Read my "It Need's To Be Said Blog"

Education is a Game Changer

Congratulations to the 2011 winter college graduates. It was only a year ago when I walked across the stage with an achievement that made me a different person. It feels like only yesterday!

Education is a phenomenon, a journey, and a ticket out of poverty. For me education has been a life-changing lesson that has enabled me to see the world through a different lens. Now that you have gained new knowledge, you can create a new life experience. Once you walk across that stage, you can no longer ignore the realities of the lessons that you have learned. Congratulations!

Blame it on the Henney

Blame it on the Henney,

There is a song by Jamie Foxx, entitled “Blame It!” Within the song he describes the club scene and how people say that they don't do questionable things under normal circumstances. So when they end up doing things that are questionable, according to the song, they blame it on the alcohol. Of particular interest to me is the phrase in the song that states “Blame it on the Henney!”

Have we become a society that chooses to blame the problems in education on the “Henney”? Who are we to blame?

The parents blame it on the teachers

The teachers blame it on society

The principals blame it on the budgets

The budgets blame it on the politicians

The politicians blame it on the Republicans

The Republicans blame it on the Democrats

The students blame it on the schools

The schools blame it on the neighborhoods

The universities blame it on the secondary schools

The secondary schools blame it on elementary schools

The elementary schools blame it on the child-care centers

It is amazing how much time is spent blaming! At what point does it STOP? Are you a part of the solution or are you a part of the problem? I believe, we are all to blame and if you disagree, we can always blame it on the Henney!

Blame it on the Henney!

Closed Mouths Don't get Fed!

"It needs to be said"

Throughout life, we meet many people. There are people who come into our lives for a minute, hour, day, week, month, or even forever. Every person that we meet and interact with serves a purpose. I came across a person about 2 years ago who made the comment "closed mouths don't get fed". While when I heard the statement, I chuckled and I thought it was fitting for the situation. However, this is a phrase that I have come to use quite a bit over the past year. Each time I have said it, there was a call to action. For example at a family gathering in the spring of this year, sister E needed to borrow $20 for gas, she told my baby sister L in hopes she would tell me. Of course it worked, my baby sister L told me. Me recognizing game, I told my baby sister L "closed mouths don't get fed". About 5 minutes later, my Sister E asked me for the $20 and I gave it to her.

I am thoroughly concerned about the state of education, I see our children being pimped in systems that are "new school dysfunctional". How do we move beyond our individual agenda's to really seeking solutions that work? How do we work toward solutions that are in the best interest of our children? There are many mouths "fed" on the backs of our children. Don't get me wrong, I understand that we all “gotta” eat, but I also understand that sometimes being HUNGRY makes us work a little harder.

As educators and community citizens, we have to open our mouths. We have to stand up for children, because closed mouths don't get fed.

"It needs to be said"

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