Thanks
Marj. . .
The
educational community in Madison
experienced a significant loss this week when Marj Passman, long time public
educator and advocate for our schools, announced that she wouldn't be seeking
another term on the MMSD School Board.
While certainly not unexpected given her recent health concerns and the
decades of devoted advocacy, there is no doubt but that her leaving the board
will leave a void that will need to be filled.
She was a tireless advocate for public schools, students and
educators. She brought her experience
from the classroom and her passion for teaching into the political and policy
making fray, often giving voice to these groups that are too often ignored in our
decision making processes.
It
would be easy for me to continue on and give more examples of how important
Marj has been to Madison's
educational community and to my own family's experiences in public
education. When my wife was hired by
MMSD she was privileged to work with a true "Dream Team" that
included Marj, as well as several other educators who have gone on to fight for
students, educators and public education at multiple levels. As the years have gone by, Marj has always
listened to what we've had to say, and then acted to incorporate our views
while still maintaining her integrity. She
has endured criticism for her advocacy, but has never failed to keep the true
purpose of public education at the forefront of her ideas and decisions.
Yet,
while she will be missed and should be thanked for her efforts, the reality is
that the fight must continue. I'm
reminded of a quote about Dr. King that fits this situation as well. Charles Willie, a classmate of King's at
Morehouse, wrote, "By idolizing those whom we honor, we fail to realize that
we could go and do likewise." It
isn't enough to thank Marj, the best thanks that we can give her is to step up
and continue to advocate for our students, educators and our public schools. That's exactly the role that educators fill,
we supply the knowledge and the motivation to our students with the expectation
that they will use what they've been given to make positive change happen in
the world we live in. Marj has provided
us with a powerful role model and an example of how we can fight for what we
value. She has earned her opportunity to
enjoy time with her family and a chance to relax, now it is up to us to follow
her example.
What's
Best for Kids. . .
We
spend a lot of time working to define what is "good" and
"bad" in education. The problem
is that terms like "good" and "bad" really don't allow for
much discussion to occur. These words
imply some sort of overarching truth that can be applied to our schools. They ignore that fact that our schools are
working to educate students who are diverse in many ways and who have different
needs that must be addressed. By
dividing policies, practices and outcomes into mutually exclusive,
quantifiable, and definable categories we create an atmosphere that stifles
creativity, reduces learning and makes education a divisive battlefield instead
of a source of unity and power.
This
isn't to say that there aren't things that are better for students, or that
produce better outcomes for those attending our schools. It also doesn't mean that we don't have goals
that we want our students to achieve.
The problem is that when we categorize our efforts and seek to quantify
the achievements of our students and schools, we limit the vision of what we
can accomplish and force everyone involved in the effort into a narrow set of
parameters that can only have a positive or negative impact. We eliminate the grey areas in an endeavor
that exists in a very grey reality.
This
emphasis on defining and measuring success has created a sense of crisis around
education. We search for ways to
identify things that work for students, but we use faulty measures. By doing so, we make the measuring tools the
focus of our efforts, and fail to promote real learning. We also implement programs and policies that,
not surprisingly, end up being harmful to our students, educators and
schools.
Our
nation's education crisis is really just a cover for the real issues which are
the inequities in a system that favors those with wealth, and those of specific
demographic categories. The ways that
we've engaged in debate around educational policy in America attempt to ignore these
realities. They place the blame for any
failures of students to succeed on the educational system and educators, while
ignoring the conditions that have a significant impact on student achievement.
These factors have a major
effect not only on students, but also on educators.
The goals of this day of action spell out a framework that can provide guidance in achieving our goals for public education.
1) Revise how we fund public education.
2) Class size matters!
3) Full professional staffing for all schools.
4) A fully inclusive range of creative subjects.
5) The full funding for and inclusion of athletics, after-school programs, lunch, and recess.
6) Course content and teaching methods emphasizing a diverse range of perspectives, needs, and voices that embody the diverse fabric of our society.
7) Demand that curriculum be selected based on the needs of the community.
8) Elimination of all high stakes standardized testing.
9) Include meaningful systems for assessment and evaluation such as portfolios and project-based learning.
10) Elimination of corporate interests in “funding” their right to promote their agenda for public education.
11) Demand that your schools board be comprised of elected officials.
