Do not be discouraged as you struggle to restore common sense and rationality to education policy. The corporate reformers have money and the political power that money buys, but it has no popular support. It misleads the public by calling its program “reform,” when its true program is privatization. It uses catchy and misleading names like “students first,” “children first,” “education reform now,” “Democrats for education reform.” But the truth will eventually prevail. They want to divert public money to unaccountable, privately managed schools and replace professional teachers with computers and low-wage temps.
All they have is money. We, the defenders of democracy and public education, have numbers. They could not fill a high school auditorium with their hard-core supporters if their paid underlings were excluded.
We, on the other hand, speak for tens of millions of parents and teachers who value public education and value their community’s public schools.
None of their “reform” strategies works: not high-stakes testing, not test-based teacher evaluation, not merit pay, not charters, not vouchers. Axiom: you can’t fail your way to success.
We will prevail. Not just because of our numbers, but because of our fundamental belief in equal opportunity for ALL children. Not SOME children. Not the strivers. ALL children.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
I am preparing to throw in the towel. The situation in Newark has become unbearable. Cerf is waiting in the wings to complete the exercise in privatization.
Thanks for that Diane. Sometimes it seems like such an overwhelming fight. But you’re right, we have numbers and the truth on our side. Happy Independence Day.
Reality is hard to beat, but many will try.
“Beating (back) Reality”
Reality is hard to beat
But that won’t stop some trying
Reformers won’t admit defeat
As long as public’s buying
Thanks for the encouragement, Diane. I am just now finishing a memoir by a hidden child survivor of the Holacaust–the war finally DID end. Of course there is no comparison to that horrendous event, but the feeling of hope is always powerful and a needed salve. In the midst of so many defeats there are small and large steps forward. Thank you for spear heading, uniting and continuously propelling us foward–that’s what leaders do.
“Doubts are growing in my soul. Quiet! …Time, go ahead. Time, which carries liberation in its unknown tomorrow…maybe not for me, but for people like me. The result is certain. Down with any doubts. Everything comes to an end. Spring will come.”
— Elsa Binder, 30 January 1942,
Elsa was keeping that diary in the Stanislawow, Poland, Jewish Ghetto. She was presumably killed later in 1942, at the age of 21. (this is from a book by Alexandra Zapruder called, Salvaged Pages: Young Writers’ Diaries of the Holocaust. Great book, if you can get a hold of it).
I think about this quote a great deal.
While we, of course, are not trying to physically survive, we are trying to survive as a profession, and help public education survive. Maybe this quote will help.
Reblogged this on David R. Taylor-Thoughts on Texas Education.
Ed reform will be tougher to discredit than some other gigantic bipartisan blunders because of the fragmented, 50-state nature of public education. They can always point to a state or city or district where “it’s working!” because there are simply so many of them. There isn’t going to be an epic, systemic crash like there was with the bipartisan financial system deregulation project of the 1980’s and 1990’s.
They also have the public school system as a “back up” to absorb a lot of the risk and downside of the experiments. Weakening and off-loading “choice” risk on the public sector school sector can go on a long time, because the public school system is so well-developed. It can take a lot of hits before the cumulative burden becomes too great and public schools really show the wear and tear of systemic, coordinated weakening and disinvestment. Ohio public schools have been soldiering on under ed reform for 17 years and only now are the negative effects on existing public schools getting attention.
So, not easy to beat 🙂
They can (and will) also use the “poor execution of policy” [by districts and states] excuse.
Duncan has already used that with testing.
“Duncan’s View on Testing”
(The Good, the Bad and the Ugly)
We’re only for the Good tests
And really hate the Bad
And certainly the Ugly tests
Were always just a fad
“Poor Execution”
Iraq and school reform
Are really a success
It’s simply execution
That makes them seem a mess
It’s marvelous, isn’t it, the “accountability” from these adults?
They went bonkers with testing and when faced with that reality they blame the lowest level.
Bill Gates did the same thing and he did it BEFORE Duncan. Then it was Michelle Rhee’s turn to dodge accountability.
