I'll Accept the Blame.

About six years ago, I received an invitation from our school district to volunteer for the redistricting committee. We were changing from 11 elementary schools to ten. A lot of children would be forced to change schools. I thought about what a difficult challenge that would be. I expected a lot of unhappy parents making major changes like that. I was reluctant to fill out the form. I put it down, probably hoping not to pick it back up to it until it was to late to join. Then I opened up an envelope from the Boy Scouts. It was my approval as a merit badge counselor for Citizenship in the Community. Great, I thought. How can you teach young men to be active citizens unless you lead through example? I mailed in my application to the school district. A couple of meetings into the process, we picked co-chairs. I volunteered again. I thought to myself how a lot of people were going to be upset and how they would blame me. I was prepared to shoulder that blame. Things went much better than I had expected. In fact, very few people were upset. I believe this was due to the great parents on the committee. I think most community felt we did the best we could.
Serving on the school board was a little different. You get lots of credit and blame for things for which you have little or no control. Such is the nature of school board service. I could make a list a mile long: your school doesn’t have a pool or tennis courts, your daughter got cut from cheerleading, AP Chemistry is not offered this semester, there’s not enough parking, etc. You learn to live the complaining. Recently I saw some old complaints renewed about my service on the board. This disappoints me. They weren’t appropriate years ago and continue to cast a negative image about our schools. Having written that, let me say to anyone who wants to blame for something they don’t like about their teacher, their school or our district. Go ahead; blame me, if this gives you some comfort. I willingly accept the blame. I just have one request. Afterwards, get on with your life. Stop clinging to your excuses! Support your teacher, your school, your school board, yours school district and your community.