You Can’t Buy Fun Like This!

I just received an email from FETC alerting me to the “blockbuster” closing keynote at their upcoming conference.

FETC 2009 conference highlights include:

FETC 2009’s Blockbuster Closing Session!
Be part of an FETC exclusive Q & A session with Chancellor of Public Schools for the Florida Department of Education, Dr. Frances Haithcock. During this “Town Hall Meeting” format, Dr. Haithcock will respond to questions submitted in advance from FETC attendees. Questions are being accepted now and attendees are encouraged to submit their question to info@fetc.org with the subject line “closing session.”

Although this sounds like Jaleel White performing in the Cirque du Soleil production of Uncle Vanya, I do have a few questions.

1) Why is it so unique when a public education official speaks with the public?

2) Why do questions need to be submitted in advance? Is to ensure that nothing interesting or relevant gets asked of the public official? Or, does this speak to the Chancellor’s ability to answer tough questions?

When did educators become peasants and school officials Czars?

3) Why would anyone from outside of Florida care what is discussed during this “blockbuster” event?

Gary Stager

Veteran educator Gary Stager, Ph.D. is the author of Twenty Things to Do with a Computer – Forward 50, co-author of Invent To Learn — Making, Tinkering, and Engineering in the Classroom, publisher at Constructing Modern Knowledge Press, and the founder of the Constructing Modern Knowledge summer institute. He led professional development in the world’s first 1:1 laptop schools thirty years ago and designed one of the oldest online graduate school programs. Gary is also the curator of The Seymour Papert archives at DailyPapert.com. Learn more about Gary here.