Academic Freedom Is "Anti-Freedom?"

Every time I think I have problems...I can just read how people are allowed to have opinions on college campuses. If you approach things from the far right (or far left), then any teaching from the other side is perhaps the key threat to everything that makes America so awesome.

A colleague of mine from Weslaco compared the Tea Party to Nazis. He is apparently liberal, and that is unacceptable to conservative bloggers. Eventually, enough of these blogs picked up the YouTube video a student made of the lecture (which doesn't come up in a typical search on the site). Even from the video, I can see how things were taken out of context by these "journalists." Then, actual press corps members got involved by reporting on what the blogs were saying. This is how non-stories become part of the news culture. [Props to the Beaumont Enterprise for reposting the story--along with this story about a Middle Eastern "honor killing." Ummm, stay classy, Beaumont.]

The student, a future "anonymous" leader of the faceless masses, decided to record the class period because "it's wrong for him [instructor] to use his position as a soap box for his beliefs, especially with young, impressionable students." How refreshing that a community college student deeply understands that the idiots in this class are too stupid to realize how insightful I am. 

Meanwhile, other professors--at, say, "different" types of institutions, operate from a stronger sense of entitlement.  Consider a Harvard professor who has some anger issues. Other institutions are dealing with situations like professors "having sex with the grandkids" or citing a cat instead of a graduate student in published research and then claiming espionage. My fear? A professor gets disciplined or terminated for speaking his mind--i.e., professing. Blogs like this only work to make things uncomfortable until they get THEIR way from a place they've never been. Demand action. Walk away. Avoid responsibility. Gripe about anything else to cover a lack of substance or your own flat-out evil.

So--while I read "The Blaze" griping about a community college professor on a campus they can't find on a map--I listen to discussions about American torture. The Blaze has decided to ask the author of "Black Hawk Down" about "coercive methods" and dig for things in paragraph 17 of the New York Times story. Also on this future-Pulitzer-Prize-winning site (text size kept):

Mysterious Death of College Gymnast Found in Dumbwaiter Finally Explained

(FINALLY!)

and

Nebraska Woman Invites Guy Over, Then Beats Him With a Hammer

(Hint: The Blaze is run by a very lonely man that has issues with women.)

I read quotes from "Red State," which should be a scary name to any of my readers. What, you ask, would the next Walter Cronkite have to say about this lecture?

"Clearly, this professor knows more about talking points than he does either the tea party or the Nazis." 

Clearly.

Really? How does a community college professor from an outer campus of a community college have such a strong knowledge of "talking points?" Did he leave his job as Barney Frank's Chief of Staff to take this job? Just grab words and phrases like "liberal media" and "talking points." No reason to do anything other than slam the other side. This issue isn't even a debate--the other side flat-out does not care.

Fortunately for "anonymous boy," sites like The Blaze and Red China State will diligently work toward the end that "young, impressionable students" will NEVER hear from the left.  Eventually, these young, impressionable minds will happen upon the "Fair and Balanced" approach of Fox News. The pipeline will be secured. After all, only one side has any value, whatsoever.

Any self-respecting Nazi knows that.

Researchers Have Feelings, Too--No, Really!

This Powerful Picture, Ilustradores con Ayotzinapa, came from a really good blog post. You can follow #IlustradoresConAyotzinapa on this Tumblr site.

I was surprised yesterday by an email announcement coming from the American Educational Research Association, specifically AERA's Division J--Postsecondary Education. (It's kind of a large group.) From the division's website:

The mission of Division J is to advance research on postsecondary education with the goal of developing and testing theory, improving practice and informing policy decisions.

So...why would a group of researchers make an official, strongly-worded political statement about student protests?

Good question, Paul!

A statement like the one below shows how researchers are not disassociated from the rest of the education world. Much like "techies" in other areas, their specialized skills do not invalidate their inherent human qualities.

Sometimes we like to think that way, but statements like this one disprove that mindset. We may work in higher education for different personal reasons, but the overarching mantra is that our mission involves students. That is true for staff as much as it is true of faculty.

