Chapter Eleven Susan recognized the sound of the footsteps coming near her before she even saw his figure turn the corner. Her heart seized up instinctively. She placed the paint brush in the jar and stood, frozen, waiting to see his face. Would he look the same? Did she look the same? Self consciously sheContinue reading “The Interregnum Mile: Chapter Eleven”
Author Archives: educationalchemy
The Interregnum Mile: Chapter Ten
CHAPTER TEN (for Don B.) English stood by his carving station, in astute attention, over-compensating for the nervousness he feared his body would reveal. If he were ever caught…. He couldn’t even think about it. He turned his attention to the steaming roast beef, hot under the yellow food lamp. The smell made him nauseous.Continue reading “The Interregnum Mile: Chapter Ten”
The Interregnum Mile: Chapter Nine
CHAPTER NINE The heads of lettuce peeked meekly out of the dirt, edges tipped downward in disapproving fashion. “This is not how we are supposed to feel!” they seemed to be saying. Pops was frowning too. He seemed to be in silent agreement with the whole crop of the community garden. They were allContinue reading “The Interregnum Mile: Chapter Nine”
A New School to Prison Pipeline that Might Surprise You
I was appalled when an educator/activist/author friend of mine, shared with me over coffee, that University of Maryland College Park, in partnership with real estate mogul Edward St John, contracted with prison labor for the creation of their shiny new building: “MCE Helps Furnish New Edward St. John Learning and Teaching Center at UMCP OnContinue reading “A New School to Prison Pipeline that Might Surprise You”
Biocapitalism, Corporate Colonialism and Education Policy
A BRIEF PAUSE IN BETWEEN CHAPTERS OF THE FICTIONAL STORY (INTERREGNUM MILE) TO CONSIDER THE NOT-SO-FICTIONAL VERSION OF THAT SAME REALITY. In the last few years a lot of debate has been had over promise and perils of ESSA. Many education advocates argued we must embrace ESSA because it promised to reduce federal choke holdContinue reading “Biocapitalism, Corporate Colonialism and Education Policy”
Interregnum Mile: Chapter Eight
Note to readers: Just when I thought what I writing was fiction, I came across this courtesy of Alison McDowell DATA ON DNA– https://www.sciencealert.com/microsoft-could-be-storing-data-on-dna-within-the-next-three-years Chapter Eight The industrial track-lighting in the Romer Onyx complex always reminded Susan of a piss-yellow color. Her artistic temperament incited her to naming colors that elicited strong feelings inContinue reading “Interregnum Mile: Chapter Eight”
Interregnum Mile: Chapter Seven
Chapter Seven Kelley had kept his word. When Ryder awoke the next morning and went downstairs, he saw his mother moving with ease back and forth between the kitchen stove and table. She was humming softly. He knew that meant she was in a good frame of mind; had she known about last evening’sContinue reading “Interregnum Mile: Chapter Seven”
The New “Jack”: Trading Justice for Grit
(Taking a small break between chapters in The Interregnum Mile to bring you something to consider) Is Restorative Justice being “jacked?” Restorative Justice (RJ) has a lengthy (centuries-old) global history too lengthy and complex to elucidate here. It thankfully has become the recent focus of school disciplinary and judicial systems at a time when theContinue reading “The New “Jack”: Trading Justice for Grit”
The Interregnum Mile: Chapter Six
Chapter Six “You did what???” Kelley demanded the previous evening, his voice echoing with incredulity. The three of them stood around the empty darkened parking lot, and told Kelley everything they knew. The lot that ran alongside the Interregnum Mile was abandoned; cracked blacktop with lanky clusters of milkweed poking through. The only sounds wereContinue reading “The Interregnum Mile: Chapter Six”
The Interregnum Mile: Chapter Five
Story Summary: Ryder, Keesha and Deacon, three lifelong friends, now in their teens have been named the leader-futures for Interregnum City, the first city to decolonize itself from the script of corporate enslavement. The city has gone “off-script.” They, along with their friends and families take the reader into a hopeful landscape of what mightContinue reading “The Interregnum Mile: Chapter Five”