Over the past few months, I've started to feel cautiously hopeful that things might be taking a turn for the better. It started when I read and signed the
Declaration of Professional Conscience for Teachers earlier this year, and continued as I watched groups like
Parents Across America pick up steam, and as I got more involved with the
Save Our Schools March and National Call to Action. The feeling really got a jolt when public workers -- many of them teachers -- steadfastly defended their rights in Wisconsin, and were joined by citizens across Wisconsin and the entire United States. I'm encouraged and excited to see that all over the world, people are rising up and resisting the forces of oppression.
As these movements grow in size and power, let's all resolve to stop doing one thing: Let's stop asking for a "place at the table."
I hear this phrase way too often when I talk to teachers, parents, and the organizations that (are supposed to...) represent us. It's not just that the metaphor itself is tired. It's the way of thinking that underlies it. If I cooked a
