Social
Justice, There's Power in the Union. . .
Public
educators and their unions have taken a lot of heat in recent years. Bashing
educators has become a good way to score political points in certain
circles. We have seen a large number of
political candidates take advantage of the climate that exists around public
education to promote an agenda that attacks, vilifies and degrades public
educators. Evidence of this reality can
be found on a daily basis in the media, and more importantly is impacting the
efforts of educators in schools across Wisconsin. The motivations, dedication and competence of
our educators is being questioned on a regular basis.
Hinsdale Township
High School
District 86 has launched an investigation into 17 teachers
who liked a Facebook post linked to a story about teacher contract...
chicagotribune.com|By
Chicago Tribune
A new book by Dana Goldstein offers powerful, historical
perspective on our penchant for attacking teachers.
alternet.org
Yet,
the issues raised and the "solutions" offered in political circles
really aren't about improving our schools or about making our public education
system more equitable or closing existing Achievement Gaps. Instead they are barely disguised efforts to
gain political and economic advantages for political leaders, their financiers,
and educational profiteers. The so
called "reformers" attack public schools on issues like Achievement
Gaps and the supposed wasting of taxpayer money, while at the same time
weakening the ability of public educators to address educational inequities and
cutting funding for our public schools.
There continues to
be much bluster out there in ed reformy land that money really isn’t all that
important – especially for traditional public school districts. That...
schoolfinance101.wordpress.com
» Yet another study finds Wisconsin
school-funding system hurts kids and communities | Research...
wisconsinsfuture.org
schoolsmatter.info|By skrashen
"Reformers" have
created systems that evaluate schools and educators unfairly, and force
educators to choose between continued employment and their ethical beliefs
about education and social justice. The
emphasis on basics or "Core" instruction puts significant strains on
educational resources and limits choices for students in our most at-risk
demographics and communities.
Click on each school name below to download that...
madison.k12.wi.us
Art and music convey important skills that often are
overlooked. Researchers have long touted their positive effects on student
brain growth and development, but...
www.huffingtonpost.com
Two early childhood experts argue that the Common Core
Standards ignore research on child development.
washingtonpost.com
One
of the cornerstones of these "reform" efforts is the attempt to
destroy the power of public educator unions.
It is here that a strange coalition of fiscal conservatives,
Libertarians, Republicans, Democrats and even some grassroots community leaders
has formed around the misguided beliefs that educators and their unions have
created the problems that exist in our schools.
The idea that eliminating unions and privatizing schools will improve
educational outcomes for all students is fomented by a few extreme examples and
willful ignoring of the social and economic conditions that fuel our
educational Achievement Gaps. The result
is a climate that is anti-public education, anti-public educator and harmful to
many of our students and families.
Is the legacy of Act
10 teachers as free agents? No, the real legacy is teachers jumping ship.
host.madison.com|By
Lee Enterprises
I have a question for you... Can you use your finger and
identify Chile
on a map? I only ask because there are lots of ideas and theories in the US
educational...
cloakinginequity.com
There
are many mis-perceptions about what education "reform" truly is as it
is represented in public forums. Many of
these "reformers" claim to be crusaders who are looking out for
students, families and communities. Yet,
their efforts often undermine efforts to increase equity for those that they
claim to want to help. In pushing for
"reforms" they actually divide communities and weaken the standing of
public schools which are often centerpieces of communities. They drive wedges between different
sub-groupings of educators and cause divisions where unity is needed (and should
be highly sought after).
As we go back to school this fall, parents will naturally be
fretting about teachers—mainly, did their kids get the best ones? But what if,
in the interest of...
slate.com
With
all of the conflict and anxiety around our public schools it is too easy to
forget that there are opportunities to build consensus and coalitions around
our schools, students and communities.
Despite the imagined differences, the underlying goals and beliefs
around public education can be powerful unifiers. These goals and beliefs are centered around a
sense of equity and social justice along with a strong desire to see each child
succeed at the highest level possible.
It is in the best interest of every person in society that ALL of our
children are provided with the most opportunities possible. There is no way to predict where our next
great leader, scientist, inventor, artist, etc. will come from, and to
shortchange any student is to weaken the fabric of our entire nation. We also can't forget that a democracy is
equal to the sum of its parts and every citizen, no matter their status or
position, is of significant value.