This was nice to see.  I hope it holds meaning for readers, as well:

Official Statement On the Recent Deaths of Forty-Three College Students from Ayotzinapa’s Normal School in Guerrero, Mexico
Student activism has a long legacy of forging social change across the Americas. Like many other noted episodes in this history of activism, college students in Ayotzinapa’s Normal School recently traveled to Chilpancigo, Mexico—capital of the Mexican state of Guerrero—to peacefully protest the increasing university fees and imposed governmental reforms. Forty-three college students from Ayotzinapa’s Normal School formed part of a larger national campaign that sought to commemorate the many college students who were killed by Mexican national forces in 1968. Ironically, rather than having their protests heard, local and state authorities responded with violence, military retaliation, and blatant excessive force. Not only did the local government trample their rights to protest but they also violated their human rights, resulting in the immediate death of six and the disappearance of forty-three (who were all recently confirmed deceased).

The retaliation from the Mexican government sent a message that social activism and mobilization will not be tolerated. As educators, we have an obligation to speak out against injustices where student rights are being violated in such an inhumane manner. We are all global citizens and cannot pretend to ignore the devastation that our fellow students have endured. We should not sit idly when these students acted courageously in exercising their right to peacefully protest and have their voices heard. These young men and women were bravely speaking out against injustice, standing up for a better future for their respective communities, and exercising their right to peacefully assemble. Their deaths should not have a chilling effect on those young and old among us who demand greater accountability from our public officials and our respective governments.
May their souls rest in peace, and may their spirit of social activism live on as a solemn reminder and a renewed legacy to future generations of college student activists.  

Unbelievable Irony

EDITORIAL: STC tax debated -- Discosure could force rollback election

Sometimes, you just can't match the reality you face in life.

My beloved president, Dr. Shirley Reed, was chastised for being unclear during an election.  I'm not sure which elections have candidates that run spin-free, crystal-clear campaigns.  Dr. Reed was not running for office, though.  South Texas College was looking to pass a bond, along with the money to run the buildings to be constructed by bond monies.

The issue was 3.5 cents per $100 valuation, split into two separate elections.  Both passed.

One year later, anti-tax activists are threatening a roll-back election, and the Monitor's editorial board chose to chastise Dr. Reed over the situation.  The totals were given openly.  The effects were discussed openly.  Apparently, the amount of money it would cost a typical homeowner as not enough information.  Rather, this had to be given as a percentage of increase for the editorial board to understand "how much" this would cost.

I've been impressed with the patience of my president in handling situations like this.  I've been surprised at how this editorial board often tries to blame everybody surrounding them--

• as though it would have been too "investigative" to run a simple math equation, themselves
• or too "one-sided" to see through the spin coming toward them
• or, for that matter, to just EDIT.

The final statements of the McAllen Monitor's Sunday editorial read like this:

​We’re disappointed that STC didn’t dot all its I’s and cross all it’s T’s​, because that places STC and other taxing entities in the county in a vulnerable spot ​in the eyes of voters.

Whether you would dot a capital letter isn't going to be my biggest issue, but it could be. Comma use? Whatever.  Italicization? Nah...

Did you read the TITLE of the editorial?  There.  Too ridiculous to analyze further.  My feelings are fully discosed.

Point fingers.  Just do it standing in front of a mirror.

NCLB for Higher Education

Photo from Dewey21C

Last month, Brian Mitchell, the Director of the Edvance Foundation, penned a blog titled, At-Risk Students and the College Scorecard. Here is a nugget from that editorial piece:

Let's agree that some schools do a terrible job and should close or merge. The danger is, however, that the less resourced ones who do heroic work with diverse populations of all types might be pushed into the endangered category.

In my estimation, this began with all of the for-profit institutions that shot up, (with a lot of them headquartered in Arizona). They took advantage of student-based funding, advertised college like it was cheap auto insurance, and then walked away from their own student bodies. Students were left with large debts and useless degrees. These institutions should close. Unfortunately, we are once-again seeing the lowest common denominator determining the institutional lives of an entire education sector. Again. This is the next step in what will become the No Child Left Behind of higher education. Higher education knows this outcome very well.

Colleges already face a long list of accountability measures. Ask any accreditation officer at any institution. U.S. News & World Report practically kept itself financially afloat through their "rankings" publications. However, they did a very nice job of pretty much giving everybody some reason to celebrate (multiple lists by location, price, area of study, etc.). Money Magazine's recent listing was ridiculous. I've seen some awful institutions listed among their "best." 

