Education and Farming

New Secretary of Education designate, Arne Duncan, has been on the job as the Head of Chicago schools since 2001. Is eight years enough to develop a track record? During the extent of his tenure eighth grade reading levels show that 17% of the students are at that level. Math scores show that 13% have math scores at this grade level and writing abilities are at 23%. Duncan, according to Obama, is an education reformer. He is also one of his daily basketball playing pals. My teaching experience tells me that the Supt. of Schools is more involved in public relations than in the actual participation of the classroom. He, in this case, is like the King. We all know who is responsible for real teaching. It is that person in the classroom along with a wholesome environment in the home. But, his plans are his plans and have to be implemented.
A couple of statements brought up by Duncan earlier this week do offer cause for concern. He stated that he was totally against vouchers for students. This is great for the teacher's unions but bad for education, especially in the black community. Black families need the opportunity to seek a better way for their children. Furthermore, he said that he would like to see an all-homosexual, lesbian and gay high school in Chicago. It would provide a wholesome environment for students of an alternative orientation who fear being educated in an uncomfortable atmosphere. The school would be modeled after the Harvey Milk High School now being run in New York City.

Doggone it, I just can't let this go. Tom Vilsack, former governor of Iowa, has been selected Secretary of Agriculture. Vilsack is NOT an Iowan. I AM an Iowan. He was born in Pennsylvania. His wife was an Iowan and they moved back to her home state. Vilsack took a lawyers position in a small town in southeast Iowa, became involved in politics and was eventually elected governor. Tom Vilsack and I have the same qualifications for his federal position. We both like pork, eat sweet corn and sometimes wear plaid shirts.
Oh, here's something you should aware of when it comes to corn. All the corn you see on TV, growing on stalks on the rolling hills; it's not for human consumption. We Iowans know it's fed it to livestock. Cereal corn comes from other sources. Did you know that each piece of silk on a corn cob is the same number as the pieces of corn on its cob? Did you know that there is only one cob on each corn stalk.
A few weeks ago I mentioned I'd only been on a farm only a few times but I forgot something. When I played Little League a teammate lived on a farm and I'd ride my bike to his place quite often. It was fun. We hunted down mice in his barn, butchered chickens, slopped the hogs and rode the tractor. It was a great farm; looked the same as Jeff's place on Lassie.
Have you figured it out, yet? I'm just as qualified as Vilsack.