White Discussion

Tonight, a sixteen year old student -- with a 3.8 GPA, two jobs, a clothing line, and a book of advice for people his age -- is launching his book. And because I helped him publish that book, I'm part -- a very small part -- of that story. And I've got to worry that this young man might not be safe getting to his own book launch and getting home afterwards.

I worry about all my students. But not quite like this. 

Because my guy -- because, yeah, that's how I think of anyone I've helped publish -- is getting a lot of support for his success. And it isn't the book that has made him successful. He's been a National Agri-Science Finalist. Twice. Which means he won all the semis and local competitions leading up to Nationals. That GPA -- did I mention that? A clothing line? A guy with a clothing line? And two jobs -- two jobs where he isn't the boss and he has to miss a lot of life and a lot of fun and a lot of teen age experiences.

He's 16. He wants to be successful and he wants to help teens. 

He's 16. And he towers over my five feet eight inches. Which might be a problem.

Because when this young author gets off work, when this honor roll student clocks out, when this National Agri-Science Finalist walks to his mother's car, when the young guy with the clothing line is driven home by his mom -- in fact, all the time -- he's black. 

I have watched people flock around this guy. In fact, I've encouraged it. He's 16. The GPA. The clothing line. The two jobs. Now the book. A BOOK. My son won't willingly write a single page essay, and this guy wrote a book.

We should support sixteen year old young men with big goals and bigger dreams. 

We shouldn't have to worry about 16 year olds getting shot because they are tall.

Sixteen year old authors shouldn't have their book launches shadowed by racism.

Even if they tower over tall women like me.

Even if they are black.



I was thinking about tonight's book launch when the following exchange occurred yesterday on FB:
A -- Original Poster -- she married a HS classmate of mine. For many topics of frugality, we're on the same wavelength. But I saw a different and ugly side of her tonight. And I think it comes from where we grew up, in the same lily white community where there were so few people of color that we could think all manner of ignorant things and if they left our mouths, there wouldn't be any repercussions. We honestly didn't think. As the exchange will show, the other people involved just don't know. 
B -- OP's friend
C -- OP's friend
D -- OP's friend
E -- OP's friend
And then there's me. I didn't block my name. 

A

Ignorance. Pure and simple

-0:47

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Townhall VideoLike Page (This is the video: https://www.facebook.com/166408686759982/videos/1187457451321762/ It came from a conservative Facebook group, and the video title (shown below) is misleading.)

7 hrs · 

Charlotte Activists: Get Ready For More Violence, We're Not Going To Stop.

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B

Could not agree more. Instead of helping the situation, he is going to help make the situation much more worse! Be part of the solution and not the problem!

Like · Reply · 1 · 5 hrs · Edited

Phyl Campbell SO what is the solution? That football guy took a knee and people are going nuts, so people clearly don't think peaceful protest is the solution. I'm equally appalled when people suggest killing Hilary Clinton is an option if she wins the election. I don't think electing DT is the solution. I think equal rights is a solution. I think better pay, equipment, and training for officers is a solution. I think HEAVILY fining CEOs who steal from their employees is a solution. But some people think that would be too expensive. So clearly the people that are being killed -- being SHOT and killed by police -- aren't worth as much to people who think it's too expensive. So what is the solution?

Like · Reply · 1 · 2 hrs

 

A

 Solution-- bring God back into our country. Plain and simple. Some may not agree. Some will agree.

Like · Reply · 1 · 2 hrs

Phyl Campbell But the same group of people who think the football player should be fired or tortured or whatever also think Muslims should be deported because they support Sharia law. 

And there are more wars between religious groups than between religious groups and Atheists. 
So I don't think bringing God back (God is ALL OVER the South, judging by the number of churches and preachers) is the solution. But I'm open to hearing other suggestions. Honestly.

Like · Reply · 1 hr

A

 I don't have the solution and won't pretend that I do. What I do know is that, people as the one in this video are only fueling the racial fire. When was the last time a person of any race was pulled over, fully complied with what he or she was asked to do and was killed? You couldn't pay me enough to be a police officer right now. There are too many Monday morning quarterbacks, that want to tear apart decisions that these officers make. Don't be a thug, and do what you are told. If I were to get pulled over tonight, and did not comply, went back to my car, or showed any action that made an officer feel threatened I would probably get shot. Think it would make the national news?

Like · Reply · 1 · 25 mins · Edited

C

 Agree! Follow the rules! There's no racial motive to this.

