| Kathy Cox appeared on the Fox TV show, "Are | | | | the vision and conviction of a Kathy Cox. Cox |
| You Smarter than a Fifth Grader?" and failed | | | | was there for the kids; she had committed to |
| to prove that she is smarter than a fifth | | | | donate her earnings (it's demeaning to say to |
| grader, despite being the first contestant to | | | | say she "won" the money) to three Georgia |
| take home the one million dollar top prize. | | | | schools. A lesser person would have settled |
| | | | for the $500,000 and missed the chance to |
| Technically, she only proved that she is as | | | | deliver a much more valuable prize. |
| smart as a fifth grader, since she answered | | | | |
| no questions above that grade level. But we | | | | With the eyes of millions of young people on |
| know she's smarter, because she had a plan | | | | her, she proclaimed with force and |
| and a message, and the courage to carry it | | | | conviction, "DON'T DROP OUT OF SCHOOL." The |
| through that her political detractors in | | | | short-term gains associated with dropping out |
| Georgia don't have the imagination to | | | | pale in comparison to the huge lifetime |
| conceive or the guts to carry out. | | | | rewards of staying in school. Kathy Cox |
| | | | effectively paid $475,000 to say that -- the |
| Kathy Cox is the Superintendent of Schools | | | | difference between the $500,000 "in the bank" |
| for the State of Georgia. When word got out | | | | and the guaranteed $25,000 she'd keep if she |
| she would be on the show, she was publicly | | | | missed the question. |
| criticized; how foolish it would be to risk | | | | |
| her own professional reputation and that of | | | | I'm convinced she came into the show with a |
| the state school system. After all, she would | | | | Million Dollar Lesson Plan to teach us: |
| be representing by association 140,000 | | | | |
| Georgia teachers. Georgia State | | | | - Always do the best you can. That's all |
| Representative Rob Teilhet (D - Smyrna) even | | | | anyone can ask, and that's always enough. |
| ran advertising DURING THE SHOW criticizing | | | | |
| Cox for appearing on TV while problems | | | | - Go for it. The worst that can happen is you |
| persisted in classrooms. | | | | might be wrong. So what? |
| | | | |
| Critics are so worried about never being | | | | - Finish what you start. That includes STAY |
| wrong, about showing vulnerability and | | | | IN SCHOOL. |
| appearing perfect they can't conceive their | | | | |
| own purpose in humanity. Kathy can. Kathy Cox | | | | That plan works even without the million |
| is a truly a Trouble Breaker, someone who | | | | dollar question. All through the show, we saw |
| goes for it and breaks past trouble because | | | | Kathy Cox go for it and do the very best she |
| she knows she can. She understood exactly | | | | could. Yet if she ever met a question she |
| what she could control on the show, what she | | | | knew she couldn't answer, she would prefer to |
| could and couldn't do, and used that to | | | | knowingly fail and go home sans money than |
| inspire students (and more than a few | | | | drop out of school. |
| adults). | | | | |
| | | | Lucky for us all she made it to the top so |
| We heard Kathy say more than a few times, | | | | more people would listen to her message. |
| "I'm doing the best I can." Isn't that a | | | | |
| great message for students? For us all? And | | | | Some Georgia politicians don't know now lucky |
| Kathy Cox taught millions of people that it's | | | | the Peach State is to have Kathy Cox as |
| OK to be wrong. She accepted that she might | | | | Superintendent of Schools. In just one hour, |
| miss a question and go home empty-handed. She | | | | she taught us all a lesson that is worth far |
| wasn't afraid to try and keep trying. | | | | more than a million dollars to the future of |
| | | | this country. From coast to coast and in |
| With $500,000 "in the bank" she earned the | | | | every state, we're all richer today from her |
| right to deliver the Million Dollar Lesson. | | | | Million Dollar Lesson Plan. |
| She was faced with a decision other | | | | |
| contestants had faced before, but they lacked | | | | Copyright 2008 Paul Johnson. |