The Days of Our Lives

And on the next episode of "The Days of Our Lives"......

So the RSU#18 soap opera continues with the splashy headline of a board member resigning because customized learning is damaging her health.  Apparently the hyperbole of "it makes me sick at heart" is translated into health concerns.  I find two things odd here:

1.  Now We Become Sick....

There apparently was no sickness or ill effect for the last several years with multiple controversial issues before the board.  There was no upset when the Vision and implementation/communication strategy was announced.  There were no heart palpitations during the budget meetings and multiple votes.

However as parents got emotional, angry and energized, the vapors seemed to come on and finally overcome this individual.  Interesting timing.

Who am I to judge though?  This person sounds like and seems to be an individual of self-sacrifice and community service.  They could very well have spent their life in service to others and be a person of conscience   My only question would be, why this gesture and why now?

Just say'n


2.  Selling Knives at the Knife Fight...

The media coverage on this issue impresses me as the type of coverage designed to stir controversy and thereby sell more coverage (papers, ad time etc.).  Morning Sentinel articles especially seem to be of the tone designed to inflame emotion rather then emphasis consensus building.  I get a visual of a guy standing on the side lines saying to each combatant, "Are you gonn'a take that from him" and then making money off the pain and suffering (real or imagined) of others.

Just say'n

And now for one more observation:

Regardless of where any individuals stands on the issue of proficiency based measurement and customized learning, we (the collective we) have now spent more time, energy, ill-will, emotion and general tom foolery then we have on the last five issues (budget included) combined.  I am astounded at the amount of time currently spent on even the smallest aspect of this situation.  There is one individual that stated they spend 30 hours a week on this issue.  That is 10 short of a full work week.  This has become a job, a profession to a handful of individuals.

And where does this insanity stop?  When is enough, enough?  This will all end, one way or another, but no one seems to be able to see beyond the end of their nose to the possible ends of this business.  As Brutus said:

"Why then, lead on. Oh, that a man might know

The end of this day’s business ere it come!

But it sufficeth that the day will end,

And then the end is known.—Come, ho! Away!"

The true sadness here is that damage that is being done and will be done.  Not just to the system but to the kids and just as sadly to the parents and relationships.  What was once a close knit community of caring friends and neighbors now resembles the North and South.  And again, unfortunately, we have not learned and appear to be unwilling to learn the lessons of history.

And the most salient lesson here?  In this type of ego invested fight, no body wins, everybody loses something. So while some of us wait and hope for a ray of rationality and sanity to appear, most of us are just grabbing our popcorn and waiting for the next episode of "The Days of Our Lives...RSU 18 Edition"

And so it goes...:)