There was once a mill that was the heart of a town. It had quality machinery and produced quality lumber. The community used the lumber to build their ideas and improve their lives. Some were rich, some poor, and some in the middle.
Workers at the mill liked it - they worked hard and earned a fair wage - not rich, but not poor. They were the middle. They shared their wage with the Queen and spent the rest in the community.
A new Queen came to rule the land. She did not like the middle and vowed to destroy it. The mill was the heart of her plan.
She started by offering training for people who wanted to work at the mill. She made it expensive and trained too many people. There were no jobs for them when they finished.
Then she fiddled with the mill, taking out pieces - a little at a time - so they would not be noticed.
Machines began breaking and the quality was decreasing. The workers at the mill noticed pieces were missing. They told their bosses.
The bosses didn't want anyone finding out so they scrutinized employees, told them to try new ways of doing things. Employees were reminded there were people wanting their jobs.
The community noticed, too. They blamed the employees, thinking they were lazy and paid too much for their poor work.
The workers worked harder. They fixed the machines during their lunch, they stayed late, bought parts with their own money, and tried new ideas the employer told them to try.
The wicked Queen watched the brew she was creating and added more. She cast spells quieting the employees who were beginning to speak out about the missing pieces.
She also created a new mill with the stolen parts. She hired employees that she had trained too many of for less wages. She even chose the people who could shop there - no more of 'the middle" kind of people. Only people who could pay extra to have the quality everyone once had.
The Queen spoke through her magic mirror - cackling to anyone who would listen - about how the old mill did not work so the workers should be punished.
In case you didn't see the parallels, replace "mill" with "school" and you will see the conspiracy of Ms. Clark to ruin the middle class through the system used to create it - education.
Cathy Aussem
Prince George
