I'm sorry Pasco, but I'm not quitting you!

I need to apologize to everyone in Pasco.
And I mean EVERYONE.

To those who love me, I apologize for dragging you into my moment of despair last week, and giving you cause to believe I might be leaving.

To those who hate me, I apologize for dragging you into my moment of despair last week, and giving you reason to hope that I might be leaving.

Love me or hate me, I'M NOT QUITTING YOU, PASCO!

Right now Pasco is an okay place to live.
There are a lot of terrible cities and school districts out there. And I mean TERRIBLE, but Pasco isn't one of them.
There are a lot of amazing cities and school districts out there.  What if Pasco were one of them?
Why aren't we amazing?
What would need to change to make Pasco one of the most Amazing cities ever?
What is stopping us from doing that today?

Right now we are sitting in a place that is okay, but nothing ever stays the same. Everything is meant to change. The question is will it change for the better or for the worse?

Looking into Pasco's future, it is easy to see a district where schools continue to get worse. It's easy to see a future where amazing teachers flee to other cities where good things come more easily. It's easy to see a Pasco turned ghost town as families who are able to move on to districts with better resources, and businesses move on with them.

post apocalyptic Pasco

That's an easy future to see because it doesn't take any effort from us. We can just sit here and do nothing, and that is the future we will get. It's that easy.

Thankfully the future of Pasco is a choice.
It's a choice each of us are making every day.

We can choose how we spend our time.
Are you going to spend an hour on Facebook today, or are you going to spend that hour in an elementary school working with struggling readers.

We can choose how we spend our money.
Do you want that over-priced cup of coffee today, or will you grab a back pack from the Walmart clearance rack and bring it into a school for a child who needs one.

We can choose to vote.
Did you vote yet? Or did you decide that it doesn't matter because nothing will ever change?

We can choose to speak.
Are you using your voice to complain to your neighbor about what's going wrong in your child's classroom, or are you going to board meetings and offering suggestions? Are you complaining to the principal about what they are doing wrong, or are you calling and asking what you can do to help? Are you using your voice to build up or to tare down?

We can choose our attitude.
Do you believe change is possible? Or have you already given up? Giving up is the easy way out. Giving up is the lazy man's solution.

I'm not giving up.
I believe that things will get better. Not by accident. Not by the hard work of someone else.

By choice.
By me.
By you.
By action.
Now.

I see a future where Pasco is a city people flock to not flee. I see a future where the community of Pasco is the envy of all diverse communities. I see a future where Pasco teachers are admired for their amazing work and envied for the incredible environment and support in which they do that work. I see a future where Pasco schools aren't just the best in the Tri-Cities, but are the best in the state.

Tomorrow-land Pasco

So I'm asking you now, Which Pasco do you choose?

And What are you going to do to make it happen?


Don't just think about it. Say it.
Don't just talk about it. Do it.

Don't just want it. Be it.



I believe in Pasco. Do you?