The Omen Was Adapted For A Children's Book??

The Consequences of Voting Your Conscience

Are the left-leaning #neverhillary voters really that surprised by today’s SCOTUS decision? Aren’t Supreme Court rulings like these (not to mention Gorsuch’s nomination/confirmation) EXACTLY what Clinton supporters warned them about? Before the election, I asked anti-Clinton lefties how their decision to not vote for her wasn’t merely showing their privilege PRECISELY because of potential decisions like this (or the Colorado bakery decision) and their effect on marginalized communities. So, today, again, I ask them how the real-world implications of this administration make them feel about their protest vote?

Vinyl 15: 3-7

Today’s lesson from the Gospel of Vinyl:

"Which of you, if you had one thousand records, and lost one of them, wouldn't leave the other nine hundred ninety-nine on the shelf, and go after the one that was lost, until you found it? When you have found it, you carry it on your shoulders, rejoicing. When it’s back on the turntable, you call together your friends, your family and your neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my record which was lost!' I tell you that even so there will be more joy in my house over recovering one record, than over nine hundred ninety-nine righteous records that need no rescuing."

Talking About the Space Between Us

It’s been nice to see Sen. Sanders on TV talking about issues that Democrats should focus on in order to win this November – Universal Healthcare, raising the minimum wage, forgiving student debt, and making our public colleges and universities free.  And I agree with him that Americans care more about these things than the latest Trump scandal du jour.  

But, I can’t help thinking that if Sanders really cares about Democrats winning, then he should change party affiliation and become one!  

Wouldn’t that simple act of good faith go a long way toward unifying the progressive and centrist factions within our party?  

After all, he’s already sought the Democratic Presidential nomination once (and may again), so if he really wants Dems to follow him, then he needs to get in there and lead the way by fighting from within the party, not without.

NAEP Progress

Good news, everyone! 

Despite the false claims pushed by so-called education reformers (elites who would love nothing but to bust up teachers unions and starve our public schools of funding in order to privatize them), our public school students in 8th grade have slowly but steadily been making improvements in reading on the NAEP over the last 20 years, especially when you disaggregate for race. (For reference, ten points is generally considered about 1 grade level.

Gain in average scores, 1998-2017 Public schools, Grade 8 reading, NAEP:

All students: 4.67 points

White students: 5.49 points

Black students: 6.34 points

Hispanic students: 13.17 points

Asian/Pacific Islander students: 20.00 points

Sadly, our mainstream media are not allowed to discuss these improvements because it contradicts the reform movement’s scripts about our failing educational system. Chomsky called it “manufacturing consent,” the practice of selective and/or inaccurate presentation in which the public is led to believe a preferred outlook favored by elites.

Even sadder still, folks of all political stripes end up not knowing about these significant successes.

Wordz & Thingz

Thanks to Falling James for writing an incredible feature article on The Thingz for the latest LA Weekly!

We appreciate the love, and it's certainly mutual.

Thoughts on Thoughts and Prayers

I’m all for thinking and praying, but is that the best way to affect positive change in this country?

I’m sure some of our founding fathers thought and prayed for independence, but is that the only thing they did? Dr. King publicly thought and prayed for equality, but is that the only way the Civil Rights and Voting Rights Acts passed? I’m pretty sure plenty of slaves prayed for emancipation, but is that how they ultimately won their freedom? (As Frederick Douglass put it, “I prayed for twenty years but received no answer until I prayed with my legs.”)

Conservatives like to talk about American Exceptionalism, but do Thoughts and Prayers make us exceptional, or do our nation’s Ideals and Actions? Sadly, as of late it seems one of the most exceptional things about us is the growing number of mass shootings we have compared to other developed countries. (Japan and the UK could even call us a “shithole” country when it comes to gun violence if they wanted.)

Most Americans would agree that the founding document of our country is quite exceptional, but how are Thoughts and Prayers alone going to sufficiently ensure our Rights to Life and Liberty enshrined therein? Doesn’t the Declaration say that our government was created specifically to protect those Unalienable Rights, since they’re given to every human being from God?

How can a person's Right to Bear Arms supersede Rights endowed by our Creator? Why is someone’s freedom to kill with a gun more important than someone’s freedom to live without being shot?

I wonder if Americans will ever learn to love each other more than we love our guns… How much more blood must be spilled before we realize we’re making a suicide pact with the gun lobby every time we offer our Thoughts and Prayers with no action?

Yes. Think and Pray. Then fight the NRA.

It's Unanimous!

I think everyone can agree, left, right, center, Democrat, or Republican (and ESPECIALLY Repubs who talk about "wasteful government spending"), that if 45 really wants to honor our troops, any federal money used for a military parade would be better spent on our veterans, especially our homeless and disabled heroes who have served our country so bravely.

Happy New Year!

If you sing "The Hokey Pokey" at 151 BPM tonight at exactly 11:59:51, you'll "turn yourself around" right as the clock strikes midnight. Start your new year right because "that's what it's all about!"

Betting on the House

Proceed with caution - Pollyanna post ahead!

It's not a done deal!!

Yes, the Senate voted last night along party lines for their version of the tax bill, but the House passed a different version, and (as I'm sure you know) the House and the Senate have to agree on the SAME bill. In other words, the House still has to agree to the exact version the Senate passed in order for 45 to sign it into law, and that almost NEVER happens. More likely, it will go to committee next week where the House will try to hammer out the differences between the two bills.
 

It might also be helpful to keep in mind that all House members will be up for reelection next year, so if they do what they've traditionally done and make the bill WORSE, their constituents, whom will bear the brunt of the cuts (to Medicare, for example,) will wise up and vote them out of office next year, especially if Dems effectively hang this crappy plan around Repubs' necks leading into the 2018 midterms.

