I first learned that I was a failure in elementary school. Fourth grade to be exact. I remember being ushered into the principal's office one afternoon in late May. I walked into the room to see a number of teachers, counselors and the principal sitting around a large conference table. My parents were there as well. The atmosphere was grim, heavy and very uncomfortable.

I was annoyed to be missing the daily after-school-nerf-football-game with all of my friends. I loved playing football. I was a self proclaimed Recess All-American and this meeting was damaging my otherwise impressive stats. In reality, I was nothing more than a scrawny kid with delusions of one day playing for the Denver Broncos.

I squirmed on my dad’s lap as the adults talked about all of my academic shortcomings and numerous misdeeds. The teachers took turns slowly citing their list of grievances bolstered with heads shaking in disappointment. After each educator had made their points, the principal gave a closing argument. He recited various statistics (behavioral infractions, ITBS scores, spelling test results etc…) that illustrated my immaturity, lack of academic progress, and my propensity to disturb others. He also recounted an infamous incident where I used inappropriate language on the playground. The meeting culminated in a recommendation that I repeat fourth grade. I simply had not adequately conformed to their expectations on my first go around.

To be fair, they had a point. I was not good at reading the boring and irrelevant books that the elementary curriculum required. Reciting math facts, spelling and reading aloud in front of the class was a nerve racking and torturous ritual of public humiliation. Admittedly, I did enjoy entertaining my fellow classmates and I confess to unleashing profane flourishes on the playground. However…

If I had not been so scared, I would have defended myself. I would have pointed out that I actually was good at reading books about airplanes, truck engines, western history, gold mines, railroads, foreign countries and alot of other topics that rarely appeared in the elementary curriculum. Despite the fact that I was not great at math worksheets, I was proficient at using math on woodworking projects and engine repair specifications. It would have been difficult for me to convince them that my cursing skills had any virtue, but the inability of the ‘system’ to recognize and leverage my more virtuous curiosities was confusing. I left the meeting with the clear message - my inability to conform was my failure.

Although my non-conformist propensities persisted, I dutifully repeated fourth grade and managed to navigate my way to a high school diploma. Along the way, I had some inspiring teachers that found ways to meet me in the middle. As an undergraduate, I was motivated to embark on a career in education in their honor.

Today, after twenty plus years in education, I’m afraid that the systemic rigidity I faced in fourth grade is as strong as ever.

Clearly, standards for academic progress, organizational transparency and financial stewardship are as reasonable as a ban on playground profanity. America annually invests billions of tax dollars on the mission of delivering educational opportunities to every child regardless of socioeconomic status, ethnicity, disability or zip code. By most accounts, our public education system is the envy of the world.

I would argue, however, that our adamant devotion to unquestioned norms are keeping us from meeting the demands of a rapidly changing world. The disciples of collective activism, change resistance and risk aversion have declared war on innovation and creativity in public education. They point to our historical successes and the nobility of our mission to fend off any initiative that endeavors that challenge the status quo. Online, alternative, charter, hybrid or focus schools are instinctively repelled by too many professional educators, policy advocates and partisan ideologs. Rather than engage in a thoughtful exploration of ideas that leverage modern technology or cutting edge brain science, they dig their heels into the mud of the 1970’s.

For example, while some of America’s most vibrant and effective school districts offer their communities a diverse menu of educational options, too many school districts demonize anything that reshapes existing schemes.

I believe deeply in the mission of American public education. Looking forward, if we are to continue delivering on that mission, we need to open our minds, systems and policies to the future instead of insisting on perpetual conformance to the structures that made me repeat fourth grade.