Our political gridlock is creating a potentially disastrous future for the next several generations. And from my perspective things are getting a lot worse. Will we ever be able to extricate ourselves from the monstrous hole we are digging by our partisanship? Isn’t it our obligation to find middle ground in our positions to solve the huge issues of our day?
In the Sunday Mercury News, Internal Affairs reported that “the latest tiff erupted last week when San Jose Unified Trustee Leslie Reynolds sent an e-mail accusing .… Joseph Di Salvo of insulting ‘many hardworking Republicans, like myself, in education.’ Oddly enough, she was responding to a letter Di Salvo wrote urging lawmakers to put aside partisan bickering and work together to save schools…As far as IA could tell, the only hint of partisanship in Di Salvo’s letter was a reference to Rep. Mike Honda’s July 28 op-ed talking up a federal bailout. The column bore the headline, ‘Republicans don’t get why we need to save our schools.’”
I was dismayed and saddened by Leslie’s e-mail accusations and perplexed why she sent it out to 13 recipients. It is perhaps emblematic of what is happening in national and state politics. I think we can and must do better. I only had the utmost respect for my colleague from San Jose Unified who worked tirelessly on a task force with me supporting the successful January 2010 Charter School Summit.
In a recent column in the Sacramento Bee, by Dan Walters, “The Capital, however, is a structurally dysfunctional institution, and its chronic malaise is compounded by the political conditions of the moment.” I strongly believe good-intentioned people can disagree about positions, but must work arduously toward common ground solutions. One short-term solution would be for elected leaders to not fear the wrath of voters from the right or left and work toward the best bipartisan compromise that can be developed, then let the democratic electoral process decide one’s tenure in office.
Whether we politically lean to the left or right or cling to the center, we all have so many things in common. We all care deeply about the quality of life we are building for our children and the ensuing generations. Most of us have a strong desire to see that public education, preschool through graduation from college (P-16), is second to none. We want California’s children to perform at the highest of levels in standardized tests when compared to other states. We want to increase the high school graduation rate, while reducing the drop out rate. We want a society with little crime, drug abuse and homelessness. We want low taxes, abundant energy, clean air and water. It is also true that we see vastly different ways to achieve these aforementioned ends. Yet all the ends begin with a strong educational system.
A little more than two years ago I began my campaign for school board. Through hard work, teamwork, and strong community support I was able to win a seat, beating an incumbent and a third challenger. I was outspoken then about teaching, learning, and public education and I still am. I never wanted to play it safe in order to retain my seat or seek higher office. To me, the school board is a high office for which I was given this opportunity and privilege to serve.
When I seek reelection in November 2012, the voters in my trustee area will know full well my positions that have been documented on SJI since Dcember 2008. Whether they choose to check the box for Di Salvo or not, I will know in my heart that I gave my voice to the issues and problems for which I feel passionate and have some knowledge.
Our meetings are the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of each month. Each meeting begins at 5pm with an opportunity for public comment. All agenda items are on-line the Friday before each meeting at SCCOE.org.
DiSalvo enumerates some goals that we all agree on and I’ll not quibble with them. But then he goes on to presume that that we all agree that the only way to achieve these goals is with a “strong educational system”. This is where he goes off the rails and isolates himself from the thinking of conservatives. He and other liberals just can’t wrap their minds around the idea that people might not require a giant, centralized, government run “system” in order to be well educated. He’s not willing to open his mind to this concept- to even acknowledge it- and so the divisiveness lives on.
> Our political gridlock is creating a potentially disastrous future for the next several generations. . . . Will we ever be able to extricate ourselves from the monstrous hole we are digging by our partisanship?
Read no further.
It’s obvious where this is going.
Partisanship BAD; one party rule GOOD!
Especially when the one party rule is that of the wise, all-knowing, and entrenched Ruling Class.
Please have HQ send out a new memo with new code words. The old ones like “Ruling Class” and “Obamacare”, etc. are no longer useful. Your cover has been blown so new code words are needed.
