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“Your letter to parents dated August 20 was shared with me yesterday by one of our
principals. What an outstanding letter! Thank you for voicing so well the concerns we
all share and the priorities you intend to keep! It was inspiring!”
Rob Glass, Superintendent, Bloomfield Hills Schools, Bloomfield, Michigan
“I applaud the letter that you sent to your parents about the real priorities in
education. I am a music educator, and I have watched every subject take a back seat
to ELA and Math, children reduced to their test scores, and teachers forced into a
preset teacher mold with no room for innovation. I actually attended a professional
development session that referred to all non-ELA and -Math subjects as ‘feeder
subjects’ for ELA and Math. I could not agree more with you!!! Thank you for your
courage, clarity, and eloquence in a time that is so muddled and needlessly
complex!”
--Buster Harris, Mississippi
“I believe that your email inbox may be filling quickly as your parent letter is being
shared throughout our nation. Since I am also an educator, I know that we don’t work
with children for the purposes of extrinsic rewards, much less the simple ‘thank you’
that actually do make a difference. Since we are all taught to insure that our students
receive praise for any great deed, I wanted to pay it forward to you as well…Your
parent letter is deeply appreciated, as it speaks to what most arts teachers have
been saying all along. As budgets dwindle, and researchers continuously try to find
‘efficient’ ways to close the perceived gaps, it has been common knowledge that
priorities have shifted away from your (and our) viewpoint of the complete learner. I
often say to parents ‘as a teacher, I am charged with seeking new ways to reach
students – to learn better techniques when I can; however, I find it quite ironic that
the great inventors, the great thinkers, and the great businessmen of our nation were
taught by a system of education that emphasized basics, arts, and community
learning, yet we as a nation are moving further and further away from that model.
And – many of the directors of this movement ARE products of that same system.’ I
apologize for the diatribe. I did, however, want to thank you for acknowledging the
vital components of a true education. While you may obviously receive conflicting
viewpoints for your stance, I sincerely hope that there will be overwhelming support.
You have mine, at least. My bigger wish is that other leaders in education may heed
your words.”
--Richard A. Bacz, Director of Bands/IB Music, Alexandria, VA
“Great letter sent to your parents and community regarding what matters most in
your school district. Thank you for having the courage and disposition for doing so.”
--Dr. Ken Jerich, Professor Emeritus, Urbana
