How The Space Race Ended

Thirty years ago, the United States suffered a serious blow to its psyche. Even more importantly, it suffered a serious blow to its worldly exceptionalism. And our nation has never truly recovered.

It was during the crisp morning hours of January 28, 1986, when the Challenger space shuttle soared into the robin’s-egg sky like so many prior missions. But just 73 seconds into its flight, disaster struck, with an explosion that ended up killing all seven crew members: Michael J. Smith, Dick Scobee, Ronald McNair, Ellison Onizuka, Gregory Jarvis, Judith Resnik, and New Hampshire teacher Christa McAuliffe.

The disaster resulted in a 32-month hiatus in the space shuttle program, as well as the formation of the Rogers Commission, a special commission appointed by President Ronald Reagan to investigate the accident. In its study, the Rogers Commission found NASA's organizational culture and decision-making processes had been key contributing factors to the accident. Further, NASA managers had known for nearly 10 years that the shuttle’s solid rocket boosters’ design contained a potentially catastrophic flaw in its O-ring seals, but they had failed to address this problem properly.

The disintegration of Challenger remains one of those unique and singular moments etched into the collective and individual souls of those who watched it unfold. Like the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, and the falling of the Twin Towers, there are millions who can tell you exactly where they were and what they were doing when Challenger and its passengers died. In fact, it may have been the first major disaster broadcast live and uncut to the world; the launch was broadcast live on CNN and was being simultaneously shown at countless schools across the United States in recognition of McAuliffe’s involvement with NASA’s “Teacher in Space Project.” It is likely more children than adults witnessed the event while at school that day. Media coverage of the accident was extensive; one study reported 85 percent of Americans surveyed had heard the news within an hour of the accident.

In a televised address to the nation that night, President Reagan told a shocked and grieving nation the legacy of Challenger would not be curtailed ambition for the space program, but accomplishments that would have made Challenger's crew proud: “To reach out for new goals and ever-greater achievements - that is the way we shall commemorate our seven Challenger heroes.”

But 30 years later, this promise seems very far away; despite occasional successes, like the Hubble Telescope in 1990, in many ways the American space program has never fully recovered from the damage to its reputation, especially following the disintegration of the Columbia space shuttle during re-entry to Earth’s atmosphere in February 2003. This is ironic, given the near universal reverence citizens had for NASA from the mid-1960s until Challenger. The space race of the 1960s pitted the Soviet Union and the United States, a scientific extension of the post-World War II “Cold War.” Fifty years ago, we the people had an enemy, which Reagan-dubbed the “Evil Empire.” By 1986, the United States had far and away won the space battle, and Challenger became not only a signal of our own mortality, but of NASA’s insulation from accountability.

Since then, it seems our closest ability to touch the skies has been through the fantasies of film, of Star Wars and Star Trek. NASA has neither funding nor a spacecraft to deliver astronauts to Mars any time soon, and its budget is minuscule compared to other federal projects.

This is depressing. If the United States is going to again stand high on the lofty pedestal of world leadership, space exploration is the one thing where we have a chance of truly taking the torch and running with it. Fifty years ago, we were champions of space; we have a duty and an obligation to reclaim that crown.

The Road to Washington

A few weeks ago - right before Christmas, I believe - I came up with this crazy notion that I could become Secretary of Education in 2017. Of course, this idea is dependent on a few factors over which I have no control:

(1) If any of the Republican candidates for president win, I have virtually no chance whatsoever. I honestly cannot fathom ANY of the GOP throne-seekers selecting me. Not Jeb Bush or Marco Rubio (despite my living in Florida since 1999). Not Ben Carson (despite our Detroit roots). Not Chris Christie (despite our both being on the somewhat hefty side). Not Ted Cruz, Carly Fiorina, Jim Gilmore, Mike Huckabee, Rick Santorum, or Rand Paul. And definitely not Donald Trump.

(1a) Maybe John Kasich. But who am I kidding? He hasn't got a chance in hell of winning.

(2) I don't have a chance if Hillary Clinton wins, either. American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten and HRC have been longtime friends; she was head of New York's United Federation of Teachers when Clinton was a senator from the same state, and Weingarten is on the board of Priorities USA Action, a Super PAC which is supporting the former first lady's White House campaign.

Which means the only realistic chance I have of achieving this appointed position is if Bernie Sanders wins the whole thing.

I suspect, even if Sanders were to win in November, I have a few other minor issues to deal with:

(1) I am neither a principal nor a superintendent; in particular, I am not an administrator which has taken over a low-achieving school/district and turned it into a not-so-low-achieving school/district. I do run a pretty solid high school debate team, but they were achieving when I took over the Wellington High School program in 2002, and have continued to achieve, so I'm not sure I can use this as a selling point to move up to secretary of the USDOE.

(2) I don't know enough people outside of my school and the debate coaching world. I'm not a mover and shaker; I'm not a Type A personality. If anything, I'm more of a wallflower. I don't go to local or regional shindigs and press the palm with other movers and shakers in the education and/or political world. And it's really difficult to climb up the political ladder when you don't know people who can help me climb more than a step-stool.

