First...

...to address a couple of comments/questions from past posts.

In the course of a recent conversation, face-to-face, not online, someone (OK a teacher) asked what I meant by "asking the right questions." I used this example. Several other teachers, not from the same district as the questioner, related to me that they and most of their school are viewed as "negagtive" by adminstrators, the board office, etc. The administrators, esp the superintendent and others at the board office, need to ask questions before calling names. Why are these/so many teachers "negative?" Is it because they think what they are being asked to do (outside of the classroom, with curriculum, etc.) is stupid, counter-productive, yet another boondoggle? Is it because they think the district has treated them unfairly, dishonestly, without respect? Is it because they don't like their principal and don't want to give him/her any reason to claim success for him/herself or have no respect for him/her? I don't know many answers, but I do have a lot of questions. Of course, maybe they aren't prepared to hear the answers to these questions?????

Another asked why Americans are so complacent, submissive. Why do they elect so many obviously stupid, incompetent people? Why do they continue to let government take them down the wrong road? I think, in part, it's because we've become too comfortable. As the Dutch editor wrote, "I was too busy enjoying my freedom to do anything to protect it." And, remember the wrotes Pastor Niemoeller wrote about the Nazis, "First they came after the Jews and I wasn't a Jew so I said nothing. Then they came after...." In part, too, I think it's a product of our age, the '60s and '70s. It was the time of "I, Me, Mine." It was the schools and their inane self-concept/image emphasis, the "God didn't make no junk," etc. philosophy. And more, but....

OK, too brief, but I have to go get Michael from school....