Like · Reply · 18 mins

Phyl Campbell Do you know how many times people have been pulled over for driving while black? And it didn't make the news?
I know I'm more likely to get pulled over more than women in mini-vans. I know when we get pulled over, we are less likely to die if we are white. 

But don't listen to me -- watch this:

 (https://www.minnpost.com/eric-black-ink/2016/07/driving-while-black-gop-sen-tim-scott-tells-his-experiences)

Driving while black: GOP Sen. Tim Scott tells of his experiences

MINNPOST.COM

Like · Reply · Remove Preview · 8 mins

Phyl Campbell I watched the video you shared again. The headline says there will be violence, but the speaker only mentioned economic boycott of the city of Charlotte. And that is totally understandable protest.

Like · Reply · 5 mins · Edited

A

not accurate. He speaks of regress and not getting justice. He speaks of telling his"brothers" to keep doing what they are doing and it will not stop.

Like · Reply · 2 mins

A

 I'm always up for good debate, but there is no end to this. Someone will always be wrong. My opinion. Stands firm. Obey the law, live to see another day. Continue to act like thugs, and pay the consequences. Pretty simple. Are there going to be rouge cops. Sure. Just like there are corrupt teachers, coaches, managers, and diplomatic leaders.

Like · Reply · Just now

Phyl Campbell Not accurate? You're kidding me. Or we somehow watched different videos. Is it possible we saw different videos? I really want to understand where you're coming from, but these people are DEAD. I'm having a hard time getting past that. DEAD. Our classmates are freaking out trying to figure out how to tell their kids to be safe. Another person was shot for reading a book in his car.
If people weren't being SHOT DEAD, I could call this a debate. But this is a tragedy.

Like · Reply · Just now

A

 A book? Read a little deeper. Police recovered a loaded firearm in the car. I guess he was using the pistol as a book rest. Nothing to see here. Sure he's dead. Because he didn't obey commands. Obey the law. Carry around guns and don't comply. You get shot. I have no remorse for that. It's not because he's black. I don't care what color he was. Obey the law, it's simple. Millions of people do it everyday and don't get shot.

Like · Reply · 2 mins

Phyl Campbell Terrorists can be taken into custody after killing people. Alive. Police put bullet proof vests on suspected shooters and they get to stand trial.
This guy MIGHT have had a loaded gun in his car. Who was he shooting? Why is he dead? That person's van broke down. He was walking away with his hands in the air. Why is he dead? She was in a jail cell. Why is she dead?
WHY ARE THEY DEAD?

Like · Reply · Just now

A

 The man from Tulsa was fried out of his mind on PCP. Officers recovered mass quantities in the car. The van was not broke down, the man was hallucinating and said the car was on fire

Like · Reply · 1 min

A

 Liberal media strikes again.

Like · Reply · Just now

Phyl Campbell Can you prove that? Even if that was 100% true -- WHY ARE THEY DEAD? Why are they not worthy of a trial? Why do actual murderers get protection that they don't?

Like · Reply · Just now

A

Can you prove it was just a book? Can you prove that the guy in Tulsa was telling the cops he was simply going back to his car? Everyone wants to assume the worst.

Like · Reply · 22 mins

Phyl Campbell "Everyone" wants to assume the worst? The guy is DEAD. I don't have to assume the worst. He's DEAD. I mean, you might be assuming the worst, because if he wasn't killed and then killed a bunch of people -- if the cop killed one person to save a bunch -- OK. I could understand that. But I don't see any evidence that supports that. I see a guy that's DEAD.
That's not my liberal agenda, although I am a liberal and I am proud to fight for equal rights. It isn't equal that James Holmes is alive and going through trial, Dylann Roof is alive and getting justice, Robert Lewis Dear is getting justice -- and they are all white and they all actually killed people (allegedly) -- and that in the same country, Keith Scott is DEAD, Terence Crutcher is DEAD, Tamir Rice is DEAD, Sandra Bland is DEAD. And I could list many many more.

Like · Reply · Just now

D

Ignorance, will get you know where. Its unfortunate that anyone has to be subjected to any kind of violence ,no matter what the job,color religion or race. We need to stand together as one nation,only then will we all win.

Like · Reply · 2 mins · Edited

E

Does boycott = looting?

