Social Issues Should be Part of the Curriculum

There's a lot of chances in my day to focus on negative things.  Things that just suck the life out of me and force me to question reality.  I can't browse through my news feed without being critical of what I see.  I can't go out in public without fielding complaints.  The roadblocks in my work seem to increase all the time.  I have lots of opportunities to be deflated. 

I was walking by a classroom last week and I heard what was music to my ears.  Students were arguing and questioning the teacher.  I know this might sound bad to most but I am a former social studies teacher and debating social issues was at the heart of many days in my classroom.  What was the issue, net neutrality.  Yes this has caused a ruckus all over the country and I was tired of the negativity I was seeing from it also.  So why is this music to my ears?  Introducing problems and conflict is the best way to teach middle and high school kids.

The most striking thing I heard was, "Why hasn't anyone told me about this?" and "Am I going to lose my internet?"  When they demand answers to questions that are important to them, you must seize the opportunity to teach.  It is truly difficult to engage students from a textbook or to force them into issues that are not relevant to them.  As educators we have to use these moments to build on and capture their attention.  For too long we have made them slaves to a textbook and demanded compliance over learning and growth.  Now to be fair, this is not really just the fault of less creative  teachers.  We have created a policy culture of demanding standardized test scores over true, empowering and enriching learning experiences.  We have all succumb to this culture and we share accountability for it.

I remarked to one of my teachers a few days ago during a post conference that I would love to teach now with the resources we have now.  It's not just the technology that fascinates me but the learning demands of the Millennial generation is truly unique.  I know they frustrate so many of us but I always look for opportunities for growth.  These kids are completely saturated with things that were not in existence when we were kids.  Do you remember ever having to consider what fake news was?  That's a no for me but now I am in a position to teach kids how to sort the good from the bad and because that is part of their reality, I see it as our duty.

Teaching social issues should be part of your curriculum.  Moan and groan if you want but we have certain realities we should face.  Otherwise, we will just be miserable that the cycle is continuing.  We have a unique duty and opportunity to lead this group into a better learning experience and also a better way to live. We can't prevent them from being saturated by the negative things of the world but we can teach them how to use the opportunities they get.  I'm pretty sure that's what schools are supposed to do.

Illinois Computing Educators-Southern Illinois Chapter will be hosting a Twitter Chat on social issues in the classroom.  Feel free to join us to talk about how you do this in your school.

The Christian Principal - The Son of a Carpenter (Part 4)

A buzz word I have heard over the last couple of years is "servant leader".   Administrators talk about being a servant leader to their kids, staffs and community to show they are invested in the well being of those around them and they are willing to serve to do so.  As a public school administrator, I would think that all of us exhibit the qualities of the servant leader but I would like to remind us of the servant nature of Christianity.  Service to others is implied in our faith.

Jesus Christ was not only the son of God but he was also the son of a carpenter.  There is a lot to be said about Joseph and what implications there are for all of us servant leaders.  On a personal note, I dislike the term "King of Kings" when referring to Christ.  I feel that God chose Joseph, as opposed to some more powerful man, to help further the lesson that we should be humble and be of service to God when we are called upon.  Joseph was given a huge task to father the son of God and accepted.  He could have left Mary by law but showed compassion to her.  This is the first example that God chose a perfect father figure for Jesus.  Joseph taught him his trade and was a righteous man.  Jesus even took on his mannerisms and attention to detail.  Joseph chose to walk in obedience of God despite the stigma it may have carried.  What an awesome example for the son of God.

How can we use this to guide us?  Lets look at this as a metaphor.  God sent the most precious thing he had to Earth and entrusted Joseph to lead and guide him.  Parents send their most precious things to us every day and expect us to lead and guide them.  Lets walk in obedience of God as Joseph did and lead and guide the best things we have in our communities.  Sounds like a simple metaphor but the example set for Jesus by Joseph is not a story to be overlooked.  This post could have easily been about the servant leadership of Christ and those stories are very abundant.  Often, it is the little known stories that can move us into the right direction and help us realize our purpose.

Let us review.  The Christian principal should make every effort to be compassionate, teach and practice forgiveness and set a Godly example for those who are under your care.  There are days that I fall short of this, but the pursuit of these things should carry on no matter what.  I felt strongly about writing these posts because there are great Christian men and women in our schools serving kids but feel that distinction does not belong in their school or is welcomed in their school.  I get complaints all the time that the problem with schools is that they are not allowed to pray and we don't swat them anymore.  Really, these are all excuses.  You may pray anytime and anywhere you want.  Principals can be Godly without pushing it on people.  We can be superheroes for God, hiding in plain sight as long as we are taking our faith with us everywhere we go.

Since posting the first in this series, I have gotten great feedback from fellow school administrators.  I even stumbled upon the Illinois Association of Christian Administrators.  Give these guys a look or a follow on Twitter.  I would like to thank my pastor, Robbey Smith, again for his support on this post.  He is a great example of servant leadership and Redemption Church is lucky to have him.  My hope is that I reassured some and maybe challenged the thinking of others.  I know it is my duty is to glorify God every day and I hope that I do this in my practice and example.

The Christian Principal - Forgiveness (Part 3)

Recently, Illinois schools entered the SB100 era of student discipline.  I was not happy with the process that took place for this new law to take effect but nevertheless we are now legally obligated to take a new approach to out of school suspensions.  Simply put, we now cannot suspend students for arbitrary reasons and we are encouraged to make restorative justice practices the norm in our schools.  This is not a transition for those of us who have been using restorative justice in our schools already.  Restorative justice in itself is  practicing a cornerstone of Christianity, forgiveness.

Any Christian knows this.  We are asked to forgive others as God has forgiven us.  To further the example think of the story of the unforgiving servant.  Jesus told the story of a king that wanted to settle the debts of his servants.  He showed mercy to one that owed a huge debt and forgave it.  That same servant went out and was not as kind to someone that owed him.  He began to choke him and demand payment for what was owed.  When the king found out that this man did not forgive someone after his act of forgiveness, he had him jailed and tortured until his debt was paid back.  The moral of the story is that God has forgiven the largest debt you will ever owe so you should forgive your neighbors in the same way.

I feel it is our job to not only forgive but to teach forgiveness.  There have been several times that I have forgiven a lunch detention or maybe even a day of ACR when the student makes an effort to repair the damages they have caused to property or people.  That's easy.  Teaching forgiveness is more difficult and it takes time and patience.  One day last week I spent an hour in my office with two young ladies that were on the verge of a physical fight.  I mediate these types of things lot.  It would be easy to dismiss them both as being disruptive and to punish them, but that rarely is the first or only step taken.  We first determine the facts of the situation, we then assign responsibility for each of their actions and then the fun part takes place.  We have a deep conversation on how we forgive each other and plan for the future.  Sure, some kids shrug it off just to get out of the office, but in some cases they cry, hug and apologize.  My goal is not to prevent a headache for me, it is to teach them how to forgive so we can avoid trouble in the future.

