Between Columbine and Virginia Tech

I don’t know why, but there seems to be a big difference between the senseless killing at Virginia Tech and the shootings at Columbine almost 8 years ago to the day.
As a high school teacher, the killing at Columbine filled me with instant horror. I teach in a suburban high school with [...]

Always Carry a Clipboard

One summer I worked in a Delphi Automotive factory as part of a “show the teacher the real world” type program. It was sponsored jointly by the United Auto Workers and the management of the company. The purpose was to show teachers what technological skills were necessary for the workplace by employing us for [...]

The Monroe Doctrine and Me

When I teach my students about the Monroe Doctrine I tell them this story from my childhood. As with any good fable some of the details are embellished to protect and/or immortalize the innocent.
For those who weren’t paying attention that day in American History class, the Monroe Doctrine was President James Monroe’s [...]

Me and My Union

I’ve been kind of at odds with my union lately. It seems to me that in my experience with unions, which includes the National Education Association and the United Auto Workers, that unions can be at worst a reactionary force that turns back the wheels of progress, or at best, mindless defenders of the [...]