As the mayoral election of 2013 approaches, New York City parents and students are speaking up about what is most important to them. They got hold of an old school bus, painted it blue, and are driving around the city to raise awareness among other parents and students.
The article linked here shows how parents and their children are trying to inform voters and the candidates about their opposition to high-stakes testing and their desire for a well-rounded education, including art and music.
The low point of the article–hilarious really–is when a spokesperson for StudentsFirst, which has no roots in New York City, pooh-poohed the parents’ and students’ concerns:
“Ms. Boyd of Students First New York dismissed the bus trip. “A lot of what they’re doing is political theater, rallying parents around issues that are nuanced and complicated with not a lot of explanation, and then going forward saying, ‘Look, these are parents’ issues,’ ” she said.”
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Students first is going to preach about “not a lot of explanation”. Give me a break..they wrote the book.
Here’s the Rheeject’s statement after Newtown where she refers to kids as assets.
Talk about nuanced and a complicated situation. Are there any more ways left for Rhee and her hacks to make fools of themselves:
Following today’s tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School, the entire StudentsFirst family is mourning with the victims, their families, and the entire community of Newtown, Connecticut. We have offered our colleagues in the state any assistance they may need.
There are no adequate words to express the horror and senseless nature of violence in our schools. It happens far too often in our country. As a mother myself, I understand the hesitation every parent will feel in the coming days when they kiss their children and send them off to school — to a place of learning and growth that ought to be a safe haven from violence.
Our children are our most valuable assets, and we lost too many of them today. Today’s event forces us to ask ourselves: how are we expected to foster an environment in which students can learn, grow, thrive, and set off on positive life-paths when we cannot guarantee basic needs such as their safety?
But events like these also strengthen our resolve to do exactly that — improve schools for children and thereby improve entire communities. The entire StudentsFirst organization — including the members of our team in Connecticut — recommit ourselves to that mission today, as we pause to send our thoughts and prayers to those affected in Newtown.
Political theater, eh? Wasn’t it an affiliated group (ConnCAN) that filled a bus with college kids by bribing them with Subway sandwiches to “demonstrate” in favor of SB 24 (CT’s version of the ALEC boiler plate school privatization legislation)? When interviewed, some of them could not even explain what they were doing there.
Yes, they also received a free bus ride AND a Tshirt. And wasn’t it Rheefirst that was giving out a whopping $5 gift card for a reformy story. I guess it is only political theater when it ain’t your side. Poor Ms. Boyd…how embarrassing.
I had not heard about that. That is awful! Somehow ConnCAN has access to my school email (which of course our union is not supposed to use) and sends out blasts every day or so.
I LOVE the blue bus! By the way, what’s wrong with political theater? Isn’t that a fine way to express one’s opinions? I also like political art, songs, dance, and film!
How DARE those parents lobby on behalf of their children! They’re not QUALIFIED!!!
Ron, it should be obvious that parents are not putting their children first! We know who is paid by the Waltons, the Koch brothers, and Rupert Murdoch to do that. Not their parents.
Thank God for parents like this!
The more clear that we can draw a contrast between the “StudentsFirst” fraud and a truly local, organic organization such as this one, the better.
If it is theater that is more theater than students get in Bloomberg’s schools where performing arts are the victim of a testocracy!