> Please have HQ send out a new memo with new code words. The old ones like “Ruling Class” and “Obamacare”, etc. are no longer useful. Your cover has been blown so new code words are needed.
Commander Lockstep:
I’m sure the Ruling Class will put a nice treat in your supper dish for being such a reliable and loyal lemming.
Ooh, sharp response. Wrong, but sharp. I’m not “a reliable nor a loyal lemming.” I think for myself and I don’t need handlers to feed me the words to write. You should try it—you might like it.
> I’m not “a reliable nor a loyal lemming.” I think for myself and I don’t need handlers to feed me the words to write.
You are incorrect.
The Ruling Class advises me that you are, in fact, very loyal and reliable.
They wouldn’t lie about something like this.
How can that be true? They told me the same about you.
Commander: Okay, what do “Ruling Class” and “Obamacare” mean as code words? I’ve been patiently waiting to hear, but I must have missed that memo.
Maybe other SJ Insider fans want to know, too.
We all know that there are terms that signify meanings hidden behind facial definition, but what do those specified terms mean?
Cliché soufflé.
I had an interesting conversation with a retired local educator last week. He pointed to two problems hindering our children’s education.
First, he said teacher tenure makes it nearly impossible to get rid of non-performing teachers. “People make hiring mistakes,” he noted. “Tenure makes it very difficult to rectify those mistakes.”
More interestingly, he points to parents as the second problem. “If I send the kids home and the parents don’t do their part, the education system fails.”
So what are we doing to encourage parents to do their job in educating their children? This is why simply throwing more money at our education system won’t work. It’s a societal problem, not a system problem.
I get that you care, are a democrat, feel that partisanship is hurting core services like education, and that we need to do something to “fix things” or risk having this core service get even worse.
California’s political culture, partly based on Progressive Era reforms like Initiative, Referendum & Recall includes a novel system of local “non-partisan” political offices. Local party activists, however, keen to cultivate talent for higher office, turn each and every race into a partisan referendum as much as they can get away with. I agree that its a problem.
Bottom line, even the most diligent school boards can’t fix a broken system. Big infusions of cash don’t fix broken systems either (though it rarely hurts.) Some classrooms, schools and districts will always perform better than others…do in part to dynamic factors (parents move to higher performing districts, engage more with students and school, donate heavily to supplement limited state support, etc.)
When people objected to disparity, the court mandated solution was to pool and redivide property tax revenue so that all public schools regardless of location received the same base support. Didn’t fix the problem. Another fix was court ordered busing, which didn’t fix the performance problems, but did increase opportunities for some.
Now we have charter schools, home schooling, parochial and private schools more popular than ever and school districts still under performing.
I agree, this is a fundamental issue in a healthy democracy. Public schools, tap water, and public libraries are a real measure of how democratic we really are and what opportunities we afford others. Even while we expound on rags to riches stories, we continue to idolize Ivy League Elites above the common man with common sense. Abraham Lincoln wouldn’t stand a chance today. Neither would Andrew Jackson.
I think that as a community we can do better. Endowments and volunteerism can “double down” on our public education investments. It doesn’t matter how great UC Berkeley is if local SJ students can’t qualify for admissions. Same with SJSU. Change does not come from Washington, just dollars with fresh ink. We can and should start here, in our own town, and make the changes needed. It doesn’t matter if you don’t have school age children, a good school system is the best investment you can make in the communities current and future value.
Now to ruin the Cumbaya good feelings…power is meant to be used for the public good and not merely to protect the powerful. Public sector unions and allied law makers are not always part of solutions. If we can be honest about the obstacles, we can get real about solutions.
