Skandera: what a great name for a Harry Potter character

I just watched a clip from New Mexico in Focus and was so impressed by what the teachers on the clip said about testing, teaching, and learning. If you would like to hear a thoughtful, knowledgeable discussion by true experts, watch this.

There were many references in the clip to our PED leader, Hannah Skandera. I had to Google Image her just now because I realized I had little idea of what she looks like. In my mind, she is another Monsanto -- a faceless, evil, menacing presence, threatening the mental health and livelihood of all NM teachers. On the surface, and politically speaking, her goals seem to support NM students and teachers, but her actions say otherwise.

I've read all the Harry Potter books; I know an evil menace when I see one. Now that I see Skandera is an attractive, harmless looking person, I have made my fictional version of her that type of villain who seems nice enough on the outside but secretly plots to take over the world. No one is fooled, however, because they can see the evil in her eyes.

She's kinda like the teacher on the old Magic School Bus on the outside and, on the inside, an evil Disney queen offering poison apples to trusting school children.

Maybe I'm wrong. I haven't met her so it's unfair to make these judgments. Maybe if I were in her shoes for a week, I would have a different opinion of her. Maybe I would realize that there is more to what she does than what the news reports or what teachers experience.

But then again, is it fair for Skandera to judge teachers on test scores? Aren't we talking about the same thing? What if Skandera spent a week in teachers' shoes? For someone who is a leader in education, it seems like she knows very little about education in New Mexico. The best way to learn is to be part of it, not up above everyone else, looking down your nose and judging.

That's all I've got for today. Go out and learn something!