Jack Dean (Finance Guy, Eight Bars Member)

I wish my son golfed.
I wish my son was into finance.
He thinks he’ll save the world.
He thinks I’m out of touch.
He thinks adults are dolts,
His word, not mine.

And I’m the one
Who’s old-fashioned?

Amelia Pearce (PTO Mom, Music Friends of Sports)

It’s just a shame
The way things are.
I can’t believe
Everything is coming apart.
Parents are fighting,
Teachers are fighting,
Coaches are fighting,
Everyone is fighting.
Something has to give.

Ralph Higgonbothem (Taylorville School Superintendent)

Everyone talks about playing 3-D chess,
Heck, I’m just a guy trying to get people
TO COME TO THEIR SENSES.

They think I’m some yokel,
But now I’ve got them questioning themselves.
People are so easy to figure

Make an issue about their kids being put out,
Make the issue about raising their taxes,
And they’ll do whatever we want.

Tony Weaver (Baseball Coach)

How many of these Eight Bar parents
Actually, understand what we are doing?
How many of them understand
What colleges recruit?
Sure I only played a short time in college,
But my parents taught me an education
Came before my sporting life.
My skills were marginal for college,
My desire to play was not what it needed to be.
I get that,
About me and about what it takes for others
To play at the next level.
The kids understand,
They are working hard,
They are making progress.

It’s too bad their parents
See through parental glasses.

Scott Thomson (General Practitioner, Eight Bars Member)

My wife’s yoga studio is taking off,
My practice is ready for a change,
I’m moving in with her
And we’ll run our businesses together.

I’m having second thoughts about
This Eight Bars thing.
Life is not about ripping this apart,
It’s about coming together.

Meg Nichols (Art Teacher)

If they get rid of sports and music,
What’s next?
Home Ec, Art, electives in general???
There’s an assault on what is taught,
They are learning that education is disposable,
Only worth the cost
If there is an efficiency
In getting to the next place.
We have forgotten, no, stomped on,
The idea that we teach people,
That lessons aren’t simply right or wrong answers,
That school is devoid in the teaching of responsibility,
That there is more to a GPA that 4.0.
It’s a shame, too,
I have some great artists in my program,
They have talent and the art intelligence that is
More motivating for them than
Some sort of trendy educational movement
Or some politically designed program
To redistribute the funding for public schools and
The arts.
No, it’s about a lack of vision
Of the full
Potential
For each student.
It’s too bad that people are unable to recognize
That lessons come from everywhere, sports, music, and the arts.

Len Simpson (Music Teacher)

Someone suggested
Music is not a core class.

Tell that to researchers,
Who say music is tied to math.

What do sports offer?
Concussions and controversy.