Those of us who are white need to keep talking. The actual person we're arguing with may not listen. Chances are they wonder why Obama wasn't in the White House on 9/11 or they think DT will make America great again. And we're not really talking to those people who won't listen.
But we're talking to them to get help. To bear witness. For the rest of everybody at the table to see the crazy and know that they won't be alone because we've already called out the BS. They will have a ride home if they stand with us. So give them a place to stand.

I will when I get home tonight. I gotta go help a guy celebrate his success. And if you want to join me, get details here: book launch event

Phyl Campbell is Author, Mother, Dreamer. She writes and conducts workshops on a variety of topics: Education, Women/Feminism/Equality, Book Reviews, and Writing. Her books are available on Amazon. If you'd like to see her speak at an upcoming function, contact her via her website or Facebook page.

Open House at Ann Peden (ICYMI)

If you were unable to make the Open House at Ann Peden, you missed out. I know, I can't be all over the country at once. And people are busy.

So here's a video of one of the creative writing games I play, called Flash Fiction After Dark. (I was nervous and called the game the Four Favorites game, because I have been playing FF with audiences longer than FFAD. My bad.) But the cool thing about this game is the leveled playing field between talented, experienced writers, people who struggle stringing two words together, and the ability of the game host to string all of that together into one whole performance. (And cheese. I think the willingness to be totally cheesy helps a lot. I don't have a problem being cheesy. For everyone else, BYOB -- if you're of age and have a safe way home!

If you want to see how cheesy you can get with your group, call Ann to set up a party for you and your friends. http://www.annpedenjewelry.com/ 706-769-2656

I also have a new survey for people in the area who might be interested in signing up for a class or for private consultation.

Books on Parade!!

Wow!  Just wow!!

Five books published since May 2016.
Twenty-one titles published since August 2011
(One title is not pictured. My copy is in Ann's shop!  Sorry, Ari!! I've made it up to you below...)

SO A QUESTION FOR THE REST OF YOU:

Shouldn't your book be out of your filing cabinet and on my shelf? Are you going to wait forever?

DON'T.

Tomorrow is September 11. And we can (and will)  remember pain and death and sacrifice. Or we can (also) choose to remember that no one gets forever, so if something is on our "bucket list" (like getting that book written or published), we owe it to ourselves to do it.

September is also Suicide Prevention Month, so I am going to highlight Ari Ford's book, The Mystery of Death Bridge, about Ohana the therapy dog. Ohana and her brother Russ learn about the suicides that are taking place on the bridge, and they help their human friend Emily and their therapist owner Dr. Buga make the bridge safer and stop other people from hurting themselves or others.

Young Authors Open House Event

Now that everyone has gotten back into the rhythm of school, Ann and I are excited to present an Open House of the Young* Writer's Workshop on September 16, from 5-7 at the Ann Peden Jewelry and Artist Marketplace in Watkinsville.

Come see work by authors age six (and a half), ten, sixteen, and maybe a little older than sixteen who make Georgia their home. Order copies of their books and maybe get their autographs.

Available on Amazon

Available on Amazon

Coming Soon!!

Available on Amazon

Learn more about the Young Writer Workshop, where both young and young at heart can find their voice(s) and make stories that can become real live books.

See the work done in Arkansas by young authors when I was living and working there. Ask me about special discounts, or pick up a list of their books which can be purchased on Amazon.

Play some writing and storytelling games -- Flash Fiction After Dark and the Four Favorites Game are my most popular.

And of course, while you are there, check out ALL the art and jewelry and unique gift items that Ann Peden's has to offer. For example, Ann made this owl bookmark right in front of my eyes!!

 People that come out to see me at First Friday on Main in Watkinsville on September 2nd have an opportunity to snag a coupon for a free bookmark like this one (with purchase of one of my books).

So again, please join us!
Open House of the Young* Writer's Workshop
September 16, from 5-7
Ann Peden Jewelry and Artist Marketplace

Ann Peden Jewelry

1431 Capital Ave
Suite 109
Watkinsville, GA 30677
706-769-2656
store@annpedenjewelry.com

*Young and Young at Heart; Ages 5 and up welcome and encouraged!!

Poverty Is Sexist -- and Governments Aid Corporations

I've recently been in online arguments with people who say things that I just can't let go:
1) Hilary Clinton should be in jail.
2) There's no difference between Trump and Clinton.
3) Feminism isn't needed.
4) Poverty is a result of people not working hard enough.