Each course of study--each academic department--has another set of criteria to meet through their associations. Music departments scurry to meet music standards; nursing departments struggle mightily to meet  program certification standards. Even innovative programs need to become nationally certified. The list is enormous for some institutions.

Add to this the demands that come from states. State colleges and universities become fodder for political battles, as well as slaves to multiple masters. Even at the community college level, things have gotten more onerous. Texas has implemented a new funding mechanism for community colleges called "Success Points." In short, 10% of a community college's funding depends on whether the students achieve certain targets, and that percentage is expected to grow in coming years.

Thus begins the vicious cycle. Problematic community colleges will lose funds--ergo, they will get worse. I'm fortunate to work at one of the most successful community colleges in the nation. However, pay-for-performance is problematic for individual public school teachers. 

Photo from Northwest Evaluation Association

Moving this concept to higher education makes less sense. Driving it at the institutional level is just a ridiculous idea.

When I was working in K-12 public education policy, I used to tell people that lawmakers, government officials, news agencies, and the general public see schools in one of two terms--kids or money. The same can be said for higher education. If the entire goal is to make, say, a Methodist liberal arts college more fiscally efficient, then this reaches beyond the scope of the public education debate. It's yet another way that government is working to control the efforts of higher education--all of it--in terms of money. It ignores the young (and not-so-young) adults that comprise the hearts and souls of these institutions.

While I am a BIG fan of Systems Thinking, the individual development of the American higher education system is its greatest strength. This is a monstrous effort to turn what we have into something it was never meant to be in the first place. We have throngs of foreign students looking for opportunities to study in the United States. That should be a sign of how powerful our current "system" is.

As Dr. Mitchell put it, "What a tragedy if federal policy meant to inform consumers effectively forced changes in admission practices that squeezed out local innovation." 

Unfortunately, I can already see that happening. Again.

How to Report a Hijacked Facebook Account (I Think...)

Four-step process.  These steps seem to work.

Click on the three dots next to "Message"

Choose the "Fake Account" option

Click on "Other"

Report the account AND block the account

Getting Heard in Houston This Week

On Wednesday night, the city council in Houston is set to vote on HERO (Houston Equal Rights Ordinance). Houston is deciding whether to join Pflugerville ISD and other local government entities in recognizing the rights of the LGBT community. These are historic times, and you have a chance to effect positive (or negative) change this week.

Here is the edited text of an email I received from a friend and former colleague of mine. If you wish to make a statement, Tim Bacon's pointers will help you.

The council meets again on the Human Rights Ordinance this coming Wednesday from 9 AM to late in the evening. They will vote this time. So any contacts you generate will need to be done by the end of the work day on Tuesday. Today and Monday, since city hall isn't open, you could generate emails. On Tuesday, email will still be received, but telephone calls are more effective at that point.

The ministers working against us have generated calls from all over the country. That opens using those questionable actions to us and, in my opinion, makes it necessary to follow suit. You don't have to say where you live, though if asked for a zip code give it accurately. 

Be sure to remind others of some important points:

1. Be polite. Be personal.
2. Give your name and any other info for which you are asked.
3. It is highly unlikely you will talk to the council person you call. You'll talk to an employee. Ask them to give your message to the council person.
4. State that you are in favor of the ordinance.
5. Tell why. Add any personal experiences you want to support your position.
6. Ask the council person to vote yes.
7. Say thanks.

It is not necessary to make contacts to each council person. Below are names, emails and phone numbers that are crucial to contact. Email and call each of them.

• Jerry Davis districtb@houstontx.gov 832 393 3009
• Dave Martin districte@houstontx.gov 832 393 3008
• Stephen Costello atlarge1@houstontx.gov 832 393 3014
• C.O. 'Brad' Bradford atlarge4@houstontx.gov 832 393 3012
• Jack Christie atlarge5@houstontx.gov 832 393 3017
• Dwight Boykins districtd@houstontx.gov 832 393 3001
• Richard Nguyen districtf@houstontx.gov 832 393 3002
• Michael Kubosh atlarge3@houstontx.gov 832 393 3005

Thanks so much for anything you can do. Enjoy.

Here is an example from my Sent Mail folder. It's a big picture because the text is small.

May we live in a time when this is no longer an issue.

