More Coffee, Please

A quiet week.

Wednesday’s paper reported that at Tuesday’s board meeting MC² would be sticking around for awhile. Mr. Pickering’s determination to reduce the cost of the program to the same as any other student in the district really removes the last of the objections possible.¹

I’m also rather pleased by something else Mr. Pickering said—that when it comes to education, we get paid because we’re the experts, not anyone else. The school board can vote on money and buildings all they want, they can set policy as much as they desire—and they should—but when it comes to assessing the value of an educational endeavor, that’s our task:

I’m offering you to keep what’s unique about this for the same cost as everybody else… You’ve hired your administrative team to make those instructional decisions. If we don’t come through, fire us. But please don’t tell us what the best instructional practices are each week, because we’re
studying that.”

Yes. Absolutely.

Of course, as I had a hunch it would, it also means this particular leg of my journey is changing.² Next year, I’ll be again at MRHS, again teaching juniors and seniors (and, something that brings a particular smile to my face as I think of all the people I know now who I first met as sophomores) one tenth grade class.

But that’s another post.

Also this Tuesday, the school board gave themselves a raise.

I’m actually thrilled by this. They linked the increase in pay to being part of committees and showing up to board meetings—and those are needed and necessary things. Also, hopefully with additional money, it will draw better talent.

Talent doesn’t always follow money, of course—like our schools, we often get incredibly dedicated people who devote their energy and time despite the lack of money. Still, much like nobody gets into politics because of the money (it’s always power or ego), sometimes there’s an agenda beyond serving education.³

And a few less people with agendas that have nothing to do with education would be a wonderful thing. I hope there are many competitive races to come.

Continuing that tradition of “going above and beyond” this week a host of MRHS students were able to travel to Symphony Hall in Boston and see the Boston Pops play.

This type of thing is amazingly invaluable to our kids—some of whom have never had this kind of enriching, needed view of the world. As usual, Phil Crotto and the other teachers who put their time and energy (outside of their regular duties!) into making this type of thing possible show the best of what it means to be a teacher.

Speaking of good teachers…

Patriotism isn’t quite the thing it used to be in American schools. Once upon a time, schools were viewed as a place for the in-calculation of pro-America sentiment—there was a war going on, and it was important that we stress the values of this nation.

I don’t think that’s the role our schools should necessarily play. I’d be willing to argue that point—there’s something to be said about teaching virtue (through most of history, it was how to act which was thought the proper subject of education) and patriotism is certainly a virtue—but it’s not very popular right now. There’s a great many schools in the country that don’t begin their school day with the Pledge of Allegiance,⁴ and there’s no school in the nation that can require it.

Which is all very well and good. It’s also the thing that makes me most impressed with Friday’s Memorial Day event at the school.

There’s nothing that says a school needs to remember our veterans. There’s nothing that says that a teacher needs to take the time to find the name of every MRHS graduate who has worn a uniform, who has sacrificed for his nation.

But I’m glad we have teachers who are willing to do so. I’m glad we have students that will sit in silence, sit in respect, and listen to those who, not long before, sat in those same seats and then went to serve their country.

I’m glad to see a school where we can take the time to remember who has come before—and honor them publicly.

1 Not that we won’t continue to hear objections, of course. Those who oppose it were always using it more as lighting rod to criticize the district more than they were voicing any real concerns. ↺

2 If you check out Campbell’s monomyth, the last stage must be the return. That’s relatively minor—what’s important is what can be brought back of value for everyone, and that will be what I spend the next few years developing. ↺

3 No names really need to be mentioned… ↺

4 Major points to MRHS for not being one of those schools. ↺

Gregarious

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