An Easter Gift for my Constituents and Friends

There are two huge pieces of news on the book front.   First, Profiles in Courageousness will be coming out in paperback form and secondly, it's been proofread and copy edited.  The new version will be appearing in the eBook stores soon and when that happens, I will make sure that anybody who bought the first version will be able to get the proofread copy free of charge.

In addition, I am as always on a crusade to save Easter from the Communists, Atheists, and Unitarians who wish to destroy it.  To that end, I am encouraging wholesome family values by giving away my eBook free of charge.  Simply go eBookit.com  and enter the coupon code "Easter".  You can even get the book in PDF format if you don't have an E-Reader. This free book give away will only last until tomorrow night at 8PM Eastern time.

To all my Christian friends, have a joyous and Happy Easter.  To my non-believer friends, no hard feelings about the whole crucifixion thing.

[Update] If you enjoy the book, please spread the word.  A review on Amazon or elsewhere would be great, but so would just telling your friends.  

Mister Emanuel's Opus

Reprinted from Last Stand for Children First - www.laststand4children.org

If you've ever seen Mr. Holland's Opus, you will remember the amazing moment at the end of the movie when many of Mr. Holland's former students reunite to play the symphony he wrote, but never got to really do much with because he was too busy teaching his students and helping them in their lives. 

I can only imagine when these Lafayette School students become adults and reunite to thank Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel for closing their school and providing them with much greater educational opportunities.  One can't help, but feel sorry for these kids who don't even have woodwinds and must rely almost entirely on strings and one drum to make their music. 

Lafayette School is just one of 54 schools that the Chicago Public Schools are planning to close.  Lafayette's Illinois School Report Card shows just what a colossal failure it is.  With 98% of the student population living in poverty, should they really be earning the upright bass?  Why not teach these students instruments that they could play on street corners and help their families out?  It seems to me fine arts money could be better used on more affluent students in the first place.

Mayor Emanuel has never visited Lafayette School nor have any School Board members, but they must have done their homework shutting down this school and making these students go to a new school 10 blocks away.  It may even be a good chance for the 166 students at the school with special needs to learn some life skills.  Now, if only the parents would stop complaining and start letting the Mayor do what's best for their kids.