Higher Education for Every American

In his last State of the Union address, President Obama said,

And we have to make college affordable for every American.

And what most people heard was affordable. What I heard was every American.

Every American?

I’m totally for affordability. I will be paying my student loan until I’m 60 at the rate I’m currently going. Hopefully it will be faster since I’m trying to get as much toward it as I can on a regular basis. I have 2 kids- I’ve been saving for the possibility of higher education for each of them since before the first one was born. Most parents hope their kids get scholarships so that they won’t have to pay for college. I hope that my kids get scholarships so I can use that money I’ve saved to pay off my loans. (PS: if you are reading this and think that funding the 19 year old loans of a good teacher is worthwhile, email me posthaste.)

Let’s get back to every American.

1. Trade school is IMPORTANT. I have paid loads of money to men (mostly) and women who do some form of labor to help me with things that I can’t do myself. Electricians, plumbers, mechanics, movers, HAIR STYLISTS, the list goes on and on. These people are essential to my life. Please, for the love of all that is holy, do not tell those people to stop what they are doing and go to college. It takes serious education and *talent* to do those jobs and do them well. Can we just stop for a minute and appreciate what they do? They are not any less of a person for not going to college.
2. As an economics teacher, I have to address the economics of this proposal. And I’m not talking about the cost of everyone going to college. But the cost of everyone having a college degree. Think about the things that are economically most valuable in the world. Gold. Specific super fancy cars. Birkin bags – which were recently determined to be a better investment than gold or the S&P 500. Do you know why they’re special? Scarcity.

   

   This is an Hermes Birkin. They have waitlists of up to 15 years. They appreciate faster than gold. One can dream.

   Going to Harvard is special because it’s scarce. Not everyone can go there. And while that will remain 100% true about the Ivies, that state university degree you hold just plummeted in value.

3. Europe- people, especially my own people, those damn liberals, like to talk about how education in European countries is free. And yes, that is true and it is AWESOME! But what people don’t like to talk about is tracking. America is supposed to be a land of opportunity. You can be whatever you want- or what’s what we’re told. In the majority of European countries, you can be whatever you want, as long as you pass a test demonstrating that you have a fairly high aptitude in that area. So while we talk about high stakes testing here in the US, Europeans have been dealing with it for years. So in the US, if you think your kid should be a doctor, you can send them to college on a pre-med track if you want to. In other countries, if they don’t pass the test, they don’t go. They don’t get that chance. There are some pros and cons to this situation, but I’m honestly not educated enough on the topic to do a blog post about it.

Should college be more affordable? Yes, definitely. But before we even discuss the money involved in making this a reality, we need to understand that a psychological overhaul of the entire US is necessary to make this happen.

A Lettter to My Sons

Dear Boys-

When you pouted because I had to go to work the other night, my heart broke a little. It does every time. But I need to share something important with you.

You don’t remember this, but when you were very small, I left for work before you woke up. After you spent the day at school or in daycare, I would pick you up around 5. We would go home and eat dinner, you would get a bath and go to bed. We would spend about two hours a day together. 30 minutes of those two hours were always the best part of my day because it’s the time I get to read to you and rub your back before you sleep.

Four years ago, I started a new job. Now I am either there when you go to school in the morning, or I am there when you get home depending on when I go lift weights. If I am not there, your dad is. I am there when you go to bed 5 nights a week, and those 30 minutes when we read are still the best 30 minutes of my day. Now I spend about 5 hours with you every day. That’s 3 more than we spent together before.

But you still complain when I have to go to work at night. So I want to tell you something.

I have an awesome job. As an online teacher, I’m bringing a class to students that wouldn’t otherwise fit into their day. This requires me to be available two nights a week- and during some weeks, I’m busy for the entire 2 1/2 hours of my nighttime office hours.

I love my job. It’s challenging and interesting and wonderful. I am pretty good at it, if you are to believe my enrollment numbers and the pass rates on the Advanced Placement exam.

As your mom, I’m also being a good role model to you. I am smart and I work hard. Women can do that, you know.

I also go and lift weights 5 days a week. Women can do that, too. That’s also being a good role model to you. Both of you boys are strong. But I can still do more push ups than you. You might be able to do more pull ups, but not for long. I can run further than you can. This might sound silly to you, but it wasn’t long ago that I couldn’t do that. You don’t remember, but I can show you pictures of what that looked like.

Tomorrow night, when you pout about how I’m going to work, remember this. I love you. I’m doing this for you. Because education makes the world a better place. Because I like my job, and I made a commitment to do it at a certain time and honoring commitments is part of being a good member of society. And when I’m not there when you go to school in the morning, consider how much you love to run and play. Lifting weights is playtime for me. I need some time to play, too. It makes me a better mama- and I’ve always wanted to be a better mama.  I am showing you through my actions that women can do anything. It doesn’t seem to matter that this is 2015 and we should all know this. So I’m showing you every day how strong I can be and why working hard – even if you fail –  is important.

Lastly, you are learning independence. It’s hard as a mom to let you do that. Think about your friends with mamas that don’t let them do anything. You need to be able to do things for yourself. It’s an important skill and not everyone has it.

You’re not going to understand this now. But that’s ok. I get to spend more time with you than I used to, and I remember how much harder it used to be. And no matter how much time we spend together, either a lot or a little,
I love you a million,
The Best Mom You Ever Had

My Values Are Being Tested

Value 1: If you want your kid to go to a good school, be a good part of the school community.