To an Anonymous STC Student

It was a miserable day for me, capped off by a long, frustrating meeting. STC has a lot going on, both visible and under the radar. On top of that, I've been having a rough patch in life. My family has fallen apart. At times, I struggle with my decision to come here...and stay here.

And then I see someone like you.

Your car was next to mine, and I saw you coming to the car as I was getting out of mine for that ridiculous meeting. After the meeting, a drained, middle-aged man was schlepping back to his car at 5:30 p.m. There you were--still.

• You were sleeping. (Exhausted from a schedule that has many components)
• Your study materials were next to you, open. ("When you pass out, you have put in 100%.")
• You had a high school graduation tassel from 2013. (My daughter will graduate in 2 weeks.)
• You had pictures of very young children on your visor. (Mom?)
• You were still at STC. (A 6 p.m. final? Need to sleep before taking the kids back?)

I may have only looked at you for about 15 seconds (including the pic), but at that moment I realized that this was going to be worth it. Not easy, but worth it. I've got a daughter about your age. I hope she shows your moxie next year. I hope I'm showing a similar attitude.

Last weekend, STC graduated 4,800 students. Someday, you will be one of those. Your degree (or certificate) from us doesn't guarantee happiness. On the other hand, it will be documentation that you can learn, you can grow, and you can stick with things until they are complete. Those kinds of skills are critical to a happy work and family life. STC can be a powerful, useful tool for you the rest of your life. If you are a 19-year old single mom collapsing during finals week, I think your future may be bright. You just have to get to that future.

Happy to help, girl. Happy to help.

Leaving (Even) the Best Behind

(Source: I don't care. Who has 10 minutes to spend on this kind of thing??)

A Lunchtime RANT from the blogger:

This was on my morning's Facebook feed: "Find the mistake." How about playing a similar game with education data?

A new study by a group of economists (!) analyzes the effect of the “Top 10%” rule on college enrollment in Texas, using an unnamed large urban district as its subject pool.  You can find that study here, along with other misinterpreted, irrelevant, and misleading work that makes one reconsider Stanford's place in higher education.

The study does provide some interesting insight by comparing those who make the cutoff (a lot of white females) to those who miss the cutoff.  The researchers found that this rule does not lead to an increase in enrollment, as these students were going to college, anyway.  The rule does affect which college they attend, though.  Students tend to matriculate at UT-Austin or A&M at the expense of private colleges and other highly-selective institutions.

Lost in the overall focus of this study was one key figure.  "Fortunately" for me, it was shown on a bar graph. The figures were derived from the researchers' calculations. Think of this like Facebook; see if you can spot the MISTAKE we're making:

Yes, you can remark that these white females choose flagship schools. That's fine. That's comfortable. Here is what is NOT FINE:

A full 42% of students who finished in the top 10% of their class in this district did not matriculate ANYWHERE! 

In fact 45% of the top 10% never took an ACT or SAT. These are the "successful" students of the bunch, not the castoffs.  We're not even considering the top 25%, let alone reconsidering the full 70% of high school graduates that die on the vine after high school.  This is just how we treat the top 10%: cutting it to less than 6% at the start--or in the case of the others, the "finish."

Out of the best and brightest students, Texas' education system has managed to kill off almost half the dreams, half the potential, half the incredible upside from this "large unnamed urban school district." That's unconscionable, immoral, and absolutely RIDICULOUS.

Down here, we call that "A Texas Miracle."

Send those smart kids to STC. Send the others, too. We'll give them a future, since nobody at UHS (Unnamed High School) seems to care.

"There are important questions that our paper does not address."

No kidding.

Sub-Zero Coke

In the course of a week, I lost my wife and a billion dollars.  March Madness is awful. One bright spot seemed to be the Coca-Cola Zero's Bracket Challenge.

I'm supposed to receive a $50 gift card, as well, to the sporting goods store of the "sponsor's choice." My guess is it's Scheel's Sporting Goods; all I have to do is drive to Iowa to redeem it.  Today, though, it hit me: my team isn't supposed to be here.  What's on the line tonight?  What is the prize if your #7 team wins it all???  Maybe you get a t-shirt!  I'd wanted one, but the "Bracket Challenge Gear" disappears amazingly fast.  Each year, I end up with credits I can't use.  Still, it seemed worth at least one more check on their site to see what was on the line tonight.

