The Scholastic Time Capsule
Change is the only constant? Not necessarily. Sometimes, it is that preparation for change that may send forth some rays of hope into those darkest days that are yet to befall us. Let’s call it a Scholastic Time Capsule Project. Let us, as a group of united “Think Tank” members, sit and ponder best practice, academic standard, district policy, pedagogical, administrative, crisis response planning, overall systemic reform, and social service-oriented measures and fail-safes that will possibly out-survive us as an intellectual, educational or occupational collective.
Some of us dream in abstract shades of immortality, and as catalysts for change, move the masses with vehicles of ingenuity. Some devise innovative and concrete forms of technological tools that manifest themselves as salvation for those less able. Some spend their lives dedicated to both. I, for one, remain fully willing to share my humble opinions, ideas, beliefs, skills, suggestions, philosophical etchings, visionary thoughts, and personal, educational and professional experiences that may assist in the realization of a general school improvement initiative or "movement."
There are, without doubt, those colleagues possessing the wisdom, energy, intuitiveness, theoretical knowledge, concrete and abstract ideas, educational training, backgrounds, qualifications, professional grooming, expertise, competence, and resolve to get this done, collectively, collaboratively, respectfully, and with the humanistic dignity necessary to turn the Plainfield School system around, once and for all—the preliminary housecleaning, notwithstanding.
Ours is a day in time that loudly and often rudely calls upon the truly worthy to bring the specter of sabotage to its knees and finally, jointly exorcise it. The hindrances and obstacles of selfishness, confusion, incompetence, hasty judgment, irrational decision making, and wasteful allocation of the taxpayers’ financial resources must be eradicated, prohibited, banned, and banished, never to rear their ugly heads—or hateful green eyes—ever again. Those that refuse, deny, resist, antagonize, make waves, dissent, or negate, MUST ALSO BE HEARD, if they are not on board with this. Only then can we obliterate the misconceptions, misperceptions, misnomers, misunderstandings, miscues, and mistakes that often preclude those “teachable moments” of which our district is in such dire need. Only then can we dispel, in plain view, their intellectual or philosophical shortcomings, and make corrections.
We need nothing short of a “Grass Roots Educational Advocacy Think Tank” immediately assembled to lead the charge in devising these “Scholastic Time Capsules” that contain exemplary “artifacts” (I’m not crazy about that reference either), sustenance, documentation, roadmaps, spiritual motivators, ethical guidelines, pedagogical research exemplars, reliably tested and universally embraced directives, and other components that would help provide some semblance of normalcy and allow continuity after the explosion and fallout in the event of future top-level administrative nuclear meltdowns, explosions or implosions. Emergency preparedness, contingency planning and ongoing school reform can and must be created, must evolve and must co-exist peacefully and productively.
This should aid any qualified CSA in picking up the pieces, safely orchestrating the move from the shelters, and going about re-populating our academic world with ideas borne of brilliance!
