3 Fish

I'm frying three fish right now.  (That's probably an old Southern expression).

My smallest fish is our new Catholic school where my son is attending.  Although the folks at that school sometimes say they have a learning-difference friendly school truthfully, I find them as steeped in a lack of knowledge about dyslexia as the first Catholic school we attended.  If one has read this blog, they'll know how that turned out.

So I'm attempting, along with a more established family, to create a discussion group.  We will be discussing reading difficulties.  There will be occasional speakers and the hardest part for me will be biting my tongue at the extreme amount of misinformation I believe I will be hearing (including from our speakers).  

Sigh.  At least I have the hope that I'll be able to throw in a few helpful things.

It's like a different world there compared to my daughter's excellent dyslexia school.  Also I should say that I'm pretty surprised the principal is even letting us start this group.  An utter surprise.

Fish 2 is that I've made a pretty bold attack on the dyslexia FB page on two dyslexia related groups in my city, which I'm sure I've already mentioned, that claim to help children with reading problems but really are using the children as guinea pigs while they pursue their own organizational agendas.

While I lumped them into the same helpful-but-not-really category in my FB post truthfully one is worst than the other.

Yet, one of the things I'm most sick of about this whole subject is how taken advantage of families with dyslexic children can end up being. 

Someone is always trying to sell something (most recently an App) someone is always claiming to do so much for our dyslexic community (when really they are just using these children and the children are not their first priority). 

So I guess I let loose a sort of crazy woman rant in that FB post.  However, it was pretty decent writing if I say so myself.

I ended up being called privately by someone I really like who asked me what 2 groups I was talking about.  I told on myself.  Hope that turns out okay.

My husband is worried that I'll get sued. 

Maybe my biggest fault is that I sound like an expert when really I'm not one.  Yet, I know from personal experience what works and doesn't work in getting my kid to read.  I know which sources are trustworthy.

 I also know that a cult-like "Don't question what we do here" attitude is a danger sign that not much is actually being done.

These two groups are not valid options for families who are really wanting their children to be able to read.  Very sad.

Finally Fish 3 - I've been writing about it a lot lately.  The third grade reading guarantee.  Really it's the Lets-Take-Education-Down-A-Few-Notches guarantee.  At least I've found some takers.  Here is my last post.  It's a recipe.  I'm very proud of it.

.... a recipe:
Take one historically marginalized population

Add one standardized test that kids from more privileged areas will not have as much trouble passing

Call the test a “Norm”

Target first all the teachers who only ever wanted to make a difference and chose to work in less affluent areas.

Put in very hot oven which grades teachers and schools on the way their students test on the "norm".

Invite your 1% top of the economy friends over who donate to your campaign and feel like they need another entrepreneurial opportunity and a slice of the tax money pie (which they will get since they’ll be paying their workers Walmart wages).

Add the nice little perk of dismantling the strongest union in the state (your political arch enemy).

Write it all down in a 400 page, difficult to read, maze-like document. 

Get it passed into law as quickly as possible.
making certain no one from the OEA (teachers union) ever see the secret recipe until law is finalized.