The Lion Returns

Well, the Lion returns to his lair. Many people have asked me when I would return to writing on this blog, but I have been doing a lot of other writing of a more personal nature dealing with family business.

One other blogger I've spoken with told me that their practice is to write stories in advance, but I just write what happens to be fresh in my mind even if it is at some wee hour of the morning.

As usual, education is always on my mind. I'm sitting here reading a story of how Indiana wants to get some Federal Education money, but it comes with strings attached that would require teachers to be evaluated on students' performance on a yearly basis. Yet, I have heard many of our teachers at the elementary level tell me that they do not have the time to teach in those classrooms, with the number of children coming in behind their peers. I have heard faculty members of our high schools and middle schools speak of the many students that enter their schools unprepared for grade level. Frankly, I have to look no further than my own family in some cases to see the truth in what I've heard from them. This situation is reflected across many local families, our local schools and across the nation. We are not alone.

I think this as grossly unfair as giving a carpenter pine boards and expecting him to build you an oak table. No matter what he does or how well he does it, he will not be able to do it.

Our teachers should be evaluated, as should every one of our employees, on a regular basis. However, the student's test scores is an evaluation of the student's performance and progress, not the teacher's. There are far too many factors that affect a student's test scores that a teacher just has no control over to put too much emphasis on those scores and tie it to a teacher's career. That would be like firing one of our mechanics who couldn't repair a bus overnight after the bus was hit by a train and demolished.

Evaluate people for their performance, not the performance of others. Be thankful that our teaches can and do teach and that they can educate the majority of our students. Pray for a miracle, expect a miracle, but don't expect our employees, schools, or corporation to be the deliverer of that miracle.

Please pray for our troops and the people of Haiti.