Public education is a cornerstone of democracy and must be protected for future generations. America would not have accomplished all that is has without strong public schools. Since the pro-public schools supporters lack the money to influence policy, we should try to cross post on other sites and send cyber traffic to this blog where they can gain access to reliable information. We must work to get the general public in our corner as there is strength in numbers. The politicians will only change their tune if they are afraid of losing their seats; otherwise, most of them will be happy to ignore public schools and feed at the corporate trough.
Even tyrants need the support of the people to maintain their power. It is quickly becoming apparent to a growing number of people that the “corporate education reformers” starting with Ted Bell’s “Nation at Risk” commission are not professional educators. They are blowhards who do not know what they are talking about.
Common sense is prevailing. American ideals and humanism are more and more in vogue. We see tide of elections and legislative actions going that direction. The recent opt out law in Oregon is the latest example. The real fight now is to minimize the damage to places like Newark and New Orleans as we move to actually improve education.
Thanks for your kind and encouraging words. They are so true if democracy is working. But I do feel that our democracy is under threat right now. I do feel that OUR COUNTRY MUST DEAL WITH CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM ISSUES or the sheer numbers of people who do not support “ed reform” won’t matter. So far it seems as if the only presidential wanna be nominee who wants to confront this issue is Bernie Sanders. This issue is the most serious issue that threatens our democracy. It won’t matter if 99 percent of Americans are against something if it is money which talks and 1 percent is in control of the money.
Happy Independence Day Diane! Thank you for your tireless efforts in support of Public Education. I agree with your assessment, and on this special day for our country it is important to note that Public Education was (and still is) of fundamental importance in establishing a citizenry that can understand what real freedoms are and is THE cornerstone needed to maintain our rights and freedoms for the future. To paraphrase an old truth: ” All that is needed for greed and evil to triumph over our children is for good people to do nothing”
You continue to be an inspiration to all of us.
I think it’s worthwhile to compare the situation to a hypothetical. The US never had a universal public system for health care, but say we did. Say we had a system of local public clinics for every person and that system had been developed over 150 years. Some of the clinics were great and some of the clinics were sub-par but a lot of it had to do with the neighborhood’s economic health. There were people who went to private clinics, but the vast majority of people used the public clinic system. Locally run and governed 90% under state law.
A “public clinic reform” movement comes along and privatizes 10 or 25 or 40 or 100% of the clinics in the name of equity or free market competition or anti-labor union ideology or what have you, but this takes a really long time-it takes decades (from Milton Friedman to President Obama) and the basic public system picks up a lot of the downside of the newer model in the meantime. There’s no radical downside experienced broadly by the public because the robust public system exists during the privatization process.
It would take a long time before people even noticed, let alone determined the privatized system was “better” as a replacement.
Thank you for your words of encouragement on Independence Day! Here in Chicago we CPS teachers are trying to keep our spirits up despite ongoing devilry and nonsense from the ed reformers, the city racketeers who’ve drained our pensions, and the angry men shooting each other. Our lucky mayor, however, is refreshing himself in Aspen: http://windycityteachers.blogspot.com/2015/07/rahm-skips-chiraq-for-aspen.html
I don’t doubt this cause will prevail. Testing madness has gotten more parents to pay attention to what is happening to public education. As I’ve stated before, I believe it will pick up steam after Obama leaves office. Obama will never admit his educational policy was wrong. He seems to be beholden to the billionaire-boys-club who are funding the attacks on public education and support exporting jobs to low wage countries. Witness Obama’s support of TPP against his own party! There is a provision included (or as a separate provision) to provide some sort of support to American workers harmed by TPP. That seems to me an acknowledgment that TPP may harm American workers and further widen the income distribution here.
Yes, the TPP is another Trojan Horse aimed at the middle class.
I am in agreement with you but it is because of sites such as yours on the internet.. that we will with work prevail.
Despite the billionaires and their crony politicians, we are making progress. Let’s celebrate that this July 4. Opposition is growing. Opt-out fought PARCC/SBAC to a standoff. States are leaving PARCC. We are gaining ground and a lot of road still lies ahead. Paulo Freire called democratic opposition from the bottom up “the power not yet in power.” Arrested, jailed, and forcibly exiled after the Brazil coup of ’64, he understood how hard it is to dislodge “the power now in power.” As long as we continue bringing together the vast unorganized majority on whose faces stand the oligarchs and plutocrats, we are on the road to winning.