It may or may not be inappropriate to smile at sobbing students but these powerful moments are quite satisfying.  It gives you hope that they can forgive in the future just as God expects of us.  This is very difficult to explain to upset parents and for the sake of a greater conflict, I do not tell them that I am exercising my Christian beliefs to help their students.  I don't have to tell them that, I just have to behave as I am required to.  Even my holiest of parents will call seeking vengeance if they feel their child has been damaged and always take issue with me and my process.  Again, I will not apologize for it.  We are called to this work and if we are the Christians we say we are, then we must live out the word.

Not every administrator will be comfortable spending the time that I do to resolve conflicts.  If that's you, try one simple approach.  Every day is a blank slate for every kid.  That simple act of forgiveness on your part will be impactful enough.  Trust me, I know it can be difficult to do but it is worth it.  The last segment in this series is about the concept of being a servant leader and how it applies to Christianity.  The story of Joseph, the Earthly father of Jesus, will be the foundation of the post.

The Christian Principal - Compassion (Part 2)

Sometimes we feel that what our job requires of us is contrary to what we believe.  Many principals I speak to feel that their Christian values either do not belong in a school setting or are not welcome in a school setting.  The reality is that we probably are already setting a Christian example but we do not reveal it to others.  In this part of the series, I would like to look at the idea of compassion as not only a Christian value but also as a duty of the school principal who wants their leadership to reflect their beliefs.

My pastor directed me to the story of the Good Samaritan.  The story goes as follows.  A lawyer asks Jesus how to reach eternal life.  In that discussion the lawyer correctly answers that he must love his neighbor as himself.  He asked of Christ who is considered his neighbor and Jesus told this story.  A man was robbed and beaten within an inch of his life and left for dead.  A priest came upon him and moved to the other side of the road and went on by.  A Levite passed him by in the same way.  Then a Samaritan approached and took him up.  He dressed his wounds and put him in an inn to be cared for.  Jesus then asks the lawyer, which of these three was a neighbor to who.  The lawyer replied, "the one who had mercy on him."  The story highlights the idea that the priest and the Levite knew the law and customs but chose to live differently.  The Samaritan, who at the time were considered a lower class of people, ignored custom and did what was right.  He only saw a man in need, not his race or religion.

This is a great story to teach us that compassion outranks everything including our professional position.  The first two men might have been too afraid to help because of the way it might have looked or if it may have violated custom.  The Samaritan did not care.  This applies to us quite directly in that we should live out this part of our faith no matter what.  We all have kids hurting and struggling.  We can't simply walk by because we are afraid of the fallout or how it might look in the eyes of others.  It is our duty to God to show compassion and love these neighbors as we love ourselves.

Years ago I had a student that was a ward of the state and living in a shelter.  He had a troubled past and struggled in the school environment.  He was the typical at-risk kid that looked for love and acceptance in all the wrong ways.  He was constantly in trouble with his teachers and in detention and ACR on nearly a daily basis.  One time as he prepared to attack me, I had to take him to the floor (CPI method of course).  He had to be suspended because their are policies in place to protect staff and students.  Where I could show compassion is how I treated him regardless of his behavior.  I never kept score.  Everyday he would show up and I would greet him and joke with him like anybody else.  He was always confused by this.  One day he finally asked my why I was so nice to him when he was so bad to me.  My reply was, "that's just how I roll."  I'm sure he would have felt my real response would have been corny and awkward so I kept it simple.  He was moved out of that shelter a short while after that.  I am not sure where he landed.  The truth is that the principal's job is to keep the doors open and the lights on but the reality is we do a lot of healing too.  I have come to realize that helping kids like this gives the appearance that I ignore the "good" kids but doing my part to repair the broken is how I love my neighbor and honor God in my school building.  I will not ever apologize for it.

I'm sure there are many more examples of showing compassion in our daily routines.  What I am asking of you is to always be the good Samaritan.  Don't let doing what's right and just take a back seat to perception and stigma.  Kids are worth the risk.  In the next segment, I would like to look at how we use forgiveness in our profession to honor God.

I would like to thank all those who have given positive feedback to me since the first post in this series.  Disclaimer, I am in no way a Biblical scholar.  My goal is to open our eyes to living out faith while holding our title.  I hope it inspires someone.

The Christian Principal - Our Place in Public Education (Part 1)

My position can be very isolating at times.  I am a lone building principal without an assistant principal or other administrator for support.  That means there is a lot of information that I cannot discuss because of its sensitive nature.  You should not make personal friends with your staff so no blurred lines are created.  It can be frustrating and one of the most serious of topics never gets discussed.  Religion is side stepped a bunch and not because people in my community do not value it.  I think in most instances, people are scared to cross the dreaded line of separating church and state.  If they do, they run the risk of exposing beliefs that maybe are not shared or they may feel that they are ministering to those who do not welcome it.  For this series I want to shed some light on the relationship between education leaders and faith.  I am a Christian and I live out my faith every single day in front of the kids and do not mention a single Bible verse.

First off, yes there is separation of church and state.  That only means that you as a school administrator may not initiate, endorse or lead religious acts or rituals at school.  We are the "state" and cannot support religious activity.  We all went to graduate school and school prayer was covered in school law class.  While to me it is simple, many see this as a chilling climate to be a Christian or whatever you might be.  Others see it as that God is not welcome in schools and this is simply not true.  You can take your Bible to school, you just can't hit kids over the head with it.  Being a principal of faith is quite easy to do and I would like to explain how.

A central belief of ours should be that we are to show our faith though example.  Christianity is not signaled to others by the cross you might wear around your neck or the size of the Bible under your arm.  Your Christianity is evident in how you treat others.  You can be Christ-like in your position and you are very wise to do so.  My goal for the next three posts is to show other Christian administrators that it is okay to life out your faith and that your students will be better off if you do.  Faith does have a place in public education but it can't be an overt practice.  It has to be an unspoken level of conduct that honors God and supports kids.

In the next post I want to highlight how you can use and teach compassion as a way to honor our faith and glorify God.  If you incorporate this as a practice in your office and in your school building, you will not only be practicing a key Christian principle but you will also be creating better students.  I would like to encourage you to come along for the ride.

It would be a huge mistake to not thank Robbey Smith for his help exploring this topic.  Robbey is the Lead Pastor at Redemption Church in Johnston City, Illinois.  My family began attending Redemption a few years ago and it has been a wonderful experience.  It was easy to ask Robbey for his input because he embodies the leadership I hope to shed a light on in this series.

Take Healthy Risks

I am sending this blog post out to my students and any secondary student out there that happens to stumble upon it.