And on these four things, I call bullshit. Poverty is sexist, government aids corporations, there is a huge difference between those two candidates, and if Hilary Clinton belongs in jail, our entire Congress, Wall Street, and countless other CEOs need to occupy the cells next to her. I don't think you survive in a corrupt organization with clean hands or a clean record. You just have to go in knowing what you are fighting for. Sometimes you have to know what you are fighting against.

Trump picked Mike Pence for his running mate. Women started Periods for Pence years ago and recently resurrected it. In solidarity, I resurrected this piece I wrote for Wikinut some years back because the Trump camp doesn't see a problem with the SCOTUS decision. However, I do and I want this decision reversed.Voting for Hilary Clinton will be a positive step in reversing this terrible decision.

From the Wikinut Files: America's War On Women:

The SCOTUS decision in Burwell V Hobby Lobby has been met with praise from one side and an outcry from the other. Here's why I'm in the latter camp and think you should be, too. (Warning: facts and data, rather than blind assumptions based on bigotry and greed, will be found in this article.)

Supreme Court Ruling

In Burwell V Hobby Lobby, the 5-4 opinion of the Supreme Court was to side with the corporation and allow four types of birth control to be excluded from employer-insurance plans. The court argued that the government could fill the gaps, and requiring companies to provide medications that "are against their religion" would be unfair due to US Constitutional expectation of freedom of religion.

The dissenting opinion, presented by female justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, has already been made into a song. Listen to it:

Some of the lyrics include:

"The court, I fear, has ventured into a minefield / of slut-shaming geezers."
and "any decision to use contraceptive is not propelled by the government / it's the woman's autonomous choice informed by her doctor." 

Writer and performer Jonathon Man may have taken some artistic liberties with Ginsburg's 35 page dissent, but the result is something catchy that might help today's generation see why so many loathe and fear the decision that was made. Besides, since a guy wrote it, it might actually be taken seriously.

Why It Matters -- 9 Reasons

Hell Hath No Fury

So why does it matter to me if I don't work for Hobby Lobby, don't shop there, and don't support their practices? Here are a few reasons why I still feel I have some skin in the game.

1) Hobby Lobby is not the only corporation wanting the exemption. Nor are the founders of Hobby Lobby solely craft store owners. I could shop somewhere else while boycotting Hobby Lobby and still be supporting them unknowingly.

2) Hobby Lobby gets its products from China. This is major hypocrisy for the "American" and "Christian" company that wants to make sure babies aren't aborted in the course of doing business.

3) Health Insurance benefits are provided compensation for work done by employees. Doctors, not corporations, should have final say in medications prescribed and taken by patients/employees. Employees already pay premiums, deductibles, and other costs for having this insurance, so taking certain medications off the table will require women to pay twice. The increased cost for women working in minimum wage jobs could increase the amount of women needing government assistance -- paid for through everyone's tax dollars. Every time a corporation pushes an expense onto its workers, and the government tries to step in, everyone pays -- and the poor pay a higher percentage than the rich do -- by far.

4) In addition to buying products from China and reselling them in the US, Hobby Lobby also invests in pharmaceutical companies. And even though there are religious provisions provided by stockbrokers and financial analysts so that people and corporations can opt out of companies with differing religious views, Hobby Lobby has not made use of those options. This COULD signal a desire to wipe out birth control from inside the companies, much in the same way that organizations like Hobby Lobby are going to extreme legal measures to shut down Planned Parenthood buildings and other women's clinics that provide abortion services.

5) This ruling opens a minefield of religious exemptions and opportunities for discrimination against women and other groups opposed by various religions. Despite the fact that the justices' majority opinion stated that the exemption was related to the corporation's views on abortion and conception, this ruling could be used as a precedent for any corporation run by members of certain religious groups to justify and expand bans on health care services. The court costs alone for this litigation are expenses this country does not need to incur, and any further losses could prevent necessary medical care via health discrimination. For companies that decide to withhold the care and require employees to sue them for just compensation, lives can be lost before families of covered employees can present their cases to court. If a family must choose between medical expenses and legal expenses, which do you think they will choose? Corporations have much better resources to allocate towards litigation than individuals, especially individuals whose job prospects are along the lines of entry level jobs at Hobby Lobby.

