Environmental Just Us

Dear Dr. __________, PhD

That previous piece was written with our conversation
in mind as prompt, but was addressing my colleagues
and peers and cohort as usual, and presumptuously.
I admit.

But we can.

I was reacting to what will probably be a successful
zommerang assessment & support of opinion and
viewpoint re our long range strategies; me: sulking
over our collective disinterest in pedagogy, unable
to crack it into the list of values and bullets that
represent our stalwart pioneer movement
toward frontiers yet unknown."

I have entitled this speech:
“A Call for Systemic Change.”
That’s what I am presumptuous
enough to call on you to create
in education. I do not ask you
to do anything I am not trying
to do in industry. Unless
somebody leads, nobody will.
Why not you?"

Our universities... continue to teach and
operate in the system that is destroying the
biosphere. Adherence to the old mind-set,
the old curricula, obsolete pedagogy, and
shortsighted planning are producing graduates
who are trained to perpetuate the destruction
of the biosphere.

Get them ready for a different future. Paradigms
are shifting. The folly of the prevailing paradigm,
represented by the “modern” industrial system,
stands exposed in all its errors. A new paradigm
is taking hold: waste-free, renewable, cyclical,
resource efficient, benign, socially equitable,
in harmony with nature.

I reference again and again Ray Anderson's remarks
on environmental justice re the educational atmosphere
its hazards and waste. Why not? He's got cache here.

And if Ray can't do it,
Parker Palmer can...
& if Parker can't do it,
Jeff Holmes can...

Educational Reform since the late 60's and early 70's
has been measurement, objectives & goals, leaving no
child a behind, merit pay; and despite a total sea-change
in the ENVIRONMENT we swim in (that these kids
have groan-up in, like Joe Fish--all WET and can't
conceive of damp) basically school's the same as in
the 50's. Teacher-centered: subject-matter driven,
restless legs trailing clouds of Learning Disability
diagnoses.

Every kid with a laptop's the smartest kid in the class.
The Collective Consciousness is accessible to all.
We're mostly media ILLITERATE in a neo-oral,
post-literate ENVIRONMENT and primarily
focused on Leeds Certification and energy
assessment, clean water,clean air and
stuff like that.

Do I overstate? Of course.
Anyone can improve my terms.
We've got the venue for it.

xxxooo, Jonny One Note