BATs July 28, 2014 Speech
By: Dr. Yohuru Williams
Mr. Duncan in May of 1894, Jacob Coxey, and his Army marched on Washington DC in the wake of a worldwide depression to petition the government for jobs for the unemployed. Coxey opened his speech, not too far from here, invoking the promise of American democracy
“We choose this place of assemblage” he told his audience, “because it is the property of the people.
"Up these steps,” he continued, “the lobbyists of trusts and corporations have passed unchallenged on their way to committee rooms, access to which we, the representatives of the toiling wealth-producers, have been denied.”
120 years later we have come in the same spirit and with a similar message.
We choose the DOE and Washington DC as our place of assemblage because it remains the property of the people and you have been entrusted as our servant. Yet, in these halls, corporations and billionaires have hijacked public education from its true representatives the parents and teachers and students whose voices you have denied.
We have come today not only to reclaim this space; but also to renew our children’s faith that democracy is not for sale and that the will of the people in America still matters. I know that you can read our t-shirt and signage Mr. Duncan—but the United States Constitution is also our calling card. The preamble of which boldly identifies us by both name and politics. For you may call us rabble-rousers or stats, teachers, parents or BATs—but let me be clear “We are also the people.” And as the people we have come to demand that you respect our deep investment in the Union as well as our vision of the future.
Mr. Duncan, you should know that the educators who make up the BATS live by three principles
People over Profits
Parity over Charity
And Choice over Chance—because if you let the people decide the future of public education we Badass Teachers Association:
A Compilation of Past Writings, Plus Some
BAT's March on DC Speech
ORIGINALLY POSTED ON MEL'S BLOG
http://theeducationactivist.blogspot.com/2014/07/bats-march-on-dc-speech.html?m=1
BY: Mel Katz
A Compilation of Past Writings, Plus Some
BAT’s March on DC – July 28th, 2014
Good morning my fellow Badass Teachers! It is such an honor to be speaking here today.
My name is Melissa Katz, and I am 19 years old. I will be going into my sophomore year at The College of New Jersey in good ol’ crazy Jersey studying Urban Elementary Education. I am a student activist, traveling across New Jersey (and now DC!) attending different education events, testifying at the State Board of Education, and meeting so many different, inspiring people also in the fight for public education. I am also a part of the amazing group Save Our Schools New Jersey, a grassroots, non-partisan, and volunteer led and powered organization of over 20,000 parents and other concerned residents who believe that all New Jersey children should have access to high quality public education. And just last week, I decided to add one more thing to my plate by announcing that I will be running for the board of education in my town of South Brunswick, New Jersey.
I cannot tell you how many times I’ve been asked, “Why do you want to go into education? Why do you want to be a teacher? Don’t you know how much more money you could be making in another profession?” Back in March I spoke at a rally for public education in Trenton, and my response is still the same as it was then: The answer to all of these questions is simple: I have an undeniable belief in and love for our public schools, because public education is the great equalizer among us.
Based off of endless research, it is clear that these so-called “reforms” – the big examples being common core, new standardized testing, expansion of charter schools and so-called “school choice,” and new teacher evaluation systems – are not the answer to the issues we have in education that are mainly from outside sources – poverty, growing income inequality, dangerous environments in urban districts, unstable home life for some children, slashed school funding that has caused a gross underfunding of our schools, unfunded mandates – the list goes on, and these reforms are only going to worsen the issues we already have.
Public education us under attack. There is an effort by public education reformers to undermine what we know as public education, demoralize and dehumanize teachers and the teaching profession, and sell the false tale of the failure of students and teachers that can only be quote-un-quote “fixed” by promoting school choice and increased standardized testing.
My response: The kids in this country are not guinea pigs for the state, corporations, big businesses, and venture philanthropists to experiment on. There is absolutely no proof that Common Core is going http://badassteachers.blogspot.com/2014/07/bats-march-on-dc-speech-originally.html
