I’ve been invited to a summit!
Specifically a group called EDin08, whose stated goal is to generate some discussion about education issues among candidates for office (and push other agendas), has asked me to attend their Education Blogger Summit.
During this meeting, the email says, I will “have an opportunity to meet and network with fellow education bloggers, participate in panels, attend workshops, and help tackle tough questions on the state of education in America”.
Disregarding such a compelling invitation and the fact that the summit site is just a short Metro ride away, I’m going to pass on this “opportunity”.
One reason is the speakers list, which includes a long roster of representatives from education policy think tanks and journalists who write about education for a living.
And only one working educator who “guest blogs” for the New York Times.
Sorry, but I have this small bias that you can’t seriously discuss education reform without involving teachers and students.
The agenda also shows very little time to “meet and network” but plenty of time to sit and listen: speaker, panel, speaker, panel, speaker… awards ceremony?
I’m developing a low tolerance for this kind of “conference”.
Another little annoyance, you would think an important session like this would be web cast, but it’s not. Also, the program says nothing about wifi being available in the meeting rooms to allow live blogging.
But the final straw was the fact that I’d have to listen to Newt Gingrich while trying to eat lunch.
In the end, this sounds more like just one more political meeting in DC rather than any kind of “blogger summit”.
[Doug got an invitation. Anyone else?]
I did.