Fear!!!

The school year approacheth, and the summer fadeth away. We had a really, really wonderful summer, but I have to admit that I am a little terrified of this coming semester. Due to the massive budget cuts and teacher layoffs, my classes are about to double in size – and they weren’t that small before!!

Double this!!!

I know that I am sooooo lucky to still have a job in the schools, but it’s hard not to feel like the passengers of the Millennium Falcon seeing the Death Star for the first time. So I was wondering if all of you could do me a favor: could you quickly vote in representatives that would raise the trillions of dollars in taxes that it would take to really help the school system? Or, failing that, could you please send some good wishes my way on Wednesday? Either would be great!!

At the end of last year, I staged my own protest of the current situation. I got permission from the union, and announced it to the entire school faculty, but it was sparsely attended. Basically it was myself. Here is a picture (Ms. Kwan came after I had been there for a while):

As school was about to get started, more and more teachers and students joined in, and by the bell, we actually had a pretty sizable crowd. Unfortunately, our political representatives seemed unmoved. But I don’t even really think that it’s their fault. People are nervous about so many things these days, and maybe this can’t be one of the biggest things on their minds at the moment. But I’m tellin’ you all: that’s no moon, it’s a space station.