Education Reform: Even Dogs are Blogging against It

Online, September 18, 2010 (Newswire.com) - Education reform has its critics: teachers, parents, student and researchers. They have all been harsh critics of methodology and policies of recent reform efforts. Now you can add one more voice to the growing pool of critics: a dog.

Carmelita Pointer, a 3 year old pointer-mix, has entered the field of blogging. Her passion is education: supporting public education, to be more precise.

With the physical assistance of her human owner, Laurie Murphy, Carmelita provides a dog's view of our current educational system. The goal of her blog is to increase respect and support of public education and to ensure that student voices can be heard. Her forum for accomplishing this: a dog-blog entitled Naked Dogs 4 Public Education.

It is believed to be the only educational support blog written by a dog, although Carmelita can't be 100 percent positive.

"The internet is growing so rapidly, states Ms. Pointer. "It has revolutionized everyone's ability to have their point of view heard. Even a dog's! It is possible that other dogs are also blogging in support of education. If so, I would love to hear from them. However, I really want to hear from students. One of my key goals is to have their voices heard!"

The dog-blog, while humorous, presents a clear message with each post and is actually designed as a tool for others who are thinking of entering the advocacy and social networking field.

"People ask me why I chose the name, Naked Dogs 4 Public Education." Pointer adds. "It is a reminder that you, as an advocate, must always be true to yourself. It is so easy to be seduced and swayed by political sound bites or emotional stories. You can't let them do that. You have to strip away the surface fluff, get the facts, and judge everything for yourself. It is also my way of letting people know who I am and what I stand for. I say it right up front. I am a dog, and I don't believe that the essence of my doghood should be hidden under silly human costumes. Don't try to make me someone that I'm not. Besides, no one respects or listens to a dog wearing a tutu."

The blogs' human typist, Laurie Murphy, explains her decision to partner with her dog on this project. "Quality education has always been important to me. I also have a large number of family members and friends who are in the teaching profession. It seemed natural. When I discovered the Levono University of Bloggers scholarship contest, I couldn't resist."

Besides the blog, Carmelita has established herself on facebook, set up a private email account in order to receive input from students, announced the blog on dozens of social networking sites and has become an active member of an educational advocacy group, the SOS Million Teacher March which is participating in the Washington ONE NATION march in October organizing a larger, education-specific march in DC for July. Carmelita has been given a job title, K-9 Coordinator for the group, and had been made responsible for rallying dog lovers and young students to the cause. She plans to utilize her blog and all of the tools that she has built as a result of this project to accomplish these goals.

When asked if Carmelita planned to continue her efforts after the contest, she explains that her future plans are up in the air. "Now that I have a voice, it seems impossible to imaging going silent and relying only on my bark to get my message heard."

Murphy also supports Carmelita's desire to remain an active voice in the educational-support forum. "I have a strong history of being a supporter of this cause, and my support will continue long after the contest closes. I can't imagine our partnership ending. She is my lifelong companion and my best friend. If I have to, I will speak loud enough for both of us. She has, and will always have, my full support."

After all, Murphy adds, isn't that what true friendship is all about.

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For more information on how you can have your voices heard, please contact Carmilita via the Naked Dogs 4 Public Education blog at http://www.lenovoblogu.com/author/murphylaurietgmail-com or email her directly at [email protected] . Her human partner, Laurie Murphy, can be reached by calling (863) 386-4806 and will be glad to interpret human-dog speech on behalf of Carmelita. All submissions of blog comments and doggie-treats are greatly appreciated.
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