I became very interested when I saw the Coke Zero bracket with the prizes:

That's incredible!!  Who would have thought that my fortunes would turn like that?  If they win, I'm going to the Final Four in Indianapolis!  I wanted to learn more about where I would stay and if I'd get to meet Frampton or something.

When you dig for things, though, you realize this is too good to be true:

a.  Championship Game Grand Prize - A check for $50,000; Championship Game First Prizes (if any and up to 10, depending on which team wins the Championship Game) - Trip for 2 to 2015 NCAA® Men's Final Four Tournament in Indianapolis. SEE OFFICIAL RULES FOR COMPLETE PRIZING AND PROGRAM DETAILS.

Oh. I'm not GOING to the championship game, in all likelihood.  However, others who did the same things as me (and got just a little luckier) WILL be attending.

Also in the FAQ section:

1. If the Championship game winner is a Seed one team, the person with that corresponding team game piece will be the potential winner of the $50,000 prize. If a seed 2-16 wins the Championship game, all participants with the game piece corresponding to the winning team will be entered into a drawing for a chance to win the grand prize of $50,000 and one of ten trips for 2 to the 2015 NCAA® Men's Final Four Tournament in Indianapolis, IN.

Once you get to the OFFICIAL RULES, things get even worse.  Now the upper limit has dropped to six (6) winners.  No reason to put that out front.  Keep it tucked underneath messages that will tell you completely different things.

Championship Game First Prizes (if any, and up to 6, depending which team wins the Championship Game of the Tournament, see details in Section 8, above): A trip for 2 to Indianapolis, IN for the 2015 NCAA® Men's Final Four®. Trip package includes round trip, coach-class air transportation for 2 from a major airport near winner's home (determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion); 4 nights' accommodations at Sponsor's choice of hotel (single room, double occupancy); and 2 tickets to the 2015 NCAA® Men's Final Four®, which includes the National Semifinals & Championship Final Games (seat locations to be determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion). Winner must travel on the dates specified by the Sponsor, surrounding the 2015 NCAA® Final Four® game, or prize will be forfeited. Travel must be round trip. Sponsor will determine airline and flight itinerary in its sole discretion. No refund or compensation will be made in the event of the cancellation or delay of any flight. Travel is subject to the terms and conditions set forth in these Official Rules, and those set forth by the Sponsor's airline carrier of choice as detailed in the passenger ticket contract.

If you live 250 miles away, Coke will pay you $0.40/mile to travel to/from Indianapolis. This Coke Zero Bracket Challenge is a HUGE promotion, and it means very little at the end to just about anyone who got involved.

I appreciate the free sodas...though they tend to "not quite materialize" after the tournament is finished. It takes months to get them, anyway. The downloads may be nice, but it will depend on the song choices. I'm not sure if the "Movie Money" will be useful at my local theatres. Still waiting for that "Frank's Used Sporting Goods" gift card...probably without any actual address to said place.

The problem is this: Coke told me it mattered, so I told people it mattered. I believed them. I viewed the initial, most public statement and took the Coca-Cola Company at that. Only curiosity led me to this kind of disappointment. Now, I guess I hope Kentucky wins.  Many will be close enough to earn that sub-IRS rate for travel.

It doesn't matter if it's a wife walking out after 23 years or a soft drink company strongly implying that this time will be different.  You should know up front, and be allowed to guard your heart and soul accordingly.

Dear Clint:

An open letter to an award-winning high school teacher that eloquently voiced frustration regarding the treatment of America's immigrant students.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Institutional Effectiveness & Assessment
South Texas College
2501 W. Pecan Blvd.
McAllen, TX  78501
March 15, 2014



Clint Smith
Parkdale High School
6001 Good Luck Rd
Riverdale Park, MD 20737

Dear Mr. Smith:

Greetings from the Front Lines of the War for America's Future, otherwise known as Hidalgo and Starr Counties in Texas. My name is Paul Henley, and I am the Director of Institutional Effectiveness and Assessment at South Texas College. I would like to suggest a potential solution to alleviate your frustration. There is a new scholarship fund designed specifically for people like your student, Maria.

As the site states,

"TheDream.US is a new multimillion dollar National Scholarship Fund for DREAMers, created to help immigrant youth who’ve received DACA achieve their American Dream through the completion of a college education."