It is now October and much of my time has been spent helping students problem solve difficult situations.  These range from struggling in a class to struggling with other students.  After 16 years of teaching and working with junior high and high school students I finally have figured out what I wish my kids would do more of.  I want my kids to take more healthy risks when it comes to school and relationships.

It is normal for students in junior high and middle school to take many risks and push boundaries.  Often these are not healthy risks and they tend to do more harm than good.  So what is a healthy risk?  A healthy risk is one that has a positive upside no matter what the result.  A small example would be that time you gave up on an assignment because you didn’t know how to do it.  This can only have a negative result because you will not get a good grade on the assignment and you will hurt your overall grade in a class.  To take a healthy risk in this situation is to work at the assignment, even if you are confused.  Turning in that work communicates to the teacher that you need help.  Turning in no work sends an entirely wrong message.

Where I see the most unhealthy risks is in the social arena of school.  Making and keeping friends can be hard.  Finding where you fit in is hard too.  The reality is how you treat people is how you are remembered by these folks as you get older.  A good example of this could be whether or not to intervene when a fellow student is upset or struggling.  A frustrating discovery for me is that when something goes horribly wrong, I find out how many people knew about what was going on but no one stepped up to help or lend a hand.  I realize that it can be difficult to judge when it is appropriate to help but for a kid that is hurting, just asking if they are okay or how you can help goes a long way for them.  This is a healthy risk because you may gain a new friend or prevent something bad.  It may mean that they will return the favor down the road.

Take a look at what I consider to be healthy and unhealthy risks:

Healthy Positive Payoff	Unhealthy Negative Side Effects
Sit with someone new at lunch.	Helping to spread a rumor.
Compliment someone.	Dishonesty
Participate in an extra curricular sport or club.	Fighting
Give five minutes a day to help a student or teacher.	Making fun of someone or helping to make fun of someone.
Prevent an awkward situation for someone.	Use divisive words like “prep” and “skank”.

I ask all of you to RED every day - Resilient, Exceptional, and Dedicated.  This is easier to do than you think.  If you just put relationships first then you will be taking healthy risks and change the way you feel and how people see you.  Start taking risks today.  Healthy ones of course.

Embrace Your Toby Ziegler

I am a huge West Wing fan.  Not only because I love politics and this a perfect world to get caught up in, but also there are some great leadership themes that play out in the show.  Toby Ziegler is easily my favorite West Wing character next to President Bartlet.  In this clip the staff had a $10 bet that Toby would not be able to resist taking the President to task on a bad answer to a potential debate question.  I identify with Toby quite a bit.  He loves his country and is dedicated to his president to a level that makes him look like a jerk.  This is really the only way he knows to express his dedication and patriotism.  The joke in the show illustrates that they accept him for who he is and respect his outspokenness.

There is a leadership lesson here for new building principals.  As we enter the school year, our rookies will encounter teachers and staff members like Toby Ziegler.  I took my first administrative job when I was 31.  When you are close to the youngest on the whole staff and you are in charge, this tends to invite a Toby or two.  I will never forget mine.  He took me to task in our first faculty meeting.  I survived his questions and skepticism by staying in the middle of the road on my answers.  When I had time later to regroup, I had to make a choice.

I could do one of two things with this "difficult" teacher.  I could continue to label him as difficult, avoid him by avoiding difficult subjects and in turn become a weak principal for doing so.  The other option is what I chose.  I saw his perspective as a strength that I needed to draw from.  When you are a teacher, you are always seeking the passions and strengths of your students to help them get better.  As a principal, you should be doing this with your building staff.  When I began to spend time with him, I started to understand why he was so critical.  He had been there for more than 20 years.  He has seen people come and go he would be damned if he would see another out of town principal come around and mess it all up.  He didn't dislike me at all.  He loved his school and I hadn't yet shown to him that I was a part of his school.

New and aspiring principals, embrace your Toby Zieglers.  Find the strengths in your staffs and embrace them all.  If you take the genuine position that everyone has something to contribute and actually allow it to happen, you will be amazed at what your school will do.  I work with a great teaching staff at Central Junior High.  We share ownership of our decision making and and constructively disagree.  When I have to say no, it is respected as whats good for the school and not a power move.  If I have learned anything in ten years of being a principal it is that leadership is never about the upper hand, it is about relationships and what you do with them.

So newbies, how will you set the tone with your new staffs?  Will you avoid your Toby Zieglers or will you seek him out?  Do you plan on building your relationships with your staff or making sure they who the boss is?  If you go back to the clip, the boss initiated the joke.  This wasn't to  embarrass him but to see and confirm his passion.  Yes they laughed, but they know when push comes to shove Toby is loyal and dedicated to the group and the mission.  Isn't this what you want in your school staff?  Let me tell you, your progress potential is endless when each person is committed to each other.  If you want that kind of environment, you can't run from your Toby Zieglers.

If I Could Sit in a Room with Governor Rauner

I am an educator and if you are like me, you know there has been a lot of rhetoric taking place over the last few weeks.  As always, our work as professionals is taking a back seat to political strategy.  It's okay.  We have gotten used to this kind of treatment, but that doesn't make it right.  I was very frustrated with the Governor's notion that school superintendents are afraid of Speaker Madigan and that is why they support SB1. He is now demanding that SB1 be sent to him by noon on Monday.  I think what I really want is to sit in a room with him and tell him how I feel.  I think this is what would be said.

Gov. Rauner: I have been an educator for 16 years.  There has only been one year that our opening day address from our superintendent or administrators meeting did not include how to save money and do without.  Like We Olson Tweeted; my children have went their entire school careers in underfunded schools.  This not only includes our school kids but our kids at home too.  Ho long is too long for our best investment to be set aside?

Gov. Rauner: Do you know what we have endured to this point?  Unfunded mandates, pro-ration of funds and subjection to political strategy have all been the norm in my 16 years.  There was a time that we were told our schools didn't amount to anything if we didn't do well on standardized tests.  One time we changed the school code and the very nature of our relationships with our teachers in order to capture Race to the Top money because we were so desperate.  All together, the face of the Illinois public school has changed so much in this short time.

Gov. Rauner: We have taken it on the chin for a long time and kept being humble public servants for our communities.  We had no answers for them and when that becomes exhausting, we have to develop a voice.  Vision 20/20 emerged as a voice for schools and many others followed.  That collective voice is loud and telling you and the legislature what our communities need.  Are you listening to understand or listening to respond politically?  There is a difference.

Gov. Rauner: SB1 is a chance to begin again.  Even the language you call a "Chicago bailout" is way to start over and do things right.  This bill represents the collective wisdom of so many that care about the direction of public schools in Illinois.  This bill represents ALL kids.  We have in no way declared this a political issue because it kids are not a political issue.  They are not a bargaining chip and we are not taking Speaker Madigan's position.  The legislature took our position and voted for the best interests of their districts.  Join us in starting over and making it right.  Don't issue ultimatums and play political chess with such a critical issue.

