Merry New Year in the Era of ESSA

May we fight the good fight for the benefit of our children, work to address poverty in and outside of school, avoid hypocritical rustications, stay focused but humble, and change what needs to be changed for the better to preserve life, liberty, and an equitable pursuit of happiness for all citiens, without fear of reprisal for opting out, criticizing Teach For America, Common Core, ESSA, and all that is worthy of pause, redirection, or cessation. 

Merry Christmas, 1979-Style!

Two-year old me wishes you a happy holiday season via this groundbreaking rap from Kurtis Blow, whom I wouldn't know about for at least another 20 years but would have wanted you to know about had I known about it then. Did you follow that? ;)

The rap reminds me of the time I accompanied my father on a trucking trip through New York State.  I was in fifth grade, if memory serves. I remember Ithaca, Syracuse, and a town called White Plains (?) or White Falls. I remember a complete white out while we were on the road and a deer jumping in front of the cab so high into the sky it was on level with the 18-wheeler's windshield. Luckily it made  it past us! I recall stopping at a shop and getting a brownie almost as big as my head. I remember flipping of someone in a Camaro who almost ran over me. I remember stopping in a drug store and seeing the Todd McFarlane Marvel  Poster Book! 

Dad purchased a truck-stop cassette tape of Christmas rap songs somewhere along the way, which we listened to for as long as we could before tossing it out the window! We were harsh critics. I don't think Blow's rap was on the tape. 

Anyway, happy holidays and Merry Christmas!