This reader says–in response to an earlier post— there is a way for teachers to get involved in fighting for public education without risking their jobs.
Perhaps it would be easier to contact their publicists, agents, or managers:
1. Dave Grohl – Foo Fighters – Agent: Don Muller – WME 1325 Avenue Of The Americas, New York, NY 10019 T.212.586.5100 F.212.246.3583
2. Adam Levine – Maroon 5 singer – Manger: Career Artist Management – 1100 Glendon Avenue, Suite 1100 | Los Angeles, CA 90024 |310.776.7640 (p) | 310.776.7659 (f)
3. Jack Black – Agent: WME 1325 Avenue Of The Americas, New York, NY 10019 T.212.586.5100 F.212.246.3583
4. Meryl Streep – Publicist: Leslee Dart. Dart Group. 90 Park Avenue. 19th Floor. New York, NY 10016. Phone: 212-277-7555.
5. Viola Davis – Agent: Agency for the Performing Arts (APA) 45 West 45th St. 4th floor, New York, NY 10036 T. 212.687.0092 F. 212.245.5062
6. Morgan Freeman – Publicist: Stan Rosenfield & Associates, Inc., 2029 Century Park E., Suite 1190, Los Angeles, CA 90067, USA. Phone: (310) 286-7474, Fax: (310) 286-2255.
7. Josh Groban
8. Maggie Gyllenhaal (last, but not least)
I’m not sure if these are correct. I pieced the information together from various sources found on the Internet. I also noticed that some of these celebs have official website forums and facebook pages. Maybe if enough teachers started posting the truth, it would get noticed.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Just sent an email to Meryl Streep at ashton.fontana@42west.net
I feel better.
Hi Julie,
She just phoned me for more information. I sent links to Diane’s blog about funding and the grand privatization scheme. I also know of one PR executive from LA who contacted some folks requesting more information. Word is getting out.
I’m not sure if anyone else gets these…I somehow got on the email distrib list for StudentsFirstNY. Here is a typical example of the messages I receive:
Dear Jackie,
We need your help, right now, to speak out against sexual misconduct in our school — and against sexism in the education debate.
On Monday, Emmy Award-winning journalist Campbell Brown — who previously served as White House Correspondent for NBC and as an anchor for CNN — wrote an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal about how New York law, supported by the teacher’s union, keeps sexual predators in the classroom.
Last night, the union responded — by attacking Campbell’s husband (who, among other things, serves on our Board).
National teachers union president Randi Weingarten took to Twitter and started republishing comments about Campbell’s “hubby” and his political views — as if Campbell’s accomplishments and perspective on this issue didn’t count. This morning, many of Ms. Weingarten’s colleagues have pursued the same line of attack.
Will you help us send a message that sexual misconduct has no place in our schools, and that sexism has no place in this debate?
Click here to speak out on Twitter. Tell Ms. Weingarten that she should focus more on protecting kids and less on sexist spin. Please use #protectourkids.
Of course, the union is looking for anything to distract from the issue at hand: that the union fights tooth-and-nail against giving school districts the authority to terminate anyone who engages in sexual misconduct.
Hopefully, if enough people speak out, we can convince the teachers union to put down the poison pen (and keyboard) and join us in trying to do something about this issue.
Click here to make your voice heard. Urge the union to put students first.
Chandra M. Hayslett
Director of Communications
StudentsFirstNY
Was there an email address as well?
Hit them on Twitter : Adam Levine on Twitter – @adamlevine
We could always TP their houses …
Flash mob at the concert.
Davis is a puzzle. That was the school that got Obama and Duncan cheering about Deborah Gist and her move to fire ALL the teachers. Weird.
On Twitter:
Adam Levine – @adamlevine
The Voice – @NBCTheVoice
David Grohl – @foofighters
@FooFightersDave
From his website- Josh is scheduled to perform on ‘Teachers Rock’ – a special tribute concert celebrating teachers and education. The special will broadcast from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles on Saturday, August 18th from 8-9 PM. The show will air live on CBS.
