There's nothing that has struck me so hard, since my retirement, as the realization today that the local school district seems destined to sink further into desolation, and that there is absolutely nothing I can do about it......the leadership to me seems so obviously flawed, dishonest, and to have agendas that even 30 years of working in education do not make obvious sense to me........

then there is the community which either doesn't want to get involved, or for some reason thinks that the leadership is without flaw, without room for improvement, above criticism, and debate......

my sense is one more time of feeling like I've been plunged into an episode of "the Emperor's New Clothes", part 4,000,000.......

my heart breaks for the students, teachers, parents, building level staff and administrators, who try every day, against tremendous odds, to survive in what seems to be an irreparably broken system......

As a person who, as I've mentioned, worked for years to try to improve education for the individual, for families, for teachers, for buildings, for the 2 districts, and one co-op for which I worked......it is amazing to me that this one district can remain so out of the loop in terms of what kinds of things can actually help, and improve things for students, patrons and staff......

It is frightening when looking at the consequences of a failed school system for again not only the students, and families but the community as a whole, as the crime statistics go up, more children of color are killed or jailed, and the white flight to the suburbs continues.

So today, I have officially tendered my resignation from the public school world, am thinking that school choice, vouchers, a complete fruitbasket upset kind of reform is needed......and that I must turn my energies and focus a different direction........today I feel sad, not only that there seems to be little hope for those involved with the local school district (no wonder so many people are homeschooling....an idea which until recently seemed like such a bad choice).....but also sad at the thought that so many years of passion, of study, of learning and perfecting the skills needed to be an agent of change for the good, are simply obsolete, and of no value.....

It also perhaps makes some sense why some of my close friendships are no more......this is a time when the world according to me needs to exist outside of any desire to hear about, give input to, or agonize over public education........I realize that many people who retire face the same feelings of being unneeded or having their skills unwanted......but to have to give up on the hope for a better or even equal to the past, public education experience for so many, is again heartbreaking in its vastness.....One of my favorite slogans for the National Conference for my professional organization, from years ago was "School Psychology, a Revolutionary Force in Education"......

Today I'm officially raising the white flag........