Standing in the shadows or watching from a distance is so much easier to do. Reading blogs from some of our Super Bloggers (you all know who you are), liking tweets and re-tweeting has been pretty much the bulk of my social media contribution. I have paid close attention to the past few years how blogs, facebook and twitter have been a much needed tool to get information out that is vital to every student, in every school district, in the State of Oklahoma; information that is, or can be, life transforming for the youngest among us. Everyone who has taken up their pen, phone, computer, I-pad, tablet, or has worked tirelessly, face to face with those who have a voice in education, I commend you! You have done well! Don’t let up! The stakes are too high and they grow higher everyday. The latest announcements of revenue shortfalls and the possibility of lower mid-year adjustments should only strengthen our resolve to ensure that the children are taken care of. This is why “Marvel Agents of Education” has officially stepped into this (blog) arena. There is so much that has already been said many times and in many different ways (and yes, will need to be said many times more) that a majority of my future posts will be from a different angle, but at the same time addressing the same issues.
I think I should start with a little introduction first….. Why not have my name as part of my Twitter account or blog? I think Rick said it best during okeducationtuths coming out party. And by the way…that was pretty cool as I watched from the shadows. If you want to know why…well, you’ll have to go back and revisit the past and read his blog 🙂 Chances are you already have, as well as many of the other bloggers out there and as you know there are many Great Ones! As a matter of fact, that night, with all the fellow supporters of education changing their avatars to superheroes…Marvels Agents of Education was born. As my bio states, “You know who we are, We are You.” You, You created, You are our children’s hope and You are the Agents of Education. It may very well rest with all of us. United as ONE to engage on behalf of those who look up to us! That’s who we are. Between all of us, their is enough passion, knowledge, wisdom and (super) power to encourage, assist, and if needed redirect the future for our students’ education. We are needed. Now back to that introduction.
First of all, many of you already know me. You may or may not be followers on Twitter or I may not be a follower of you, but nonetheless many of us are friends in the general sense. I am in education, which will become obvious from some of the facts and figures and other points that will be made in later posts. Education has not been my only avenue of providing for my family. I spent many years in the business world working for two of the largest oil field related companies in their respective field. I count my time spent with those companies as a blessing and appreciate the wisdom gleaned from that experience. Through contacts made during those times and after I entered the education realm, I was honored and humbled by two separate phone calls from two different sitting Governors’ offices. Both times I was asked if I would sit on a certain committee that met every month at the Capitol to help guide and direct one of the State Intenties. I accepted the second request (Gov. Henry) and was appointed to the committee where I remained for five years. I left to take my current position. During the early 2000’s, I was fortunate enough to have written/co-written three books utilized in education that are still being used today and have been translated into other languages to be used in other parts of the world. I have truly been blessed and humbled by these experiences. I never take lightly what has been placed in front of me and I realize it’s time to take the wisdom gained from those experiences and the knowledge gained from my current positions and put it to use in this way in an attempt to help stop the madness that is depleating our students funding and eroding away our educational principles.
My blanket statement of many of the issues before us today is this…..(1)ESAs are not good for Public Education Funding. In no way is it better for any current student sitting in our classrooms, period! Rob has a great piece on this as well. It will take its toll on many sources of funding (not just the ADM calculation). More on this in a later post. I was told by a Rep at the Capitol that they are not smart enough to see all the potential damage that can be done by a stroke of a pen. But We can help educate them! (2)Funding for Public Ed must increase. Our students deserve better and our teachers deserve better pay. A one cent sales tax for education can be a good start. It’s not a fix all but it is a step in the right direction. (3) Stop cutting taxes and taking money away from our kids! You can not keep taking pie filling out of the pie! It simply will not feed as a many people like it once did! Lower taxes will not create more revenue for Education. Oh BlueCereal….I am fixing to go SuperMarvel if I’m not careful so I will stop for now. I have so MUCH more to say…..and I intend on doing just that! One more thing……..If you have ever been in a classroom or stood up for your children (our children), You are One of Us! You are an Agent of Education! United as ONE for those who look up to us! And remember, no matter the need when it comes to our young ones, we have a choice! Set back and let them destroy the education of our students or you can dawn the suit of an Agent and fight! It wont be easy but it is worth it! We have ramped up our efforts to protect our students funding and schools. We callout the unwise and demand they do what is right. We will not stop! Our goal is greater than anyone of us to take on by ourselves. But if asked to go it alone we would. Join us. Put on the suit. Its not just any suit….. its the suit of an Agent of Education. A suit that you can wear with your head held high because YOU stood up for what is right! Our students need you.. End of transmission. ….