Under the Golden Arches of Education Secretaries...

Would You Like A Laugh?
Read Susan Ohanian once again underscoring how Margaret Spellings is just....... a........ joke? Oh..all in good fun. Sure. Except for the kids we could laugh.....but as ever the work goes on. One thing that I just can't put out of my mind, as a mother and teacher, and it has been building for several months is just how ridiculous it is to write NCLB requiring all kids, in all schools, to 'pass' on whatever their state cobbles up to test with, by 2014 and call it 'science and research based' as a way to address monies that were designed to help kids in poor areas have an equal access to a good education. Odd. And then my biggest jaw dropper is to have an Ed Secretary that failed to avail herself of the education she thinks is "necessary' for teachers. It is flooring.
It begins to crawl along my consciousness like the Hidden Curriculum of the Bush years. (I recommend that link)And that is just no joke.
http://susanohanian.org/show_nclb_stories.html?id=337
http://susanohanian.org/show_nclb_stories.html?id=339

Not to beat my dead horse but?
And to link to a parody that I find not far off.....Try the Uncyclopedia.
Let's recall......from a recent post of mine....

"I do in fact ultimately blame the structure on NCLB failure. And after listening to the interview with Margaret Spellings the most unqualified education Secretary I can imagine. (See here, here, here, here, here, here, here) I am not advocating teaching to "other stuff" over reading. Hello, I want to actually read and to teach reading Margaret. Reading your credentials alone I'd like every parent in my room to do the same. I think a PHD is the least you can do for your country. Go get in a night program like 90% of the teaching workforce did and earn some education while working "very hard".

Call it the pursuit of higher expectations and begin inside your self.

Canned programmatic nonsense surely is bogging down a teacher who certainly knows the value of reading. And who has, and this kills me, more degrees than the Secretary of Education, and in and out of the subject area.I continue to ask..."

from....http://susanohanian.org/show_sarahsnotes.html?id=27

How can a clearly unqualified and limited person be holding the position of Education Secretary?Why? Really.

http://susanohanian.org/show_nclb_outrages.html?id=2943

or go to http://www.educatorroundtable.net/showDiary.do?diaryId=191

to see Philip Kovacs once more point out something called a fact.

Meanwhile Spellings has the temerity to be calling for 'highly qualified teachers', most of whom hold entry level education far, far greater than hers, who she discounts on Comedy Central?
It's all astounding to me. And to steal her favorite line....

"Hi, I'm a mom of three kids , one in your system of test her till she drops is now finally done, graduated and kind of upset she doesn't have ten tests this week, and judged 'excellent' .....but hear me well..... I, the highly qualified Mom, really am looking for the arts, literature, critical thinking, ecology, sports, games, talking,applications, kindness, broadening, equality, equity, compassion, free play, recess games, chess, strategies, love, projects, technology, democracy, sharing, cultural contexts, constructive building, science, math, new visions, community based education directed under the leadership of highly qualified educational leaders for my kids. And I want them held up with esteem and supported, heard, and asked. Hey, I even taught and provided some of this in 25 years too, walking the walk..long roads to learn people are more than school and education is not ever a test. And no test measures enough or corrects deep seated equity issues. And...frankly , as a mom, you seem to come up a bit short, Ms. Spellings. Not a teacher, not really highly educated, not particularly inclined to great logical feats I can find or rhetorical insights.... I kind of feel...Ronald MacDonald, ya know? Sort of all about selling the idea of good food, while serving up ...happy meals...to kids in my neighborhood. But maybe as fun as this is, we deserve a bit more from this...a banquet. Advertise this, no? No. I want to look people in the eyes again at conferences. And tell the truth.
Using my reading skills and a few of my remaining brain cells I see nothing short of a paradox in your holding this position based on the fact you cite motherhood as the core qualifucation...this...is just weird. And for me...I see this as serious, for all the smiling tricks"
sarah

Why?
Is night school too much? Teachers have to do it. My husband earned his PHD while administrating in a full time job. I got my Master's pregnant working full time teaching with another 2 year old. Believe me, we worked long hours on both....cause it does matter. And actually reading and working in the teaching area, doing research on/about schools, being well versed rather affects how one sees it.
It is Education Secretary. I'm really putting in for Attorney General. Because I have no idea why but , hey, why not?

Walk the walk Margaret.
Or quit.
Do we test Education Secretaries? Are their accountability systems in place?

And I'm sorry....it's Dad's Day and this seemed funny. Since this is a link festival, why not.

And a late night....edit...I just read this Travis interview with Spellings. I read this and think, am I in an alternate universe? Is this a person speaking that is so off the cuff as to appear to be winging it, as in "What if we had a movie where a twelve year old was suddenly in the body of the Education Secretary, a switching places comedy ending in her actually putting in legislation." Would it work out just like this? Read in that context of that scenario it's a pretty funny interview. Otherwise I'm appalled. Really.