They Didn't Ask You

Teachers are an odd species. At least the megaphone mouths who simply will not drop the mic. They're out there proclaiming their limitations: not a licensed therapist; not a baby sitter; notta, notta, notta. But. They're licensed teachers, quick to proclaim their extensive education, preparation, training, oh, and workload. They're demanding respect, hopeful for admiration, for those efforts and accomplishments.

Fair enough.

But it cuts both ways, does it not? Why not then offer up to experts in other domains the same respect demanded for theirs? Why not show that same respect for the experts charged with managing an entire school system and not just a single classroom? Why not acknowledge their specialized education and skills and even the value of their experience? Perhaps even entertain the notion, no matter how briefly, that these experts must recognize and address issues far beyond and more important than what bounces around in teachers' echo chambers. Maybe then you'd understand that experts with these responsibilities should not, and will not, abandon their commitments for the greater good to sate your whims and insecurities, especially given these commitments are outside your area of expertise-you're no more an administrator than you are a licensed therapist. So, by your own logic, why should they ask you?

Maybe if you showed others the respect they have earned you might garner the respect you crave. 

Airborne Ebola

We've been told all the ways that Ebola does NOT spread and the agenda seems to be convincing the public that it is not an airborne contagion. Well, sorta.

You may have noticed this is not the first outbreak of Ebola and it seems to come, die off (with many of its victims) and then after taking a break comes back. With a vengeance. But where does it go? The answer is the same as with other contagions: animal reservoir. Animals are successful at harboring contagions, including Ebola, until an opportunity arises to (re)infect a human population. Then it is off to the races.

So far only one animal has been found that harbors Ebola. Bats. So technically Ebola is carried in the air. It just requires a bat to help it along. This explains how the spread of the disease does not track movement of infected humans as much as one would expect. It tracks the migratory patterns of the bats.

We know how the virus transfers to humans. Bats are part of the human food supply in that part of the world and folks pick up Ebola when making bat charcuterie.  No word yet on how bats get Ebola.

But now we've allowed folks to bring Ebola to the United States-hell, we've all but invited them in. Thank goodness we don't have any bats.