Shanker Blog » Where Al Shanker Stood: Democracy In Public Education

Shanker Blog » Where Al Shanker Stood: Democracy In Public Education:

Where Al Shanker Stood: Democracy In Public Education

Posted by Shanker Institute Staff on July 21, 2014

There is an ongoing debate in the U.S. about the role of democracy in public education. In March 1997, in his final “Where We Stand” column in the New York Times, Al Shanker addressed this issue directly. The piece, published posthumously, was an excerpt from a larger essay entitled “40 Years in the Profession,” which was included in acollection published by the Phi Delta Kappa Educational Foundation.

Why do I continue when so much of what I’ve worked for seems threatened? To a large extent, because I believe that public education is the glue that has held this country together. Critics now say that the common school never really existed, that it’s time to abandon this ideal in favor of schools that are designed to appeal to groups based on ethnicity, race, religion, class, or common interests of various kinds. But schools like these would foster divisions in our society; they would be like setting a time bomb.

A Martian who happened to be visiting Earth soon after the United States was founded would not have given this country much chance of surviving. He would have predicted that this new nation, whose inhabitants were of different races, who spoke different languages, and who followed different religions, wouldn’t remain one nation for long. They would end up fighting and killing each other. Then, what was left of each group would set up its own country, just as has happened many other times and in many other places. But that didn’t happen. Instead, we became a wealthy and powerful nation—the freest the world has ever known. Millions of people from around the world have risked their lives to come here, and they continue to do so today.

Public schools played a big role in holding our nation together. They brought together children of different races, Shanker Blog » Where Al Shanker Stood: Democracy In Public Education:

7-21-14 Schools Matter

Schools Matter:

At KIPP, "they wouldn't have desks at first" and then they are "chained to a desk 10 hours a day"

2 by Jim Horn / 1h 

Arizona Charter, Heritage Academy, Teaching the Benefits of Slavery for African Americans

From Atlanta Black Star:A charter school in Arizona has come under fire after it was revealed the school is using controversial books that suggest slavery was actually beneficial for African-Americans.Despite the backlash, the school’s principal is defending the use of the texts in the classroom, claiming that the school is not purposefully trying to change the students’ religious and political vi

2 by Jim Horn / 26min 

TURNcoats Meet in Rosemont, IL to Promote Common Core

by Jim Horn / 2h  

7-20-14 Schools Matter All Week

Schools Matter: NEA, SEIU, and Eli BroadAt the recent AFT and NEA coronations, there was news about new linkages with SEIU, whose former president, Andy Stern, had close ties with Broad, Gates, and Obama (Stern had a choice seat in the Obama box at the Inauguration Parade). Below is part of a post I did in 2007, a day or so after a big fund-raiser in Los Angles for charter chain, Green Dot Public

by mike simpson / 1d 

7-21-14 @ THE CHALK FACE

@ THE CHALK FACE:

Quick announcement from @ the Chalk Face radio show

In the meantime, get anything you need from the archive, 24/7.

1 by Shaun Johnson / 1h hide  //  save

A July 21, 2014, Update on Common Core, PARCC, and Smarter Balanced

On Sunday, July 20, 2014, I took the day off from writing. No book editing; no blogging. I think I have done so only for one other day since May. Instead, I read a book for the sheer enjoyment of reading. I chose my all-time favorite, a work of fiction by C.S. Lewis, The Great Divorce. […]

2 by deutsch29 / 1h 

“No new federal spending” Equals “This really doesn’t matter”

“No new federal spending” Equals “This really doesn’t matter”. via “No new federal spending” Equals “This really doesn’t matter”.

by plthomasedd / 0min hide  //  save

Back from vacation to crowdsource a problem with school enrollment

Help. My elementary school in a low-income part of Washington, DC needs its community to enroll its children in school. Otherwise, we’re going to have a problem. In previous weeks, and in weeks to come, myself and others are canvassing surrounding neighborhoods to ensure that students are enrolled in school. Previously, I’ve called this “predatory […]

1 by Shaun Johnson / 22min 

All Week 7-19-14 @ THE CHALK FACE

@ THE CHALK FACE : All Week @ THE CHALK FACE An Update on the Continued Constriction of Roemer’s and White’s 2014-15 Assessment CornerSo much has transpired in the situation regarding the state of Louisiana education for 2014-15. For those attempting to keep up with the situation, let me briefly summarize: On June 18, 2014, Governor Bobby Jindal declared that he wanted Louisiana out of both the Pa

by mike simpson / 2d

7-21-14 the becoming radical | A Place for a Pedagogy of Kindness

the becoming radical | A Place for a Pedagogy of Kindness (the public and scholarly writing by P. L. Thomas, Furman University):

Papa

As Steve Paul explains, July is an important month for Ernest Hemingway: The month of July brings the anniversary of three defining Hemingway moments: He was born on July 21, 1899, in Oak Park, Illinois; he took his own life on July 2, 1961, in Ketchum, Idaho. And on July 8, 1918, while he was serving in the Red Cross ambulance service attached to the Italian army, he was wounded by the explosion

by plthomasedd / 33min 

“No new federal spending” Equals “This really doesn’t matter”

