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Thursday, July 19, 2007
Entrenched Public Schools: What Gives?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
During the past few weeks, I’ve been watching that new TV show where NBA star Shaquille O’Neal is trying to help some very overweight pre-teens get into shape.
When I first saw commercials for the show I figured the reality-TV weight-loss genre had reached a new low. But the ABC program actually has turned out to be a very polished educational documentary — with no trappings of the faked reality I’d been expecting.
What’s really been interesting to see is how Shaq — in his attempts to bring healthier cafeteria food to a Broward County, Fla., middle school and to convince the principal to devote more time to P.E. — keeps running into stubborn realities.
Shaq: Why can’t we set aside 20 minutes every day so that students can get some more exercise? Because I don’t have any extra time in the school day, the crabby principal retorts.
Shaq: Why can’t we make healthier meals that kids will enjoy eating instead of constantly dishing out greasy pizza and chicken patties? Tsktsk, the cafeteria ladies cluck, there’s not enough time in the morning to prepare such labor-intensive meals.
Watching this big-time celebrity get in way over his 7-foot 1-inch frame is comical and sad at the same time. Comical because it’s obvious Shaq had no clue how school systems work. Sad because the school administrators come off as so resistant to change.
Isn’t it ironic that educators — who make their living from learning — can sometimes be so entrenched in the same old ways?
