My State of the Union Address

My State of the Union Address

The other night I heard President Barack Obama give his “State of the Union” address for the first time of his second term. I voted for him both times, mainly because I was depending on him to change the climate of education in a positive direction. I truly believe he has made some gains at the national level. I also am passionate about the possibility of more significant gains that are necessary to propel our school systems to better levels of learning and leadership. Our future depends on it. 

He talked about renewable energy, higher education, and stimulating the economy of ghost towns. I have some simple solutions for him that I observed at our middle school. President Obama’s speech lit a fire under me because some things he spoke about are complicated but some are really easy and attainable in the near future. I rattled off several quick tweets the next morning.

 

 

The President talked about the declining price of solar energy. Instead of talk, he should have drafted a law stating that all new construction requires solar energy, period. Give energy tax breaks for the use of all renewable energy associated with new construction and retrofits. This will stimulate a few areas, mainly the statement that we are done talking about it and it’s time to require it. It is absurd that oil companies post a billion dollar profit per quarter while we struggle with the price of gas and home fuel, and we continue the ubiquitous landscape of local budget cuts in our schools. 

If you read my tweets, you’ll see that I mention eighth grade projects. Our STEM teacher has some remarkable units of instruction that have initiated some creative ideas. I highlighted them as I spoke to the entire school during an academic pep rally. Some of the projects were generators from drawers, doors, shopping carts, and toilet paper roll dispensers. And they all work! If eighth graders can do, I think government engineers can fine-tune the process and make them available for everyone.

In another tweet, I mention “over testing and under teaching.” Not only is this stifling some creative projects and topics of instruction but it wastes a lot of educational dollars. With the new common core, we are benchmarking and post testing anyway. Do not penalize us with wasting money on state testing at every grade level. Let’s stop talking about the endless possibilities and creative funding and start doing it. And by the way, the President didn’t respond or visit our school. 

 “If not us, who? If not now, when?” John F. Kennedy