Mykoto Rich’s lede sounds promising: President Obama will announce on Monday that 60 of the nation’s largest school districts are joining his initiative to improve the educational futures of young African-American and Hispanic boys, beginning in preschool and extending through high school graduation. But the most important point comes in the fourth paragraph: No new federal spending is attached to

by plthomasedd / 13min 

7-19-14 the becoming radical EMPATHYEDUCATES! | A Place for a Pedagogy of Kindness by P. L. Thomas, EdD

THE BECOMING RADICALEMPATHYEDUCATES!the becoming radical  A Place for a Pedagogy of Kindness by It’s Not Race, It’s Class…And Other Stories Folks Now TellBy Black&Smart, AKAdemic | Originally Published at Black&Smart July 10, 2014 I have been studying race, racism and its damaging effects for most of my adult life. And I have witnessed the “racial fatigue” of people who don’t have to consc

by mike simpson / 2d

7-21-14 Curmudgucation Week

CURMUDGUCATION:

Time Political Reporter Flubs CCSS Story

At Time, Alex Altman has written a piece about Common Core's new role as GOP election kryptonite. He gets the kryptonite part right. The Common Core piece, not so much.Over the past several months, the state education standards developed by a bipartisan group of governors and educators have become one of the conservative movement’s biggest bugbears. Common Core is now “radioactive,” as Iowa GOP Go

3 by Peter Greene / 10min 

CCSS and Esperanto

Why don't we speak Esperanto?You know Esperanto. It's a constructed language created in the late 19th century by a young man who was very interested in languages and who thought he might come up with a neutral language that transcended all the biases and baggage of previous languages. Ludwik Lazarus Zamenhof became an opthamologist, so he wasn't technically a language expert, but that shouldn't ma

by Peter Greene / 5min hide  //  save

Honesty, Sass, and Public Ed

I have had this piece from Peter DeWitt open in a tab for days, trying to formulate a response. DeWitt, as he sometimes does, is pondering the problem of trying to be a calm centrist in the ongoing debate about American public education.He believes there are people of good intent on both sides, but worries that they are being drowned out by strident, sarcastic voices that are dominating-- loudly--

11 by Peter Greene / 38min 

7-20-14 Curmudgucation Week

CURMUDGUCATION: Zephyr Teachout Is for RealWhen the Washington Post ran an essay by Zephyr Teachout, they prefaced it by observing that she is "to say the least, not the kind of person you'd expect to run for office."That seems fair. Teachout is a Vermont-born law professor. In profiles of her by those who know her, she comes across as humble. In her own writing and speaking, she comes a

by mike simpson / 22h 

7-21-14 Perdido Street School Week

Perdido Street School:

How Quickly New York Has Soured On The Common Core

Dave Weigel at Slate reacting to the Siena poll that found 49% of New Yorkers want Common Core implementation stopped - including 53% of independents: The new Siena poll doesn't contain many surprises—Andrew Cuomo easily leads his re-election race, challenger Zephyr Teachout has yet to register, etc. It's really just the question, and answers, about the Common Core education curriculum that surpri

by reality-based edu... / 33min 

Edu-Entrepreneurs And Lobbyists Flood Cuomo's "Smart Schools" Forum

Not a surprise - that "Smart Schools Commission meeting" I blogged about earlier was filled with edu-entrepreneurs and corporate lobbyists looking to feed off the public trough: Rather than being filled solely with educators, many of the roughly 100 people who came to a Smart Schools Public Symposium earlier Monday were lobbyists and representatives of telecoms, networking companies, sof

by reality-based edu... / 3min 

Cuomo's Dumb Schools Initiative Meets Later In The Week

From State of Politics:At 1 p.m., the first meeting about the broadband availability enhancement component of the Smart Schools Initiative will be held, Blue Room, second floor, state Capitol.Seems like Cuomo's "Smart Schools Initiative" could have made Frederick Hess' 10 School Reform Phrases That Should Trigger Your BS Detector list:Education is filled with jargon, buzzwords, and BS. I

by reality-based edu... / 13min 

Daily News Continues To Shill For The Common Core

A Siena poll released today found the following:BY a 49-39 percent margin, voters want to see implementation of the Common Core stopped rather than continued.Despite these numbers, Common Core-supporting newspaper the Daily News reports voters are "split" on the Core here in New York.Here's their headline:Voters back Cuomo; split on Common Core and hydrofracking: Siena PollSince when is

by reality-based edu... / 26min hide  //  save

Siena Poll Finds 49% Of New Yorkers Say Common Core Needs To Go

These poll numbers are going to make NYSED Commissioner King and Regents Chancellor Tisch very, very sad:BY a 49-39 percent margin, voters want to see implementation of the Common Core stopped rather than continued.Digging into the numbers:"While a majority of New York City voters and a plurality of Democrats think Common Core standards continue to be implemented, a majority of Republicans, i

7 by reality-based edu... / 2h 

7-20-14 Perdido Street School Week

Perdido Street School: James GarnerIt has been announced that James Garner has died at the age of 86.Garner wrote one of my favorite pieces on actors and politics in 2011:James Garner's memoir "The Garner Files" was published today, and far from being a glossed over look at his career, it's very much matter of fact. Although he defends actors who express their political views, he is crit

by mike simpson / 38min 

The Myth of the Helpless Parent | Truth in American Education

The Myth of the Helpless Parent | Truth in American Education:

The Myth of the Helpless Parent

Filed in Common Core State Standards by Laurie H. Rogers on July 21, 2014 • 0 Comments

“I Can” statements are all the rage in our public schools. Students are to say “I can” and then positively reaffirm something they feel capable of doing.

