Six day school week suggested

The US Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, called for a six-day school week. He also wants year-round classes, higher pay for teachers, better paid for better teachers and more choices for parents to send their kids to any school so long as the parents are handing their kids over to the schools.

There are many days when I do a better job teaching my kids and their friends than the schools. Those days are often on the weekends and summers.

I understand that I'm not a typical parent. But come on. What do you think the education secretary is going to say.

He wants more, more, more.

I want better, better, better.

We need responsible, motivated, engaged, and thoughtful.

The quote in the paper, Page A3, Trib, April 8, says, "I will do absolutely everything to get myself in the middle of that conversation."

Bingo. That is the key. The education secretary, Duncan, should get in the middle of the conversation rather than getting onto one side of it so as to tug the kids out of extra experiences and into more school time.

Meanwhile, we've got for the first time (perhaps ever) in Pittsburgh Public Schools a week-long spring break. No school this week. None.

I wonder when my wife, kids and a couple of their buddies are going to be back from the Science Center? We've got to go to the gym and pool this afternoon.