There are 1,000 scholarships, each worth a whopping $25,000. My employer, as well as our sister institution, the University of Texas-Pan American, are two of only 12 institutions eligible to accept students using these funds. At last count, we had six applicants, while UTPA had eight. Other eligible schools across the nation are seeing similar numbers. The deadline for applications is March 31, 2014. At this rate, it is quite possible that some of these substantial scholarships will go unclaimed.

It strikes me as odd that the solution for the student in question may be right in front of you. While I agree there is an enormous problem, it seems a shame to be ignoring a potential solution in favor of complaining eloquently about said problem. Please direct Maria to WWW.THEDREAM.US. South Texas College is an open enrollment institution, and somebody with this young woman's credentials would do well here. She then could transfer both her coursework and her remaining money to another fine institution less than 10 miles to the north to complete her degree. All at virtually no cost to her or her family.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at 956-872-3508. We would be happy to assist you, the young scholar, and any other potential candidates. It would be appreciated if you could contact Upworthy's writer, Adam Mordecai, the promoter of your video. This would allow him to promote a real solution as emphatically as he publicized the problem. Your assistance is appreciated.

You have 16 days to make this happen. Maria is counting on you. Good luck.

Best,

Paul T. Henley, Ph.D.

When All You Can Do After 10 Years Is Blog...

(Photo from Amanda Brim)

There are costs to living the #Nolana21 lifestyle in McAllen (see my FB page if you don't understand the hashtag). Most of that cost centers around my children, especially my eldest. She will graduate in June, and I've missed a lot of lasts: the last Halloween, the last influenza episode, perhaps the last tennis match she plays. I've missed soccer games and choir concerts with the other two, but I maintain hope there will be more to come.
But there is another cost that cuts like a scalpel tonight.
I received a text from my wife, DeAnn. This is all it said:

Hope your day went well!!
I'm finally getting my ten yr bowl from pisd!

I texted back: When?

Then I saw my Facebook feed...tonight, my beloved will be recognized for teaching, remediating, intervening, administrating, and leading at the Pflugerville Independent School District--for ten years. A local artist makes bowls honoring the occasion, and DeAnn Henley has earned one for the first time. She spent decades being schlepped around by an ambitious husband, moving every three years or so. This marked a sea change...or at least a respite.

She wasn't hired, at first. She was insistent that she would work at the same school her daughter and son attended. Those principals didn't seem interested. She volunteered as a parent during the first week of school. Suddenly, these same principals found themselves with too many kindergarteners in September. They saw how she handled masses of children adroitly. My son's kindergarten teacher was impressed and pushed for her hire. She began her PISD career with the kids the other teachers decided to "assign" to her. You can imagine how...eventful...that was. Note that whenever a principal left one elementary school to take over another, they made it a point to bring Mrs. Henley with them.

In the decade that transpired, DeAnn Henley became a leader. It's always been natural for her, but she has never been one to stand in front of others demanding attention. Instead, she drives meaningful change from within. She took a union local from 16 members to over 500 members, making the Pflugerville Educators Association a powerful force in the district and the Texas State Teachers Association. Her work has led to documentaries at the National Education Association: check the 59 second mark on this one:

DeAnn's work in challenging schools would become fodder for a movie--if she worked at a charter school. This is the person that brought Response to Intervention to the district before it was cool--before AIR even hosted the website.

She makes out-of-control kids focus, struggling students learn, troubled parents calm, struggling teachers better, and more "official" leaders look good.

Tonight, for ten years of helping others achieve their status in life, she will receive a token of appreciation. Luckily, she really likes these bowls! She has a collection, in fact.

She didn't even tell her husband. Probably because she knew I'd show up from 350 miles away. Perhaps she never thought the recognition was worth mentioning.

That's the kind of educator--and person--she is:  understated...and incredibly effective.

Congratulations, DeAnn!

Why Are You Living THERE???

Here's a question I ask myself on a regular basis.  Not because I doubt my decision; rather, because I find myself answering this question to other people on a regular basis.

