I LOVE PUBLIC EDUCATION!
There. I said it. If you know me, you already know it. Val loves the public school system.
Do you hear what I hear?
There is a wonderful sound right this second at my kitchen table. The sound of Ms. VanBallas educating my boy. Ms. VanBallas, our tutor from the spring has willingly returned to us. We are so happy.
She is sipping her daily Diet Pepsi. She is enjoying the medieval coins, rocks from every country, and the chocolate buttons from the Cadbury plant we brought her from the UK. She is smiling, laughing with the boy, wowing at the size of the fatty cattys and she is investing in a child that she didn't bear. She has already been investing in 120 others earlier today, and still has a little left for my boy. Thanks be to God.
I am so sick of hearing the people saying they are going to home school because public education isn't getting it done. These same people who were SCHOOLED by public education are now going to educate because the education isn't good enough for their child. That public education is broken.
Some of my best best friends on this planet are or have been teachers. They aren't broken.
An imperfect system? Sure. Imperfect people? Sure.
Last week, the boy and I met with four team teachers, his school nurse, school counselor, vice-principal, and Ms. VanBallas. Plus me. There were 9 adults sitting at that table, with their juice and doughnuts we brought, and were completely investing in the success of my boy. That doesn't include the team at the hospital that is right in there with us. I was sure to point out to the boy that all these people were there in his best interest. On his side. On his team.
If you know the boy, he got a sheepish grin and was a little embarrassed at the attention. But he loved it.
For all the negative press, stories of abuse, academic neglect, and the failure of public education, I wanted to state for public record that there is some really great things going on with education. Just ask me. :)
