You had to be there. Here are the links to the accurate reporting of the Gov's educational town meeting held last night in New Haven at Wilbur Cross High School.
http://www.nhregister.com/articles/2012/03/13/news/new_haven/doc4f60037990319077040555.txt
http://www.newhavenindependent.org/index.php/archives/entry/teachers_meet_malloy/
Let's cut to the chase and just ask would it not have been better to have held it at Hopkins or Foote. If we are looking to improve things let's find out how they are able to do it "right."
But I digress. The town meeting was a disaster. An unequivocal disaster. The governor was booed. Booing is part of of the American tradition. We boo and we sob. But this was booing with vitriol from our so called educated elites. ( ie the room was packed with educators) Afterwards folks were even calling the Gov a liar.
We still remember the Commander in Chief being called a liar while delivering the State of the Union Address. We still remember members of Congress being spit upon. We still remember an innocent young girl being killed and a Congress person almost killed while being a public servant.
The recent rampage in Afghanistan is still fresh in our minds. Folks and events seem out of control.
Yet last night was embarrassing. It was tragic and pathetic. It was disgusting.
Consider here we are in a city with arguably the most innovative educational reform initiatives underway from Achievement First, to New Haven Promise, to Boost, to ConnCan, to magnet schools etc. Yet so called learned adults decide not to engage in civil discussion but rather behave as if the event was a WWF or Gladiator event. Oh by way what happened to the Achievement Gap commission are whatever it was called?
One can debate whether the "reforms" underway are pacifier or diversions from authentic transformation, but action is happening in this little town.
Correct me if I am wrong but a bill is now before the senate, folks have signed on, hearings have been held. Why act a fool !
I have friends who are teachers and administrators. I look forward to their remaining my friends. But last night was a debacle. The Governor retreated into policy wonk and process speech, when folks needed to hear in common person terms why this bill is good for all of us. The adversaries in the audience need to go back and re-certify themselves as civil citizens.
Maybe Rodney King has posed the most profound question of our generation, " Can we all get along?"
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