Obama and Father's Day

In the previous post I wrote of Tim Russert's bluecollar background and his goal of making politicians accountable to the people who elected them. This concept goes much farther than the political realm. As teachers, we should want to be held accountable for the job we do. Without accountability it is easy to become lazy, cut corners and become apathetic. As a result, our students suffer from our lack of effort. Students also perceive teachers as role models. If I come to school tired everyday or do my best to cut corners, the students will adopt that same philosophy. By the same token, if the child is not held accountable for his actions at home, he or she will not be willing to be held accountable at school or in the workforce. Parents also should be accountable unto themselves, because they also serve as role models for their children. Raising and educating children today is no easy task. Adults face more challenges rearing children than ever before. Higher education becomes more expensive. Gas prices rise daily as do the price of groceries. More parents are taking second jobs simply to make ends meet. That delicate balance to provide for a child's physical needs and emotional needs becomes more strenuous. To have a successful child we have to successful parents, successful teachers, and even successful elected officials. That can only come from each of us being accountable for our actions and continuing to strive to improve. I am by no means a Hillary supporter, but she did hit on something in her book "It Takes A VIllage". If we are to have a strong and successful America in the future, it will take all of us to raise children with strong morals, principles and work ethic. If you examine Senator Obama's speech on Father's Day, he present that "call to arms" for dads everywhere, of all races. His vision is nothing new...he merely has the avenue in which to express it.

http://time-blog.com/real_clear_politics/2008/06/obama_on_fathers_day.html