The Whistle has Blown – So What’s the Plan?

Walter McKenzie
May 1
4 min read

by Benita C. Gordon, Guest Blogger

This is the second in a series of three pieces on the transformation of education by Benita C. Gordon.

Beyond the Lifeguard’s Whistle: Preparing for What’s Next in Education. Revelation. Information. Elevation. We’re not sinking - we’re swimming differently."

The final whistle has blown.

The lifeguards are off-duty. The gates to the pool are closing. The crowds are thinning. And the water? It’s still.

But not in a peaceful way. It’s still in the ominous way - like something big has already happened, and no one told us what to do next.

Last week, we sat with that feeling. We acknowledged the truth:

public education as we knew it is being drained, repackaged,

and redistributed without equity, clarity, or protection.

Now it’s time to answer the question: What do we do when we’ve been asked to leave the water?

Some of Us Were Taught to Swim.

Some of Us Were Pushed.

Some of Us Never Got In.

Not everyone learned to swim the same way. Some of us were trained and supported - guided by lifeguards and instructors. Some of us were thrown into the deep end, told to survive. Some of us learned by watching. Some of us are still on the shore - never given access to the pool at all.

Education worked like this too.

There were lifeguards - watching over systems, funding, accountability. There were gatekeepers - deciding who got in and who didn’t. There were pools with rules, shallow ends, deep ends, diving boards, and safety nets.

But now?

The lifeguards are leaving. The gatekeepers are shifting. And the pool?

It's closing.

What Happens When the Water Park Shuts Down?

When they say, "Time to go!", you either:

Dry off and go home… unsure if you’ll return.
Rush to get one last dip in, not knowing if this is your final time.
Or - you start planning where to swim next.

Here’s where we are now: The Department of Education is shrinking. Funding is being pushed back to the states - without a strategy. Public schools are under attack - some closing, some barely hanging on.

And the question is no longer “Should we be concerned?”

It’s “How are we preparing?”

5 Ways to Prepare for Education’s Next Chapter

Let’s be real: We’ve never been in this kind of water before.

So we need more than survival - we need a strategy.

1. Swim in New Directions If the traditional pool is closed, create new spaces to swim.

Build microschools, hybrid learning hubs, and local education collectives.
Use tech, community, and creativity to meet students where they are.
Don’t recreate the system - reimagine it.

2. Redefine the Lifeguards Who’s watching over the safety of students and educators now?

We need new “lifeguards” - advocates, watchdogs, and protectors of equity.
This includes parents, grassroots organizers, progressive school leaders, and YOU.
Keep your whistle. Be the one who sounds the alarm.

3. Call Out the New Gatekeepers The gates haven’t disappeared - they’ve just moved.

School boards. State lawmakers. Private funders. EdTech platforms.
These are the new power brokers. We must engage with them or be locked out.
Know who’s holding the keys. Make sure you have a seat at the table - or build your own table.

4. Float When Necessary You don’t have to swim hard every day.

Floating is still movement.
Take breaks. Reflect. Restore.
Sustainability is the new stamina.

5. Bring Others With You Swimming alone was never the goal.

Train others. Build coalitions. Share what you know.
Keep doors open for those still on the shore.
If we’re building new waters, let’s make them accessible to all.

This Isn’t About Panic. It’s About Planning.

The final whistle doesn’t mean we’re done. It means we need to change our approach.

We’re not going under - we’re choosing to swim smarter, build differently, and elevate each other.

Education isn’t dying. It’s evolving.

And if we’re bold enough to lead, honest enough to adapt, and wise enough to collaborate, we won’t just survive the change - we’ll shape what comes next.

Final Word: We’re in This Together

As much as I wish this wasn’t real, and as often as I feel like I’m stuck in the twilight zone of education, we can’t deny it:

The shift is here. It’s already impacting our friends, families, and colleagues.

To those of us who feel it in our bones - who recognize the rising tide - I see you. We send love, respect, hugs, and encouragement as we navigate this next chapter.

Let’s keep swimming - with purpose. Let’s build what we’ve never seen - but always needed.

Originally [posted March 23, 2025 at https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/part-2-whistle-has-blown-so-whats-plan-benita-c-gordon-ufnse/

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This compelling call to action is cross-posted with permission. It was originally published by Benita on March 16, 2025 here.

Benita C. Gordon has been an educator for more than 25 years, doing the work from the ground up: leading classrooms, launching schools, designing curriculum, and now disrupting the status quo through microschool innovation. She is the founder of Global Education Concierge, where she helps educators, parents, and community leaders build learner-centered environments, whether it’s a hybrid homeschool, a micro-hub, or a culturally-rooted global learning model. You can contact her directly at gordonglobalec@gmail.com.