When The "Shiny" Wears Off

But, Sweetheart, the Medieval Banquet was wonderful...

Although my days of dealing with Piedmont teachers and administrators are long behind me, my days of caring about children are ever present.  In fact, once your children have left the nest, it is then that you can examine and challenge the system without fear of repercussions. It’s no secret that Piedmont is a powerhouse of fundraising for the school district and my hat is off to the individuals who work so tirelessly to that end.  But, there are some things that a cocktail and your checkbook can’t solve.  Big things.  Difficult things. When your child is struggling and suffering in a system that everyone lauds as incredible, you wonder why it isn’t working for yours and you dare not say anything because it wouldn’t be…in vogue. That’s a lonely place to be.  I think there are many Piedmont parents who have had or are having this experience. It’s sad to see the “shiny” wear away from your child when they become disillusioned with their educational experience. Things also change for parents when your challenges for the day become more than cutting off the crust and juggling play dates.  And, before those of you in the crust-cutting/play-date juggling stage accuse me of belittling those tasks, keep in mind that I did all of those things and I did them wearing an apron and a girdle!  So, back off.  Let’s face it, things are usually pretty good in elementary school and then right around 8^th grade the rose-colored glasses start to come off.  I always felt there should be some sort of law that prevented a parent from weighing-in on any grade, K-12, unless their child has been through that particular grade.  I felt it would have eliminated the annoying pep-squad of parents whose children are still in kindergarten but who would lash you down with baling twine and use you as a hood ornament if you said anything negative about the PUSD. They posess a complete lack of perspective for middle and high school yet feel somehow qualified to judge those families whose experience of the PUSD is somehow different from their own elementary school bliss.  I don’t care which prestigious college issued your child development degree…If you haven’t been in the trenches, you have no perspective of said trench.  Period.  So, zip-it… until you’ve earned your stripes.  Enough with the “Golly, aren’t we a wholesome town” rhetoric and, the “Gee whiz, the medieval banquet makes it all worthwhile!” flim-flam. It’s irritating, irrelevant and the blind devotion isn’t the least bit helpful to a struggling bunch of kids or their parents. We’ve heard all about the rankings and test scores. We know Piedmont is beautiful and a great place to live.  But, there are tougher issue that could use some of the fierce and legendary Piedmont Pep-Squad energy .  Where is the task force that researches a student’s complaint or a parent’s concern?  The team that asks the hard questions of our teachers and administrators and demands answers? The system that rewards our good teachers and stops the excuse- making for the bad ones?   Why, in a community like this, would we be so complacent in this regard? We get all worked-up about defending the reputation of our schools but do little else, outside of fundraising, to improve the education experience for the child.  Why is it such taboo to talk about the shortcomings of our schools and the struggles that many children and parents face with them?  Our children count on us to be their advocates and instead of digging in deep, we rattle off a list of rankings, scores and statistics??  Good lord.  Do me a favor, when your child is in 10^th or 11^th grade and having a psychotic episode from the strain of a 7 hour homework load, just remind them of how terrific the medieval banquet was…and, let me know how that works out for you.