You are in the most enviable position of any educational leader for decades. You’ve got a good three years to affect substantial, meaningful change. You can say whatever the hell you want (sorry, but it's time to throw some Bill Russell elbows, Mr. President). You’ve got the microphone, the votes, and the next Supreme Court nomination(s). You’re a dad. You know the roots of all American students, you know what it means to dream, and you went to Harvard.
Actually, the only way you can screw this up is by replacing Arne Duncan with Michelle Rhee.
Rise above the fray. Public education’s problems are not unions, accountability, or Finland-envy. Unlike other politicians, you need not cower to quick measurable fixes and instant gratification. No more elections, politics or fundraising. No silenced resistance against plantation reforms or succumbing to politics-by-privatization. No promises to any group or corporation; promises only to kids, Democracy, and the future of America.
Go with your gut, your passion, your empathy, and common sense. Dream. Set the bar as high as the moon. Inspire and innovate. Every kid, not some. Set us back on course because we have certainly lost our way.
Between 1954 and 1983, America was a nation of educational vision and inclusion. Brown v. Board of Education. “Ask not…” and “We will go to the moon.” Title IX. Plyler v. Doe. PL-94-142 (IDEA). No more “For Whites Only” schools and “No Girls Allowed” signs on the clubhouse door. No more leaving undocumented students, students with disabilities, and LGBT students and parents outside the school house door.
After 1983? The Governors’ and CEOs’ wake-up call with the ambitious “A Nation at Risk” and “Goals 2000,” inspired yet sanction-less platitudes with references to early childhood learning and inspired teaching (and not a single reference to “high-stakes testing” and punitive accountability).
But subsequent action was too slow for the aspiring education-governor or president needing a quick fix with quicker results. So following the myth of the Texas Miracle and under the shadow of 9/11, America reverted from innovative and inclusive public schools to one-size-fits-all, test-and-label, blame-the-victim education. The politician’s mantra? Results-r-Us. State and federal versions of NCLB (the stick and a boat-load of testing), RTTT (the carrot and a whole fleet of testing), and federal spending well beyond defending civil rights and special education (don’t forget, the word “education” is not in the Constitution).
And, to make matters worse, corporations recognized politicians do not last forever and swooped in with pre, formative, online, diagnostic, and high-stakes assessments as silver bullet reform that transcends election cycles. Follow the money. There’s no profit in innovation, R&D, and professional development so today we are stuck with abusive quantities of testing, vilified professionals, and value-added testing that adds little value and cost-benefit given the billion dollar price tag. (Dare I add all this eerily parallels Viet Nam, WMD, and Iraq?)
Mr. President, you can stop the madness.
Stand up to PAC purchased ads and politicians seeking someone to blame (teachers and unions), some place to denounce (urban schools), and something broken to fix (international rankings). Speak out against quick-fix reforms, “accomplishments” in the form of voucher plans and small-business (charter) schools, and outrageously excessive testing. Speak up for kids, especially those subjected to factory-model schools, scripted McTeachers, and sit-and-regurgitate learning.
Put the public back in public education. Empower parents; not the privatizers and privileged. Inspire children. Respect teachers. Invest in professional development and innovation. Let leaders lead. Demand creativity, innovation, motivation, invention, leadership, gifted teaching, and authentic learning; and denounce the sabermetric rhetoric and “elect-me stats.”
Mr. President, you have the opportunity of a lifetime. You can educate every child (starting with every child ready for kindergarten), rebuild crumbling schools and create jobs (think WPA), level the playing field (invoke 1954-1983), and revitalize America as an educated citizenry simultaneously.
How? That’s in part two. But “how not to?” is simple: Lose the obsession with testing, the follow-the-money reforms, and the return to Plessy v. Ferguson charter schools. And, before you make any radical moves (yikes, Jeb and Arne on the same stage), well, read your book, The Obama Education Plan which highlights your platform (and I don't see "Test-the-spirit-and-curiosity-out-of-kids"on the list). You, too, will be re-inspired.
Invest in Early Childhood Education
Reform No Child Left Behind
Expand Choice and Innovation
Make Math and Science National Priorities
Address the Dropout Crisis
Expand Opportunities to Learn
Recruit Prepare, Retain, and Reward America’s Teachers
Improve College Access and Affordability
The madness that needs to be stopped are the teachers unions. How can you say that our problems are not "rooted" in these unions with a straight face? How about making union membership optional? Oh, wait, that would destroy them. Can't have that. How about less federal involvement in what should be a state and local issue? Nope, can't have that either.
ReplyDeleteWe have a complex society, and big, federal solutions almost never work. The things you're advocating here, which all sound nice, will fail in bureaucratic implementation.
The road to hell, as they say, is paved with good intentions.
