Being old, even with a degree, is not enough to be respected

In the Variety of Aug. 22, Education Commissioner Dr. Rita Sablan wrote: “I never sought to answer your assertions as they were not with recommended solutions. They also came from an individual of questionable intent, character or has limited understanding of the things and issues you claim to know. I have extended professional courtesy by inviting you to my office to talk and discuss issues and concerns you have about our public school children, teachers and staff, and the Public School System in general. Instead you ridiculed and insulted us.”

Well now. I wrote 11 letters with specific recommendations, four of them baxsed entirely on my talking to over 600 of your 7th through 11th graders. In every single recommendation that was made, I asked your students if they thought these would make learning better, for those seeking an academic degree as well as those that want a technical or vocational career. Your problem is that you have never asked a single student what they are curious about, one on one. You stand at a podium and talk at, or, down to them as if they were little children. That is your tradition I know but it is 2014, not 1814 and these young adults are smarter than you and most of your teachers. They lack, in addition to curiosity, creativity, drive or a passion for learning. They are dried up and burned out after 12 years of “sit down,” “be quiet,” “listen, don’t talk back” and “obey.” They are brain dead and uninspired about anything except “thank God school is over.”

Your only job is to get these kids ready to enter the real world and you aren’t doing it. If you would, or could, shed your arrogance, for one whole day, and walk around the parks, library, stores, basketball courts and any other place where you see a 7th to 11th grade student, engage them one on one, without introducing yourself, and just ask this simple question, “I was wondering, what are you curious about, passionate about?” Almost every single one will tell you the same thing: “Nothing.”

Oh. I went to your office four times and you were never in. As for every other utterance in your letter, I mentioned in 36 of my letters that what I say against the Chamorros only concerns the 50, but I have also mentioned in other letters that if the shoe fits, wear it, and, if the shoe doesn’t fit, its OK because it must not be yours.

As to my assessment of women, I stand by my statements. Most of you are subservient and better toe the line outside the family and it really is time you stood up for yourselves.

Finally, your statement, “Technology use in classroom instruction has progressively improved in the Public School System. It is about innovation, and our public school children, public schools and this community have already embraced the 21st century.” Do a survey of your students and you will find that 20 percent or more can’t even find YouTube, 99 percent have never uploaded anything to it unless they were in one of Galvin Deleon Guerrero’s classes, and 100 percent of your kindergarten to G3 still use flash cards instead of using educational apps on touch screen tablets that let each student progress at their own pace.

While I’m at it, I have two other questions. Why is the Board of Education stuffed with non-professional educators and can you explain how a Chamorro student always seems to get selected for student representative, even though it’s usually an Asian-American whose picture ends up in the paper as the top student every year? What kind of message are you sending to “all your students”? Could it be, if you work real hard you can succeed, unless you are Chamorro then all you have to do is be Chamorro because the government will give you a job, even if you are not qualified?

Suck it up, Rita, a degree doesn’t make you intelligent, just smart, and good at memorizing, something today’s kids don’t need to know how to do. All they need to know is how to get on the Internet, then they can find out everything, not just what you adults think they should know. You have been a poser for too long now. It’s time you get out and let someone in there with 21st century ideas, which are available for free on YouTube. Galvin, where are you? Speak up, man, you know what needs to be done.

Gary DuBrall
Ala Moana Beach, Hawaii