6) If SCOTUS was looking for a way to kill the Affordable Care Act, I believe they just found it. Not only had Hobby Lobby included the medications they now want banned in their insurance package before the ACA was passed, but religious exemptions picked up by the government could very quickly skyrocket and further bankrupt an already bankrupt system. Hobby Lobby is not some mom and pop craft store. There are two locations within ten minute's drive of my house. According to an ABC news article by Scott Wilson*, Founded in 1970, "Hobby Lobby has since expanded to 572 stores nation-wide, with a revenue of $3.3 billion in 2013." That's Billion. With a B.

7) The four** pills being banned may have other uses not directly tied to reproduction, either now or in the future. Penicillin is made from bread mold. A lot of vaccinations started out as other things. Researchers make a drug for one purpose and find that it works really well to solve some other problem. When corporations with no medical expertise get to pick and choose what medicines are allowed and which may be denied, health is affected. Period. Also, I have not seen a ruling on whether, since money for the medication is banned, payment for the required exam leading to such a prescription would also be denied. This would effectively double the number of doctor visits sexually active women need in order to cover their health care -- extra appointments that would require unpaid time away from work and extra costs. Doctor visits not covered by insurance can easily run over $100 each, in my personal experience. Government clinics do have cheaper options, but the lines are much longer and they don't always accept appointments. One must balance cheap care and available time to wait for it.

8) Related to number 7. I should not have to worry about being pregnant. I have only had one partner and he has had a vasectomy. However, I may have an illness that one of the four banned pills would cure or help. It is also possible, given the war on women, that retribution from this article -- or the way I dress (or don't dress), or look (or don't look) -- could result in me being overpowered and raped, and becoming pregnant from the rape. For some people, that might be a sign from God to have a baby. To me, it would be a sign from God that I needed to go to a clinic, report the rape, get tested, prevent any chance of pregnancy from becoming a baby, and prosecute my attacker(s). Equally concerning is that I have three sisters and a sister in law. All much more attractive than me. Two are unmarried. Should they be attacked, they should not also fear being shamed by their employers. Should she be sexually active but not wishing to become a mother, an employee's religion and her personal convictions should determine that -- not her for-profit employers.

9) Hobby Lobby, while claiming to be a Christian organization that fights for the rights of the unborn, does not fight to protect families with children. They are among many corporations that do not pay for maternity leave, allow paid time off for prenatal doctor visits, or anything else that would be consistent with a truly Christian agenda.

10 -- just as a reminder and a bonus) Hobby Lobby is a BILLION dollar generating CRAFT STORE. It is not a CHURCH.

*entire article can be found at http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2014/06/what-you-need-to-know-about-the-hobby-lobby-billionaires/

** Since the original ruling, 16 more drugs have been added to the list that employers no longer have to cover, with the intent that ALL birth control medications, including those used to fight endometriosis and other non-sexual health-related issues, are at the discretion of employers to deny to women who pay deductibles and premiums for government subsidized health insurance.

A Better Solution to the Problem

The best solution* would be for the government to remove its contributions to employer provided insurance benefits so that businesses would pay their employees outright instead of offering the benefits. In turn, companies providing health insurance would turn to hospitals, clinics, and patients for clientele -- rather like the way we do car and property insurance in this country. In this scenario, employers could have whatever religious bigotry they wanted without impacting individuals. Employees could purchase whatever insurance they wanted, not worry about losing insurance when changing jobs, and PROBABLY get better group coverage. Large companies, small companies, and self-employed people would all have the same access to insurance -- and it would not have to be single-payer government insurance.

John Green, author of Fault in Our Stars, also has a lot of fact and data-based ideas about American Health Insurance and the tangled issue of health care. Watch his very informative video:

*I've been thinking about this a lot, and I've worked up answers to every objection I've come across over the last 10 years or so. I won't go into them here, but leave questions or concerns in the comments section and I'll address them in a future article. Mr. Green is right that insurance is only one of several big problems, but I think removing employers from the doctor/patient/politics equation is an achievable first goal.