But if enough people call their House Member on Monday and tell them to vote against this bill, we could still stop this thing from ever getting to 45's desk...

There's still hope!!

Doubling Down on W

Maybe I've missed something, but in the past year, whenever I've heard liberals/moderates mention George W. Bush, it seems like they're ruefully pining for the "good ol' days" of his presidency (which is somewhat understandable given the lunacy of 45).

But with Republicans poised to pass their horrendous tax plan, are any libs/mods bringing up what happened when Bush tried this same thing?

Have we already forgotten that his tax cuts contributed to the biggest recession since the Great Depression?

Remember, W inherited a surplus, and his tax cuts (along with two wars and a Medicare expansion) tanked the economy to the point that it took Obama 8 years to right our economic ship.

Are we really on the verge of doing this again?

Take a Knee

I’ve never been much of a fan of the NFL.

The culture of violence (both on and off field) and toxic masculinity (not to mention all the brain damage from CTE) were too much for this sports fan, but after seeing so many patriotic displays of protest from so many players around the league today (in response to 45 calling them “SOB’s,”) I may have to reconsider my boycott and start watching!!

More Cowbell

Last night, while I was BBQ'ing in my backyard, someone walking down the alley shouted, "Let's hear some DRUUUUUUUUUUMS!"

Facetious or not, I'll take it!

To Sir, With Dove

Today, I felt really touched when, for the first time in almost 20 years of teaching, I received a present on the first day of school.

Just not sure how I should feel about the fact that it was a bag with two bars of Dove soap and a stick of deodorant in it...

Now I can't stop singing, "Don't stand so, don't stand so, don't stand so close to me..." :D

"When You're Used to Privilege, Equality Feels Like Oppression"

10 Things Every White Teacher Should Know When Talking About Race

Excellent points to consider...
 

Dental Dharma

Yesterday, lying in the dentist’s chair, while the hygienist busily scraped, scratched, and prodded around in my mouth with his pointy metal tools, I realized something:

It was a great time to try meditation.

How else does one calmly and confidently allow a stranger with sharp, spiky objects to poke about in one of the most sensitive parts of our bodies? 

If there’s another way BESIDES deep breathing to help quell the suspicion that, with one minor slip, it could get all stabby and bloody up in my gums, I’m all ears.

Otherwise, it’s inhale, exhale for me.  Like yoga at your dentist.

Without all the farting. :)

Aspiring to the "Love Ethic"

Could I be this magnanimous if my daughter were killed by a Nazi? I don't know...

"Despite her pain, [Heather's mother] said she doesn’t want people to hate [the Nazi]. It isn’t what her daughter would have wanted, she said.

“Our daughter did not live a life of hate, and hating this young man is not going to solve anything. . . . It’s not that I think he should go unpunished for his crime. But hate only engenders more hate, and there’s no purpose in hate,” Bro said. “Heather’s life was about — passionately about — fairness and equality and caring, and that’s what we want people to take away from this.”

This heart-rending story reminds me that the 'love ethic,' espoused by moral greats throughout history, is not simply inspirational, but still largely aspirational, since we don't instinctively function in the way it prescribes.

Are There Nazis?

Yes, Virginia, there are Nazis.  They exist as certainly as hate and animosity and devolution exist, and you know that they abound and take from this world its highest beauty and joy.  Alas!  How wonderful would be the world if there were no Nazis.  It would be as wonderful as if there were never an Adolph Hitler.  There would be faith in mankind then, poetry, and romance to make celebratory this existence.  We should have enjoyment, except in bigotry and prejudice.  The eternal light with which love fills the world would not be extinguished.

Jury Duty

"Tell them, 'No matter what you say, the police are always wrong!' Just repeat that, and you're good to go!" - overheard conversation between two (potential) jurors.

I understand not wanting to serve. It's inconvenient and time-consuming. A beautiful day blossoms outside, as I sit inside, bored on my phone...

But if we use strategies like the one espoused above to get out of jury duty, should we really be surprised when cops who shoot unarmed citizens are constantly being acquitted?

2017 Promotion Remarks

Good morning,

My name is Mr. Cordero, and it’s been my pleasure to be Room 51's fifth grade teacher.  This year we learned a lot:  language, art, math, science, history, technology, music, but it’s my hope that the life lessons learned in my class will be what my students remember for the rest of their lives.  My emphasis was on the three E’s:  Effort, Empathy, and Excellence. 

Two quotes that we learned about effort are “Nothing will work unless you do” and “Whether you believe you can or believe you can’t, you are absolutely right.”  Both of these have the message that you get out what you put in, not just at school but in life.  We may not always feel like it, but as Muhammad Ali said, "Don't quit.  Suffer now and live the rest of your life like a champion."

This year we read a book called “Wonder” about a boy with a cranial facial difference who goes to school for the first time and has to endure not just being the new kid at a public school but also the teasing and taunting of bullies due to his appearance.  One quote from the book that really spoke to us was, “When given the choice between being right and being kind, choose kind.”  In other words, kindness is a choice we all have.  And sometimes in life, it’s the most difficult choice to make.  But if we choose to be just a little “kinder than necessary,” someone, some day may recognize the face of God in us.

Finally, we learned about excellence.  We all want to be great in life.  And the wonderful thing is, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. taught us how.  He said, “Everyone can be great because everyone can serve.”  That means if you’re living your life for others, serving, you are already great.  I believe all my students are the greatest.

These are just three life lessons that I think are important.  Here to share her three life lessons is Marlene Ramirez.