Hannah Nguyen reports what happened at the “teacher town hall” in Los Angeles that featured Michelle Rhee, George Parker, and Steve Perry.
The event was tightly controlled and scripted, and most of the discussion among the panel consisted of complaints about unions.
Yet this student managed to be heard. There is a link to the video embedded in her story.
What a brave and articulate young woman!
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Looks like Michelle Rhee learned well from NBC and Education Nation – present as if it is an open dialog, but stack everything in your favor and control any opportunity for a differing point of view (1) to be heard (2) to be responded to (3) allow followups to point out when the response is not on point, partial, dishonest, or simply propounding the same old same old as if repeating it perhaps with more intensity is supposed to make a difference – this last is known as the Arne Duncan methodology, as those educators who participated in two conference calls with him a few years back found out
BELOW is a transcript of Hannah’s
comments.
By the way, Hannah is a USC
freshman, (and an aspiring
teacher!), having been accepted
there after her recent graduation
from Crenshaw High, which was
re-constituted against the will of
the community and faculty. In
fact, the teachers union UTLA
is filing and unfair labor practice
on the grounds that all of the UTLA
activists were not asked back to
teach at the reconstituted
Crenshaw—as a retalition against
their prior activism:
http://laschoolreport.com/teachers-union-files-two-unfair-labor-practice-charges/
Hannah is living, breathing proof
of the quality of the former
incarnation of Crenshaw.
Here’s the YouTube link
for Hannah’s speech, (which had
over 10,000 views in the first 48
hours after it was posted!!!):
HANNAH NGUYEN:
“Hi, everyone. My name is Hannah, I’m
a student… Just a few things though, I
felt like this whole event was very much
looking at these educational policy
issues as a reformers versus teacher
unions kind of issue, and as a student
standing here and watching this battle
it is really disheartening, because it’s
a lot deeper than that, and these are
everyday realities.
“And this is more than a reformers
versus teachers union battle, this is
a social justice issue.
“And there’s a lot of things brought
up — going back to poverty —
reformers say that poverty isn’t
destiny, and that sounds great, and
I believe in that, and that’s
awesome.
“But you know what, if you really
care about students, you should say
that poverty shouldn’t be.
“Yes, we need to work on in-school
factors, and simultaneously we need
to work on out-of-school factors and
caring about the whole child.
“Back to high stakes testing. I don’t
know a single student — I’m sorry, I
have a lot of friends, and I have
friends at other schools too — I don’t
know a single student who says that
they learned something from a
high-stakes test, and the way that
their school is structured. They
should be given the freedom to
learn what they want to learn, open
curriculum, well-rounded, arts, music,
humanities….
“I used to stand by reformers, I will
admit it, I did. But after seeing the
facts, and the data and everything,
and my own lived experience. I
cannot – I’m sorry — stand by what
you preach if it has to do with
high-stakes accountability, this
“school choice,” which sounds great,
you know, choice — who can argue a
gainst that?
“But, I don’t agree with the fact that
charter schools, and how they push
our certain students, and I’ve seen it
happen.
“My main point is, listen to the
students. Listen to the students.”
Hannah did a fantastic job describing her experiences at this “conversation”.
Rhee’s attempt to befriend her is a tactic of control.
She knows how powerful Hannah’s words are and this is Rhee’s more civilized attempt to place tape over her mouth.
Continue to stay strong, Hannah!
Some reports on Michelle Rhee & Students First’
“Teacher Town Hall” last night (9/16.2013)
in Philadephia are at least balanced, as
evidenced by this sampling BELOW, and the
quotes excerpted.
First, there’s this most succinct tweet from Jake
Blumgart:
https://twitter.com/jblumgart/status/379965923785842688
Jake Blumgart @jblumgart
“Favorite part of the Michelle Rhee
event at Temple last night?
“The bit where the moderator told an
audience member to ‘shut the hell
up!’ ”
—————————————————–
Michelle must have forgot to bring the duct tape.
Here’s a few more:
—————————————————-
From:
http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/Former-DC-Schools-Chancellor-Rhee-Philly-on-Right-Track-Education-Reform-224059321.html
“Soon, though, reports of test cheating tainted
Rhee’s reputation, and by 2010, with the election
of a new mayor, she resigned. Some who’ve
followed Rhee’s reign closely say she left DC
schools in worse shape than when she came.
Rhee disagrees, and now advocates for her
brand of education reform on the national
stage….