Leaving PARCC – but joining AIR.
New acronym, SOS.
http://www.air.org/program/air-assessment
I looked at the AIR website which appears to be more mumbo jumbo forced on education by economists.
We can sink AIR just like we sank PARCC. The commercial parasites, the govt cronies and the billionaires were forced to change tools b/c of our opposition. Let’s keep going.
“The HIndenburg”
Leaving the PARCC
And into the AIR
Into the dark
Without a flare
Reblogged this on stopcommoncorenys.
April 24, 2012.
A posting entitled “My New Blog” on “Diane Ravitch’s blog A site to discuss better education for all.”
16 comments.
I’m guessing not many more views that first day.
Fast forward to July 4, 2015. This posting, same blog, some comments but the bottom line—
21,400,059 hits.
“The success of any great moral enterprise does not depend upon numbers.”
William Lloyd Garrison, then and now, was right. But as the ranks of those for a “better education for all” swell and multiply, this great moral enterprise gains the momentum that will carry it to victory.
For those worried that the $tudent $ucce$$ crowd will find some way to nuance, deflect, cover up and spin things their way, William Lloyd Garrison reminds us to keep our eyes on the prize and our hands steady on the tiller—
“We are the friends of reform; but that is not reform, which, in curing one evil, threatens to inflict a thousand others.”
Remembering that this is July 4th: Independence from the mightiest empire in the world? Impossible. The end of a “too big to fail” economic, political and social colossus called chattel slavery? Impossible. Women’s right to vote? Impossible. Marriage rights for all? Impossible.
A famous slogan from the early days of US involvement in WWII [various antecedents]:
“The difficult we do immediately; the impossible takes a little longer.”
Stem, reverse, and prevail over the Nazi tide? Impossible!
Or was it?
😎
KTA, thanks for taking the time to share these perspectives, both Dr Ravitch’s stats and historical events.
Love your philosophy!
Really?
Looks like the other side is winning pretty convincingly. Anyone notice that the California tenure thing is going to the Supreme Court? That will definitely not turn out well and it has deep implications for all organize teachers nationwide. So even of we “win” the idea war, what will we have lost in the process? Pretty much everything. As it stands now we have been set back at least a generation as far as protections to our careers. Nope, we aren’t winning….those of us extant teachers hoping for a stable future….not us. Maybe in a generation or two people will realize the folly of Ed reform, but as for us, we’ve lost so much and Im afraid we will continue to do so.
Yes, the other side has enormous institutional, commercial, financial, and communication resources with which to wage its private war on the private sector wherein we and our kids, schools, teachers, and communities sit. But, we are still the vast unorganized majority whose opposition and disobedience is an enormous weight yet to be fully thrown into this battle. A small fraction of our weight already forced the big bullies on the other side to regroup; just imagine if we truly consolidated and hit them with more of it?
Public Ed will prevail because we have the most innovative teachers. Once they realize that changing the name of the school to charter or choice accomplishes nothing, they will start looking to the system of education that knows how to serve all kids.
Eventually they will allow public schools to teach, not to the test, but to the whole child.
When that happens Public teachers will take back their profession and shine. However we must embrace the challenge. That change is beginning. Although a small step, the Collins amendment to ESEA is a beginning. ( read at http://www.wholechildreform.com )
We must be prepared when ESEA is passed, Prepared to accept the challenge of innovation. Prepared to be the first and best to assess and therefore teach to the whole child. This is the window of opportunity we have been waiting for. Although it only opens a crack, we must dive head first and tell the world, we are the ones who, with sufficient resources, can change the world.
We will survive and we will prevail!! Join us in Philly as we plan the revolution. UOO 2016 conference: Transcending Resistance, Igniting Revolution. Feb. 26-28, 2016. You can find out more at our website at www – dot – unitedoptout – dot – com. Keynotes: Chris Hedges, Stephen Krashen, Antonia Darder, Mercedes Martinez and Bill Ayers. Solidarity, Peg Robertson
If we are to stay true to ourselves and our students, we must persist. There is no other acceptable choice.
