Learning From Mitt Romney's Bafflement

Governor Mitt Romney withdrawing from the 2008 Presidential Race has given rise to some thoughts..and how they relate to those who advocate for diverse learners.

During one of the debates when Romney was getting "beat up" by the other candidates, in particular Sen. John McCain, he had a look on his face that said, "Why are you doing this to me? Aren't we suppose to be talking about issues?"

My husband and I weren't the only ones to notice this. The next day, January 31, 2008, we read a comment by John Hinderaker that summed it up quite well by saying, "Romney doesn't know how to fight dirty like his rivals: Businessmen, in my experience, are generally more idealistic than politicians. Businessmen really do make deals with a handshake. No one would dream of doing that with Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi or the Clintons. Turning a businessman loose in the political world is basically a mismatch. That's the sense I get of McCain's reaction to having Romney as his last serious rival. McCain can poke him in the eye, knee him in the groin, and the rule-following businessman has no idea how to respond."

We could substitute the word educator for businessman and run into the same problem when educators strive to advocate for policies that will benefit diverse learners. I'm not suggesting that educators need to learn to fight dirty, but they do need to understand the rules of the political game so they can be effective advocates in the political arena.