I’m offering suggestions for “We can” statements. If your school district obeys the law, tells the truth, spends money wisely, and properly educates children, then you probably don’t need these. Sadly, most citizens don’t have a school district like that, and this article is directed to them.

Parents have been trained for decades to trust in America’s K-12 government schools. This trust now serves the districts but not the students within them. Most districts aren’t being held accountable for violations of the law; failures to properly educate children; improper spending of tax dollars; or long-term refusals to tell citizens the truth.

Many districts seem increasingly dictatorial, deceitful, expensive and intrusive. We trust them with our children, and in return, they lie to us, miseducate our children and blame us for their The Myth of the Helpless Parent | Truth in American Education:

10 School Reform Phrases That Should Trigger Your BS Detector :: Frederick M. Hess

10 School Reform Phrases That Should Trigger Your BS Detector :: Frederick M. Hess:

10 School Reform Phrases That Should Trigger Your BS Detector

by Frederick M. Hess  •  Jul 21, 2014 at 8:28 am
Cross-posted from Education Week

Print

Send

RSS

Share

Education is filled with jargon, buzzwords, and BS. I've had a lot of fun over the years skewering the inanity that gets bandied about in education research and professional development. Education policy and school reform are rife with their own vapid vocabulary.

It's worth flagging this stuff. Doing so reminds us that fatuous phrases don't make problems go away.  It helps puncture sugarplum visions fueled by hot air. Left unchallenged, pat phrases allow wishful thinking to stand in for messy realities. After all, these fatuous phrases are pervasive. Hell, I've lapsed into using them...plenty of times.  So this is less about calling anybody out than ensuring that we don't let pleasant words stand in for careful thinking. Here are 10 phrases that, when heard, should cause listeners to ask the speaker to explain what he or she means, using words that actually mean something:

10. "Turning around schools." (This is very different from those earlier efforts, like "effective schools research" and "comprehensive school reform," that apparently sought to help schools stagnate.)

9. "Equitable distribution of effective teachers." (I think I'm for this, but I just don't know what we mean by "equitable" or "effective." Are "effective" teachers just those who score well on state evaluation systems? Either way, I'd love someone to explain what an "equitable" distribution looks like.)

8. "Smart regulation." (You know, as opposed to those championing "dumb regulation." A similar caution also applies to calls for "smart accountability," "smart teacher evaluation," or "smart" anything else. Attaching an adjective doesn't make problems go away.)

7. "There are implementation challenges." (This is just a way to avoid saying that the plan wasn't as airtight as initially presented and that now we're making stuff up as we go--and hoping it'll work out.)

6. "Teacher leadership." (This is one of those phrases that's been stretched to the point that it has lost all meaning, like "collaboration" or "stakeholder buy-in.")

5. "Collaboration." (I couldn't resist, just because it's funny that everyone always thinks that it's the answer--and that no one apparently ever thought to try it before. Otherwise, just once, I'd hear someone say, "Yeah, we're already collaborating as best we can.")

4. "We need the right policies for this to work." (I suppose this can be a useful reminder, especially when 10 School Reform Phrases That Should Trigger Your BS Detector :: Frederick M. Hess:

Hubris Of The Hoch-Tech – redqueeninla

Hubris Of The Hoch-Tech – redqueeninla:



Hubris Of The Hoch-Tech

Written by redqueeninla in Education

 What is it with high tech entrepreneurs and the hubris of their bastardized version of noblesse oblige?

First came Bill Gates with his “philanthrocapitalism” and in particular his focus on education philanthropy. The effort to overlay pedagogy with business practice have been problematic, to say the least, from his aborted small schools project to the current crusade for the common core.

This brand of libertarianism that insists corporations are entitled to eclipse the public sector while self-righteously claiming disinterest in politics, is hardly unique.

Think, for example, of David Welch and his privately bankrolled assault on public education teachers. His skirmish neatly dovetails with a long list of other such offensives led by one curiously removed “ideologue” after another. Consider, then, as an archetype the non-educator, non-public school parent Bill Gates’ “non-political” assault on teachers, their competency that his empire conveniently wishes to measure, and the propensity for poor children to disproportionately receive the short end of the “good-teacher” stick.

These investors cry “foul” all the way to the bank, expressing authenticconcern for the welfare of the needy through solutions that coincidentally enrich them materially; often denying the constitutional handicap of their circumstances.

The latest folderol foisted by the overly-rich on the rest of us (cf that 2000 state proposition mentioned above) is this scheme of Tim Draper’s to isolate Hubris Of The Hoch-Tech – redqueeninla: