But his two claims to fame came from off the field. He was the inventor of the bubble gum product Big League Chew and he was a ground breaking author. Care to guess why? The SBSB tasked one of our groupies to come up with not only who Jim Bouton is, but to figure out why Jim Bouton should be looked to as a role model for teachers.In 1970, Jim Bouton published "Ball Four." This book, which I read in high school over 30 years ago, chronicled the 1969 season he spent with the Seattle Pilots (currently the Milwaukee Brewers) and Houston Astros. Though Bouton's book wasn't the first of it's kind (in 1960 pitcher Jim Brosnan wrote "The Long Season" based on his 1959 year with the Cardinals and Reds and was "G-rated"), but was the first to show the salacious underbelly of Major League Baseball, explore the early drug problems, and while Bouton loved Mickey Mantle, didn't pull back when it came to writing about Mantle (click to enlarge);
What we need in education, and yes, I know there have been other "tell all" books from educators in the past, but what we need is a Jim Bouton. Write a diary of the school year. Lay nothing to waste. Every single bit of idiotic stupidity laid in our laps by incompetent higher up should be exposed with the names of these incompetents there for all to see.
Yes, it is done here on the blogs, but wouldn't it be great for a published book, and true tell all book of how the system here in NYC is stacked against the families, students, and true educators? How Uncle Mike has decimated the schools in what will be 12 years of a failed mayoralty?
A book like "Ball Four" needs to be written. I just feel there is someone out there ready to write such a book and not a moment too soon.
7 comments:
You are soooo right! I always thought this myself: that someone needs to either write a book or go undercover at a school as a sub and report what they witness in a newspaper. A book would be great! I hope someone is listening and take up our plight. We need to get the atrocities out in the open.
I'm in. I've documented a lot more than share on Protectportelos.org. There will be a book, but so far the ending is not clear.
I've often been encouraged to write a book about my public school teaching experiences. My excuse for not writing is always the same: "No one will believe it."
If no one will believe it, you have nothing to fear.. Change the names & go for it!
As the late, great, Stu Schmelz http://www.southbronxschool.com/2011/05/world-is-now-lonelier-without-stuart.html would tell me, he always wished to write a book about the DOE entitled, "You Won't Believe The Shit I've Seen"
You are on the mark. I have often wondered why someone, not just anyone, someone of stature and power, someone who people believe and respect, has not come forth and revealed the hypocrisy, incompetence, etc. and the many fakes, phonies and frauds that are making decisions everyday regarding our students. Expose the sham being shoved down the throats of the parents and students who have no choice but to accept it.
I have to be honest, I don't always agree with your postings. But I also don't consider you to be a liar, or even really deceptive.
So from the perspective of a non-teacher who reads your blog, I'd read your book.
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