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Happy Thanksgiving: The Role of Public Schools

November 27, 2014 By Nancy Bailey Leave a Comment

Post Views: 3

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. It doesn’t have the hyperactivity of other holidays. And it isn’t dominated by one religion or another, although it certainly, for many, is religious. While there are certainly attempts to drag commercialism into the day, people, in general, seem to recognize it is a quiet time–simply to enjoy family and friends and to be thankful. And to eat good food.

Thanksgiving can be a lonely time. It can be a time where problems appear worse, when you look around and see other happy people and Thanksgiving, for you, is marred by illness or loss.

For children, the problems facing adults, that they share, are magnified.

  • What if, as a child, your parents are unemployed? Poverty affects everything you do.
  • How do you handle Thanksgiving when your loved one is not sitting at the table? Whether temporary or permanent, the loss of a loved one during the holidays is rough.
  • What if you are a child  and you don’t have a home? In America that includes 2.5 million children–one in thirty.
  • Around 21.6% of children in America are hungry every day.
  • Twenty-one percent of children from ages 9-17 have mental illness–nearly 5 million children.
  • If you are a child with disabilities and you aren’t getting help you need in school, a day away from school might be a good break, but next Monday the struggles all start again.

Public schools have a role to play with children who face insurmountable problems in their lives. Our schools could  be better places–bringing the community together. Families knowing other families and being able to view school as a place to bring others together would be the best goal.

For years, the central focus of public schooling has been on standards. Certainly, teaching content is important, but public schools are supposed to be more than that. They should be a beacon of light for children and families who seek solutions to their difficulties.

Isn’t it time for America to make public schools that care more about children and families?

 

 

Filed Under: Featured Tagged With: public schools, Thanksgiving

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Nancy E. Bailey Follow

Longtime LD reading teacher, and other SPED areas. Author, Ph.D. Ed. Leadership, Blogging for Kids, and Democratic Public Schools.

NancyEBailey1
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susanoha Susan Ohanian @susanoha ·
11h

Dept. of Libraries partners with Dept. of Corrections to provide over $42,000 in books to state correctional facilities https://libraries.vermont.gov/corrections_partnership

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nancyebailey1 Nancy E. Bailey @nancyebailey1 ·
17 Aug

Children must first learn reading is fun. Pushing phonics on young children means nothing if they can't connect it to the joy of reading. Jim Trelease knew the importance of reading aloud. His book holds the key.
https://nancyebailey.com/2022/08/17/reading-aloud-to-help-children-read-well-their-whole-lives/

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nicholasferroni Nicholas Ferroni @nicholasferroni ·
16 Aug

When you are trying to sell something that you know is not going to work… https://twitter.com/thehill/status/1558849930948534273

The Hill @thehill

.@GovDeSantis on recruiting veterans to the teaching field: "Our veterans have a wealth of knowledge and experience they can bring to bear in the classroom. [...] For too long, the requirements to be a teacher have been too rigid." https://trib.al/1bPu78k

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dey_project DEY.org @dey_project ·
1 Jul

The state of #recess in #america is horrendous. There are a few states where mandatory recess for K-8 have been achieved, but even there the minimum is too low. See @NancyEBailey1 post on recess: https://bit.ly/3bFyd6k.
#outdoorrecess #letthechildrenplay #playislearning

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plthomasedd Paul Thomas @plthomasedd ·
14 Aug

#jamesbaldwin

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