R-E-S-P-E-C-T

Respect.
Aretha Franklin said it best in her 1967 song "RESPECT" that would later go on to become her signature song.

After serving on the Board of Education for the last three years, visiting the schools, talking to educators and legislators, and raising four children of my own, I have a observed an overall lack of respect for one another.

• Students don't respect teachers (we hear this one all the time) but...
• Teachers don't respect students
• Children don't repect parents
• Parents don't respect children
• Teachers don't respect parents
• Parents don't respect teachers
• and it goes on and on through administrators, board members, legislators and overall society in general doesn't respect one another as human beings.

Just my opinion, this is one of the core foundation principles that our educational system, (county, nation, and world) is lacking. If everyone could take the time to respect, listen, recognize, one another as a human being with feelings, ideas, and blood pumping through their veins maybe we could build a greater love, understanding, and compassion for another that will evolve into a great collaboration of effort to better not only our educational system but society in general.

I'll step down from my soap box now....