Gov. Rauner: I am thankful for the countless people that have fought for this.  The school administrators, advocacy groups, legislators and parents that have given so much time and effort to see this bill passed deserve a chance.  They represent millions of kids that they have never met and those kids deserve a chance.  I work in a district that sits in a county that is a leader in the highest unemployment rate in the state.  We have a high poverty rate, a high mobility rate and a high rate of truancy.  My kids deserve a chance.  They don't need your politics.

Gov. Rauner: Sign SB1.  Forget about a political win.  Forget about your legacy.  This bill is about our future.  This bill is about bettering our families and communities with fully funded schools for them to attend.  It gives us all a chance.  Sign SB1.

The Bill Buckner Teach-able Moment

If you are any kind of a baseball fan, you know exactly who this is and his story.  When my son found this card in a random mixed pack, he didn't understand why my wife and reacted the way we did.  He's nine and has no clue who Bill Buckner is but he has always shown a desire to learn since he began collecting baseball and basketball cards.

I know this is a dying hobby.  I loved collecting cards and I still have them from all those years ago.  I've given many to my son to help him get started.  It's a lot of fun to watch him open a pack looking for a gem just like I used to.  He is however, a typical millennial kid.  He can be found giggling with headphones on watching dumb YouTube videos on his iPad. He also plays a couple different MLB games that give him knowledge of the best players in the country.  When he watched ESPN with me, he basically knows as much as I do.  When I was his age, we didn't have the coverage on TV or the access to the internet the way he does.  If I want to learn about distant players, collecting baseball cards was how I did it.

I love telling him old stories of players past because that's how people my age learned of the legends.  This is not always the best way to reach him so when this card surfaced we had the revelation to engage in some millennial story telling.  We turned our TV to YouTube and did a search of Bill Buckner. The top result was obviously the ground ball but the depth of knowledge on the topic was staggering.  It was more than I could ever dream of knowing at that age or what I could have possibly given to him.

Yes, I am the guy who said that we need to be a safety valve for our kid's internet use.  But that doesn't mean limit them to avoid any and all danger.  I had hoped to convey that we should be models and show them how to consume the internet responsibly.  This, in my opinion, was a parenting victory.  We used the internet to tell a story that I could not hope to ever convey to him.  This is what schools are trying to do.  Use the internet to do what a textbook could never do for us.  Deep and engaging understanding of concepts, not just memorizing dates and facts is the name of the game now.

As parents it is time we embrace the fact that our kids do not learn how we did.  We have to have an open mind when it comes to how our kids consume the internet and information.  We have to learn with them no matter how uncomfortable it is.  Blowing off the idea of using the internet to learn is just like letting a win slip right through your feet.  It's okay to blend the old and the new ways to learn as long as you are engaging your children and inspiring to learn about things in depth.  I bet you Bill Buckner never thought he would be a teach-able moment.

My "Papers"

Earlier in the school year I was asked by a community member if I had my "papers for superintendent".  I was first put off by this but I knew didn't know the terminology.  He was simply asking if I had the credentials for being a superintendent.  I replied that I did and we had a nice conversation about schools and our myriad of issues in the profession.  I went home fearing that this is what some folks feel leadership is.  As if just having your "papers" means you can do it.  I have a long talk with myself about my own personal leadership style and qualities.  This continued throughout the year and I sought to define myself as a leader.  This was frustrating and too much talking to yourself can look and feel strange.

I had the opportunity to apply to be a part of the Illinois Association of School Administrators Aspiring Superintendent Academy and thankfully I was accepted.  I had no idea what I was in for and just assumed I would get more of the same training that I had for years, despite the handful of people that assured me that this was a great program and spoke highly of the facilitators.

I was completely wrong about this five minutes into the first day.  Our facilitators were Dr. Nick Polyak and Dr. Michael Lubelfeld and they were great.  It was obvious they were passionate about what they do and the purpose for doing it.  They described their mission as developing the bullpen for the superintendency and folks let me tell you, if a man uses a sports analogy for something it means he is serious.  These guys were awesome and they brought awesome people to us too.  I'm going to take the easy way out and say that I learned so much and the activities were completely worthwhile.  That's not lip service, I truly did learn many technical aspects of the superintendency and how to do them well, but that is not what the magic of the academy was for me.

Before any technical or leadership learning took place, they provided a perfect lens to look through on the very first day.  To begin the week we examined and explored our leadership story.  We focused on what made us tick and how we got to where we are.  This was huge for me.  People like us are selfless and tend to never look in the mirror.  For me its mostly because I have no time (my morning shave is about it) and I tend to attribute all the good in my life to my family and school staff.  Through metrics and exploration we learned what our strengths are and why that is.  I was floored when I returned to the hotel that night.  From that day on, I began to look at every activity through this new lens and it changed the whole experience for me.

I can tell you that I can look in a book and figure out out how to do stuff.  That my friends is simply having your "papers" and this experience was far beyond that.  This academy was about why you do stuff.  After figuring that out, I saw each learning experience totally different.  When I worked though a mock emergency scenario, I thought about my values.  When I constructed my first day of school presentation, I though about my leadership strengths and how to play to them.  When I wrote principal evaluation feedback, I put my leadership story to work.  I can't image getting the same experience if the format was any different.

I want to give a huge shout out to Dr. Polyak and Dr. Lubelfeld for such an awesome week of personal (not just professional) development.  They are truly leaders of leaders and for that I will plug their book, The Unlearning Leader: Leading for Tomorrow's Schools Today and yes you can find it on Amazon.  Yes, I have my "papers" but thanks to this experience I know why.

One final insider thought and comment: #shuttle and "I live by a levy".  I've been home less than 24 hours and that is already a source of laughter for my family and I as I tell our stories.  It was truly #ASuperWeek.

Dr. Michael Lubelfeld is the Superintendent of Schools at Deerfield Public School #109
Dr. Nick Polyak is the Superintendent of Schools at Leyden High School District #212

We Can't Have It Both Ways

These last few days has been exciting for people like me.  I have been watching the budget votes very close because after all, I'm a public school employee and my livelihood depends on what happens.  That's true but that's not why I'm watching this closely.  For the first time in a long time we are on the verge of great things.  A new and much improved school funding formula is on the table.  A revenue and spending plan that will help get us out of the mess is on the table.  Legislators are voting in a bipartisan manner to help get our state back on track.  They have turned their back on politics and opened their eyes to reality.  Something special is happening and we should all be excited about it.

During this time I have been checking social media in regular intervals for updates.  I'm sharing, re-tweeting and liking anything that makes me happy about this developing story.  It occurred to me during a scroll through Facebook that despite all the posts and official statements from politicians I wasn't really seeing any arguments about raising taxes.  My usual suspects on this topic seemed to be silent.  I started to feel good about this because maybe it meant that we are all on the same page, but then I ran into a post that made me think.