“… The audience bristled at times, calling
Rhee ‘disingenuous,’ while questioning the
corporate backing behind many education
reform organizations. Many audience
members also expressed displeasure with
the way organizers structured the town
hall.
“Many felt the event didn’t deliver the
‘honest conversation; that was billed, and
felt the moderator too quickly quashed the
room’s dissenting voices.
” .. ”
“Rich Migliore — who spent 20 years teaching
at (the now closed) University City High School,
and 14 as an assistant principal at various city
high schools — felt the panel spent too much
time focusing on what teachers do wrong and
not enough on how to give them the supports
to get better.
” ‘ You know they talked all about how to get
rid of bad teachers,’ said Migliore, ‘but they
didn’t talk about how to get good teachers to
come here, how to retain good teachers, and
how to create a professional, collaborative
environment within our schools.’ ”
———————————————————-
From:
http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2013/09/16/michelle-rhee-hosts-teacher-town-hall-in-philadelphia-protesters-gather/
“… But protestors gathered out front disagreed.
“Lisa Haver of the Alliance for Philadelphia
Public Schools was among the protesters
gathered out front, and she feels that if
Michelle Rhee really had the best interest
of students in mind she would tell Governor
Corbett to release the $45 million in funding
earmarked for Philadelphia Schools.
“ ‘I think if she were really for students
she would say to the governor we need
that money right now, we’ll work out
the rest of the stuff at the negotiating table,’
Haver said.
“Haver says having the Governor re-invest
in public education would make the biggest
change.
“To restore the cuts that he’s made over the
past 2-years, and to make sure that our school
district, like others, has enough for students
to learn – counselors, nurses, librarians,
support staff,” Haver said.
“The protestors also say Rhee is anti-teacher,
and anti-union — claims she disputes.”
—————————–
From:
http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/Radical-Education-Reformers-Bring-Ideas-to-Philadelphia-223947411.html
“Less of a typical town hall, the event was
more controlled with participants pre-writing
questions on cards, which were then asked
by the moderator. By the end, however, a
handful of inquires were posed directly from
the attendee.
“The Teacher Town Hall is meant to bring
differing viewpoints together to have a frank
discussion, Rhee says.
“However, the dissenting opinion was
noticeably missing. Not because opponents
are being silenced, but rather, the voices were
not there.
“With the exception of two loud educators who
attempted to counterpoint each panelist’s answer
before being told to shut up by the crowd, the
city’s most vocal education advocates, including
Philadelphia Federation of Teachers President
Jerry Jordan, took part in a separate town hall
discussion at the same time Monday evening.
“Philadelphia Federation of Teachers Spokesman
George Jackson says the city’s education
advocates wanted to show a ‘contrast in
approaches’ to education reform.
“ ‘When we can truly say that our schools are
getting the resources they need, we can
certainly discuss and debate Rhee’s ideas on
education. But right now, we have a real crisis
on our hands….And unlike Michelle Rhee, we
don’t get to drop in to town, push our agenda
and move on,’ Jackson said.”
What an AMAZING young lady! Looking forward to seeing what she does at the next “meeting,” and what she will do with her future!
We are very lucky to have people like Hannah, they give me hope for a future.
Hannah spoke truth to power, very brave, smart and articulate. I’ll be sharing her post with the HS student group here in Montclair working to get their voices heard against our new Broadie supt.
I agree with you, readingexchange, that Rhee’s contact with Hannah was an attempt to control her. Good for her resisting the bait. Hannah is a powerful force and I am so glad for the future generation.
Where was this event held?
When she comes to Philadelphia on 9/16, it will be at Temple University. I expect an institution of higher learning to provide a real dialogue and not allow the school to be used for silencing students and teachers.
At the main library in downtown Los Angeles. There’s no opportunity for dialogue, real or otherwise, because questioners can’t respond or follow up with a question challenging Rhee’s claims. The security was unbelievable, and great pains were taken by the moderator at the outset to establish the Draconian rules of this “civilized dialogue” (successive monologues). Welcome to the police state of corporate reform.
Rhee and Perry are adept at distorting/denying reality and sounding eminently reasonable in the process. No doubt their True Believers came away emboldened.
But Hannah was our salvation! And she had the last word. It was epic.
I guess we can thank George Parker for insisting, against the moderator’s vociferous wishes, that Hannah be heard. I’m sure Michelle is not pleased. May it ever be thus!
Lisa, bring a big crowd of bold individuals with you, and good luck persuading Temple University not to suspend academic freedom for the evening. I fear they had to agree to Rhee’s terms to get her there.
