As we look forward to the Thanksgiving holiday with family and friends, I hope that everyone has many things to be thankful for in their own lives. Despite the uncertainty across the globe regarding issues ranging from global climate change, to new and emerging patterns of migration fostered by turmoil, armed conflict, and an uneven distribution of resources, there remains a degree of certainty around friends and family. One often hears that all politics are local politics and that seems to hold true as those items that directly affect our own lives, the lives of our friends and family, and that impact the area that we live in seem to continue to drive so many of our decisions and actions. In that regard, society seems relatively stable, especially if we concentrate primarily on those items that we can control and in the interactions between friends and neighbors.
It’s only when we begin to look beyond our immediate lives, concerns, and small circle of confidents that we begin to see the issues in a larger context and often become upset at our loss of control and our seeming inability to make a significant impact on the world. From actions at the state and federal level, whether in the legislative, executive, or judicial branches of government, or in the boardrooms of large corporations, the individual often feels forgotten. Some give up and focus their attention on items they feel their actions can impact while others join larger movements in hope that a multitude of similar voices can effect change. It also appears that the larger the issue, the harder it is to find common ground, due in part to conflicting ‘facts’, differing opinions, and belief systems that become harder to define as one moves further from the nuclear family. This often leads to much action but little progress and sometimes leads groups to oppose anything that does exactly match their perceptions and in the worst case leads to armed aggression and open conflict.
Although this happens frequently around the world (and occasionally here in the United States) we’re fortunate to be able to weather most changes peacefully, despite significant differences in opinion. As we wait to see how the latest change in presidents will impact federal, state, and even local actions regarding everything—including education–we can at least be thankful that we have a system that allows for the peaceful transition of power. For despite anyone’s strongly held beliefs, or concerns about the implementation of ideas thrown out in the heat of an election cycle, the reality is that we do have a system of checks and balances in place. This includes the ability to express concerns, put forward ideas, pressure politicians, and unite in opposing specific plans that can make a difference in the final outcome. One can see this locally happening in our towns, can experience this at the state level, and note the changes at the national level in many items. One only needs to look at the changes that have evolved in standardized testing since the passing of the No Child Left Behind Act, the new ESSA legislation that replaces this, and the ongoing and yet unresolved debate on how these changes will be implemented to note how individuals acting together have been able to help guide these changes. As we move forward locally to continue to create an exemplary education for our students, let us not forget that individuals can make a substantial impact on the decisions being made at the local level and the direction of future growth. To that end, I hope you’ll all join me in being thankful this season for a school system that continues to meet student needs, looks towards the future through the lens that a well-rounded education is important, and remains cognizant of the need to move forward in a manner that considers both school and town viability and sustainability.