(3) I'm not an ass-kisser. There, I said it. I've argued against administrative micromanagement in the past. I've posted rants on Facebook, Twitter, and this blog. I've written letters and memos of concern. I've barely paid attention in many a Learning Team Meeting lecture/seminar. I've written many a state legislator about unfair and/or ineffective education and/or educator mandates. I've ignored or amended directives which I have found to be obtuse or misguided. I'm sure my personnel file has several less than positive items about classroom management or other education-related issues.

But let's play "Let's Pretend," and assume - for the moment - that (a) Sanders wins, (b) he thinks my resume is good enough, and (c) I do well in the interview process. I'm sure I would be asked about a number of hot-topic education ideas. Here's my platform, in a nutshell:

• No to an over-reliance on standardized testing. There have been numerous studies presented on why standardized testing is a poor indicator of both student learning and teacher success, including this op-ed piece out of Los Angeles and this article from The Atlantic.
• No to private charter schools funded with taxpayer dollars.
• No to Common Core.
• No to the horrible No Child Left Behind or its bastard replacement, Every Student Succeeds.
• No to unfunded state mandates.

Which leads to yet another minor issue: (4) I'm opposed to virtually everything that has been pushed by both federal and multiple state governments in terms of education "reform" since I entered the education profession in 1999.

So while I will be shipping my resume off to the Sanders campaign soon, I am openly doubtful my quest to change public education nationally for the better will happen. But it would be fun to try and bring about some positive changes in the education system, and change the way the USDOE has operated since it was created in 1979.

On Ending Sex Slavery

There are those who believe slavery in the United States ended when the Civil War was brought to its end April 9, 1865.

Sadly, those individuals would be wrong. Slavery still exists within these United States, only it’s not nearly as public, and in many ways, it’s more widespread.

The slavery of which we speak is that of human trafficking. According to the National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTRC), there are some 27 million people enslaved worldwide, many of them in our vicinity. Slave labor ranging from agricultural work to the sex trade, smuggled immigrants and U.S. citizens alike, are held captive and exploited on a daily basis.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, between 14,500 and 17,500 people are trafficked into the United States every year, and half of these are children. Of the 2,515 suspected human trafficking incidents reported but eh USDOJ between January 2008 and June 2010, nearly 500 suspects were confirmed and nearly 150 arrests made. Eighty percent of the suspected cases were classified as sex trafficking.

The NHTRC has even more glaring statistics; Between December 2007 and December 2012, more than 72,500 human trafficking incidents were reported, with 41 percent sec trafficking and 20 percent labor trafficking. Women were identified as victims in 85 percent of these cases. And according to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, one in every seven endangered runaways were child sex trafficking victims.

This year in Florida, through the end of September the NHTRC received more than 1,100 calls regarding more than 300 human trafficking cases - and this is definitely not every single case out there. Given the exponential growth of massage parlors advertised on Craigslist and Backpage in Palm Beach County, it is safe to say that for every filed report or law enforcement bust of an illegal establishment, multiple operations have opened shop behind closed doors.

In fact, according to the USDOJ, South Florida is the nation’s third-busiest region for sex trafficking, not to mention third in calls to the national hotline (which can be reached at 888-373-7888, by texting “info” or “help” to 233733, and at https://traffickingresourcecenter.org). And Palm Beach County is third in Florida in terms of calls to the NHTRC regarding suspected cases of human trafficking.

The U.S. Department of State offers 20 ways individuals can help fight human trafficking (http://www.state.gov/j/tip/id/help/); these include incorporating human trafficking information in to professional association conferences and trainings, distributing awareness materials, donating food or other needed items to anti-trafficking organizations, students taking action on campuses, and contacting the NHTRC.

Earlier this year, the state passed legislation aimed at trying to bring the runaway train to some sort of stop, with mandated posting of “human trafficking awareness signs” (which include the aforementioned NHTRC hotline and text numbers) be posted in public and private locations statewide. The law, which takes effect Jan. 1, 2016, requires signs be posted across Florida, from Interstate welcome centers and Florida’s Turnpike rest stops to airports and Tri-Rail train stations, from public libraries and public schools to adult entertainment locations. This includes strip clubs and any business offering massage or bodywork services not owned by a regulated health care profession.

I recognize the new law is not enough. But it’s a start, because information - real, hard, public information - is crucial when dealing with a below-the-radar crime such as human trafficking. Public transportation signage tells people from all walks of life: Here’s someone you can call, anonymously, without fear of reprisal.

I encourage you, as the new year begins, to make a resolution: to help end slavery of all types in the United States.

So Close, Yet So Far

History will be the ultimate judge of last weekend’s historic Paris Agreement, the pact that commits 196 nations to work together in an attempt to limit climate change and stem the continued rise of greenhouse gas emissions.

So close, and yet so far.

That’s my takeaway from last weekend’s historic Paris Agreement, the pact that commits 196 nations to work together in an attempt to limit global warming and preventing the rise of greenhouse gas emissions.

The pact, adopted after 13 days of intense bargaining in France, puts the world’s nations on a course that changes the way energy is produced and consumed, with countries gradually reducing their reliance on fossil fuels in favor of cleaner forms of energy.