Let me give you a few examples:

• My boss told me that he specifically doesn't bring people to campus before they agree to work at South Texas College. That's because he has lost people once they arrive and look around.
• My wife (who doesn't bother to read this blog) is hesitating to move "her" family here.
• At an American Outlaws meeting, I told people I moved here from the Austin area. One young woman looked at me and said, "You realize that for most people, it's the other way around."
• One friend, in particular, cannot stop slamming the Rio Grande Valley as a place to live.

I haven't been forthcoming in my reasons, and I spend a LOT of web space "enjoying" my time at #Nolana21. Thus, the questioning is understood down here. Keep in mind that my current living situation is based on the fact that I have a mortgage to pay already, and any SECOND household is as expensive as a college student's expenses to a family. Glad we don't have to deal with that threat...

Moving to the real reason. Let me tell you a little bit about this place:

I live in the Galilee of the 21st century. In this one, singular county, I experience the First World, the Third World, and the convergence of the two worlds. While Mexico's middle class is growing, America's middle class is shrinking. Middle class is relative, but it becomes obvious that things are melding.

Mexico is changing. Oil, gas, cellular phones, electricity, and economic policy are becoming more and more open. [NOTE: Investment Opportunity!] While the United States cannot get 56 bills through Congress, Mexico is fighting HUGE battles in a fight for modernization. They see our mistakes, and they are making adjustments. A new highway offers a true alternative to the Panama Canal for shipping...and all those shipments will arrive at or near Hidalgo County. Starr County is just a bonus for another post.

Two cultures are merging, whether it's wanted in West Virginia or not. The one thing that both cultures need is a group of future leaders--who speak English AND Spanish--to move this relationship forward. The "university" of this area is morphing, navel-gazing, and self-important. Ask anyone north of San Antonio what a degree from UTPA is worth, and you'll realize how open the game is right now.

I walk to endless meetings in semi-tropical temperatures surrounded by palm trees. These meetings decide the future of South Texas College.  They do more than that, though. They determine the future of this Valley, and by doing that, they determine the future of America...and the entire planet.

People in Pennsylvania and Oregon and South Carolina depend on what happens right here. If we get it right, the lives of people in those states (in 30 years) will be better. They won't realize it, but it's the task at hand.

This is the front line of the War for America's Future. I feel like a bird colonel.

"...the powerful play goes on, and you may contribute a verse."

What would you give for that? 

• Would you deal with cockroaches? 
• Would you learn Spanish, as best you could? 
• Would you put everything on the line? 
• Would you face your fears of "crime" and "cartels?"
• Would you volunteer to become an outsider in a new world?
• Would you face constant loneliness for at least a year...maybe forever?
• Would you [try to] suck your family into a world they don't understand?

My answer is "Yes."

y tu?

This Glorious Team, Part One: Preparation

(Crappy picture from Forbes...you'd think they could do better.)

I am a Seattle Seahawks fan.

I used to be a passive fan. My in-laws live there, and it's really the only team I could see myself following closely with any value. There was a problem with that though.

You see, I'm from South Dakota. I've lived in eight states, and I just made a major move from the Austin area to the Rio Grande Valley (should count as #9). Wherever I live, I'm pretty much the only Seahawks fan anybody knows.

That means when the Seahawks play the Cowboys, I'm the enemy. When the Seahawks played the Vikings or Broncos or Rams or...

Wherever I went, I was the only one.

So I decided a few years back to OWN that. Sometimes, that was ironic in nature. This has not been a historically amazing team. Steelers fans? Wow--brave. Cowboys fans? Flat-out annoying "homers" and funny to watch now. I constantly posted how awesome Payton Manning was last night--because I had really gotten sick and tired of hearing it from every yap in my environment.

You get the picture: by default I had to become a more vocal fan. Fortunately, that has become a fun position to hold.

This year was my turn. Last night culminated a fantastic season. It was wonderful watching the Seahawks win so many games, but it was more compelling to watch the individual stories. I'm going to start with Russell Wilson--not because he's the best player or because it's always about the quarterback. Oh my, that was NOT the case last night. No, this is about preparation...and patience, even in the second year of your career.

The first story to mention happened after Russell's first home loss as a Seahawks QB--almost two years into his career.  It was an important game for two reasons: (1) a win would secure home-field advantage throughout the playoffs; and (2) the Arizona Cardinals were a very good and improving team from the same division.  You could make a case that the Cardinals could have won last night. In that important game, the offense sputtered under Wilson, and the loss led to a very important final game that could have been much less stressful.