“Do not be discouraged as you struggle to restore common sense and rationality to education policy. The corporate reformers have money and the political power that money buys, but it has no popular support. It misleads the public by calling its program “reform,” when its true program is privatization. It uses catchy and misleading names like “students first,” “children first,” “education reform now,” “Democrats for education reform.” But the truth will eventually prevail. They want to divert public money to unaccountable, privately managed schools and replace professional teachers with computers and low-wage temps.” GLAD TO SEE YOU HAVE DISTANCED YOURSELF from the “dark side”. As you know I have always been skeptical of “privatization” and “voucherism.” I have no problem with private education or home schooling. I just don’t think we should subsidize them with public money. Both my son, daughter and I all have experience with for profit charter schools. The experience was uniformly terrifying. The manipulation of enrollment, the manipulation of test scores (to the point of fraud) and the exploitation of teachers was extremely manifest. Bonuses promised to teachers were never paid. Teachers were not paid for substituting. Teachers were told to teach in areas beyond their certification or competence. Physical education classes were not offered. English learners or disabled students were discourged -virtually blocked- from attending. But worst of all teachers were paid at the lowest possible rate with few benefits and no chance for a pension. It is as if all the teachers had become adjunct professors in a Junior Junior College. In case you don’t know in many Junior Colleges 80% or more of the teachers are adjunct professors (some living on the brink of poverty and qualifying for food stamps). Let’s face it if teachers have to moonlight or work extra jobs then eventually they will drift away from education and while there not be able to give it 100% of their time and energy. Forget about extracurricular activities or tutoring kids. If Charter schools become universal the teaching profession will be even less attractive a career than it is now. Democracy is the belief that there is no Master Race and no permanet Helot Race but that ordinary people can achieve extraordinary things IF they are allowed to improve themselves through education. The only way America can remain a free nation is if there is universal free public education and access to higher education for all those who are qualified and motived to achieve at that level. Even trade school graduates need to be schooled as educated well-informed citizens. America needs public schools as much as it needs its police, its fire departments and its military. If we abandon public education for all we abandon the idea of America.
Well stated!
Richard K. Munro: thank you for sharing your experiences with us.
😎
Dr Ravitch, This is a fine message for Independence Day and much needed because some of those corporate reform supporters who wouldn’t fill a high school auditorium are–unfortunately–on state boards of education. We need to call them and advocate for quality and meaningful learning.
Thank you Diane for your encouraging words. As teachers, we watched as parents grabbed the reigns and moved forward with the opt-out movement. The UFT was silent, if not acting as brake. One big step us teachers can take to help public education prevail is get out the vote and increase voter turnout for the UFT elections in April 2016. We need union leaders on the same side as parents and so far this group shows promise. http://www.UFT2016.com
One of our founding fathers said a democracy could not exist without an educated populace. Public schools are key to that end. If we privatize them, then we lose what is most dear to us including the American dream.
Linda, it was Jefferson.
You are right that Jefferson strongly supported the idea of universal public education. However, the quote you refer to is apocryphal. See the Monticello website.http://www.monticello.org/site/jefferson/educated-citizenry-vital-requisite-our-survival-free-people-quotation
Jefferson did say: Extract from Thomas Jefferson to Joseph C. Cabell
Monticello Jan. 14. 18.
“A system of general instruction, which shall reach every description of our citizens, from the richest to the poorest, as it was the earliest, so will it be the latest, of all the public concerns in which I shall permit myself to take an interest.”
Jefferson also said the purpose of education was to rake a few geniuses from the rubbish. This no longer can be the case
Jefferson also very famously said:
Extract from Thomas Jefferson to Charles Yancey
Monticello Jan. 6. 16.
“If a nation expects to be ignorant & free, in a state of civilisation, it expects what never was & never will be. the functionaries of every government have propensities to command at will the liberty & property of their constituents. there is no safe deposit for these but with the people themselves; nor can they be safe with them without information. where the press is free and every man able to read, all is safe.” MUNRO: in other words literacy and a general education is essential for a free people.
Isaac Asimov had a wonderful quote:
“There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there has always been. The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that ‘my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.”
― Isaac Asimov
From “Know your Charter”
http://knowyourcharter.com/share-your-story/mark-stewart-columbus/
I think one day it will prevail. It won’t happen during my teaching career. Let’s see who gets up to bat at the next election.