Previous by Date | Next by Date | Date Index
Previous by Thread | Next by Thread
| Thread Index
| LM_NET
Archive
| |
Cross-posted from AASLForum: t was absolutely inspiring to represent AASL at the Fund our Future rally and summit in Olympia Washington. The three Spokane Moms--Lisa, Susan and Denette--are patient, persistent, polite and passionate about the crucial role school libraries and school librarians have in the future of the students in Washington State. When Spokane schools did not agree to restore cuts to positions, someone suggested that they take their cause to the capital in Olympia, so they did! They took the advice of the staffers of important legislators about how to get support and a bill introduced that will put a school librarian in every school and provide funding for resources. The rally was wet, windy, cold and uplifting as speaker after speaker spoke about the importance of school libraries and support for the proposed bills...and people dressed in black and white (it's a black and white issue, after all) yelled their approval. Many more people would have arrived from the western part of the state but a huge snow fall closed the pass through the mountains. But there were kids, librarians, teachers, parents...including a mother named Susie (I think) from Oregon who drove down from Portland to announce that there was now going to be a Fund our Future Oregon....will Arizona be next? Hope so! And it was so exciting when it was reported that House Bill 2773 moved out of committee while we were there! Mike Eisenberg and WLMA (Washington Library Media Association) leaders worked very hard to put together a meaningful and thought-provoking summit...Mike produced agenda after agenda right up until the day before; it included Jamie McKenzie, Gary Hartzell, ALA President Loriene Roy, AASL Executive Director Julie Walker, me, President of Antioch University Cassandra Manuelito-Kerkvliet, Washington State Librarian Jan Walsh, the Director of the Seattle Public Library, and four administrators, all concentrating on what it is that school librarians and school library programs do in their schools which leads to excellence. Past AASL President and NCLB Task Force Chair Linda Williams came to show her support. The Spokane Moms are fun, smart and savvy. They presented very special, personalized READ posters to several key legislators among other recognitions. It's grassroots advocacy at its best...librarians were there--as they need to be--but the power of passionate parents is a HUGE piece of the advocacy puzzle. AASL and ALA will be following the progress of the Spokane Moms and Fund our Future Washington <http://www.fundourfuturewashington.org/> and will be supporting them and others as they work for students' educational experiences. All the best, Sara * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Sara Kelly Johns AASL 2007-08 President Associate Editor for AASL Community, Knowledge Quest Lake Placid Middle/High School LMC 34 School Street Lake Placid, NY 12946 518-523-2474, ext. 4132 FAX: 518-523-4861 johns@northnet.org SaraKJohns@aol.com <http://fromtheinsideout.blogspace.com> "Information is the currency of democracy." -- Thomas Jefferson -------------------------------------------------------------------- Please note: All LM_NET postings are protected by copyright law. You can prevent most e-mail filters from deleting LM_NET postings by adding LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU to your e-mail address book. To change your LM_NET status, e-mail to: listserv@listserv.syr.edu In the message write EITHER: 1) SIGNOFF LM_NET 2) SET LM_NET NOMAIL 3) SET LM_NET MAIL 4) SET LM_NET DIGEST * Allow for confirmation. * LM_NET Help & Information: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/ * LM_NET Archive: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/archive/ * EL-Announce with LM_NET Select: http://lm-net.info/ * LM_NET Supporters: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/ven.html * LM_NET Wiki: http://lmnet.wikispaces.com/ --------------------------------------------------------------------