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The genius of 'AND' versus the tyranny of 'OR'

Educational practitioner and researcher Dr. Rick DuFour coined the phrase “the genius of AND versus the tyranny of OR.” His theory can be applied to the current school funding crisis in Wyoming. Many times when we talk about a funding shortage for any fundamental service, we often utilize the “tyranny of OR” to defeat solutions to our problems. What I mean by that is that we often make the assumption that we must sacrifice one group of people, or one measure, to save another. We rationalize our position with the protection of one, at the expense of another. When in truth, we must think about what all citizens need to thrive, in other words we need to utilize “the genius of AND”.  

When I was in my teens, I worked for the county road and bridge during summer vacation from school in my hometown. My father worked as a teacher and provided for our family with wages paid by taxpayers. Each day the road crew elders would give me a hard time about how they had paid for the boots and work clothes I was wearing through the taxes they paid that went to education. Because I was brought up to respect my elders, I simply just listened. After awhile, it got to me enough that I mentioned it to my father, and I thought he may get angry. With no anger he said, “maintenance of the roads in the county is an important job, AND so is teaching. Nobody likes to pay taxes including the taxes I pay for the roads, but whether we like it or not, we both benefit from one another more than we realize.” I knew better than to ask if I could tell the county road and bridge elders that my dad had paid for their work boots in return with the taxes that funded the road crew; my old man would have definitely considered that disrespectful, and I knew it. Instead, I took my first lesson about the “genius of AND versus the tyranny of OR” to heart and realized that while maybe not popular with one another, both services served the other and should not be pitted against one another; both were essential. If you think about the connection of most services, you will find similar relationships.

I share the story because as you engage legislators in discussion, or those that may oppose additional revenue sources, I think it is important to remember that we cannot diminish the importance of the services that are provided in all areas, and that we all share and benefit in those services. Please take time to visit with your legislators if you are concerned about further reductions to our youngest citizens’ education opportunities, and remember we all pay for one another’s work boots.  

Go Bobcats!

 

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