Hypothetical (but very plausible) Scenario

Planned Parenthood Pie Chart

So, let's say Heaven (a fictional person) worked at HL and quit due to the policies. Let's further say that she went to work for another craft store requiring a similar skill set -- Craft Store B. In making the switch, Heaven will likely have to wait 90 days or more to be covered by this new employer's insurance policy. Maybe she can afford gap coverage. Maybe she can't. And if she was pregnant or became pregnant in those 90 days, the new company's insurance can deny coverage based on her "pre-existing condition." The same holds true for men switching jobs and trying to keep their SAHM spouses covered. So even someone who was not planning an abortion of any kind but supportive of equal rights is hurt by this ruling. And it goes on:

In the meantime, Craft Company B, who hired Heaven after she left HL, is struggling financially because they have to follow all the rules of the Affordable Care Act while HL doesn't. Since HL has no problem making money off people who don't believe the same as they pretend, they are able to invest more -- and they invest in pharmaceutical companies that sell and manufacturer contraceptives as well as buying cheap goods from China. The money made from these endeavors could pay for lawyers who could get certain pharmaceuticals banned or eliminated, ruled unsafe, or any other tactic. A strong enough interest in any company can effectively change the company. Alternatively, HL could buy out Craft Company B and then the 90 days Heaven went without insurance were for nothing.

Therefore, this is more than a difference of opinion. I present this scenario as hypothetical, but do not feel anything in it is far fetched or even unsubstantiated by what we already know is being maneuvered by these corporations.

War on Women -- not (entirely) Man's Fault

Men don't seem to mind solid nutrition...

There is a war on women. That is not to say that men are the only attackers. Many of the people I have been battling have been other women. I'm not sure why it is that women feel the need to attack rather than build up -- but they do.
Some examples: "natural" versus epidural birth,
breast-versus-bottle feeding, 
working moms versus SAHMs,
breast-feeding in public versus not, 
slut-shaming based on clothing,
contraception versus "natural" family planning 
All of these have become bitter battlegrounds where women tear other women apart. 
In the meantime,

women earn less than men for doing the same job,

government legislation is constantly being proposed -- and passed!! -- that would deny women essential decisions over their health and well-being.

Raped women are being forced to carry the children of their rape and share parental rights with their rapists.

Women are denied positions in many religious organizations, shamed and damned if they disagree publicly with those decisions -- or even raise questions.

Men who have sex are studs; women who have sex are whores.

The list goes on and on and on and on.

One (male) friend of mine said, for example, "men should have NO problem seeing a pair of exposed breasts in public. They (exposed breasts) should be welcomed and appreciated." (He understood that what he was saying was at least slightly sexist, but given the spirit he was trying to convey, I think more would appreciate his comment than be offended by it.) He went on to say "Man boobs are disgusting, but there's no law against them. Or plumber's cracks." Then he shuddered. I did too.

More Battles of the War On Women

When a young athletic male bares his chest at a ball game, school, or park, women may ogle him but chances are the guy is safe from being raped. Yet women exposing skin (or nor exposing it) are not, and we tell women that is their fault. We tell girls that they have a responsibility to keep boys' thoughts pure (like that's possible). Here are more articles I've written regarding slut shaming and gender discrimination. J and K relate most closely, then article I:

A) Something for Everybody

B) Joan

C) Namioka

D) Girls on Their Team

E) Out of that Silence Came 1000 voices

F) Withholding Sex

G)Aging Grayfully

H)Dress Code for Teachers

I)Separation of Church and State

J)Slut Shaming

K)Is Not Rape Prevention

L)When I Say I'm Unchurched

M)Prosecution

N)Death of Hate

Phyl Campbell is Author, Mother, Dreamer. She writes and conducts workshops on a variety of topics: Education, Women/Feminism/Equality, Book Reviews, and Writing. Her books are available on Amazon. If you'd like to see her speak at an upcoming function, contact her via her website or Facebook page.

Tired of Low Teacher Pay

I could write for years about this one topic and never say the exact same thing twice, but at the same time, it's all the same. It's nothing personal -- except that it is profoundly personal.

I won't waste anyone's time. We all know what's at stake. It's very simple.

What we give teachers is what we give our students -- and when it isn't enough, we all suffer.

PAY TEACHERS MORE. This includes teachers, aides, subs, anyone who works with students needs the freedom to do just that.

REDUCE TEACHER WORKLOAD. So many teachers get burned out having to do too much for too many with not enough. So many teachers are also parents. They should be able to work part time for what is now considered full time pay. This would help in a lot of areas.

It's time we did more than gripe about Common Core and high-stakes testing. Pay teachers more, reduce their working hours and responsibilities, and respect the work they do, Let teachers figure out what they need. This is the path to change.

Phyl Campbell is Author, Mother, Dreamer. She writes and conducts workshops on a variety of topics: Education, Women/Feminism/Equality, Book Reviews, and Writing. Her books are available on Amazon. If you'd like to see her speak at an upcoming function, contact her via her website or Facebook page.