I hate being mentioned in the same sentence as “education reform” unless it’s at the book-ends of the phrase “does not believe in.” I hate being mentioned much to begin with, but to be mentioned as someone who believes in some sort of ed-reform is almost insulting, because the ed-reform has become ed-deform and teachers have been relegated to the op-ed / response sections of major newspapers. Rather than responding, we ought to fight for the front of the line. My leadership style is usually not so forward, but I honestly believe we as educators (and I mean all types of educators) need to push for the new, the creative, the awesome, the passionate, and … the original.

We can’t be the responders anymore. We have to seek the new narrative. However we do it, we can’t always be the respondents, but the point people. Let’s push for that. We have to get much higher.

Jose, who knows we can do better.