Dr Flavius Akerele III's The E Team Education blog

This is not a political post; this is not anti-gun or pro-gun. These are just some quick and dirty facts that anyone can look up and everyone should be concerned about. I will start by giving you two numbers: 388 and 5959; and I will also tell you that these numbers are from the year 2014 until now. Mass shooting affect more than just the victims, it leaves a scar, it makes us afraid and wonder how this can be happening in places we consider safe. Churches, schools, shopping malls, movie theaters, etc. The thing is, terrorism (and mass shooters are terrorist by the very definition of the word) is something we have not experienced at the same level many other countries or continents have. I know right there has set some people off, but it is simple fact and we should be thankful for it. No one wishes regular terrorism on anybody. The two numbers should concern us, because they are both numbers of people killed in this country (wounded would double each number). 388 ...

There was a time at the local level, that all elections were non-partisan, political parties were not included at all, and quite frankly not needed. We have seen that creep away quickly over the last 15 years, and we need to go back to that. Let’s take it a step further and suggest that we do that at more national levels of politics as well because party affiliations have simply divided people into three tribe, with two of the tribes on the verge of civil war and the third (really mixed smaller tribes) wondering what the heck is going?! Between 1861 to 1865 we have had tribes fighting, and it led to a huge number of deaths, and we still have not reconciled that fight it seems.   There are still actual children of soldiers from that fight still alive today, collecting VA benefits. Anyway, I digress, so let me put it in simple terms. I am tired of political parties going at each other in the way we are seeing now, nothing is getting accomplished, and remember the par...

“Santería, also known as Regla de Ocha, La Regla de Ifá, or Lucumí, is an Afro-American religion of Yoruba origin that developed in Cuba among West African descendants. Santería is a Spanish word that means the "worship of saints". Santería is influenced by and syncretized with Roman Catholicism” “Voodoo is a religion that originates in West Africa. In the Americas and the Caribbean, it is thought to be a combination of various African, Catholic and Native Ameri can traditions. It is practiced around the world but there is no accurate count of how many people are Voodooists” “Candomblé is an Afro-Brazilian religious tradition, practiced mainly in Brazil by the povo de santo. Candomblé originated in Salvador, Bahia at the beginning of the 19th century, when the first temple was founded” Common thread of these religions is that they are all of Yoruba origin because of the people an the descendants who practice it, and like all religions, don’t believe all the nega...

Policemen need to be perfect; this is a simple truth. Imperfection in a job that can cost people their lives, has no place. Sorry but that is absolute the truth, so if you are not hiring the best educated, the most honest people, you are doing society a disservice. If you are not instilling the “civil service” part and the “public safety” part, you are being criminal. An airline pilot that accidentally crashes planes will not be a pilot for long, a doctor or nurse that accidentally kills patients will probably be prosecuted and certainly sued. Heck, teaching is a profession where we acknowledge and embrace mistakes, teachers get vilified, hounded, sued, and prosecuted for things that would not make the news if they were not teachers. Bus drivers that crash, taxi drivers that drive drunk, train conductors that derail trains; all these people would lose their jobs and probably be in jail. How come a police officer that kills people is exempt? Police get exonerated because...

Patriotism : “ devoted  love,  support,  and  defense   of  one's  country;  national  loyalty ”.   Nowhere in this definition does it say hate. Furthermore, since only about 0.5 percent of the population are serving in the military, being patriot is not just the providence of military folks. You do not have to have been a combat veteran in order to truly have served in the military (most military veterans have not and will not see combat) Showing ignorance and hatred towards a group, religion, or people is not patriotic! People practice patriotism everyday by being good citizens, raising good citizens, and by being kind to your neighbors. Trying to live a good life and helping others live a good life, despite the struggles we all have, while struggling to put food on the table, and never giving up, is about as patriotic as you can get! If you do not have a flag in front of your house it does not mean you are unpatriot...

I have been fortunate to have worked in education for more than 20 years now, but, there are some days I say to myself: WHY?! I have seen kids grow from teenagers to adults with kids, I have been invited to wedding, been to some their funerals. I have been a passenger on my students’ journey. Along the way I have met some great people, I have also met some horrible people who made me wonder about humanity. I have learned that as educators we tend to be gossipy in nature, and not just about students but about each other. I have learned that we must simply struggle to make ends meet sometimes, but that there is always a way. I have been laid off more times than I care, but I have always worked. I have worked for some wonderful institutions, and I have found wonderful opportunities only to lose them to something completely beyond my control. Education is a rollcoaster, and that is a pity. It is a pity because we are supposed to always be that stable presence in the ...

Managers, Do you find yourself always listening to what people around you say simply so you can give your opinion? Do you find yourself always having to give advice to other people’s lives and things such as: the food they eat, their lifestyle choices, or their political choices: even though nobody asked you? Do you find yourself always wondering why everyone is wrong and why you are always right? Do you find yourself always looking over the shoulder of your really good experienced employees to the point that they do not feel satisfied with their job anymore and leave? Wouldn’t it be nice to actually feel secure about insecure yourself and make others feel more secure and appreciated in their jobs? Do no despair! You can get help for it, it is called training! Management training is a real thing, you no longer must keep “faking it until you make it”. If you are serious, feel to reach out the ETeam and we will happily point you in the right direction! h...

Are you always the perfect one and everyone else is slacker? Do you have all the answers all the time? Do you find yourself pushing your views on people and attempting to make them feel guilty about not thinking like you? Do you like to announce to the world your latest diet and then make sure everyone eats just like you? Are you the only person in the world who cares about the environment and the downtrodden? Then congratulations! You are probably suffering from something, and ticking off a lot of people around you! I know this is a sarcastic way to start an article, but sometimes things like this need to be said. This is not about politics and political parties, and this is not about social justice or morality. This is about how the internet has made everyone an expert, this how social media has made people forget how to be truly social with real people, and this how the term “IN VINO VERITAS” became a reality due to the anonymity of mobile technology. We are witnessi...