One year ago today, I started this blog.

This week, on April 21, the blog reached 4 million page views.

I had no idea when I started a year ago that the blog would turn into a platform for parents, students, teachers, principals, superintendents, school board members, and everyone else who is dissatisfied with the status quo.

The people now controlling education policy in Washington and the big foundations are defenders of the status quo.

They defend high-stakes testing, closing public schools, handing public dollars over to entrepreneurs, for-profit cyber charters, and various forms of privatization.

Those who speak out here are critics of the status quo.

The leaders of the status quo are determined to test our children until they scream “uncle.”

They are determined to privatize our nation’s public schools.

We will not let them get away with it.

So, to all those who read this blog, I say welcome to the campaign to stop the misuse of testing.

Welcome to the campaign to stop privatization.

Welcome to the campaign to improve our public schools.

Let us continue to discuss what must be done to provide better education for all.

Let us continue to explain why the status quo is wrong for children and wrong for our society.

Let us find better ways to educate our nation’s children.

Thank you for the nearly 70,000 comments you have sent. I have read every one of them.

Thank you for the links you send.

Thank you for sharing your ideas and your hopes and fears.

Thank you for the lively discussions that are open to all, so long as they are civil.

Together we will change the horrible status quo and make our schools what they should be for our children:

A place of learning, a place of kindness, a place where every child may develop his or her talents, a place where character counts, a place of decency, a place of mutual respect, and a place where people matter more than data.