My Letter to the Editor

 "Trump's decision to close the Department of Education reveals a deeply shortsighted approach to the future of American education. The DoE serves as a crucial institution that provides federal oversight, ensures equal access to education, and addresses disparities in funding across different states and districts. By pushing for its closure, Trump disregarded the vital role that federal support plays in addressing these systemic inequalities.

One of the department's primary functions is to distribute funding for public schools, particularly in underserved communities. Closing this department will disproportionately affect low-income students, who rely on federal grants and assistance for their education. Trump's proposal also overlooks the department's role in enforcing civil rights laws in schools, which help ensure that all students, regardless of race, gender, or disability, receive an equitable education. Without such protections, minority and disadvantaged students would likely face further marginalization.

Furthermore, the DoE fosters research and policy development, promoting innovation and improvements in educational practices. Trump's carelessness in closing the department will stifle progress and limit the nation's ability to adapt to changing educational needs in the digital age.

Eliminating the Department of Education is not only an imprudent political move but also a direct threat to the well-being of future generations. Education is the backbone of a thriving democracy, and dismantling the federal support that ensures its accessibility and quality would have had lasting, negative consequences for the nation's future."

 

Kansas

Kansas

1992/2021

I think I was in Kansas in 1992.  I was an assistant principal at a high school and my Science Olympia team won first place in the PA state competition.  Now we were competing at the national level and the content was here in Kansas. We finished somewhere in the top ten.  I was proud of them.  But I do not remember anything about this state.  And in hindsight, maybe I was in Kansas City, MO.  Maybe I wasn't in KS.

In 2021, I drove through Kansas while driving historic Route 66.  Among other stops, I wanted to make a stop at a local brewery.  I have a goal to visit a brewery in every state.  But during my ride through Route 66, I didn't find any damn breweries.  So I had to make a point of coming back through this state on the way home from this journey.

Three weeks later, I drive through Topeka, KS and did find a place, The Blind Tiger Brewery. The beers were great and my brisket sandwich was delicious.  I felt content with this find and was just about to move on with my long drive back to Philadelphia.  

But then I googled "Topeka" to see if there was anything I was missing and discovered that I was just a mile away from the Brown v Board of Education Museum.  I couldn't believe it.  I spent my career as an educator and this case was the basis of all of our decisions.  This case was monumental and I was right in the back yard of this infamous school.  I just couldn't believe it.  So I drove over there and walked those hallways and I had chills.  And I will always remember Kansas for as long as I live.

Life-Changing Moments

Life-Changing Moments

I’ve had more spectacular moments than others. I’ve had an abundance of great opportunities. I’ve had very profound events that shaped who I am.

• Ø      Becoming an aunt- December 1980- I have 16 nieces and nephews and 6 great nieces and nephews.
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• Ø     Earning my master’s degree- May 1981- Med- Secondary Counseling
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• Ø    Becoming a guidance counselor- August 1981- Loyalsock High School, Williamsport, PA- I loved every minute of that job.  I was a counselor here and at Jenkintown High School as well.
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• Ø  Traveling to India- Spring 1994- what a magical place: the people, the colors, the smells, the food, the poverty, the gold, the rich people, the buildings.  It is sensation overload for me every time I go to India.
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• Ø  Traveling to Thailand- July 1992- This was my first trip to Asia and it was so different from anything I have ever seen.
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• Ø  Taking the blind kids to church- 1966- Overbrook School for the Blind, Philadelphia, PA- I took the kids there to church on Sundays when I was in 6^th grade.  It’s hard to feel sorry for yourself when you surround yourself with people who have more challenges than you and they aren’t complaining.
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• Ø  Traveling to Italy- April 1973- This was my first trip abroad and the wanderlust bit me in the ass.
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• Ø  Becoming a high school principal- July 1992- Stroudsburg High School, Stroudsburg, PA- There were moments when I wasn’t sure if I was going to graduate from high school.  So sometimes it overwhelmed me to think that I would become a high school principal.  I never minimized the importance of my responsibilities.
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• Ø  Taking up kayaking- September 2004- I’ve wanted to do this for years but I was always too afraid, I decided to face my fears and do this before I hit 50 years old.
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• Ø  Reading JD Salinger- 1972- He is my favorite author and I have read his works over and over and over again. After I started to read him, I started to read on a regular basis.
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• Ø  Starting college at Brandywine Junior College in Wilmington Delaware- September 1973- I never thought I was smart enough to go to college.  Starting was a big step and I continued to earn a BS, an MEd and a DEd.
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• Ø  Transferring to Penn State University- January 1975- I loved my time at Penn State.
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• Ø  Being a Girl Scout- 1964 to 1966- I learned how to give back to others during this time.
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• Ø  Traveling to China to teach for the World Academy for the Future of Women at Sias University- Spring semester 2012- This time was the longest time I have ever spent in one country.  I left with a much better understanding of the people and the culture.
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• Ø  Retiring from education after 30 years- July 2010- I have so much damn freedom.
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• Ø  Losing 50 pounds- 2010-2011- I have new-found mobility.

A Classroom- Haiti

A Classroom

Salvation Army Elementary School

Jamel, Haiti

Summer 2013

The conditions in this classroom are dreadful.  The environment defies all good teaching practices.  There is no electricity so there is only natural light.  Ventilation is limited. So, at times, it is ungodly hot.  It is often mosquitos infested which makes it most unpleasant.  Most of the desks are broken.  The bench are narrow and uncomfortable.  The blackboard is so old, it can no longer retain any chalk so the board is virtually useless.  There are no books, paper or pencils.  The teachers are undereducated and under paid.  The outhouse filters in stenches of urine. Street traffic drowns out much of the instruction.  And kids do everything they can to come to this school because it is their only chance out of poverty.

Education is the Key of Success for a Better Life.

Education is the Key of Success 

for a Better Life 

Foreign Language Institute
Jamel, Haiti
Sunday, July 14, 2013


I am spending the day at the Foreign Language Institute where students of all ages come to learn English.  It is exam day and tension fills the air.  Pending the results of today’s exams, some students will be allowed to discard their green tee shirts, the symbol of a beginner, and start to wear an orange tee shirt as a statement of their proficiency with English. Written on the cover of the exam was a message. “The FLI wishes you all the best and good luck!  Do not forget that Education is the key of success for a better life.  Whoever white, black, yellow, you are, and you can only have a better life with Education. Let trust in the almighty GOD!”