As another school year comes to an end the community will see more and more children playing in the neighborhood even though school does not officially end until June 25.
Though Superintendent Vargas sent a letter to all staff saying that he expects teaching and learning to continue until the last day of school, the reality is the last day of school was the last day of testing.
The last two weeks of school the school community is involved with Kindergarten graduations, Moving-up ceremonies, Eighth grade, and High school graduations.
Any students who return to school after they have graduated or moved up will be put to work helping teachers tear down their rooms, pack up their belongings, and move out of the school for the summer.
This archaic routine has been carried out year after year in public schools across the country for decades.
Why do teachers have to pack up everything and move out of their room and school each year?
Why do students believe that once tests are over, learning is over?
Why does the administration say one thing when they know just the opposite will happen and nothing will be done to correct the situation?
Every day we tell our children that education is important but we show them that it isn’t by reducing their education to data bits and sound bytes, irrelevant textual blurbs, and dissatisfying work assignments.
We tell children that bullying is wrong yet they see the adults in their environment being bullied by other adults and so they emulate our behavior.
Every year in education we begin by saying “We must raise graduation rates.” Every year we see more failure. Every year we continue to provide the same failing system of education to our children while expecting success.
This is insanity!
We must adopt and promote an attitude of respect for everyone in the system of education.
Our leaders in education must lead by example.
We must change our reality to match our expectations of success for our children.
A child centered education is the way.
Join the Movement to Save Our Children!
