Seattle Schools Community Forum: Food for Thought - Talking About Teachers

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Food for Thought - Talking About Teachers:

Food for Thought - Talking About Teachers

Tacoma School District's Nate Bowling was recently selected as Washington State's Teacher of the Year.  Mr. Bowling teaches at Tacoma's Lincoln High (which is a success story unto itself.)  He teaches AP Government & Politics and AP Human Geography.  He is one of four finalists for the National Teacher of the Year.  That award will be announced in April. 

Part of the role of being selected seems to be going out and telling the world the story of public education from a teacher's POV.  Mr. Bowling seems to be doing this quite well but pulls no punches.  (I will also note he is a "founding member" of Teachers United which is an ed reform teachers group.)  

He recently wrote this piece for his own blog, a Teacher's Evolving Mind, calledThe Conversation I'm Tired of Not Having.  He's pretty blunt from the get-go.  I encourage you to read the entire piece (italics his.)

I want to tell you a secret: America really doesn’t care what happens to poor people and most black people. There I said it.(italics his)

He goes on:

As a nation, we’re nibbling around the edges with accountability measures and other reforms, but we’re ignoring the immutable core issue: much of white and wealthy America is perfectly happy Seattle Schools Community Forum: Food for Thought - Talking About Teachers: