Common Ground is not so Common
In the words of Mark Twain, “We have not all had the good fortune to be ladies. We have not all been generals, or poets, or statesmen; but when the toast works down to the babies, we stand on common ground.” Finding common ground is difficult, yet it’s often necessary for producing pragmatic policies. With that said, I’ve recently had the privilege of submitting a piece on Peter DeWitt’s Education Week opinion blog, titled, “Finding Common Ground.” The piece below, “Poverty & Education: Meaningful Discussions or Misguided Diatribes?” was first published by Education Week on January 17, 2014. It’s an attempt to find a common ground within the often-contentious debates surrounding poverty and education reform. As always, feel free to offer your perspective and constructive critique in the comment section below.
Today’s guest post is written by Angel L. Cintron Jr., a 7th grade social studies teacher at Charles Hart Middle School in Washington, D.C.
When it comes to discussing the link between poverty and education, education reform debates, often times, diverge into two “corners.” In the blue corner, one can find the “poverty is not an excuse” camp. While in the red corner, one will find the “poverty is an explanation” group. Both corners vehemently defend their positions with “data,” coupled with a heavy