Deborah Meier on Education

There she was–ordered by the King to turn straw into gold within 24 hours…as I recall. Terrified she agreed to give up her first born child to Rumpelstiltskin in return for his promise to do so. But, when the time came she recognized that she couldn’t go through with it… So she cheated and discovered his name–and was free at last.

Now children are neither straw nor gold (see previous blog) but the deal we’re making with the devil bears similar risks–inch by inch the day of Rumpelstiltskin’s final victory gets closer and closer. But it’s natural to put off looking at the future for survival in the present. It’s even healthy. If… if we use the time to mobilize ourselves intellectually, morally and politically to when we can say “no” without all losing our heads to the tyrant King.

A bit too whimsical a comparison perhaps—but alas, we have less to lose (no one is threatening us with our lives–just our jobs) and there is no Rumpelstiltskin out there to rescue us until we discover the secret of his name. We have to figure this out ourselves.

But coming back from Boston where I spent time celebrating Eleanor Duckworth with her many fans – talking and demonstrating the “having of wonderful ideas,” and attending an inspiring memorial service for a wonderful friend and his many friends and family–Allen Graubard. His best known book (an old one), Free the Children, is worth a reread. The two events meshed – and I drove home on a cloud of joy at two people’s indomitable spirit – who managed to do honest and important work while remaining authentic people with incredible integrity and loved by many. And Eleanor keeps going and going creating for us all the insights we need to hold on to truly high expectations. Go to Critical Explorers to learn more about her current work.

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