Ashley Branca's blog

It would be impossible to exist as a news-conscious citizen in the United States without having heard about and discussed the current financial crisis tearing holes in formerly steadfast and storied banks along the Wall Street corridor. In response, and under great strain and criticism of the court of public opinion, the United States government has provided a $700 billion dollar bailout of the failing institutions with a promise to spend upwards of a trillion dollars to ensure that the nation does not experience another Great Depression.

Over the course of the last few weeks and months, I have admittedly found myself swept up in the excitement and allure of the 2008 Presidential election. Like a moviegoer enraptured by the thrill and fantasy of a Dreamworks feature, I was glued to my television screen during the conventions, a bowl of popcorn in hand, utterly captivated by the script unfolding before me.

Having spent a few years in the classroom as a teacher, and as an avid lover of public education, there are few who would argue that I am not an advocate for teachers' rights and professionalizing the occupation of teaching. I believe that teachers should be recognized as the honorable, challenging, and indispensable individuals that they truly are.

I recently read the 2008 Harvard University Commencement speech given by J.K Rowling, author of the Harry Potter series, and an example of enterprise and ingenuity . In her speech, Ms. Rowling speaks on a subject at the core of my very psyche: failure. Like most everyone in the world, Ms.