Myron Miner Reflects on Day One of Last Stand for Children First

Yesterday we launched LastStand, and today I feel incredibly grateful, not only for the chance to do important work that I love, but to know how many of you out there are passionate about creating the best schools for our children. I am exhausted!  This is already the third longest I have worked at any job in my life and knowing the coming battle with teachers unions, I know I have work to do.
LastStand will be a powerful ambassador for children, catalyst for reform, forum for families, educators, and the wealthy and an organized collective voice under my leadership. But it is you little people who let us know that our work hasn't been in vain for nothing. Whether you are a hedge fund manager, industrialist, bank president, or politician, or member of the media, your voice is the instrument of change that American public education needs and together we can overcome the most stubborn challenges that have stymied student progress for decades--teachers and their unions.

I have received so many emails in the past 24 hours, some from as far away as Nigeria, and I appreciate the many voices and viewpoints on complex issues: how teachers should be fired, how standardized testing should be used to fire teachers, the role of parents in firing teachers.  To fix public education we have to do more than identify our common ground, we have to move as a unified force under my firm guidance tempered by my love of the students

Let us know what we can do to improve your city or state.  If it involves removing teachers or curtailing the power of teachers unions, we're probably already on it.  Just send us a check and we'll redouble our efforts.

Thanks to you, I'm back to doing what I know I am meant to do and I will not shy away from the burden of being public education's messiah.   Together, onward, forward, but never backward and always always looking sideways!