Today is the first day of school for Metro Nashville Public Schools in Davidson County.
Today, August 1. Sixteen years we've been in the system, as Grace began autism
early intervention in the district's special education preschool program when
she was three. Sixteen ends of summer and sixteen starts of school.

I remember when the start of school was around August 23. At some point it
became August 15, approximately. Then around August 8. And then this and last
year, August 1. This is an official bitch protest to what our school district
is again doing wrong. Yes, in part, I am happy for another grueling summer of
diminishing autism early intervention services to roll into full time school.
But, this is about principle. And MNPS lacks principle. Seriously.

You see, Metro Schools gave parents a choice. We were asked to vote a few years
back on whether we wanted year-round school. We voted NO. In typical district
fashion? They did it anyway. Our fall and spring breaks are now a little more than two weeks,
providing tremendous scheduling issues for parents who work full time outside
the home. Last year, MNPS began offering intercession but left it up to each
school. So, not every student gets to attend every intercession. Teachers are
paid lousy (anyway) and less for intercession and have the perogative to opt
out. Paraprofessionals for "exceptional education"? They aren't paid
and EE has to be offered on the correct legal principle that you cannot offer
general education services and not special education services, as well. (Exceptional Ed
is the district's new powder puff term.)

And then, summers got shortened. School ends the next to last week of school,
barring an overload of snow days. That gave us, since we graduated and got out
mid May, a week early, two-and-a-half months of summer. Whatever. But on
principle? Going to school on August 1 (also think air conditioning, old
buildings, hot August Nashville) is plain wrong. And the biggest wrong is
asking parents to vote and doing it anyway. Typical, autocratic management.

I adore Nashville. (Tennessee, is another story and in part
for it's ranking at about 48 in education funding and bottom 10 in disAbility
services and the tea party attitude that rules our state.) In 20 years living
back here, our precious city has failed year after year to get it right in the
education department. So, as much as I disagree with our conservative
Republican state governor and his scary minion education secretary and even the
gone-south charter school compromises of our otherwise fabulous city mayor, I
get it. They are trying. Anything. Trying something to get our schools on a right
course. And I also get it why so many parents opt for private. We have an
over-abundance of private (and many parochial) schools in Nashville from our
sad days of white-flight post integration. A move from which we've never
recovered and whose scars run deep and ugly. Sad, too, because what if all
those parents and their monies stayed in the system to make it better? Think of
what it cost for that copper roof atop the metropolis of Ensworth high school
alone and how that kind of dough could help the public system for everybody.
This system, after all, is the future of us all. I agree, education is the
most important thing we can do….

There is a trend of active young parents remaining in Nashville and
remaining in the public system, it's exciting. We've good some new and very
promising blood on the school council. But each time parents and administrators
and school board members that care make a step forward, a highly political,
incompetent and autocratic, poorly run school system slaps us back 50 steps.
And me and my daughter? Well, when you have a severe disAbility? Public school
is your only choice. I believe in public schools but our choice stinks in an
otherwise rocking town.

Will Nashville ever get it right? Mayor Dean sure tried. Mayor Purcell
tried. But the system is so deeply political, so anti- Peabody Vanderbilt–an
incredible, top nationally leading teacher-training university, among other
exceptional programs–and so politically protective of UT and Tennessee State
alumni hiring turf, that we can't climb out of the political muck to improve. I
first heard this theory 15 years ago by a politically savvy teacher in the
system and it's taken me to this year to realize the truth in this sick,
territorial reality that in the end hurts students, families and our city. And
then we have the private monies coming from the wealthy parts of town (movers
and shakers whose children do not go to public school but private schools,)
that help bring in and keep in politically motivated school district leaders
that keep it going south. Sigh.

Folks, I'm just glad we are leaving the system soon. I cheer on and support my
friends and acquaintances who are fighting to make it better. In our 16 years,
it's getting worse instead of better. And I haven't even begun to explain all
why as I see it. And some of that is national politics. Men in white collars and ties
who've never set foot in a classroom as an adult. Nashville's a great city. No question.
Educationally? Buyer beware. Nationally? We mirror the trend. Education is not
valued. And America will and is losing out. Our children and their education is
our most precious and neglected resource. Too bad. We're all losers.

Are we every going to cease and desist in the politicalization of our most precious resource–not only in Nashville but throughout the United States?