"But the Emperor has nothing on at all," cried a little child.

Tuesday, June 13, 2000

"But the Emperor has nothing on at all," cried a little child.

By today’s standards one might say I was deprived as a child of children’s literature. I suspect my sister, the eldest, was read to more as the first child and my brother less but more than me.

Just as we read more to our first born even before she was born, and less to our second child. We may have read less to our third, however he is an avid reader.

My sister’s love of literature led her to an English degree while my brother minored in English. He majored in math. I think that was influenced by Miss Martini, one of Austin’s finest math teachers.

As for me, I wanted no part of English, especially after being reminded, almost daily by my sister who seemed to call out from everywhere, "This is he," after I answered the phone with my customary, "This is him."

Elementary education was my major. I wanted to have an impact on kids as Edith Morey, our fifth grade teacher, had on us; secondly, and less admirable, at the time, one only needed a 2.0 GPA in elementary education as opposed to a 2.5 in secondary education.

Good grades in practice teaching pushed me over the 2.0 hump.

Actually I would have preferred art as a major but the classes met at 7:45 a.m. – too early. Another good reason not to pursue something.

Anyway, as a young child, I was often looked after by my sister at night when my mother worked as a waitress at the Terp in my early years. I still remember listening to the music at bedtime that I thought originated from the Terp.

I do have some recollection of her reading books to me. The standards: "Goldylocks," "The Three Little Pigs," "Little Red Riding Hood" and the scary one with the troll under the bridge that made life hard on goats.

Somewhere during those early years, "The Emperor’s New Clothes" appeared. That one made an imprint. It remains one of my favorites. This could have as easily been written today as when Hans Christian Anderson penned it in the 1800s.

The people in the story are unwilling to tell the emperor that his new clothes are not really there. Finally a child sets them straight.

At least when Hans wrote this there was only one emperor, now we have many, even within communities and court houses.

One of my greatest joys since reaching "midlife" is to participate in the community more as an observer. As citizens, I think we have that responsibility.

I was also persuaded by a book: "Putting the Public Back in Public Education."

I donated that book to the school board during their first fiscal mismanagement mess that continues to spread. I thought it could fit in the bookcase in the conference room at the administration office after being read.

Like the bookcase that for so long seemed deprived of books – the building itself was deprived of public.

I see this is beginning to change. My last trip by there I peeked in the conference room and actually saw some books on the shelves.

And now there are parents on advisory committees. Maybe there have been for awhile.

I try to attend school board meetings on a regular basis and I also find time to sit in on the Apex Committee meetings, occasionally a city council meeting.

I have made light of the Apex Committee I guess because, in ways, it is reminiscent of "The Emperors New Clothes." I cannot help but wonder: how genuine is the concern of the Apex Committee in meeting the needs of the "changing face" of Austin? Where the money will actually go? What exactly is the role of the strategic planning committee?

I have talked with a co-chairman of one of the APEX committees concerning the high drop-out rate among students of minority populations, especially Hispanics, wondering if that is the case in Austin. And if the minority dropout rate is excessive, couldn’t some of the Apex $5 million be used to supply our schools with minority adults to provide support as role models for minority populations in our schools.

I was told their ‘role models’ are "working in QPP," which is good, but couldn’t something be done to hire minority folks in the school?

"Well, you know the foundation (actually a person’s name was mentioned) is planning for $3.5 million to go toward affordable housing," I was told.

I then brought my same concern to the last Apex Committee meeting I attended. The answer given kind of fluttered away.

And finally, $100,000 homes passed off as "affordable housing" is just as hard for me to see as the Emperor’s new clothes.