A public school teacher shared a post about how the General Assembly would be better off cutting corners than raising taxes.  I can see that side of things but you have to do a combination of both cutting and raising revenue to get out of the hole we are in.  I was simply off-put by the fact a southern Illinois school teacher is agreeable to the idea of losing more than we have already lost.  Public schools have had their butts kicked over and over during the budget crisis and I had figured some solidarity would emerge from this.  I guess not.

I will not disparage anyone for what they believe.  If you are anti-tax, then that's fine.  I will simply say that I am a tax payer too.  Yes, I technically work for the state but I also pay federal, state, property and sales taxes.  All of which support my school district.  I do not have any trouble with the idea of paying higher taxes.  In this case I know where it has to go.  To be fair, I do understand why people that work in the private sector that are not okay with the idea.  I do get it.  Let's pretend for a minute that the Governor vetoes the bills and they are overridden to become law.  Taxes are raised but schools and other vital public services are funded properly.  I think we can all agree on some things post budget crisis:

• Nobody likes the initiation of a major change but we all like whats on the back end of it.
• Taxpayers need to demand that our legislature works for the common good.  We have a very unique state but this situation has shown us that legislators are willing to work together.
• Partisan politics was a major cause of barriers that might have lead to earlier success.  To avoid another crisis, lets keep and elect people that can be bi-partisan on significant issues. 
• Don't buy into the rhetoric.  There is more than one way to skin a cat but competing interests will have you believe that there is only one way to solve our problems.  This my friends, is how you win elections not how your serve a struggling state.

Maybe I'm getting excited or just overly optimistic.  We are on the edge of something significant that could lead us out of the darkness.  We have asked our leaders to compromise and get it done but we should expect the same for ourselves.  We know that new revenue needs to be raised for any way out of this mess.  We need to suffer through it together and then do our part to prevent another embarrassing budget crisis.  It is a bitter pill for all of us to swallow but it has to be done.  We can't have it both ways.  We can't demand more out of the legislature if we are not willing to give something up too.

Don't Make Cell Phones an Excuse

Photo Courtesy of @NetReferee

I had a conversation recently with a coach.  We were discussing the low turnouts for summer camps and workouts in our district.  I'm a big sports guy and I have even been known to coach a little bit here and there.  My mind immediately went to wondering what team cultural issues exist that prevent kids from working over the summer.  Before I could complete that thought, the coach explained that cell phones and video games were ruining the kids and they were getting lazy.  I became frustrated but not with the coach.  This was probably the 200th time I have been told this.  Folks, this line of thinking is a horrible excuse for us parents simply not engaging our kids in real discussions about their technology use.  For the most part I think we are scared to do it.  

Let me be very clear, I am a huge tech advocate.  I believe in mobile technology in schools and that we should be models of productivity and learning as we use them.  The parents that think that the cell phones are taking over, like some kind of alien invasion, are simply not aware of how to empower themselves as parents and become the safety valves for their children.  We should realize that for every great thing we stumble upon, there will be downsides to using them. It is our job to minimize those downsides for our kids so their behavior does not become destructive.  We are the adults and we have to start adulting.  Our kids can't do that on their own.

There are researchers and experts beginning to define the idea of screen addiction.  Do I think there is such a thing?  Yes.  I actually show signs of it from time to time.  Many feel that screen time is akin to drug-like effects on the brain and we should begin to take it seriously.  I agree and I would like to open your eyes to this sobering reality.  Our kids are the largest consumers of things and the the internet is no exception.  Apps and games are designed and marketed to keep kids in front of their screens as much as possible.  There is a reason your child is constantly begging to download an app is because they are looking for a new fix.  I will by no means be a hypocrite and say that I do not do the same thing but I usually have one game app on my phone at a given time.  I do not toggle from app to app but the main reason for that is because my brain is not the well oiled machine that my kid's brains are.  All the more reason to take control of the devices in our home.

There are apps for parents to help limit accessibility and content.  I think most parents do not use them or even know about them.  Some parents fear the push back from their kids, especially those with pre-teens and teenagers.  There is a reason that we are encouraged to talk to our kids about drugs.  It's because research and tragic events have told us it is a good thing. It's also because we know that kids cannot practice anything in moderation.  If you need some action research on that look at anything on YouTube.  Using an app to monitor or restrict access helps your kids and family practice moderation.  You are not an evil dictator, you are a parent.  Cell companies also help monitor and restrict.  If you are not comfortable with using an app, just contact your wireless company and set up their parental controls.

We always have a lot at stake when we are talking about our kids.  We cannot use the excuse that cell phones are the problem when we are the ones that pay the bill.  We are really only creating an excuse for the lack of assertive parenting.   We are not perfect as parents but we work at it.  We are always looking for new ways to teach and model for our kids.  If we ever get really good at it, we will write a book but for now you will have to settle for this call to arms for our parents.

My school is a Bring Your Own Device School (BYOD).  They can bring any personal device they choose to use in the classroom.  Of course there are restrictions and expectations.  Of course we ask them to use apps that help in the classroom.  Of course we use NetRef to help us monitor behaviors and keep students engaged.  We can't ignore the fact that mobile devices will be a center piece of our kids lives as they become adults so we have taken the position that the school should help teach this and not run away from it.  Are we perfect?  Not even close but we are consistent and try to adapt to the changes in new apps and technologies.  We are willing to be assertive and serve our kids.  We need our families to do the same.  Don't make cell phones an excuse.

Let's Prevent Tragic Stories

I usually get motivated to write in this little blog because something is going in the world that frustrates or challenges me.  Its easy to get motivated under those conditions.  Today I sit here inspired to teach and maybe inspire someone else to teach as well.

As I was scrolling Twitter, I found an article that caught my eye.  This is significant because Twitter has been serving as my information stream during our school funding and budget crisis lately.  Maybe amidst the mess God decided to remind me of the real reason I work with kids.  The story was about a young lady convicted of involuntary manslaughter after encouraging her former boyfriend to kill himself via text message.  What we see here is taken life and two families destroyed.  The gist of the post was what the legal ramifications were for this scenario and will new legislation be spurred on from the conviction.  I would like to encourage anyone reading this to click the link above and read this very powerful post.  It is geared towards parents and it will encourage you to think.  Honestly, this is not a new situation to me.  Electronic encouragement of suicide happened many times this past school year.

It may not be popular for a school principal to admit that his students have engaged in this behavior.  The closed minded person has already mentally asked themselves, "What is the school doing about this?"  To answer that question, the action that can be legally taken by the school greatly depends on the facts of the case.  If your kids argue online, call names and eventually threaten each other with violence, that is not school's area of jurisdiction.  The only way a school can discipline students for off campus behavior is if there is a nexus to the school.  99% of the time there is no nexus to the school building.  These types of incidents are almost always reported to the school.  I appreciate when students or parents share with me on situations concerning student safety.  Regardless of school action or legal authority, the school can monitor or help students on both side of the issue.  The goal at my school has always been to help students through these situations and to encourage kids to help each other if they feel someone is in trouble.  The discussion, however, will eventually lead to calling a student a bully and demanding action against the kid using disparaging language.