This
way of thinking is causing many advocates for public schools to ask why we are
creating an environment where our students and schools need to struggle so much
in order to get the resources that they need in order to have the best
opportunities for success? Why are we
eliminating supports and opportunities for those who are in greatest need? Why aren't we seeing more outrage and action
in defense of these students and the schools that provide them with what is one
of their best opportunities to create a positive future? Why have so many citizens accepted the
propaganda that paints educators and public education as the enemy of the
state?
American teachers work hard. Like, really hard. This year's
education report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and
Development outlines the stat...
www.huffingtonpost.com
The
simple answer is that our discourse around education is too focused on an
elusive and ill defined "bottom line." So much of the conversation about our schools
is based on a fear that somehow we are not competitive with the rest of the
world, or that our own children are somehow being shortchanged in their
education. Fear rarely breeds positive
responses, and in the case of public education this is clearly true. Instead of looking at the bigger picture,
putting resources where they are most needed, and supporting those who work and
learn in our schools we see the exact opposite happening. Our public discourse is based on
"improving" our schools, and we measure this "improvement"
through standardized test scores. On a
more personal level, we see those who have the most power in society use this
power to make sure that their communities receive the most and best of what our
school systems can provide. Combine this
with the push to make a profit from education and the effects are not
surprising.
What
this means is that those of us who have access to political power must work to
wield it for the good of our students, our families and our public
schools. Here in Wisconsin our public educators still retain
some of the clout, although our power is weakened, that we have built over the
years. Unfortunately, we are often too
hesitant to use this, despite the realization that those who oppose us are more
than willing to use any and all of their power to destroy what we believe
in. Even after Act 10, the recalls and
the protests many of us are still working quietly in our classrooms and
schools, somehow hoping that politics and economics will pass us by and let us
teach and work in peace.
The
daily work that educators do continues to be vital for our students and our
society. We need educators who are
dedicated and focused on the students and families they work with. At the same time, the work that we do is a
political and social statement. How we
teach, what we teach and the system that we are a part of are at the core of
our society and are the activities that build the future for all of us. With all the conflict and confusion around
public education this means that our work is no longer being done "under
the radar" or in a safe, protected zone.
The curriculum that we use, the testing that we do, and the way we
deliver educational experiences to our students is now a part of a bitter
public debate.
Given
that reality, it is time for educators to lead the charge towards a more socially
just society. We need to be a part of
the efforts to defend voting rights, promote increasing the minimum wage, and
many of the other efforts to defend the rights and privileges of our fellow
citizens. These efforts will improve our
communities, help our students succeed and help educators build a coalition
that will advance the causes of all of us.
If educators and their unions are a visible presence then we will gain
the trust and support of our fellow citizens and weaken the efforts to divide
the citizenry of our state and nation.
This
seems to be easier said than done. After
all, unions exist primarily to promote and protect the interests of their
membership. Yet, if we allow our focus
to be narrowed to the workplace, wages and benefits, then we open the door for
our opponents to exploit the differences between different sectors of the
workforce. The emphasis that Walker and
his supporters put on the "Cadillac benefits," high pay and easy jobs
that unionized workers hold is a clear example of how our contractual benefits
can be used against us. If union members
are out in the community, building alliances and fighting alongside our fellow
citizens, then these attacks lose their strength. Make no mistake, unions still need to fight
for their members, but they also can make sure that members' efforts in the
struggle for social justice are supported.
There
are many ways that this is already happening, and opportunities for even more
in the future. One way that unions help
in the fight for social justice is simply by providing employment protections
for their members. Without "Just
Cause" in collective bargaining agreements, educators put their own
livelihoods on the line whenever they speak out against a "reform" or
unjust policy. We are also seeing unions
and union members becoming more active in movements that support our students,
families and community.
United Opt Out National serves as a focused point of
unyielding resistance to corporate ed. reform. We...
unitedoptout.com
A group of teachers at a progressive public school in Néw
York City have formed "Teachers of Conscience" and written the
Chancellor of the school system to say that they could no longer...
dianeravitch.net
It
is also possible for educators to organize outside of their profession and
union colleagues. In fact, it is crucial
that we build connections between the many different organizations, groups and
leaders who are too often working individually, when collective action could be
much more powerful. If we have learned
anything from our experiences in 2011 it should be that there is power in
solidarity, but that this joining of interests takes organization and
effort. It must be sustainable, flexible
and communication of ideas and actions is vital.
