I am watching skating, trying to process the ROC's doping of a child, but understanding competition is competition, and nations do what they do. It's abuse. That kid's mental state will be warped for the rest of her life.
The poor child. Just a child. What we adults do to children. We should be ashamed.
Meanwhile, I await the ice to melt, which by the time you read this it will be several hours later and I'll be waking up.
The birthday celebrations continue with another round tonight, but I am thinking of last night's NWP gathering and the fact that teachers are desperately in need of help. The nation: including politicians, graduate school programs, academics, parents, and historians, have failed them. They are hurting as they try to be superheroes in capes, but continue to be abysmally bruised by neglect, policies, verbal abuse, and test-frenzied bullshit.
The texts that came from the conversation: we're not going to have any teachers left. The toxicity of this culture is too much for any educator to handle.
And that is what I'm thinking about: the sickness of a culture, the reality of our schools, and the inability of those in power to recognize the ultimate power in teaching. I place shame onto all of us. What are we thinking?
Ice will melt. Truth will be told. Privilege will be challenged.
I will stand for kids and teachers all the way. They deserve the best that life has to offer.