Carolyn Hill ran for a seat on the Louisiana state education board as a reformer. But after she assumed office, she realized that “reform” was intended to privatize the public schools, not improve them.
For having the wisdom and courage to see beyond the rhetoric; for speaking out and acting on behalf of children and educators, Carolyn Hill joins our honor roll as a hero of public education.
Commentary: In Louisiana, trickery is disguised as school reform
As a member of the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, I am writing to express my disappointment in the deceptive practices that are being used to disparage our traditional schools and educators.
I ran for the BESE position because I wanted to be an integral part of reforming schools in Louisiana. My campaign was based on reform. Shortly after being elected to the state board, I realized what is being offered up as reform is nothing more than trickery.
I am reminded of the biblical story relating to Adam and Eve. God warned Adam not to eat of the forbidden fruit; yet, Eve manipulated Adam and evil arose from the eating of this fruit. I use this example to inform my constituents and the public that everything that glistens isn’t gold. Many so-called reformers are trashing traditional public schools while many parents are facing real discrimination.
Choice is being sold to many parents as the silver bullet. However, many parents have reported their concerns and confusion regarding the responses they have received. Some students are being denied access to schools of their choice. I want to appeal to parents to exercise caution with their choice options. The virtual learning opportunities, if not monitored, may have far reaching implications regarding student success. Be wise and proactive in your choice decisions and don’t accept less than was promised.
I recall growing up and revering the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King. However, as an African-American, I am concerned that there is silence regarding the future of our children. Where are our leaders? Why do we want out-of-state vendors to come to Louisiana to educate our children? Where are the standards? Why do we promote certification in traditional schools and don’t require the same standards for charter schools? Why are we operating under different standards? Why does a state Board of Education and Legislature make a distinction between education providers? Why would any board of education not require certification and testing when education is all about the attainment of standards?
I did campaign on education reform — responsible reform — where there is an equitable playing field. The education reform that exists in Louisiana today consists of irresponsible education policies and laws. Again, I am saddened that many have forgotten the struggles of King and others who have taken a stand for all people.
Are we going to abandon this legacy?
I am also reminded of all the elected officials who were in opposition to the education reform legislation during this past legislative session. I want to say thank you. I also say we must not abandon our responsibilities. We must rise to be the voices for our children, parents, and educators. If we don’t stand openly and vocally for our children, then it may be said we are as guilty as if we had eaten of the forbidden fruit.
—Carolyn Hill is the District 8 member of the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.
Reblogged this on CENTURY21SCHOOLS.
I want to thank Ms. Hill for taking a stand. There are many politicians out there fighting for public education and to all thank you for exposing the “forbidden fruit” that the deformers want the public to eat. Great analogy.
Ms. Hill has great fortitude to stand against Jindal’s majority. PROUD OF YOU! The next thing that needs to be done is to get the state legislature to pass a law that removes the governor’s power to appoint members to BESE and to require that is members be either certified teachers with education degrees, retired certified teachers or parents, grandparents, guardians, siblings or students enrolled in the public schools who will still be in those schools until they graduate unless they die.
That’s now 2 out of 11 BESE members who are standing up for children rather than political, corporate and PERSONAL (including TFA) interests. Slow but deliverate wins the race!!
Sure glad Ms Hill has pushed away the kool-aide that still too many others are still drinking.
“If we don’t stand openly and vocally for our children, then it may be said we are as guilty as if we had eaten of the forbidden fruit.”
Your excellent quote reminds me of this one from “Dante’s Inferno”;
“The hottest place in Hell is reserved for those, who in times of moral crisis, preserve their neutrality.”
Thank you for writing such a powerful letter, reminding those of us involved in public education how crucial it is that we continue to speak out for the students.
Thank you…thank you…
This is off topic, but I am curious to hear your opinion of the Florida State Board of Education’s decision to set different performance goals based on race as part of it’s No Child Left Behind waiver.
Many articles comments show that people see this as lowering standards. However, the state isn’t lowering the passing score but setting performance goals based on how groups are performing today.
If Duke University or Vanderbilt got a new football coach, would it be reasonable to expect the team to win the national championship during his first year, or would it be better for him to focus first on having a winning season, then being at the top of his conference division, then winning the conference, and then earning a spot in the title game?
I should add that a commenter on the Tampa Bay Times website said that it would have been less controversial to do it by socioeconomics. However, that will never happen, because that would destroy the “reformers'” argument that poverty doesn’t matter.
The only thing that is going to solve this problem is to get the BESE Board out of Jindal’s greedy hands. He appointed two members, one of whom is an administrator with the rival for most able students, the parochial schools. Then he funded the campaigns of candidates who agreed with him. Chas Roemer, for example, is a Republican Attorney who has his kids in parochial schools. Whatever damage he does to the public schools will not be visited upon his personal family. He has a reputation for arrogance. Just the idea that he could have beat Donald Songy, a career educator and the respected retired superintendent of Ascension Parish schools, one of the top three systems in Louisiana, makes me wonder if the ballot box was not somehow fixed in that district. It just seems impossible that even the worst of the conservatives could have voted for Roemer over Songy.
It takes a lot of money to campaign when our absentee governor has way more money than he needs for his own campaigns. And it is going to take money to fix BESE since Jindal has strong support from the state and national GOP as well as from the hate group, Louisiana Family Forum. I just pray that the people of Louisiana who care about the public schools find a benefactor who can help undo the damage that Pyush Jindal is doing and that this year the legislators go by his office, pick up their fortitude and stand against him in spite of whatever perks he might promise for their districts.
Ms. Hill is truly a hero for what remains of public ed in La. Keep your eyes peeled for a nifty VAM related issue she will bring to BESE for a vote at their meeting this month.