I
am currently part of a group that is seeking to make these connections around
issues involving our public schools.
Families, educators and community members have formed an organization
called SCAPE (School Community Alliance for Public Education) that is working
to bring issues of social justice and educational policies to the attention of
the community. We are looking to join
forces with other groups in order to increase the diversity of voices heard in
discussions about Madison's
public schools. This effort is in its
infancy, but is an example of the ways that we can begin to "think outside
of the box" and work to make a difference in our community and our
world. While we are working on getting
our website up and running, here is a link to the notes from our most recent
meeting which gives an idea of what we are up to.
The
Good, The Bad and
The
Ugly. . .
The Good . . . While we know that there is a lot of work to do if we are going to
make Madison
one of the best places for ALL citizens to live, at the same time it is good to
know that we have a strong base to build from.
A lot of work is being done to understand and address the inequities
that exist in our community.
2015 Top 100 Best Places to Live Our second-annual ranking
of the best small to mid-sized cities in the U.S.As Livability’s editors and
writers crisscross the U.S in search of great stories, we find that time and
again, the best tales are told in the...
livability.com
Here's a message that
needs to be heard more widely.
We've all been told the workforce is partly to blame for the
decline in manufacturing. New research says that idea needs to die.
chicagobusiness.com
The only poll that matters
is the one we take on November 4th.
However, this data gives us hope as we continue to fight for Wisconsin's
future.
For the fourth straight poll, GOP Gov. Scott Walker and
Democratic challenger Mary Burke are locked in a neck-and-neck race.
host.madison.com|By Lee Enterprises
More and more people are
finally paying attention to the student loan debt crisis that exists in this
nation.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren promised this morning to keep pushing
for her student loan refinancing bill, but again left it to Republicans to come
up with a compromise that can satisfy both parties in the Senate.“The next
step,” she said...
politico.com|By Allie Grasgreen
motherjones.com
The Bad . . . More evidence that the current administration isn't fulfilling the
promises they have made to the people of Wisconsin. Although, to be fair, they have been doing a
good job of keeping the promises they made to those who contributed big money
to their campaigns.
isthmus.com
Also, a voucher advocate rebrands itself and a chance to see
former Gov. Tommy Thompson talk...
host.madison.com|By Lee Enterprises
In Scott Walker’s latest ad he is seen standing in a big
hole. What some people might not realize is the unsafe example Walker is setting for workers who work...
wisaflcio.typepad.com
Laying out his vision for a second term, the Republican
governor is also pledging to freeze technical college tuition and cut income
taxes.
jsonline.com|By Jason Stein
Even as its unemployment rate dipped to its lowest level
since 2008, the state lost 4,300 private-sector jobs in preliminary estimates.
host.madison.com|By Lee Enterprises
The Ugly . . . The policies that have been promoted by Republicans in Wisconsin only serve to
expand the "wealth gaps" that exist.
This creates a spiral of effects that only serve to widen these gaps and
harm those who are not part of the economic elite.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Income inequality is taking a toll on
state governments.
bigstory.ap.org
Trying to steal an election by any means necessary.
An appellate court panel has added confusion to the state’s
midterm elections by permitting officials to enforce a controversial voter ID
law.
nytimes.com|By THE EDITORIAL BOARD
thepoliticalenvironment.blogspot.com
We need to make sure that
everyone is able to vote in November. . .
UW students without an acceptable form of identification to
vote this fall may soon have a new option.
channel3000.com|By Channel 3000
Those who want to promote democracy in Wisconsin should focus on voter registration
and turnout.
host.madison.com|By Lee Enterprises
Even in the face of
intimidation and confrontational tactics that seem straight out of our nation's
less than admirable past, or taken from the playbook of extremists around the
world that our Conservative comrades claim to abhor.
Tax delinquents, people with warrants are on the group's
"watch lists" in cities like Milwaukee,
Racine and Beloit,
according to posts on its Facebook page.
host.madison.com|By Lee Enterprises
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