As this year ends I have chosen to pretend that I am Santa Clause for public education. I would come into all our public schools carrying a heavy sack, filled with all the goodies that children, teachers and parents need and deserve.
Afterward I’d be so tired that I will have to rest until January 1st 2018, while all of you will be dreaming of the goodies soon to come.
First of all, I will sweep out all the junk that has been piling up in classrooms for several years. All the test-prep sessions, the tests and their scores, the unreasonable standards, and the negative judgments on schools, students, and teachers that emanated from them will be gone forever.
Next, I will herd together all the politicians, decision makers, and clueless experts who have made the stupid rules for students and schools, and banish them from power once and for all.
Finally, I will erase all the laws that that have hamstrung good teachers and principals for years and allowed decent schools to be shut down because of their low-test scores.
Then, after catching my breath and cleaning the dirt from my hands, I will bring in all the wonderful gifts I have dreamed into existence, and spread them around all public school offices, teachers’ lounges, and students’ classrooms.
Try to envision each gift as I describe it below.
Golden links between each school and its community
Hearty projects growing and blooming in every classroom
Neat Package of well equipped classrooms with no more than 25 students in each one
Sweet tastes of recesses, physical education and interesting classroom activities every day
Endless piles of Gold coins to fund every school
Glowing and strong librarians with books stuffed in their arms
Crowds of well -educated teachers and principals with magic wands in every school
A huge variety of silver-studded classes for students to choose from
Afterward I will jump back into my sleigh and call out “Happy learning to all and to all a good life.”
The Treasure Hunter 
HO, HO, HO! And a Merry Christmas to you Joanne!!
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Thank you Santa Joanne! Merry Christmas to you!
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