If they don’t trust the schools, why should we.

A 2005 report by the Thomas B. Fordham institute found that public school teachers are twice as likely to send their children to private schools.  A  recent Sacramento news story  reported that Raymond who is the Sacramento City Unified Superintendent will be the first in 20 years to send his children to District schools.  When the people who know the most won’t send their own children to public schools, it seems we should all be a little concerned.

This blog article links to the original studies and reports.  Revealing reading.

Lest we become snobs

I’ve met people who turn up their noses at children’s books thinking they need to move past them, but I think a well-written children’s book is one of lifes great joys.  Much that is written for children in recent years is trite and garish, often taken from Saturday morning cartoons…but there are treasures to be found on the shelves in the children’s section of the library.  Treasures where authors have used the beauty and elegance of language to say in a simple way thoughts that are not simple.

Just as an example…here are some quotes by A.A. Milne from that classic, Winnie The Pooh.  Enjoy.

“Did you ever stop to think, and forget to start again?”

“Weeds are flowers too, once you get to know them.”

“If you live to be a hundred, I want to live to be a hundred minus one day so I never have to live without you.”

“My spelling is Wobbly. It’s good spelling but it Wobbles, and the letters get in the wrong places.”

““When you wake up in the morning, Pooh,” said Piglet at last, “what’s the first thing you say to yourself?”
“What’s for breakfast?” said Pooh. “What do you say, Piglet?”
“I say, I wonder what’s going to happen exciting today?” said Piglet.
Pooh nodded thoughtfully.
“It’s the same thing,” he said.”

“What I say is that, if a fellow really likes potatoes, he must be a pretty decent sort of fellow.”

“He respects Owl, because you can’t help respecting anybody who can spell TUESDAY, even if he doesn’t spell it right.”

One of the advantages of being disorderly is that one is constantly making exciting discoveries.”