"Nothing"

"To avoid criticism, say nothing, do nothing, be nothing" is a famous quote from Elbert Hubbard. I've always loved this saying and used to have it as a tag-line on my emails along with "Talk doesn't cook rice" before I learned of the wonderful world of customized GIF's that jump and down and say "Go Dukes!"

Hubbard's quote is about courage, if you ask me. I think another way to twist his popular saying is that it takes courage to say something, to do something, and to face criticism. It takes bravery to put your neck on the line. It takes "onions" to stand for something. It takes toughness to deal with backlash.

We're at a time in Nebraska where we need all hands on deck to help support public education. We need all school leaders, board members, parents, and patrons to "say something" and "do something" as we battle funding cuts, inaccurate statements from elected officials about the cause of high property taxes, and continued attempts to privatize public education. We need action. We can't afford to say nothing and do nothing or we will be left with nothing as we know it.

As 2017 gets going this week, think about what you are willing and able to do. Think about how much courage you have and what level of risks you're willing to take. January is going to be an extremely important month for education in Nebraska. We need to come together, stay together, and work together to do "something."