California Rush

I finally have a moment to sit down and journal after the events of the weekend.  I just finished sending out my Monday Morning newsletter after having spent most of yesterday on the road to Yuma followed by a few hours at the school observation.  After a moment eating with my mother, who traveled with me on the way to California, I enjoyed a very relaxed and productive school board meeting.  It was close to midnight before I arrived in Riverside, where I spent the night.  I serviced my car and dealt with some Worker’s Compensation items over the phone.  I even managed to squeeze in a Thai lunch in Penny’s classroom.  I have some translations to deal with before the day is done.  Tomorrow I have all day WASC meetings in Ontario after which I will travel back to Scottsdale in order be home by late night on Wednesday.

It’s nice to be back at work without all the collateral activities which characterized the last couple of weeks leading up to the constituency meetings last Sunday.  In the end the day was long but all in all a very positive experience.  It was great to be able to field some questions in the afternoon from people who had genuine concerns.  I interpreted the fact that the time for questions regarding education overran the anticipated allotment as a good sign.  It was nice to know that people had questions—valid questions and were willing to make them public.  It was a learning experience for me.

I am sure the questions will not end.  In fact, they ought not to end.  Dialogue is what keeps a system healthy and honest.  We may, at the end of the day, not agree with the decision, but we can continue to share the passion for our convictions without surrendering our humanity or our Christianity.  Now it’s back to work.  The system needs some work and we’ve only just begun.  Does that sound like a Carpenter’s song?  (If you do not know why I would ask such a question…never mind!)