Helen Gym, one of our heroes of public education, will be honored by the White House as a “champion of change.”
“Gym has been named a Chesar Chavez Champion of Change – one of 10 community leaders nationally who have “committed themselves to improving the lives of others in their communities and across the country,” people who “represent the values and steadfast determination of Cesar Chavez to organize ourselves for a more just tomorrow.”
Gym and the other Champions will participate in a discussion about how to expand opportunities for all Americans, according to a White House news release.”
We have no doubt that Helen will tell President Obama about how Race to the Top, high-stakes testing, budget cuts, and privatization are hurting children and destroying public education in Philadelphia.
Helen and I will be on a panel at AERA on April 3.
Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/school_files/Helen-Gym-to-be-honored-by-White-House.html#FCFxIHpLl7wVlUph.99
Diane Ravitch's blog 
And Obama, a politician to the core, will tell her about his partnerships (without mentioning that his partner is Bill Gates) to improve public education and avoid mentioning all the damage being done with his blessing.
But Helen Gym knows better. Oh, to be a fly on the wall for that discussion!
This is very good news.
They have cameras and mikes the size of an average freckle.
She could have a pen in her pocket that’s really a digital tape recorder and it could be on when she enters the White House. That is unless the Secret Service has a way to detect the recording device and take it away. Heaven forbid that the public be allowed to hear what she says and if Obama responds.
Perhaps the White House mistook her for someone else, because Helen Gym carries on the best of American traditions—
“I am in earnest — I will not equivocate — I will not excuse — I will not retreat an inch — and I will be heard!” [William Lloyd Garrison]
No honor can buy her silence.
Thank you, Helen Gym, for all your efforts.
😎
I am truly baffled. Everything Helen Gym has stood for is exactly the opposite of what the Obama White House has done every day of its existence. It’s like George Wallace honoring Martin Luther King.
Once again, you’ve nailed it, Dienne.
Well, no, Helen Gym founded a racially segregated charter school. This is the anti-King Daily Double.of racial segregation & union defeat. Nothing could possibly be less MLK & it’s little wonder that the White House is appreciative.
Congrats and God bless you for giving a voice to the students of Philadelphia
and all our Nation’s children! We are with you in spirit!
Go Helen! Helen Gym and President Obama talking is fabulous news. Her tireless work and passion for children and education will shine through and Obama will change course.
Keep the faith and it’s a good thing Helen never gave up.
Keep the good news coming NPE.
In solidarity,
Judy Rabin
As I’d commented on Mike Klonsky’s Small Talk Blog today–with all that Obama has done to ruin American education–&, as far as I’m concerned–he’s done more than any other president, Republican or Democrat–before him. He served us (repeatedly) Duncan, Race to the Top, MORE “standardized” testing, DFER, pandering to Pear$on & their ilk, etc., ad nauseum. Actually, I would love it if Helen would stand up there and refuse the honor, for, surely, Cesar Chavez would turn over in his grave if he could see what was being done to American education by Obama and friends, especially the increasing segregation of our schools.
You, likewise, nailed it.
Helen would do well to talk with Michelle Obama.
Congratulations!!! You earned it, Helen Gym!!!
Thank you everyone (for the most part) and thank you Diane most of all. I’m pretty sure the President will not be there, but I will most definitely bring a passionate message for our schools and our public goods. Looking forward to seeing Diane at AERA where another important message needs to be sent to the academic community. Glad to be with all of you making public education our passion and our charge!
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Thank you, Helen Gym, for all you do. From your mouth to Obama’s ears!
I wonder if they missed her activism for public schools and only saw that she is a founder of the Folk Arts Cultural Treasures Charter School.
It’s obvious that Gym is being “honored” (if that’s the word for receiving a citation from war criminals) for creating a charter school.
Since Gym’s parents’ group advocating (if, again, that’s the word!) for Philadelphia public schools has started:
– dozens of schools have been closed, many sold off pennies on the dollar &/or converted to charters
– 5000 union educators have lost their jobs
– a girl died getting sick at a school that eliminated the nurse position weeks earlier
– class (teacher: student ratio) and school size have risen
– teachers have lost pretty much all collective bargaining rights
– administrators have taken a pay cut
– the PSD’s debt & debt service have both ballooned
– at least a thousand kids whose schools were closed were encouraged to drop out
– most academic or social programs of any interest have been eliminated
– tax abatement & tax arrears owed the PSD have also ballooned
These are objectively true facts; on every count absolutely everything about the PSD has been in measurable freefall since the ‘advocates’ started ‘advocating’ (mostly getting kids to hold signs up to no end while the city re-re-re-re-re-re-re-re-re-elects its native Democratic Party machine criminal class).
Certainly “change” that Obama and Arne Duncan can believe in. I’m not sure what we’re celebrating. If those people wanted to give me an award in any event I’d use the platform to tell them to stick it up their posteriors, and to redirect our endless war and corporate welfare budgets to things like school.