Proceeds from ‘Teachers Rock’ will benefit three nonprofit organizations: DonorosChoose.org, Feeding America, and Teach for America.
Twitter: Josh Groban – @joshgroban
website:
http://www.joshgroban.com/news/2012-07-24/josh-perform-cbs-special-%E2%80%98teachers-rock%E2%80%99
If you don’t have a fax, you can fax their reps for free at faxzero.com. You can send five free faxes a day, after that, they cost $2.
Especially for older folks, seeing the fax pages pile up on the floor can make even a few letters seem more impressive.
I believe the “Teachers Rock” event will premiere the movie Gyllhenhaal and Davis star in that champions the parent trigger–the name of the movie escapes me at the moment. I don’t think that’s the sort of support most teachers are seeking.
As for celebrities who defend teachers, Matt Damon and Jon Stewart immediately come to mind.
My thoughts on this:
Celebrities get bombarded with tweets all the time (and with emails, if they have an address listed). My guess is that they’re pretty good at ignoring much of what comes their way, even if it’s in the name of a cause they support. They’d have to be, for peace of mind.
On the other hand, many of them want to use their visibility to a good end. What’s the best way to find and reach such people?
1. Choose someone you genuinely respect. That will affect the tone and content of your message.
2. Choose someone who might be sympathetic to (or at least interested in) your point of view.
3. Write a letter. Not a tweet, not an email, but a letter. Put time into it. Make it pithy, polished, and personal.
4. No need for flattery–celebrities get plenty of that. But if possible, explain briefly why you chose to write to this particular person. That way, said celeb will understand that it isn’t a form letter.
5. Explain clearly what the celeb can do to help and why it would make a difference. Thank him or her for taking the time to consider the matter.
6. Send it both by regular mail and by email. That way, if the email lands in a spam folder, the letter may still make it into human hands.
7. Ignore this advice (or any part of it) if you think it’s wrong.
I hope people don’t see your suggestions as quaint – writing a letter, after all – because they are excellent.
Back in the Stone Age of print, there was a rule of thumb that every hand-written letter to the editor represented x number of people who felt the same way. It was a ratio of thousands to one (perhaps someone in the blogosphere would like to join me in dating themselves and give us the number, if they recall).
I’d suspect that ratio is orders of magnitude greater today, and would hopefully be recognized as such by the representatives of these misguided celebs.
Most legislatures I know personally read EVERY letter they get. Obama ONLY reads letters(8 a day, I believe?). However, for celebs I think you need to show up to their shit. Force them to take a stand with the paparazzi. Maybe make some overpass light brigade signs.
How can we make Matt Damon aware of this fundraiser. He seems to be savvy about the education deform movement. His mother is an educator and Matt attended last years SOS rally.
If you haven’t seen this piece in NEA Today, I recommend it. There are literally hundreds of comments following the article.
People on the outside have no idea how bad the working conditions are in education. Privatizers promise to make it much worse.
http://neatoday.org/2012/05/16/bullying-of-teachers-pervasive-in-many-schools/#comments
wow! thanks for that link. look at all the comments! I’m 52 and I’m starting year 8 of teaching high school math in the pacified northwest – I’d given up HOPE that the union leadership / main office was much more than a bunch of butt covering thumb twiddling excuse makers – the mind numbing, incessant political incompetence AGAINST the liars from Gate$ and Walton and Broad – it only makes ‘sense’ when I look at the political pathetics in the phake ‘moderate’ branch of the Democratic party, when I look at how poorly other large unions have done for the last 30 and 40 years against right wing liars – thanks!
It is sad that the ambassadors of public education, the ones who know the most about the field and what really works and what is really needed…should be afraid to REALLY put students first (not capitalize it, trademark it and turn it into a free-market product).
Love the parenthetical thought!!