This is where I would like to challenge US as parents as we navigate though tough pre-teen and teenage years.  We often demand action against a bully because we want an avenue to free our child from accountability or responsibility.  The reality is, most people do not understand the actual nature of bullying but thanks to popular opinion and media coverage it is now a tool for the angry parent.  Our real goal for our kids should be to teach them how to fix broken relationships.  Instead, we instantly seek out who the winners and losers are in the situation.  There were no winners in the above story, trust me.  We have to work on the skills it takes to help our kids build real and genuine relationships with other kids and how to fix it if they break.

Students use language like "Go Kill Yourself!" for a number of reasons.  In my 15 years as an educator here are some reasons I have observed:

• These students have a massive problem with rejection or failure.
• These students have little to no sense of empathy.
• These students have little patience for others who might be different from them.
• Many of the kids I speak to about this feel simply apologizing makes it all go away.
• Some of these kids will remark that these are just words, so what the big deal?

There is intervention for this but it will take all of us to make a difference.  That means every person in a child's life can and should make a difference.  Let's start with some basics:

• Failure and rejection are a normal part of life and should be seen as part of the growth process.
• When your kid wants to talk about a rough situation at school, discuss all the people involved and how the situation might be affecting them.
• Encourage your kids to interact face to face when solving an issue with a friend.  No electronics!
• Re-enforce that your kid is part of a larger world and process that requires them to participate in their own problem solving.  They are not the center of the world, they are a small part of it.

I'm no child psychologist but I have held hundreds of conversations with kids, parents and professionals that care about the development of kids.  Overtime, I have come to embrace the idea of restorative justice and providing kids with tools they can use for the rest of their lives.  Thankfully, we have not been impacted with a tragic story like the one above but we can all help prevent it.  We should learn from stories and they should motivate and inspire us to do something better.  I will make the effort with my kids and my school kids.  How about you?  We can all help prevent tragic stories like this one.

Parenting with a Growth Mindset

Educators know that the concept of growth mindset is slowly but thankfully creeping its way into teaching practice across the country.  I am quite personally fond of this approach because of my own personal experiences and now that I have enough professional experience, I am re-examining what I think is best for kids.  Take a look at the illustration below.

For many years I have seen the fixed mindset in action, not only on the part of students but also their parents.  If a student fails a class, the response typically is that they are just not good at that.  Students of poverty see their condition as a road block to all “middle-class” success or movement.  I’m certainly glad did not do that or who knows who would be writing this post.  What if we parented this way?  What if we stop saying, “well I wasn’t good at math either.”  Let replace the language we use and start parenting with a growth mindset.

I have a 13 year old daughter that I am very proud of.  Thanks to my social mobility, she has middle-class problems at times.  She has played softball since she was four years old and yes, for many of those years I was her coach.  She loves the game but runs into roadblocks.  She is not super physically talented but she likes to learn.  She recently took up pitching again.  She has been going to weekly lessons to unlearn old ways and learn new ones to help her be successful.  This year has presented opportunities to pitch and she is really enjoying it, but the last two games she has pitched really didn’t go her way. 

The truth is, that I could care less if she wins or loses her games (people that know me personally are surely thinking I am a liar right now).  I care about the process she takes to get there.  We had a rough game last night but the conversation after the game is what was special.  I asked her what she did right tonight.  She quickly replied, “nothing.”  So I quickly corrected her and explained what she did do very well.  We discussed what happened that was out of our control.  I let her tell me what fixes she had to make in the game.  I made her be part of her own growth.  We didn’t lament over the strike zone (we could have though) or what the coach did or didn’t do.  We talked about little victories and what her next opportunity would be like.

This is a micro example of parenting with a growth mindset.  I like to help her with her math homework.  I was not a good math student, but I parent with a growth mindset.  She is not allowed to bring me a blank answer and ask for help.  She must present me with an attempt.  I want her to fail forward towards the goal.  I don’t care if it is wrong when she brings it to me.  I care about walking her back through her process.  A lot of times we don’t’ get it right and leave it up to the teacher for help.  That’s okay because I do not want her to create roadblocks for herself and then create excuses.  I want her to be able to say, “I’m not good at that yet, but I will be.”

Imagine what the possibilities are for kids are if we teach and parent with a growth mindset.  The key to creating great communities lies in our hands.  If we use these critical years to develop a mindset for our learners, they will become adults with a growth mindset.  It is a cycle that is worth initiating as we parent these kids in a world that is growing in complexity and challenges.   

Children are not Pizzas

I had a disagreement with a parent a few days ago.  Her child was threatened with a fight after school and she contacted me to take care of it.  When I suggested that I would talk to both boys and see what is going on with them, she became confused.  I explained that I would talk to all parties involved, see if they had a problem that day and discuss their responsibility for the situation accordingly.  She became offended and felt that I had suggested her child was at fault.  At that point, she became very upset and began to to tell me that my school was terrible and that everyone she knows thinks that I do not take action when it comes to student fights at school.  She further explained that her child would not be returning to the school.  I have thick skin and can handle a personal attack from an unhappy parent but if you really care about what you do, you will reflect on your practice and be mindful of what you are doing.  Even if you think the other party is wrong.

This parent didn't want to find out what was going on and how she could help her child.  She wanted customer service.  She wanted me to punish the other child simply because she called first.  Sometimes I feel like these situations are perceived as an incorrect pizza order.  Fix my pizza for free or I will never order from you again.  The reality is that children are not pizza.  I take a very careful approach to these scenarios because their personal development is at stake.  I talk to all parties involved, witnesses, and watch surveillance video all in an effort to not only find a guilty party but also to help those involved avoid future troubles.  It sometimes also happens that disciplinary action is different for each person involved based on their responsibility in the situation.  I may not have a classroom but I am a teacher.  These are moments that you can teach valuable lessons and gain student trust.  It is labor intensive but is it always worth it.

I stumbled across an artifact from the past that put my mind at ease.  I was cleaning out an old filing cabinet and I found a student handbook from 1980.  When I was in principal school (SIUC) we were taught that handbook language is a primary way to communicate to our families the value system of our school buildings.  Using this lens I had to thumb through it.  Low and behold, there was a section on fighting and harassment.  And here we thought bullying and aggression was a new thing.

