I have worked in early childhood development for almost 25 years in every position from provider to owner. I owned an accredited children development center for seven years. Our name was “Teaching Our Children where our motto was “Education is our business!” And “Where you’re not just a client, you’re family!” We were licensed for ninety-six children ages six weeks to five years old. The center taught a state regulated pre-k program and we had a before and after school-aged program. I became a state certified trainer and taught in all the core competencies of early childhood development. With my vast knowledge and extensive experience, I feel more than confortable addressing this issue. Before we moved to South Carolina I did a little research on the educational system. I was not too impressed with what the Internet gave for stats and ratings. Since I worked closely with the elementary schools in New Mexico to ensure we were giving the children what they needed to be successful when entering kindergarten I was excited about getting here and exploring the school system. I was even more underwhelmed when I was able to talk with local teachers, tour a few schools and child development centers (none of whom had pre-k programs). I had to know what was the problem. The first time I heard about the documentary “Corridor of Shame’ was from a licensing agent. She told me that would be a good place to start. As I watched the video I was in disbelief. Some of the thoughts that ran through my mind was, “Not in 2005 schools like this still existed!” “Have I been living in a vacuum not to know that this was happening?” “How could all those officials continue to allow this to happen when they obviously knew?” “What was the school board doing about the situation?” and “Where was the disconnect of knowing and appropriate action of correction?” I know all too well the term “red-tape” is the go to excuse of money being dissimulated to the need at hand but with such dire conditions emergency funding should have been approved. The environment of the students breed illiteracy, hopelessness and resentment toward the system. But that was then and
I have worked in early childhood development for almost 25 years in every position from provider to owner. I owned an accredited children development center for seven years. Our name was “Teaching Our Children where our motto was “Education is our business!” And “Where you’re not just a client, you’re family!” We were licensed for ninety-six children ages six weeks to five years old. The center taught a state regulated pre-k program and we had a before and after school-aged program. I became a state certified trainer and taught in all the core competencies of early childhood development. With my vast knowledge and extensive experience, I feel more than confortable addressing this issue. Before we moved to South Carolina I did a little research on the educational system. I was not too impressed with what the Internet gave for stats and ratings. Since I worked closely with the elementary schools in New Mexico to ensure we were giving the children what they needed to be successful when entering kindergarten I was excited about getting here and exploring the school system. I was even more underwhelmed when I was able to talk with local teachers, tour a few schools and child development centers (none of whom had pre-k programs). I had to know what was the problem. The first time I heard about the documentary “Corridor of Shame’ was from a licensing agent. She told me that would be a good place to start. As I watched the video I was in disbelief. Some of the thoughts that ran through my mind was, “Not in 2005 schools like this still existed!” “Have I been living in a vacuum not to know that this was happening?” “How could all those officials continue to allow this to happen when they obviously knew?” “What was the school board doing about the situation?” and “Where was the disconnect of knowing and appropriate action of correction?” I know all too well the term “red-tape” is the go to excuse of money being dissimulated to the need at hand but with such dire conditions emergency funding should have been approved. The environment of the students breed illiteracy, hopelessness and resentment toward the system. But that was then and