A Letter to Arne Duncan - Ed Thoughts
Dear Secretary Duncan,
Actions speak louder than words. Though you often have nice words to say about teachers, what you do is more important, and your actions thus far do not indicate that you respect, value, or support teachers and our profession as much as you claim. Among other things, you have:
- Praised the mass firing of all teachers in certain 'failing' schools, despite a lack of evaluation or evidence to justify such an action. This is like a doctor performing major surgery with an ax instead of a scalpel. You watched it, and applauded. How is that respectful? Did you stop to question if those teachers had been supported to be successful? How can you claim to value teachers when you praise school officials who treat us as if we're disposable?
- Promoted questionable school reform policies embraced by powerful non-educators over the express opposition of many teachers (and public school parents, for that matter). You've also framed criticism of these policies as a defense of an indefensible status quo. This, instead of valuing the views of the people who work daily for America's students, and instead of honoring divergent views for what they are: a necessary part of any productive problem-solving exercise. How is it respectful to write off the informed opinions of concerned people who have spent their lives serving students and communities? (And how is itsupportive to ask said professionals to continue trying to do more with less?)
- Undermined the teaching profession by:
- frequently elevating the views of non-educators over those of educated, experienced professionals