The positives are that finally - FINALLY - a large percentage of the world’s leaders have figured out there is a serious problem regarding climate change and, more importantly, have agreed to actually do something to save the planet’s future. The fact that 196 nations signed off on the proposal is a rare display of universal agreement on a topic that has been a political football in many nations, including the United States.

The PA binds pledges by individual nations to cut or reduce emissions from fossil-fuel burning. And it established a framework of rules which provide for both monitoring and verification, as well as financial and technical assistance for developing countries. All 196 nations are obligated to limit their emissions to relatively safe levels, of 2 degrees Celsius with an aspiration of 1.5 degrees Celsius, with regular evaluations to ensure these commitments can be increased in line with scientific advice. Additionally, funding will be provided to poorer nations, so they can work effectively to reduce emissions and deal better with the effects of extreme weather. Further, nations impacted by climate-related disasters will gain urgent aid.

It is also a major diplomatic achievement for President Barack Obama and his administration. Obama has made global warming a key provision of his political legacy, all the while facing angry and vocal opposition from many Republicans in the legislature, who take umbrage with the scientific community’s position that Earth’s recent warming is directly linked to man-made pollution.

However - there’s always a “however” or two when analyzing a major agreement such as the PA - there are some issues which we hope are resolved as countries implement the proposal. First, poor countries are concerned the money provided to them will not be nearly enough to protect them. Without proper funding, it is probable some of these nations will opt out, hampering the pact’s implementation.

The agreement does not take effect until 2020. True, it takes nations some time to put in place their own steps to bring about a proposal of this magnitude, but because not all of the agreement is legally binding (another concern), some future governments could yet renege on their commitments. A four-year window seems a bit long to us.

The reason it is not legally binding is because that way, President Obama does not have to bring the agreement before the Republican-controlled U.S. Senate for approval. According to Secretary of State John Kerry, binding legal requirements would have made the Paris agreement a treaty, mandating approval from two-thirds of the Senate.

Further, we in southeast Florida have some regional concerns as well, mostly stemming from that same timeframe. As we noted in August, some 2.4 million people and 1.3 million homes in Florida sit within 4 feet of the local high tide line. Sea level rise is more than doubling the risk of a storm surge at this level in South Florida by 2030. And taxpayers are already paying the price for climate change as salt water pushes through porous bedrock into coastal drinking-water supplies, and rivers and canals choked by heavy rains have a harder time draining into the ocean.

We need action now. I'm hoping the PA brings about the changes needed ... and equally hoping it’s not too little, too late.

George Santayana

“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”

This quote, attributed to philosopher George Santayana, speaks volumes when looking at a variety of recent events - the international terrorist attack in Paris; the domestic terrorist attacks in San Bernadino and Colorado Springs; the in-store shopper-on-shopper attacks on Black Friday. We, as a nation have lost our compass; we, as a nation, seem not to remember the past.

Given not only these stories, but the fact that today is the 74th anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, I am hopeful maybe we, as a nation, can get our collective act together.

December 7, 1941, is indeed a day which has lived in infamy, as President Franklin Delano Roosevelt informed a stunned nation after the incident that dragged the United States into World War II. The men and women who fought that war were later dubbed “The Greatest Generation” - a moniker which is both accurate and seemingly shy of the mark simultaneously. Those brave individuals helped the Allied forces win that war, save the world from tyranny, and build an economic powerhouse that helped fulfill the American dream for millions.

Our WWII veterans are passing into history, and we would do well to learn from them, to heed the lessons they learned in such dire circumstances. After all, the youngest of the survivors are in their early 90s now. Our direct connection to that day will soon flicker out. Yet we will still remember, to pay respect to sacrifice, to honor bravery, to note the dear price of peace.

“Remember Pearl Harbor” was a ringing call to battle that emanated across the United States shortly after the surprise attack in the Pacific. The rallying cry helped keep fresh the nation’s shock and rage, and summoned the unity needed to win a long, exhausting war. And we are forever proud of the work they did in both Europe and the Pacific Theater.

But sadly, we must remember Pearl Harbor for another reason.

Shortly after the attack, the United States scapegoated more than 100,000 Japanese-Americans in an emotionally-based example of racial profiling, targeting patriotic Americans because of the way they looked. Removed from their homes, these citizens were placed in relocation camps for the duration of the war.

It was a time when emotions trumped Constitutional rights, when America’s commitment to human rights was tested, and when the country failed. And it was a mistake that - in the aftermath - we swore we would never make again.

Today, Japan is a democracy and a close ally, proof that extremism and historic grievances can be overcome. But the nation’s current swell of anti-Muslim dialogue has me wondering if we really have learned. And the continued mass shootings by unhinged Americans on a seemingly daily basis also have me questioning what, if anything, we have learned from the past.

Historically, there is no such thing as a recurring drama. But it is also a fact that Santayana’s words ring true: history repeats similar mistakes. This is because humans are often incapable of controlling their desires, political ambitions and technology. Hopefully, we as a people can do better, starting with today's anniversary.