maybe a tattoo artist or two, and Justin Earle.

Nobody ever had any money, and so they only stuck around as long it took to down a couple of pitchers, and play a little pool. When they walked in, the energy level in the room soared, only to drop again on their departure. Watching them have fun and cut up was like watching one of those old 50’s teenage movies, they managed to exude a youthful joy with a touch of world-weariness that had somehow managed to sneak in. To say I looked forward to their visits, would be an CONTINUE READING: HOW MANY ARE YOU WILLING TO SACRIFICE – Dad Gone Wild

Mr. G for District 3: Chris Guerrieri's Education Matters: Some of the problems with Duval Homeroom. SOME!!!!!!

Mr. G for District 3: Chris Guerrieri's Education Matters: Some of the problems with Duval Homeroom. SOME!!!!!!

Some of the problems with Duval Homeroom. SOME!!!!!!

Duval Homeroom initially sounded great. The thought of high-risk teachers being able to teach from home was comforting to many, though unfortunately, it didn't work like that, and you had to apply and hope you get it. Then we learned that Duval Home from teachers would have to teach from the schools, and we all let out a collective what the %$#@, how does that make any sense.

I have since heard it is up to principals and asked the district for clarification.

Speaking of principals, I am told they have incredible leeway as to who is assigned teach in Duval Homeroom or not.

Several teachers told me their principals told them they were too strong, and they needed them in the classroom. The reward for doing a good job just became to risk your life.

Numerous teachers who signed up have said they are being turned into hybrid teachers who will see DHR children and those in the building, sometimes at the same time and sometimes at different times. This means their first period may be entirely B&M, their second entirely DHR, and their third a combination of both.

I am having a hard time visualizing being both a DHR and a B&M teacher at the same time, but I guess that CONTINUE READING: Mr. G for District 3: Chris Guerrieri's Education Matters: Some of the problems with Duval Homeroom. SOME!!!!!!