Common Sense, Please

Janey: Miss Hoover, can we exchange our valentines?
Miss Hoover: Not just yet, Janey. First, we're going to construct paper mailboxes to store the Valentines.
Lisa: Isn't that just pointless busy work?
Miss Hoover: Bulls-eye. Get cracking.

--The Simpsons, "I Love Lisa" (2/11/93)

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One of the things that I was hoping would happen when Baltimore City Schools rearranged the schools into new "areas" was that the staff development that took place would be a little more targeted.

For instance, last year my area was comprised of about 22 elementary schools (through Grade 5) and 7 Elementary/Middle Schools (through Grade 8). This year there are two areas that are exclusively Elementary/Middle and two that are exclusively Elementary. Mine is one of the Elementary-only areas. We have 25 schools scattered across the city. Several of them, of course, are only a few minutes away from where I USED to live. Oh, well.

So at this point, one would think that when we get some professional development, we'd get something targeted specifically at the Elementary schools, right?

Wrong.

I've been asked to present some materials for tomorrow. The presentation deals with special education students who are approaching age 14 and the need for them to receive transition services related to the time when they leave school. Let me tell you, if you're 14 years old and still in the fifth grade, you're in some seriously bad shape. So basically I'm going to assist with a two-and-a-half hour presentation on a topic that NOBODY I'm presenting to will need to know about.

Once again, your tax dollars at work. I think I've said this often enough that it may have to become a posting category.