This is, according to my accounting, the 400th
posting of this blog. The blog began on September 6, 2010. I would
have continued it no matter what the readership was – this has been
a selfish endeavor and I have enjoyed it. I plan to continue
enjoying it for the foreseeable future, but I have decided to take a
respite from it for a short while. Due to personal reasons, I am
going to stop making my twice weekly entries for a month or so. As a
parting gesture, I want to discuss a purpose of this blog with you.
My wish is that those of you who read the blog, at least
the parents among you, would see it as an instructional source. That
is, what you ascertain from reading it might help you associate with
your child's civics or social studies teacher, and might better equip
you to address the issues with which that professional deals. Of
course, this is not every parent's interest, but among all parents
there may be a sizable number of you that, once engaged, can make a
difference in a particular school – a change for the better. And,
naturally, this type of engagement is right in line with the central
conceptualization this blog promotes, a federalist approach to our
social interactions. That public school which your sons and
daughters attend belongs to you. When you visit it, it is not like
visiting a retail store or even visiting a professional office, such
as your doctor's office. In those other places, you do not own the
facility; you are a guest. But the public school is your place –
collectively.
Of course, this doesn't mean you can disrespect the
professionals there, but it does mean you can have a direct say in
what goes on there, along with the rest of the community.
Unfortunately, too many parents do not take up the role of caretakers
and involve themselves only when an issue arises concerning their own
children. Perhaps part of the reason for such reluctance is a lack
of knowledge about what is being attempted in the school; hence, a
role for this blog and others like it.
What I have promoted has never been presented as the
“true way.” Instead, it has been a suggested way – one
presented with reasoned, I hope, argument. I don't know who reads
it, but I gather that there has been a core of repeat visitors to
this site. I sincerely thank you for your interest. Perhaps I have
another 400 or more postings in me; I plan to write them and share
them with you. For now, though, I will bid you a short adieu.
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