We sold our house in a good school zone. We may have jumped the gun, as now my husband doesn’t have another job and we’re not moving anywhere, well, we are, to another residence in the same area.

Except that we didn’t jump the gun because our savings is now the money we made off of the house, which we may need if my husband can’t find another job. My teacher’s salary only goes so far- especially when you have 2 boys who have decided to grow out of their clothes and shoes and need the food to sustain that growth.

Currently we’re in a short-term rental and the school zone we are in isn’t very good. Instead of staying there and not going through the hassle of moving, we’re moving. So I’m not upholding this value of working toward making a mediocre school a better school. In fact, we are going to move to an excessively tiny apartment in order to keep our oldest at his middle school and our youngest at a neighboring school. Which are good schools, even if I’m not involved in them.

Value 2: experiences are more important than things.

Last night, I cried many tears over the fact that we didn’t even have to move furniture in order to put up the Christmas tree in our old house. In the apartment that appears to be the place we’re moving, we won’t even have room for a Christmas tree.

A Christmas tree brings a new paradox to the experience/things value. It’s both. I mean, you can celebrate Christmas without it, but I love a good tree. It’s part of the experience.

This apartment is like living in New York at a quarter of the price but without the good restaurants, shopping, and culture. The front door opens to the sidewalk, 3 feet from the street. There is no porch. It is small. I feel confident that when I get out of our queen size bed in the morning, my knees will hit the wall.

It’s so small, we’re looking into building lofts. For everyone. Luckily, we like to do woodworking stuff and we like it more the more that we do it. There’s such an awesome feeling of accomplishment when you build something.

I’ve always wanted to have one of these!

So this value, experiences, not things- is being tested. But I think I’m coming out on top. We’ve chosen a small apartment in the school area we prefer for the boys. It’s about $350 less per month than all other rentals we have looked at. And we’ve discussed going on vacation over Christmas so we don’t have the sad lack of tree hanging around. But this apartment is smaller than the finished basement at our old house. And I’m struggling with that.

Experiences: better schools, vacation together… instead of a bigger house/apartment for our things.

Right now, I’m 1 and 1. Every win counts. Can’t let the haters- and by haters, I mean myself – get me down.

10 Ways You Can Help Your Community in 10 Minutes or Less for $10 or Less

As long as I can remember having a conscience, I can remember caring about 2 things:

1. Equal rights
2. Education

They’re kind of tied together, you know?

The schools in your community need your help. I would bet that you drive past one on your way to work, shopping, the gym, whatever. Next time you drive by, if you don’t remember the name of that school, take note of it. You’re going to need it for what comes next.

Here are 10 things you can do for that school. That school is one of the building blocks of your community. It’s important. The better the kids do in school, the better your community is. That is a fact, my friends. You can do the following 10 things in 10 minutes or less. 

1. The next time you are in a store, buy a pack of pencils, paper, markers, whatever. The next time you pass that school, drop that thing or things off in the office. You can literally park in front of the school, run in, leave. 2 minutes. Maybe. If it’s a high school, tell them it’s for a government teacher. Or English teacher. Or English as a second language teacher. Or whichever teacher you want. If it’s an elementary school, tell them its for a 3rd grade teacher. Or whichever grade you liked the best. Put a note with it saying it’s from someone that supports their work.

   

   Do you know how much it delights teachers to get new supplies mid year? Kids have killed their back to school supplies and teachers are buying out of their own pockets at this point.

2. In a store again? Pick up a box or two of granola bars. Drop them at the office. Tell them it’s for kids who need them. Trust me, they know who those kids are.
3. Noticing that it’s winter and you have a ton of hats that you have gotten as giveaways? Maybe your friend is learning how to knit and you now have 18 scarves. Pick 2-3 out and take them to the school. Again, tell them it’s for kids who need them.
4. Drop by the school and ask them if they’re having a fundraiser. Buy something.
5. Drop by the school and give the PTA $10. The PTA often buys most of the things that the “extra” classes need- art supplies, gym equipment, music equipment.
6. At a book store? Buy a book. If you had a favorite as a kid, buy that one. Books are timeless. And if the school already has it, a lot of times schools use books as rewards for things like good attendance and good behavior.
7. Find out if your place of employment can donate something. Super relevant if you work at a place that has food on offer because schools often need to lure parents to events with food. Especially low-income parents. Maybe your place of employment keeps tickets to a local sports team – see if you can get a pair to donate to the school for an auction.
8. Check to see if the school has an auction. Donate something.
9. Cut those stupid box tops from things. You don’t have to do anything special with them, just drop them off at the office when you collect some. Every school collects these and they’re worth $0.10 each. 
10. Free, but more time consuming than 10 minutes. Sorry. If you have a schedule that allows it, ask if you can volunteer. Maybe you don’t have to work until 9. Could you help direct traffic in the parking lot once a week? Maybe you get out of work at 2. Direct traffic after school. Maybe your work gives you paid volunteer time off? See if you can do something in the library. Or maybe help in the lunchroom. Maybe working with kids isn’t your jam, and that’s cool, because it totally isn’t for everyone- ask if there’s something you can repair. I promise you, everyone at that school is overworked. If you can give a professional staff member the tiniest break, that’s more time and energy they have for kids.