As it turns out, things were done basically the same way in 1980.  The core message seems to be that fighting is not okay and problems will be handled on a case by case basis.  This also leads me to believe that they dealt with a lot of fights back then.  I do not even have a fighting section in my handbook.  It is simply mentioned as a prohibited behavior.  There is more language related to conflict resolution and restorative practices then there is about fighting.  When this mom tells me that my school is horrible maybe she is wrong.  School discipline has come a long way.  This handbook only mentions detention and suspension as disciplinary consequence even though paddling was allowed back then.  Now, suspension is discouraged unless we make efforts to intervene on the behavior.  I think this is the right approach because children are not pizzas.

Because the conversation with this mom was so heated, I failed to ask her what she thought was appropriate response to what turned out to be much less intense then she reported.  Surely she had an idea in mind of how I should respond because she didn't like the response that I gave.  By threatening to pull her kid out of my school, she was seeking customer service and satisfaction despite my offering to work on the kids and how to move on.  I think people do not understand our role as chief disciplinarian.  We live and work with these kids everyday in a unique school community that is comprised of students, teachers, and staff.  We all have to get along, learn from our mistakes and I expect everyone to grow in their role in the school.  If we don't do this, the school climate suffers and real learning does not occur.  The result would be a horrible school as this parent suggests.  This is why children can not be treated like pizzas.

The School as a Political Lobby

Photo Credit:@csanchezcrozier

I would like to start this post by extending several thank yous.  I would like to thank Senator Andy Manar and Representative William Davis for their legislative leadership in passing SB1, a bill supporting evidence based school funding.  Even more thank yous go out to the IASA, IASBO, IPA, IASB, Advance Illinois, Funding Illinois' Future and the Vision 20/20 movement.  Without the efforts of these groups, we may not have realized the legislative and political victory that took place May 31st in regards to funding schools.  I am very proud to be associated with such strong advocates for kids, families and schools.

What we saw was a new era taking place for schools and the world of politics.  This has been coming for a while.  I am starting my 16th year in education and during my second year teaching I was on a referendum committee for a new school building for Mt. Vernon Township High School.  Not only was I teaching civics, but I was going door to door begging for votes to get what we felt we needed for students.  Not much longer after that, we are seeking voters in favor of 1% sales taxes to help secure funds that the state cannot or will not provide.  Fast forward a bit and we are mobilizing our districts to support school funding reform. I got in on this action with some rarely viewed videos and a hashtag supporting HB2808 that also supported evidence based school funding.

Over the last decade I think we have been forced to become politically active over issues of equity in the funding of schools.  It is no secret that the current formula is broken and we schools must be creative in making up the difference.  Through these battles we have become effective at mobilizing voters and passing legislation.  All in the name of advocating for our kids and families.  What we do is not partisan and we share common goals for our communities.  Oh yeah, there are more than 800 school districts in the state to mobilize so we can get the numbers.  This makes us an influential lobby that legislators and politicians have to sit at the table with.

Take a look at the voting record for the House vote on SB1.  For representative districts 115, 116, 117 and 118 is was split on party lines.  Terri Bryant told me in an email that she supported the evidence based funding model but did not vote for it.  Dave Severin only months ago was a school board member of a small K-8 district that understand the financial woes of the times.  Brandon Phelps and Jerry Costello voted yes and we appreciate it.  Again, what we want are not issues of political party.  They are issues of equity that hinder so many across the state.

Photo Credit: @kdruben

 I think it is now safe to say that we are an established political lobby.  We are made up of problem solvers by trade and many of us are former coaches that know how to find ways to win.  It is time to put those skills to use as we push on for kids across the state.  If you are a school administrator or teacher, get involved with Vision 20/20.  If you are a community member, get behind us as we advocate for our kids.  If you're a legislator, listen to us.  If you are Governor Rauner, sign SB1 and make a stand for schools and the tireless work they do for kids and families.

If you would like to urge the Governor to sign this bill, you can email him by following this link.

Criticism vs. Activism

One thing a Trump presidency has brought about is activism.  Not near as much activism as criticism but hey, it is a start.  Lets face it, it is very easy to criticize.  You can see it everywhere we go.  All complaints and no solutions or offers to solve problems.  Our campaigns are geared around criticizing.  Knowing who to blame for your real or imaginary problem is how you get elected and more and more this is a reality for the electoral process.  Let's see how the Democrats respond.

I know I have complained about Betsy DeVos and been critical of her nomination more than once.  It is easy to dig up the news stories on her plans for the department of Education.  We are all frightened right now but have you seen what is actually in print where it counts?  On February 7, 2017 HB 899 was introduced in the US House of Representatives by Rep. Thomas Massie (R).  Simply put, it seeks to abolish the department of Education.

I won't lie, my first feeling was jubilation thinking that Secretary DeVos would not be on the job long.  But then I stopped myself.  Do people know what the Department of Education actually does?  If they did, activism would surely take the place of criticism.  Lets review.  Here are some major functions of the DOE:

• Provides financial aid for undeserved or vulnerable populations. (Title I and special education funding)
• Collects and provides education data for schools and researchers.
• Identifies educational issues and guides state leaders.
• Funds and operates a huge student loan system that makes a college education possible to many.

Since Reagan, Republicans have sought to end the DOE.  This has largely been a debate of whether or not the federal government should be involved in a state function.  The 1996 party platform actually claimed that the federal government is meddling in family matters.  Sure we argue over many things that are probably state's right issues but if we want to compare our kids to the rest of the world, the federal government must have a stake in education.  If we look at the numbers and agree that the amount of money we spend signals our priority in that thing, we simply do not value education as we say we do (see below).  On paper we do not show we value education or we are not willing to invest in it.

Our new priority should be activism towards protecting educational opportunities for all children.  As long as we engage in continual criticism of the Trump administration, Congress will work to erode all we hold dear.  I'm sure some of us don't mind some of the accountability measures being repealed, but let's not be distracted and keep our eye on the ball.  If we are willing to defend education at the national level, then we should create our own game to play.  Stop complaining and get mobilized.

School Board Elections

When I was the principal at Elverado High School, I had a parent come see me asking about school boards.  In short, she was asking how one gets on the school board.  I very much respected this family.  Both parents worked hard and contributed around the school.  Their kids were great students and participated in school activities.  I respected this mom so much that I may have talked her out of picking up a petition.  That was certainly not my intention but when I asked her if she had ever been to a board meeting, she said she had not.  I encouraged her to attend several board meetings, possibly up to a year's worth.  I told her this because I don't think most people know how complicated it actually is to serve on a school board.

School Board elections are approaching and the yard signs and ads are going up.  But what can you look for in a prospective board member for a position that most people do not understand?  I have watched my boards closely and I can say that I have been lucky to work with boards that have treated me well.  I have noticed personal qualities of members that make them more and less effective when big decisions are made.  I would like to offer some things to look for in your candidates this season that will help you make a casting your ballot a little easier.

