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Hello,

I have been in the public school system for three years now. Two of
those years were with Americorps. I have come to realize that my
views of what education should be are not congruent with the current
system. This comes as no surprise. However, I have found that my
work (and other's work)in attempting to create changes in education
which will better serve our nation's children has been squelched by
the political machine which controls our public school system. I
will continue to attempt to reform education through the ballot as a
member of a political party, but I also want to work in an
environment towards achieving a better education system for our kids -
a sytem which teaches them civic responsibility; how to resolve
conflict peacefully; how communities function; how science,
technology, and math relate to real life and society, not abstract
problems that have no context to "the real world".

We teach a person how to drive by placing them in a car and guiding
them. Our public schools are about placing people in a box and
giving them commands every ten minutes. Sounds to me more like
preparing them for the assembly line than to be an individual working
to improve the world.

Anyway, I ask if anyone here knows of progressive schools in the
Portland, OR area in which I may be a positive contribution by carry
out my work in education and curriculum development.

Peace,
Seamus T. Mulryan

Anita Bower

Seamus:

Your objectives are commendable. I hope you find the right school!

Anita

Homeschooling Mom
Nottingham, PA

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate,
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure."
Nelson Mandela Inaugural Speech, 1994