THE GOOD
- My daughter graduating with a great scholarship and lots of great experiences
- Being a part of Farmer Elementary from the time it opened, and being part of shaping a school's culture and success.
- Dealing with a board that was made up mostly of people who cared deeply about the students, teachers, and staff of JCPS.
- Being allowed to be heard whenever I requested to speak in front of the board.
- The ability to choose the schools my daughter attended
- Having the opportunity for my daughter to develop her art skills.
- The many dedicated teachers and staff who assisted my daughter and our family.
- The kindness of my daughter's bus driver during high school
- Watching students stand up for themselves on LGBTQ issues, gun violence, police brutality, and more.
- Seeing teachers and activists passionate for the well-being of minority students
- Being represented by Chris Brady
- The uniformly excellent print reporting and WDRB internet reporters on JCPS, including Toni Konz, Mandy McLaren, Olivia Krauth, and Kevin Wheatley.
- Meeting energized community members, JCPS staff, and parents.
- Having my daughter surrounded by students of all different races, creeds, and economic backgrounds and making friends that were far more diverse than I could have ever hoped for in my own experience.
THE BAD AND THE UGLY
- My slow awakening to my own internal biases that often made me less of an advocate than I assumed I was
- Me allowing a lack of trust to bleed over to people who should have been trusted
- Me annoying journalists with conspiracy theories, questions, and requests for assistance
- Me calling out journalists' motivations and work unfairly
- Watching continual attacks on teachers, unions, and public education by people who have no interest in making things better
- Watching local news stations (with the exception of WDRB) mostly ignore education reporting unless something juicy comes up, and not giving the journalists assigned to education the time or permanence of assignment to develop relationships and report in depth stories.
- Watching parents, students, faculty, alumni, and legal counsel hired by JCPS excuse the racist comments and harassment of a principal and seeing JCPS allow him to remain in the classroom during an investigation that didn't address the complaints
- Watching local business organizations and community leaders provide lukewarm support for JCPS at best, while continually calling for efforts to undermine the system.
- Watching Superintendents concerned more about pleasing the community's elite than the families they serve
- Matt Bevin
- Betsy DeVos and Donald Trump
- The Kentucky GOP and politicians who sponsor bills they don't even understand
- Private school parents attacking JCPS who clearly have no clue what they're talking about.
Okay, this is a short list that could probably be expanded. But I'm tired, which brings me to something that is either good or bad, depending. on your perspective.
I'm stepping back from things for awhile. I've lost perspective on why I started to advocate years ago, and I'm tired. My daughter graduated and I'd rather help those who are currently in the system fight for what they want and need than impose my will and ideas on them. My emotional investment has not always been healthy in this and after two really awful years personally and globally, I'd like to find my sense of humor and kindness again. I'll still tweet. I'll still be a part of the policy committee (if they'll have me), and I'll always advocate for JCPS and public education. But it's time for me to move my primary mental focus elsewhere.