12) Be informed about the “choice” policies coming to your district!
Race in America. . .
We still have huge problems in America
around issues involving race. One of the
most significant of these problems is the belief that is widely expressed that
we don't have problems with race in America. For many Americans racism ended when the
visible barriers of segregation and Jim Crow were broken down by the Civil
Rights Movement. Now, it isn't uncommon
to hear the problems of different racial groups blamed on the members of the
groups or on other issues that are non-race related.Yet, it is difficult to ignore the fact that while there are many issues that do impact an individual's experience in American society, race is one of the primary factors in determining how any individual experiences life in America. It is a statistical reality that we must continue to work to address because it involves real people living life in a nation that is supposed to turn a blind eye to anything except an individual's abilities and merits. The "content of our character" is supposed to mean more than the "color of our skin", but too often, for too many, that isn't the reality they live and work in.
We must realize that, while it is possible to legislate some aspects of race relations, the majority of the work must be done on an individual, person to person, basis. Here's a very powerful example of an effort that goes a long way towards combating racism where it is most effective. The following quotes sum up the best way to resolve any problem, and that also demonstrates the problems we face in America today. Problems that stem from an unwillingness to discuss, and unwillingness to listen, and an unwillingness to admit that there's even a problem.
"A lot of people have anti-racist groups. They get together and meet and have a diverse group and all they do and sit around and talk about how bad discrimination is. Then someone says ‘there’s a Klan group across town. Why don’t we invite them to come and talk to us?’ and the other person says ‘Oh no! We don’t want that guy here!’ Well, you’re doing the exact same thing they are. What’s the purpose of meeting with each other when we already agree? Find someone who disagrees and invite them to your table."
"Invite your enemy to talk. Give them a platform to talk because then they will reciprocate. Invite your enemies to sit down and join you. You never know; some small thing you say might give them food for thought, and you will learn from them. Establish dialogue. It’s when the talking stops that the ground becomes fertile for fighting."
Wisconsin
Politics: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. . .
The Good- It looks like we may have
a primary to see who will represent the Democrats against Scott Walker. The people of Wisconsin deserve to have a say in this
important decision.
“Every day I seem to be getting closer and closer
to making the decision to run for governor because of the positive support I’ve
found,” Vinehout told the Leader-Telegram.
Whatever the results of a
primary election might be, the race would hopefully force the candidates
involved to clearly articulate their positions on issues. Without a challenge from another Democrat,
Mary Burke can continue to simply be "Not Walker" in the race. Her answers to questions and positions on the
issues are too undefined and vague to generate significant support from those
who could be persuaded to vote against Walker
in 2014.
Statements like this one
about the voucher program in Wisconsin
leave me confused as to what exactly her position is, and what she would do to
protect our public schools.
"Well,
I would look first and foremost in Milwaukee and
Racine, where
it already is, and you have 25,000 students in there. I think we have to look
to quality of education above all else and I would work first toward that and
the accountability. I don’t foresee any time in the near future that the
Legislature will be able to work at anything else, and so that’s what I would
certainly focus on, is making sure that the accountability is there now, and
that would be a top priority."
Something we should be proud
of, and something we need to continue to defend.
The Bad- Even though this loyalty
oath never made it into official policy, the fact that it was suggested shows
just how far ALEC would like to go towards completely controlling some of our
elected officials.
Our elected leaders
continue to ignore what needs to be done and focus on gaining and maintaining
power instead of promoting policies that will improve Wisconsin's economic outlook.
Education
is supposed to be a pathway to success, but for many it is also a pathway to
debt and financial struggles.
The Ugly- While Walker has tried to
distance himself from this supposed "mistake", the inaccuracies and
false claims continue to pour out as he prepares for future campaigns.
Worker's
Rights, Spend Your Money Wisely. . .
As we continue through the
holiday shopping season it is too easy to forget the struggles for labor rights
that are ongoing in our nation. The gaps
between the wealthy and the rest of America are continuing to expand,
and the shopping/spending patterns that so many of us follow simply compound
the problems.
Support the efforts of
employees who are fighting for better pay and better working conditions.
Shop around and look for products made in America by union workers. Also be sure to frequent shops that are based locally, that sell worker friendly products, and that support labor through their own policies.
