Why Won't 'Reformers' Listen?
Dear Deborah,
We have had fun as a traveling team, debating the issues and engaging in free-flowing conversation about the current state of school reform. People call it "live blogging" and seem to enjoy our discussions. Sometimes we agree, sometimes we don't. That's a healthy thing in a democracy.
These days, there seems to be little tolerance for debate and discussion.
Last week, I went to Providence, R.I., to give a lecture. Before my arrival, I was invited by Gov. Lincoln Chafee to meet privately with him. Thirty minutes before my hour with Gov. Chafee, I learned that state Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education Deborah Gist would join our meeting. As it turned out, I had 10 minutes of private time with the governor, then 50 minutes with Gist and leaders of the Rhode Island Federation of Teachers.
I mention all this because of what happened during the 50 minutes. Gist is clearly a very smart, articulate woman. But she dominated the conversation, interrupted me whenever I spoke, and filibustered to use up the limited time. Whenever I raised an issue, she would interrupt to say, "That isn't happening here." She came to talk, not to listen. It became so difficult for me to complete a sentence that at one point, I said, "Hey, guys, you