Lisa Haver: don’t be so sure, unfortunately. I saw her husband Kevin Johnson speak at the University of Washington Tacoma and there was no opportunity for dialogue whatsoever. He said he’d “take questions” but that involved asking the audience yes or no questions like “raise your hands if you believe all students should succeed.” Then he told us to vote for the charter school initiative. (While acknowledging that he wasn’t supposed to do that.) It was a political rally masquerading as an educational event. I complained to the University and never received a response.
Thank you. We will let Temple know we expect academic freedom from them.
To the owner of this blog: you have posted thousands of times since April 24, 2012 when you launched this website.
This is one of the most inspirational and hopeful postings you have ever put up. I urge everyone to click on the link you provide.
When someone with the smarts, dignity and grace of a Hannah Nguyen stands up for a “better education for all” it doesn’t just renew—it revives!—my hopes for the future of this country.
For those who wonder how such a young person could be true to herself even when surrounded by those who would rather she submit to their will:
“I prefer to be true to myself, even at the hazard of incurring the ridicule of others, rather than to be false, and to incur my own abhorrence.” [Frederick Douglass]
She deserves a double dose of ‘quote’ praise.
“It is curious that physical courage should be so common in the world and moral courage so rare.”
Evidently not quite as rare as even Mark Twain thought!
🙂
I am taking a guess here, but with the estimate of 60-80% supporting Rhee at the Los Angeles town hall, there must have been a plan to first offer tickets to teachers involved with organizations like Teach Plus and Educators for Excellence. Rhee would have had to allow a few dissenters to make it look legit, but with the supporters outnumbering the dissenters, she could be assured that any outbursts would be overwhelmed.
There is really no danger in allowing a question that might challenge her, but she is extremely well prepared to answer each and every one with a pat answer. Since there is no dialogue or back and forth, no one can challenge her claims.
I wonder what happened to George Parker for “letting the cat out of the bag” so to speak and allowing Hannah to talk. I have a feeling Rhee won’t have him participate any time soon in any other town halls or even to be interviewed.
Hannah’s experience is symbolic of public school advocates’ struggle against corporate exploitation of our educational system.
In a democratic society, all voices have a chance to be heard. That principle was the first casualty in the “educational reform” movement’s war against teachers, their unions, parents, students, and common sense. Town hall meetings like the one Hannah attended are tightly controlled reality shows that feign balance and fairness. Filtered softball questions, the lack of back and forth dialogue between audience and panel, the censoring of controversy – these are tactics normally seen in a one party political system.
Michelle Rhee provided Hannah with an ironic metaphor when she taped the mouths of her students. Think about what her act represents. Having silenced her students that day, is it any wonder that Rhee and so many other “reformers” now speak in only the most controlled environments, safe from accountability for their ideas?
Bravo, Hannah!
Ms. Rhee goes on a tour where she claims she wants to reach out to and find common ground with unionized teachers. So exactly whom does she pick to join her on stage?
Dr. Steve Perry, who constantly rants against unionized teachers, referring to them as “roaches” that need to be “called out,” and exterminated.
Yes, you heard that right, He calls unionized teachers “roaches”, that need to be “called out”—identified and presumably liquidated, as what else would you do with “roaches”?
My guess is that no one at the L.A. town halls was aware of Perry’s past comments and behavior. During the Chicago strike a year ago this month, Perry was the “go-to” guest to smear and lash out at the Chicago teachers who were striking… and he’s a well-paid mouthpiece as well.
So, toall future attendees at one of Rhee’s town halls, “call out” Perry on this.
From edushyster at:
http://edushyster.com/?p=2432
——————————————————————————————
“There, Dr. Steve Perry delighted the reformer-heavy crowd with his unique brand of high-octane, high-expectations roof raising, including referring to teacher unions as “roaches” and regaling the audience with tales of children who are literally dying from excuses.
“… ”
“Note: after the event, our local teachers union published a letter stating, ‘Dr. Steve Perry, a magnet school principal from Connecticut, and noted anti-union activist, spent the evening abrasively trashing teachers and our unions. He went as far as to say,.
” ‘ WE NEED TO CALL OUT THE ROACHES! ‘
“… when referring to teachers unions. Dr. Perry went on to blame teachers for the literal death of children. It was truly beyond the bounds of acceptable dialogue.” ”
—————————————————
This is the guy you want to take on a tour to reach out to and collaborate with teacher unions?
It’s like bringing David Duke to an event that is purportedly reaching out to, and attempting to find common ground with African-Americans.
Wow! Hannah, thank you.