Dear Friends,This blog entry is quite special to me because I have been to the Alamo, I appreciate our country's history, and I hope our education system can be saved! It is no longer about which political party I am aligned with or which education initiative (s) I am mandated to follow. It seems both of these band wagons have slapped stakeholders, mainly teachers, in the face after doing what we have been told do for the past three decades! It's a sign of the times: the Legislature has made a mess of education. They don't know what to do, and now they want to clean up their 30 year mess, while blaming teachers, who are the obvious scapegoats to this political and idiotic agenda. What about the kids? The truth must be told and true to this blog: I am keeping it real!
Thus, I am reposting an insightful entry from the Washington Post. It was reposted by Valerie Strauss who came across a up-to-date Remember the Alamo letter written by a "Texas district schools chief" . She writes: "This is an open letter issued by John Kuhn, superintendent of the Perrin-Whitt Consolidated Independent School District. Addressed to Texas legislators, this plea for help is modeled on the famous letter that William Barret Travis sent from the Alamo right before it fell in 1836 (the text of which follows Kuhn's). Kuhn refers to plans by Texas Gov. Rick Perry to cut billions of dollars from public school funding."
Please read the actual letter below and consider clicking on the link below to get more information about this educator advocate.
1. Youtube Video of John Kuhn at a recent rally!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlEM4MGNeTY&feature=player_embedded
2. Interview with John Kuhn from Education Week: Living in Dialogue: - A Teacher Blog
http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/living-in-dialogue/2011/03/i_am_educator_hear_me_roar_an.html
3. The Alamo Letter reposted by Valerie Strauss.From: John Kuhn, Superintendent, Perrin-Whitt CISD
To: Senator Estes, Representative Hardcastle, Representative Keffer, and Representative King during these grave times:
Gentlemen,
I am besieged, by a hundred or more of the Legislators under Rick Perry. I have sustained a continual Bombardment of increased high-stakes testing and accountability-related bureaucracy and a cannonade of gross underfunding for 10 years at least and have lost several good men and women. The ruling party has demanded another round of pay cuts and furloughs, while the school house be put to the sword and our children's lunch money be taken in order to keep taxes low for big business. I am answering the demand with a (figurative) cannon shot, and the Texas flag still waves proudly from our flag pole. I shall never surrender the fight for the children of Perrin.
Then, I call on you my legislators in the name of Liberty, of patriotism & everything dear to the American character, to come to our aid, with all dispatch. The enemy of public schools is declaring that spending on a shiny new high-stakes testing system is "non-negotiable"; that, in essence, we must save the test but not the teachers. The enemy of public schools is saying that Texas lawmakers won't raise 1 penny in taxes in order to save our schools.
If this call is neglected, I am determined to sustain myself as long as possible and fight for the kids in these classrooms like an educator who never forgets what is due to his own honor & that of his community. Make education a priority!
With all due respect and urgency,
John Kuhn
Superintendent
Perrin-Whitt CISD
Here is the text of the 1836 letter:
Commandancy of the Alamo------
Bejar Fby. 24th 1836
To the People of Texas & all Americans in the world------
Fellow citizens & compatriots------
I am besieged, by a thousand or more of the Mexicans under Santa Anna ----- I have sustained a continual Bombardment & cannonade for 24 hours & have not lost a man ----- The enemy has demanded a Surrender at discretion, otherwise, the garrison are to be put to the sword, if the fort is taken ----- I have answered the demand with a cannon shot, & our flag still waves proudly from the wall ----- I shall never Surrender or retreat
Then, I call on you in the name of Liberty, of patriotism & every thing dear to the American character, to come to our aid, with all dispatch ----- The enemy is receiving reinforcements daily & will no doubt increase to three or four thousand in four or five days. If this call is neglected, I am determined to sustain myself as long as possible & die like a soldier who never forgets what is due to his own honor & that of his country ----- Victory or Death
William Barret Travis
Lt. Col. Comdt
P. S. The lord is on our side- When the enemy appeared in sight we had not three bushels of corn--- We have since found in deserted houses 80 or 90 bushels & got into the walls 20 or 30 head of Beeves---
Travis
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