The Village Can't Do It !
…Because the Village Does Not Exist in America
by
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It has now been over a decade since Hillary Rodham Clinton published her book, It Takes A Village: And Other Lessons Children Teach Us. At the time of publication, Bill Clinton was President of the United States. I was working as a human resources manager, and had been immersed in a twenty-year career in the business world. Frankly, after successfully climbing the corporate ladder and repeatedly disciplining adults in the workplace, I was burned out. It was in the summer of 1996 when I made my decision to pursue another career with the support and encouragement of my husband and son. Though I already had my bachelor's degree in Political Science, with a minor in Business Administration, I would return to college to pursue a Bachelors and teaching certificate in secondary education. It was only after I had been teaching middle school for six years that I finally read Hillary Clinton's book. Admittedly curious, I was eager to learn how a village could replace a loving, nuclear family unit. No matter what you think of either her politics or of her personally, most every woman in America would confess to being curious about what makes Hillary Clinton tick. A successful lawyer, mother, First Lady-turned-Senator-Presidential Candidate-Secretary of State, there must be substance to what she had to say. So, color me curious! I checked out It Takes A Village and Other Lessons Children Teach Us from the library for summer reading in 2006. As I began to peruse the pages, my first impression was that of pleasant surprise. This woman, who seemed cool and aloof in every aspect of her public persona, was seemingly transformed as a very caring and compassionate author who had only the best interests of children at heart. However, as I delved into the book further, I found that I had significant disagreement with some of Mrs. Clinton's conclusions and recommendations for addressing the needs of American children. Halfway into her book, I began making some notes and considered writing a reply to her viewpoint, utilizing the knowledge I had gained in the public education arena, in general and my school, in particular. Mrs. Clinton inspired me to recount some poignant circumstances and incidents encountered in my classroom. She also challenged me to develop some suggestions to help American children of all socio-economic backgrounds be successful in our society and to realize “The American Dream”. Consequently, she helped me reach several conclusions about parenting and education in America. Mrs. Clinton also got me thinking about how all of our children could be pushed to be the best they can be. However, in actuality, the demands of special education in our classrooms prohibit this hope for most of our low-average children. This book will share some personal and professional insights, as well as some apparent truths which I have come to realize from my experience as a teacher and a mother. In reality, and with all due respect, the village simply can't do it. Mrs. Clinton was very wrong in her assumption, because the village does not exist in America.
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About the Book
This book should be read by every adult American, especially parents of school-aged children, and all those concerned about the reality of public education in the United States. It is a concise, quick and compelling read. Because of her unique perspectives from both inside and outside the classroom, Mrs. Hayden offers a very poignant and insightful comment on the American public education system, inspired by her disagreements with the conclusions drawn by Hillary Rodham Clinton in her own book, "It Takes A Village: And Other Lessons Children Teach Us". In fact, Mrs. Hayden emphatically demonstrates that Mrs. Clinton's "village" is, and may have always been, non-existent. She asserts that we are all "waiting for Superman", and that we wait to the detriment of our children, our future and the very fabric of our nation.
About the Author
Sandra Hayden is currently a 6th grade social studies teacher with eleven years of experience teaching in Havre de Grace Middle School, Havre de Grace, Maryland. She grew up in Seaford, Delaware, attending public schools there from kindergarten through 12th grade. Her Mother was a home economics teacher in the high school, and her father was a sales manager with a local oil distributor. After earning her bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Delaware, she spent twenty years in the business world as human resources manager. She was a female trailblazer in a traditional man's world, climbing the ladder from supervisor, to department head, to corporate vice president. Burned out and ready for a change, she decided to make a significant career shift. She attended Notre Dame of Maryland University and earned an accelerated degree in secondary education. She began student teaching at Havre de Grace Middle School and took a permanent position there the following fall. In 2003, Mrs. Hayden earned her Master of Arts in Educational Leadership, graduating summa cum laude from Notre Dame of Maryland University. Mrs. Hayden lives in Fair Hill, Maryland, with her husband of 28 years, Joe, and their beloved St. Bernard, Chloe. They have one son, Ben, aged 24, who lives in Boston, Massachusetts. Recently celebrating her 60th birthday, she and her husband look forward to early retirement on Cape Cod, so they may be close to their son. In retirement, Mrs. Hayden plans to continue her literary pursuits.