Scott, the only thing that protects my hard-working and AMAZING sister is her teacher union. She doesn't have to be bullied by administrators or parents, doesn't have her non-pay time demanded of her by the school district, and as a result, she has taught at the same school for almost twenty years, and despite the hard work that is teaching these days, she LOVES her job. Her kids come back year after year to visit her because she was firm but did an extraordinary job and impacted their lives, helped shaped their futures. I quit teaching this year because I taught in the good ol' boy South, where teachers get treated like slaves and we were reminded that we should be thankful we have a job. Nice. Nothing's perfect. I'm certain unions have their political issues (human nature) but from a teacher's perspective, it helps limit the abuse poured all over teachers.
ReplyDeleteYou could say this about any job. Why doesn't a worker at, say, a big corporation need this "protection" from their bosses? The cost of unionism WAY outweigh the benefits, and they are the immediate reason we are having a property tax crisis.
DeleteJere,
ReplyDeleteI sure wish I could work for you in your school district. I'm in the south now, but I was born and raised in NYC and attended college in Poughkeepsie. I love New York, but just can't afford to live there. Good luck to you!
I will be eager to hear your next installment. I recently retired as superintendent in Hanover NH which has demographics similar to Bedford, NY. In the seven years I served there we paid no attention to the NCLB test scores because we routinely "passed" except for an occasional anomaly that resulted from special education sub-populations. I am now consulting with far less affluent districts in the North Country of NH where test scores are crucial because their schools are "failing". It is sad to see the schools who are struggling to engage students having to narrow their instruction to pass tests. Oh... and as for those who think poverty's not a factor, compare the services and course offerings in affluent districts to those in needy districts... or spend a day in a school with a 90% free and reduced lunch count and a school where no one qualifies for that program. You won't need to administer standardized tests to see the difference.
ReplyDelete@Scott: don't believe everything you think. I belong to the AFT, NYSUT & the UFT and they are doing Jack Squat for us. This is all about privatizing schools on the taxpayer dime. Everyone has something to gain except students and teachers.
DeleteIf you really care about student attainment especially in high poverty areas redistribute the pressure. Put the resource in those areas with a nod towards allowing the professionals to do what they know is needed. It is a different environment for educators when they are provided resource and allowed to meet the students where they are and move them forward. The problem as I see it is trying to hold educational professionals responsible for the ills of society. If one thinks that blaming unions and teachers, closing schools and moving students to other areas is the solution then you either don't care about a real solution or you have not lived the problem only read the headlines.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your courage in writing this. I wish I was more hopeful that Obama will hear our voices, but I believe that money is speaking louder than our whispers of despair.
ReplyDeleteThe "money" that is speaking is the desperate sound of Westchester homeowners who's property taxes now far exceed their mortgages.
DeleteThe "money" in this reference and post is not about taxes or salaries. It is the millions being spent by the state and many districts on standardized testing and yet-to-be-validated value-added measure testing. $700 million in RTTT money to the state and how much spent on data systems, testing, and consultants INSTEAD of what we know works and stands the test of time. AND the RTTT efforts and the new evaluation plan are the most costly unfunded mandate in the state. Millions of LOCAL dollars are now being spent on this plan.
DeleteI was fascinated to hear on NPR a replay of the Tuesday late-night speech in which he addressed education saying we want an America that provides our children with "access to the best schools and best teachers" Well . . . . yeah! But that is NOT what Obama and Duncan and the whole apparatus of government are doing-- they are talking a good game, sometimes and I love the rhetoric, but the policy reality is doing the opposite. They don't agree with ALEC on private prisons, immigration policy or Stand Your Ground laws. Why are they pretty much in synch with them on education policy-- are the foundations really that all-powerful?
ReplyDeleteAs long as major campaign contributors such as Penny Pritzker (inhereted Hyatt Hotel wealth and control, owns Noble Charter Schools, appointed Chicago School Board member by Mayor Rahm Emanuel, connected to the Chicago Civic Committee and other ALEC supported groups) are part of President Obama's support team, the profitization of schools will, unfortunately, continue. The "best education you can afford" mindset of Romney is alive and well while these people retain power over education decisions. Mere job training and bubble test evaluations are the plans in motion for public education. This destructive insanity must end.
ReplyDeleteKen Previti
Helen, the only thing protecting me at my job is my work ethic and skill set. That should be the barometer at every place of employment, schools included. It sounds like your sister is an excellent teacher, so she'd probably thrive anywhere --union blanket or not. It would be great for those of us with kids in public schools (I have 3) to have the unions release their grasp on the system we taxpayers fund, so as to purge the deficient teachers from it. Not every educator boasts an equal amount of talent, everyone knows this. Reward the stars, send the duds packing.
