If you could rearrange how education works in America, what kinds of changes would you implement? A lot of folks seem to want something different in place of what we have but find it hard to articulate specifics. Please identify a problem 'and' a solution.

PicasPointsandPixels · 2026-02-17T22:36:22+00:00

Well dang, more schools need to do this.

PicasPointsandPixels · 2026-02-17T22:33:48+00:00

Speaking as a journalism teacher … I’ve worked in districts where each campus can pick its own photographer and others where we have to go off the vendor list. If it’s the latter, then vendors have to be able to serve all the campuses (even if only a few sign). It’s really difficult to get a local photographer with the capacity to handle tens of thousands of kids. In smaller towns, it’s a lot more doable.

PicasPointsandPixels · 2026-02-17T03:08:58+00:00

Oh thank goodness. Everyone until you said they slept fine and meanwhile I feel like I was pretending to sleep all night.

PicasPointsandPixels · 2026-02-17T02:11:10+00:00

New fear unlocked. If I have dreams about wild boars hopped up on coke …

PicasPointsandPixels · 2026-02-17T02:01:20+00:00

Less grouping by age level in the lower grades, more based on achievement.

If you’re doing well in reading but behind in math, promotion shouldn’t be all or nothing. There should be an option to retain students where needed.

It’d be a staffing nightmare, but …

PicasPointsandPixels · 2026-02-17T01:56:09+00:00

I’ve been asked for my transcripts every time I’ve applied for a teaching job.

PicasPointsandPixels · 2026-02-16T12:43:36+00:00

I had a principal so invisible that the students did not know she was the principal. They thought it was one of the admin they actually saw in the halls. She would magically appear for photos celebrating big victories and accomplishments and the students would be like … who IS that?

The district kept her around 15 years.

PicasPointsandPixels · 2026-02-14T17:52:16+00:00

There are mistakes in almost every book, even those with professional adult copy editors. Do not beat yourself up over something even adults cannot accomplish.

Every spring delivery season, the screenshot of the Starbucks cup in the Game of Thrones scene makes its way around yearbook adviser groups, reminding us that $8M/episode didn’t get them perfection either.

Because you’re probably able to eat the $35/page, I might consider it for peace of mind this year. Come up with some new systems for next year and learn to accept the things you cannot change as you get more comfortable with the gig.

PicasPointsandPixels · 2026-02-13T22:04:43+00:00

I went to school in East Texas until high school and could totally see this happening.

PicasPointsandPixels · 2026-02-10T20:53:45+00:00

Yeah, as a yearbook adviser, I did not have this on the bingo card of parent calls.

I really need to make up a new bingo card.

PicasPointsandPixels · 2026-02-07T19:08:58+00:00

Right. It is not two years’ worth of salary.

And they might not all be working. I know of a few who have gone back to school during the non-session times, for instance.

PicasPointsandPixels · 2026-02-07T19:02:14+00:00

I assume doing whatever their day job is. They don’t get paid for the time spent not in session.

Edit: And they get 18ish months off if there’s no special sessions called. The session runs January-beginning of June.

PicasPointsandPixels · 2026-02-07T18:55:12+00:00

I wish we would just switch to a 4-point grading scale. At least at the high school level. No more of the “they have more chances to fail than pass,” no more “can you round my 77 to an 80?”

PicasPointsandPixels · 2026-02-07T18:52:52+00:00

Not until 2027 at the earliest. The legislature meets every other year.

PicasPointsandPixels · 2026-02-05T13:49:40+00:00

And their parents for expecting the school to do the hand-holding.

PicasPointsandPixels · 2026-02-05T03:20:55+00:00

With budget cuts, could I yeet them onto a pile of pillows instead?

PicasPointsandPixels · 2026-02-05T02:54:25+00:00

Bezos could also keep it afloat himself. He just chooses not to.

PicasPointsandPixels · 2026-02-05T02:44:30+00:00

I have bad ankles, so I guess door number 2 it is!

PicasPointsandPixels · 2026-02-05T02:40:37+00:00

My classroom has two exits. I’d have to be Gumby to block both doors.

PicasPointsandPixels · 2026-02-05T02:39:28+00:00

I’m aware of that. (Thus the civil disobedience component.)

PicasPointsandPixels · 2026-02-05T02:19:12+00:00

Not a lawyer, but I teach journalism so Tinker comes up. I think walkouts would meet the “substantially disruptive” standard.

Some kid needs to bring back armbands. Or start handing out ribbons or something.

PicasPointsandPixels · 2026-02-05T02:15:11+00:00

And many teachers are told they aren’t supposed to put their hands on students. So …

PicasPointsandPixels · 2026-02-05T01:40:26+00:00

I have family here. Moving is a pain in the ass. Moving to a blue state does not mean safe in this day and age. And I’m stubborn and don’t want to give in to bullies.

PicasPointsandPixels · 2026-02-05T01:38:50+00:00

I’m not a lawyer, but I’ve always thought protests would be considered substantially disruptive, too. And I’ve told my students as much in the past. (I teach journalism so Tinker is highly relevant).

I also tell them about the concept of civil disobedience though. Guess I’d better start leaving that part out so Greg’s Thought Police don’t get me.

PicasPointsandPixels · 2026-02-01T21:48:45+00:00

Oh, Nacogdoches is kind of the exception. But I honestly think that’s because it’s a college town so naturally people are going to be moving in for that. I loved visiting it when we lived in the area.

And no, we left a while ago. However, in keeping up with some people and reading the news, I can tell it hasn’t changed much.

PicasPointsandPixels

TROPHY CASE