posted June 8, 2005

I'm sitting in the auditorium of the Linus Pauling Middle School here in Corvallis. The room is full: parents and siblings, bands, and music. Tonight is the school year's final concert, and we're here to see how much the kids have learned this year.

I don't have a kid in this school, though. My son goes to Corvallis High, but he plays in the band there and I agreed to help Marshall Price, the band teacher at both schools, with some slides and music before and after the concert. So I'm sitting in a corner, the band with the youngest kids has just finished playing the "Spiderman" theme (back from when I was younger than these kids; that Spiderman theme), and now I have to move for a while...

...and that band has finished, and I'm back in my chair in the corner. There are three bands at the middle school, and they are spread from corner to corner, across the front of the auditorium. So my corner became the focal point for about 10 minutes, and I didn't think I should be sitting back with a bunch of 7th grade percussionists.

I played clarinet. That's not my section.

And like I said, this is not my school. My son did not attend this middle school; he was at the middle school that used to stand on this spot through 7th grade, but had to go to another school for 8th grade when that one was demolished. Now we have this wonderful new middle school (and named it for absolutely the right person) that the good people of Corvallis decided was worth paying millions of dollars for. In addition, the new Corvallis High School will be ready by fall; that was another chunk of money. $84 million altogether: 2 new schools and major repairs to other schools.

The legislature did not do this for us. The governor did not do this, nor did our members of Congress. We did it. Citizens worked with the schools and school board, they got the initiative on the ballot, and they passed it -- and they did it in the middle of a huge recession.

This is what it will take to fix Oregon's schools. Not the big bucks, although there is no denying we need to increase spending significantly. Our schools will get fixed when parents and other concerned citizens join together to not merely demand solutions, but to think the damn things up themselves. Somehow, parents have to find a way to overcome the intransigence of Karen Minnis and her minnions, the penny-wise, pound-foolish caution of Ted Kulongoski, and the grotesquely inadequate budgets of local school boards to make Oregon schools once again among the nation's best.

I think we can do this. I'm encouraged that on a beautiful night like this, the families of these kids are here listening to music that is somewhat painful at times (this is middle school after all; but Marshall Price does have a knack of bringing some wonderful sounds out of his bands). This is a start. Being present for their kids. Now we need to go further, taking primary responsibility. For all the kids.

Mine's at home, at his mom's. I'm here with other parents' kids. And I'm just glad I get a chance to do something extra. Putting my money where my mouth is.