The next morning, Coach Pete Carroll couldn't sleep.  He got up, got dressed, and headed to the team's facility to look at game footage to find answers. When he arrived, Russell Wilson was already watching film. The team was 11-3, but two key leaders were uncomfortable with how things were going. Both saw the first step as a mental one. The approach seemed to work, with the Seahawks making short work of the St. Louis Rams in the final regular season game--one which was not broadcast anywhere I could find it.

The story led to a popular Twitter hashtag: #NoTime2Sleep.

THAT story overshadowed another one.

Last year, Russell Wilson and the Seahawks made the playoffs and beat a trendy RGIII's football team from Washington, DC. They lost a close playoff game in Atlanta, due to some mistakes, injuries, a good opponent, and bad luck. Wilson attended the Super Bowl, anyway. He came early--as he would have if he were playing--to watch the teams as they prepared on game day. The idea was to experience the process and familiarize himself with the routines and insights of the unique event. He was preparing to become a champion--mentally.

Championships seem to take one game or one series to complete. That is not the case. Preparing to win that final game takes years of focus. The same is true in most aspects of life. We hear of people living "paycheck to paycheck." I am constantly told at my new position, "We can't do that. [They/he/she/the auditors] wouldn't allow something like that." Basing your approach on an end that you have internalized--well, that changes your daily approach.

It was nice watching Russell Wilson hold that trophy. It was more special to me because I got to "watch" him prepare and work so diligently. He was constantly doing that, even from an early age. He didn't just "win the Super Bowl." Nobody does that on their own. Instead, he consistently worked to put himself into position to become the champion he is today. He won by doing those things when nobody was looking (as much as that is possible). We all have those opportunities; few of us take them. Russell Wilson did, though.

To quote another champion, "Go and do likewise."

And the Changes Keep Coming

I once prepared this for a blog that never got posted:

For a student to graduate from high school, s/he must now complete four courses in each of the four core content areas. They are also expected to complete two years of a foreign language (the same one! No exploring!). If they want the "Distinguished" program, it becomes three years of foreign language (the same one!), as well as other distinguished classes like health and speech.
That would be Algebra, Geometry, Algebra II, and "the other one."
Also Biology, Chemistry, Physics…and "the other one."
You get the picture. We have a core curriculum designed for three courses over four years. We just require a fourth year.

On Friday, I received this tweet:

In reality, we're still not sure what this year's Texas 8th graders need to do:

Texas testing is on the decline. Sort of. I'm not sure how Pearson would allow such a change (outside of bad press for bad tests), but for some reason, we have cut the number of standardized tests in high school. It was ridiculous and awful. Now it's just troublesome.

That doesn't change the fact that high schools--at least in this state--have become "mini community colleges." That is, everything is geared toward career advancement, beginning at age 14. Sure, there's a cannon--I wonder if it's even the right one. I'm not sure whether the over-arching demands on high school students are merited.

You see, I live here. I've battled over how much change I should or should not have received. I've seen people consistently make stupid mistakes with apostrophe's (sic). Every day, I battle my daughter's spelling deficiencies in a school that doesn't care about spelling. Handwriting is seen as a near-waste of time. Thus, I consistently see "handwritten" notes from high school students that look as though they were written by a 3rd grader.

How fast can you print?

It's a far cry from the massive requirements slammed onto our public schools by a much more conservative and removed SBOE a few years ago.  Then, the focus was on political dogma inside the textbooks. Why study too much about slavery when students should memorize the Carolina Constitution? The Gettysburg Address is compared and contrasted with the Confederacy's Inaugural Address by Jefferson Davis. [Note: I liked that one--it made Lincoln look appropriately awesome by comparison.]

Algebra II is now optional.  "Business interests" were concerned, and that is, indeed the driving force. One way or another, kids can't write or spell. The wrong questions have been asked, and children are seen (still) as commodities and not special, precious humans in the process of development.

It also fails to consider that Texas teachers are constantly having to change what they teach. New books must be written (and purchased). Teachers need to be re-re-re-re trained.

All at the whim of people who just don't seem to care.

Whether this latest spate of moves will make things better or worse has yet to be determined.  I just wish it would start from a basic question:

What do we want our high school graduates to know, do, and be like?