Blair,
Your post is very much on target and well said. We all must seek the truth, speak the truth and act cooperatively on the facts for which we agree. Our politics and schools are failing this generation of children and many that follow. The majority of the San Jose City Council agreed to the facts on pensions and voted to ask voters to agree or disagree with their position. To me, that is democracy at work in proper ways. Obfuscation of facts is a threat to our system of government. Yes, I am a Democrat and I am proud of that fact, however, by seeking the truth and speaking the truth I must try to seek common ground with those who dispute the facts as I see them. Schools are failing too many of our children for very complex and interrelated reasons. I have written over the last 1.5 years on solutions to each one of the complex issues. We can agree, disagree or seek common ground on areas of agreement. The point is we cannot sit idle and continue to grandstand from our respective political pulpits as we watch our empire crumble.
Today is my 59th birthday and I am honored to be part of SJI, the SCCOE Board of Education, a San Josean, and a leader who seeks common ground on moving the agenda on quality public education forward for All CA children. Character attacks do not work in middle school or in life. Let’s seek compromise now.
Joseph Di Salvo
> Character attacks do not work in middle school or in life. Let’s seek compromise now.
Joe DiSilvo is a fine human being.
Handsome, suave, educated, articulate, erudite.
Honest and ethical to a fault. I would trust him to hold my wallet, or baby-sit my eighteen year-old swimsuit model daughter.
He is a model son, kind to his mother, and to other human beings.
He is likewise kind to puppy dogs and kittens, and would never harm a flea.
Nonetheless, in spite of all his virtues and admirable qualities, he doesn’t know squat about running an education system.
Can’t we all get along?
Can we find common ground and agree that the public would be better served if he were a rocket scientist, a brain surgeon, or a bullfighter instead of a board member of the SCCOE?
Okay, I’ll be constructive. Regionalism can partially answer the failings and shortfalls of our current system.
It might be a county-wide mini-region, or maybe a couple of counties (greater silicon valley with San Mateo and Fremont thrown in.)
Take redundant operations like HR and pool them. Take teacher training and expand it. Offer flexibility where teachers can move around within region. Allow, encourage, and reward continuous improvement. The 12 month teaching credential is really about as in depth as the 90 day ROTC program, a fine crash course and just enough to get you into trouble.
Great teachers require mentoring. Great mentoring is not always available in small or blighted schools. Great a teaching academy to serve the entire region and encourage training and growth. Develop teaching resource libraries to help (lesson plans, hand outs, etc.) Have regular discussions on how to better teach the material, engage the parents and children and reach educational performance goals.
Then offer scholarships for district students to maintain high achievement levels (with the stipulation that they return to teach after college.)
Use the regional model for fun competitions from music, sports to science (robot wars.) Get sponsors and endowments to underwrite some of this. Raise the bar for ALL local schools. Add a vocational track with hands on technical skills as an alternative to continuation school. Make this a magnet program too.
Any of this sound interesting? Write your congressmember and suggest federal seed or matching money as Silicon Valley tools up to “reinvent” education.
> Most of us have a strong desire to see that public education, preschool through graduation from college (P-16), is second to none.
> We want California’s children to perform at the highest of levels in standardized tests when compared to other states.
> We want to increase the high school graduation rate, while reducing the drop out rate.
> We want a society with little crime, drug abuse and homelessness.
> We want low taxes, abundant energy, clean air and water.
Amusing!
We WANT all of these things for the simple reason that the current gang of clowns ISN’T delivering them.
In other words, Joe DiSalvo has thoughtfully listed all of the areas where the current education system is failing despite HIS decades of involvement, leadership, and efforts to make things better.
I think thirty years is probably enough time to decide that Joe is NOT the solution, but more likely, part of the problem.
Everyone from our Historic First Black President on down has spoken earnestly and often of the need to hold politicians and bureacrats accountable when they fail to deliver in their promises.
Perhaps it’s time for Joe to step aside and let someone else try their hand at addressing the enduring, unsolved problems that he has catalogued.
This is pretty simple. Get rid of the useless teachers unions, tenure, and in turn, dead wood teachers. Government run education has been the way education has been conducted for years and in case you haven’t noticed… IT DOESN’T WORK! The children we’re pumping out of K-12 these days are more and more dumb with each generation. Pretty soon, all you’ll need to get into college is a pencil.