Arne Duncan, Let My People Go!
Occupy the Department of Education, sponsored by United Opt Out, took place in DC March 30 - April 2, 2012 in Washington, DC. The quantitative numbers were somewhat low for an Occupy protest but from a qualitative standpoint, the event was a huge success. Teachers, parents, concerned citizens and academics gathered for four straight days outside the DoED. They came from California, Colorado, Florida, Tennessee, Virginia, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Maryland, and elsewhere to stand up against the destructive education policies being perpetuated by the greedy corporate education reformers pushing more high stakes standardized testing, teacher evaluations based on test scores, charter schools, vouchers and the further privatization of public education.
The one thing protesters had in common was a desire to do what is right for their children, their students, and the freedom to do what they love, teach.
Jesse Turner, also known as "the walking man", railed at the building on Maryland Avenue where Arne Duncan sits. He asked those gathered outside, "What kind of country attacks its teachers?" Last summer, Turner made