• Good board members are listeners and learners - They do not have to know everything.
• Good board members are successful in their chosen profession.
• Good board members do not need to be boastful of what they want to accomplish.
• Good board members know that they are making decisions for our kids and families, and not just for their kids and families.

If this is too much to for you to take on, simply check their personal social media pages.  Or even better, look at this code of conduct for board members from the Illinois Association of School Boards.  Can the candidate honor this?

The point of this post is that even though these campaigns are not high dollar ones, they have a huge impact on you locally.  I was once told that school boards spend four minutes on a $4 million budget but four hours on a $4,000 coach.  In my experience this is very true.  You should also be aware of the many different votes that board members take.  Sure they hire and fire people but they also enter into contractual agreements, raise and lower taxes, set school building policy and may have to expel a student here and there.  When you step into the booth on April 4th, be sure you vote for those who represent the values of the the community you live in.  Hopefully, those values will enter the board room and we are represented as we should be.  Happy voting!

Building Trust with Parents

I commented to a colleague this weekend that I could write a best seller based on Friday's events  alone.  It was surely one of those days.  Every situation was an indication of everything that's is wrong with schools and society.  It took quite a while to digest and reflect upon how the wheels fall off and why can't these bad days being prevented.  The truth is it's like being a fireman.  Sometimes there are boring days and sometimes you work 14 hours without taking your gear off.  I try not to complain and keep on moving.  I once heard someone say that we shouldn't pray for a smaller load, we should pray for a stronger back.  This is definitely true in education.

The theme for that Friday seemed to be the parents I was working with.  I feel I have great parents and families in my school but sometimes there will be conflict and disagreement.  In my post 5 Simple Truths, I tried to give parents a tool kit to help deal with school issues and help them understand what educators are going through when it comes to spending the day with our kids.  The first of the five truths was trust.  I asked parents to trust us knowing full well that there are external factors that influence trust of schools and their principals.

Their experiences in school might be a good start.  If our parents had adverse relationships with school when they were students then we might have some troubles.  I have a lot of parents and families that come from poverty and still struggle after generations of being poor.  For these parents I tell them up front that I am a product of generational poverty.  This eases a lot of tension especially if I tell them a story they can relate to.  Poverty stricken families see education as abstract and not a reality.  This can damage the establishing of a trust relationship with them if they do not see education as a way to mobilize out of poverty.  Sure, I have a handful of parents in poverty that do see schooling as a way out but the general rule is that most do not.

What if the parents you are dealing with dropped out of school and took an alternative route to become job ready?  Their failure can often times be unknowingly transmitted to their children.  Not always by what they say but usually how they interact with school personnel.  They are the ones that often feel anxiety towards participating in school conferences or the PTO.  They have a fear that those previous failures will rear their ugly heads and they may be an embarrassment to their children.

High achieving or high expectation parents can also be maladjusted in the trust department.  And you thought this was only about the "bad" parents.  In my experience these are the parents that push too hard and have the most unrealistic expectations.  Typically these are my parents that feel that the other kids are out to get their kid.  They most frequently misuse the term "bully" and be the first to tell you that a teacher just isn't teaching their kid.  Your rules are stupid to them and its an embarrassment if they suffer a consequence like everyone else.  These people are not bad people, but they desperately protect an imagined status level to the point of pointless arguments.

The reality is that the parents we work with are as different as the students we teach.  I feel that I enjoy a decent level of satisfaction from my parents.  That's not to say that I haven't been put on blast or faced some strong challenges, but I keep things as simple as I can.

Here are my simple rules that help build not only trust but predictable exchanges with families.

• The growth of our student is the absolute highest priority for both of us.
• Work to the best of your ability to find all the facts about a situation.
• Do what you say you are going to do.
• Give parents input/ownership in school decision making.
• Smile (and mean it)

Just like 5 Simple Truths, this is my professional experience though I'm sure there is research on these suggestions.  I enjoy meeting and talking with parents.  That might come from years of experience in waiting tables and customer service jobs.  I know that I want to reach a kid, I must also reach their parents.  They might not be on your team yet but they can be if you take the time to include them.

If it makes money, it must be okay.

Despite my opposition to Donald Trump being elected to the Presidency, I remained open minded and decided to give him a chance.  After all, the Washington leadership will not let him go too crazy right?  They will keep him in check and make sure that political convention would take over during his honeymoon.  I think we all assumed we would have to swallow some jagged little pills to get started, but hey it won't be a big deal.  I'm a reasonable, educated adult and I know it will be okay, right?

As usual I am off the mark.  To say that I'm disappointed is an understatement.  I am not proud of us right now.  Yes, our leadership is failing us but we are also not behaving as a people either.  I've struggled with how to approach our new lows and why I think we are headed down a horrible path but I think I have narrowed it down.  I have complained out a Trump Presidency before but I think a conversation I had with my daughter might sum it up.

One morning during election season, she asked my why I vote the way I do.  I will tell you up front that I will never influence my kids political affiliation.  They need to find their way just like I did.  I told her that because I grew up poor, I will never vote for someone that I thought would help keep poor people poor.  I feel that I have honored that over my voting career especially with the Presidency.  I am seeing ever so clearly why I could not vote for George W. Bush and now Donald Trump.  The theme for both Presidencies seems to be simple, if it makes money then it can't be wrong.

I think by now it is well documented that Halliburton profited greatly from a war in Iraq during the Bush Presidency.  This company was well connected with members of the administration and made them quite a bit wealthier.  The public complained about no-bid contracts and the legitimacy of the stated purpose for being there.  Regardless, we continued on and many died while some made millions.  Our leadership told us we had an enemy to defeat.  Looking back with the 9/11 Report in mind, we now know that Saudi Arabia had more to do with that tragic day than Iraq did.

Fast forward to the events of the past week.  Trump implements a 90 day ban on immigration from seven countries that are majority Muslim countries.  As the story unfolds and protests mount, the graphic below surfaces.  It was posted by the Christian Left so I waited to find it in another source and it came up in a news broadcast last night.  It's a telling graphic that illustrates my point.  If the people from these countries are such a threat to the American people, why are they not all banned?  Because the bottom four have business interests with President Trump.  Notice that Saudi Arabia is still getting a pass.

The hypocrisy that we support for financial gain has plagued our great nation for a very long time.  It is not a new concept and definitely didn't start with Bush or Trump.  I think we have seen this enough to know when we are being taken for a ride.  We allow this and are too ashamed to admit we elected another fraud.  So many of my Trump supporting friends are defending this executive order and it saddens me to know that they are simply supporting the notion that if it makes money, it must be okay.  The immigration ban does not support the American values that we were founded upon but that is not important when money is involved.  President Trump is making it all too clear that he is taking this to a very high level and will not polish it up for political purposes.  So buckle up America.  We have four years of this to endure or the possibility of impeachment, which ever comes first.  I do not have any ill will towards the office of the President, but we have not got off to a good start with the nations of the world taking note.