ReplyDeleteTo deny the culpability of the teachers' unions when it comes to the degradation of public education in this country is to deny reality. And I'm not sure what Jere is getting at with losing the obsession with testing. Are you saying we're not creative enough in the classroom? More in-class movies, blanket making for the homeless, Hispanic heritage celebrations and 'independent' learning modules (so the teacher can work on their I-pad) is what will move the country higher than 25th in math and 17th in science? This will help PRES move back to the 4th elementary school in Westchester (where it used to be) rather than in the bottom 50 (where it is now)? I get it.
It's troubling to see how political this all is. I had no idea this was what's "under the hood". Looks like the status quo is here to stay in BCSD!
-Joe Malichio
What I am "getting at" with the obsession on testing is just that - obsession with standardized testing. For decades this elementary school and all aorund - and middle schools and high schools were doing quite well - and they still are. The lists and array of colleges kids are attending is pretty remarkable - was and still is. If moving back to some ranking in testing is what parents want, then it will be all pre-testing, formative testing, drill and practice, and then testing. And, the complaints about too much of that are already being heard. There's a balance - field experiences, meaningful assemblies, projects and learning about all cultures - and the arts, music, and ... all complementing math and reading and science... That's what I am getting at with this national and state obsession with testing.
DeleteNot sure about the movies - if for fun I agree; if educational not so. Blanket making, well... Independent modules - education is all about kids learning at their pace and need instead of one-size-fits-all. I don't get the issue with Hispanic heritage celebrations.
Before 2002, we tested kids to benchmark their learning and to see what was working and not in the curriculum. Since 2002 it's all testing all subjects, every year grades four and beyond. That is not "school the way it oughta be."
Jere, the opinions of the captain (you) of this ship most certainly matter. But, the sentiments from the owners of this ship (us) trump all else. We're not happy with where our schools are ranked for the taxes we pay. End of story. This affects our kids and our property values. I know you rent here, but I'm guessing that even if you owned a home in town you'd still have the same belief system, thinking that things are just fine in BCSD. I've read your entire blog. (and have seen your retweeting of Rachel Maddow which is more disturbing than a Biden geography lesson)
DeleteBlaming corporate America or standardized testing or merit pay or charter schools on the degradation of public education and America's deteriorating scores is a cop out. We want the schools ranked better --or the budget much lower. Otherwise, we move. It's very simple. I agree that we need a balance between testing and other methods of learning, but that pendulum has swung too far. My kids don't have a lot of homework and they tell me of too many "fun" things they're doing in class, every day. (elementary, middle and HS) Take a survey and ask the parents about this. The teachers have even snickered to me and my wife about all the "fun stuff" that's forced into their curriculum. No one is advocating fire and brimstone classes, but the distractions from the core learning we expect are too many.
As far as the Hispanic heritage celebrations, my objections are three-fold. 1. Here is yet another distraction/"fun time" from math, science, reading, writing, etc. Not necessary. 2. Why Hispanic? Where's the Italian week? German? Irish? Russian? Chinese? 3. There is special treatment being given to the ever-growing Hispanic population in our school district. We ought not discriminate against any one group... but at the same time, no special treatment should be given. This is an especially bitter pill to swallow when we know (you included) that there are a good number of kids whose parents are here illegally, so not even paying into the school system their kids benefit from. Those bearing the tax burden are already subsidizing bad behavior and are seeing our schools get worse while they get costlier. What is happening in the corner of the gym at BHills Elementary School? What are the plans you have for WPES? This is what I'm getting at.
We want our tax burden relieved. We want our schools ranked better. Both can be done. But tough decisions are necessary. Is our current leadership up to it? Hmmmm...
Joe - my response was well above the 4,096 characters. If you wish, please send my your email so I can respond. You can send it to jhstlny@gmail.com A reply here seems to go to 'no reply'
DeleteAm I concerned about too much testing and corporate influence? Absolutely. Test driven curriculum and teaching limits what gets taught. We can do better than that. As for the corporate influence, consider the following: http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2012/11/29/13testcosts.h32.html $17 BILLION on testing annually. And, now there are major conferences on how corporations can profit from education http://capitalroundtable.com/masterclass/For-Profit-Education-Conference.html
ReplyDeleteWhen President Bush projected what we know as No Child Left Behind to raise standards in the nation, it was the first national effort with teeth. Pass the tests or else. What he and BOTH parties envisioned was benchmark testing - by state - but with a national regulation. The intent was testing in math and English only and in grades 2 or 3, 5, 8, 10, and graduation only to insure SCHOOLS were doing their job with all kids. What was passed in the shadow of 9/11 was testing in all subjects in every grade. Not rocket science. Teachers and schools would be forced to teach predominantly what was on tests or teach to the tests - and it was going to cost a heck of a lot of money.
Yes - corporations are making millions off the back of our kids, they are restricting curriculum, innovation, and creativity.