Readers Write... Transforming Schools - Part 2

In response to the 2/20/2014 post, “Transforming Schools – Part 1,” LYSers write:

Loved the post today. (LYS Principal)

Outstanding response!!! (LYS Principal)

AMEN!!!! (LYS Teacher)

Touché'!!! Great response! (LYS Teacher)

Well said.  I was about to address this very topic… (LYS Assistant Superintendent)

I really liked the post today.  You wrote what we know to be true, but because we are public servants and professionals can’t defend ourselves. (LYS Superintendent)

SC Response

Here is one of the critical mistakes we have made as educators over the past decade. We have stoically ignored half-truths, pandering sound-bites and overtly ignorant attacks of our profession with the mistaken belief that the general public would recognize both our good works and the difficulty of better educating students in the world that is changing more rapidly that every before. 

Obviously we were wrong.  Without a valid, logical, and emotional counter-argument, the readily available falsehoods are now accepted as common knowledge.  The solution? I don’t have an easy answer, I have a personal statement.  

I’m not going to seek out the misinformed; I have more important work to do.  But if the misinformed seek me out, I will tell them the truth.  And frankly, if they don’t work in a school, their opinion carries little weight and I will unapologetically share that information.  The layperson that believes his or her opinion on medicine makes them equal with a doctor is considered a buffoon.  The layperson that believes his or her opinion of football makes them an equal with a Nick Sabin or a Bill Cower is considered a blowhard. 

As we have seen, being polite and sugarcoating the truth has only benefitted the every growing Anti-Public School Industrial Complex.

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

• Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “The Fundamental 5: The Formula for Quality Instruction.” Individual copies available on Amazon.com!  http://tinyurl.com/Fundamental5 
• Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “Look at Me: A Cautionary School Leadership Tale” Individual copies available on Amazon.com!  http://tinyurl.com/lookatmebook 
• Now at the Apple App Store: Fun 5 Plans (Fundamental 5 Lesson Plan Tool); PW Lite (Basic PowerWalks Tool); PW Pro (Mid-level PowerWalks Tool) 
• Upcoming Presentations: TASSP Summer Conference (Multiple Presentations); Texas ASCD Summer Conference; ESC 14 Sumer Conference (Keynote Presentation); ESC 11 Summer Conference (Keynote Presentation); NEASP National Conference; The Fundamental 5 National Summit (Keynote Presentation) 
• Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook