Tuesday Talking Points~Edit

Hello Readers!  I'm going through one of those times when my real life and my blog life collide.  Postings will be sparse until the stars in  my universe align again.   ~RedEye

This is the United States Senator representing Alabama  I wish we had instead of the United States Senator we have.

Retired Public Educator, former State Representative/Senator and former AEA State President Gerald Waldrop writes one of the best explanations in defense of public education and educators I've read so far.  Snipet:

Regression in public education, by rabid, right-wing Republican loonies, was put in motion when newly elected members of the Alabama Legislature were called into Special Session by out-going Governor Bob Riley shortly after the General Election of November 2, 2010.  On surface, the Session was called (with the approval of incoming Governor Robert Bentley) to enact "Ethics" Reform but the hidden agenda was to kill the reliable "Keeper of the Gate" for Public Education in Alabama, AEA.

This was done by repealing the Dues Check-Off Law of 1983, thus dramatically reducing the ability of the Alabama Education Association to protect and promote public education - its students and the employees who serve them.  Contrary to portrayals by the media, public education enemies and their political allies,  AEA was never Paul Hubbert and Joe Reed.  They were hired hands with good guns who represented their members well and thus public education.

It is rare al.com, Pultzer Prize winner columnist Joey Kennedy and I disagree, disagree with  his criticism of State Rep. Mary Moore (D. Birmingham)  for "bringing a racial motivation" into the discussion regarding the the republican majority legislature's Alabama School Accountability Act (gag).  Commenter Car54 said it best:

Rep. Moore was responding in anger to the realities of this bill. Bottom line is that the bill takes tax money out of the public school system in Alabama (white kids, black kids, Hispanic and other minority kids) and puts the tax money into the private schools in Alabama that are nearly 100% white. "In my book that's a racist policy."

 Blast from the past re-post, A RedEye Rant about whining and complaining

 This is exactly why I didn't want an African American President, I knew if black folks dared complain we would be accused of wanting preferential treatment and be told to stop whining because America is post racial. *Snark*

Today's Must Read
An Apology to Jesse Jackson 

 As much as I hate to admit it, Jackson got it right when he accused Obama of “talking down to Black people.” Everyone, including myself, eviscerated him for making the comment and accused him of being jealous of Obama. How can we forget when Obama spoke at the Congressional Black Caucus dinner a couple years ago and told Blacks to “stop complaining?” Obviously, Jackson saw something in Obama early that the rest of us missed. Now, we are paying the price for it, especially Blacks.

Read On!  Read Often!