During these stressful times, teachers sometimes think they are alone in their struggle to maintain the dignity of their profession. They may get the impression by listening to politicians and the media that no one cares about them or about public education. This is wrong. The American public does not want to turn its schools over to inept amateurs or Wall Street financiers. And the overwhelming majority remembers its teachers warmly and respects their work.
I recently wrote a blog about the Chicago Teachers Union’s overwhelming decision to authorize a strike. This decision received the affirmative vote of 90% of the members (actually it was 98%, because non-votes were counted as negative). Less than 2% opposed the strike resolution. This is quite a stunning rebuke to the bully tactics of Mayor Rahm Emanuel. And it is a stunning rebuke as well to Jonah Edelman, the civil-rights-activist turned corporate-reformer, who predicted (and boasted) that the teachers would never get 75% of its members to agree to strike and spent millions of dollars lobbying to change the law to make sure that CTU had to meet what he thought was an impossible threshold. Edelman, head of Stand for Children, went to the Aspen Ideas Festival to advise the nation’s elites how to cripple their teachers’ unions by adopting his hardball tactics.
In response to my blog, I received the following comment from a parent. I post it here to let teachers know that they are not alone. Count on your parents. Enlist them as allies. I would go even farther and say appeal to your local business and civic leaders. They are not pawns of the financial elites. They are your potential allies. They do not want to see your community torn apart. They will stand with you as you fight to defend your students, your school, your profession, and your community.
This is what the parent wrote:
I’m not a teacher. Neither is anyone in my family. The way in which you beat bullies and well-funded propaganda campaigns is to ENLIST THE PARENTS. Get us on your side. It’s not an “easy” thing to do. But it’s not nearly as difficult as it might first appear.
For every irate, blustering, nasty parent you’ve encountered, I guarantee you there are 2 or 3 or even 9 who feel differently. And a lot of them will have your back, stand with you, speak out for you, support you fully: but you have to approach them, one on one. You have to make the first move, reach out, and ASK their help.
Most parents know it’s all about a partnership with your child’s teacher and school. We WANT to work with you. Please don’t be afraid to, quite literally, ring our doorbell and initiate the conversation.
Stand strong, teachers. And don’t let a handful of elitists—whose own children are always in fancy private schools—intimidate you and destroy our American system of free public education for all.
Diane
Diane Ravitch's blog 
I very much understand parental support. In my 17 year career (now at age 66 concluded, at least for the present), I was lucky to enjoy strong support from most of my parents. Perhaps that was because I demonstrated my respect for them by calling all of them at the start of the year to hear what concerns they might have about their children. I might not have called thereafter on a regular basis, but was in regular electronic communication, and if there were a need expressed through those means would of course follow up with the parents.
Parents and I did not always agree about their children, but because I made an attempt to work with them, the vast majority supported me even when they disagreed with me. I would not have won my teaching award from the Washington Post without strong support of parents, some of whom remained in contact with me even after I completed teaching their children (in the case of several families, three children over a number of years).
Diane spoke last summer at the Save Our Schools March and National Call to Action in Washington DC. She knows that this was an effort not just of classroom teacher (only a few of us on the board had ever had such a role, and I may have been the only current classroom teacher), but also of university professors who were teacher educators, community activists, administrators (one notable speech was by Texas Superintendent John Kuhn), and parents. We had active support from Parents Across America, and one of the first people to reach out to us for support was Mona Davids, the head of a groups of charter school parents in New York City, who understood that even in charter schools parents usually have far more in common with the teachers of their children than they do with those who bash teachers and their unions.
Those still in the classroom and those who support them, be sure to reach out to the parents of your students. They support good committed teachers, and the alliance is far more natural than many realize.
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Thanks to you and that parent for sound advice. The CTU is doing a good job in mobilizing parent support and preparing parents for a possible strike in the fall should the mayor keep playing hardball. I have been to several parent meetings across the city and sense the swelling anger, directed not at the teachers, but at Rahm and the CPS board for their unwillingness to negotiate around issues that are vital to parents.
These include: class size, an enriched curriculum including art, music, world language and physical education classes, (40 percent of our schools are without a full-time art or music programs) playground facilities or libraries, (98 schools have no playgrounds and 160 schools are without libraries). The board has also refused to negotiate staffing levels for nurses, counselors, school psychologists and social workers even though the ratio is at levels set in , one-third of the number of school specialists currently needed in our schools.
Aside from putting pressure on the board to negotiate a fair agreement with CPS teachers, parent groups and community-based organizations are discussing what to do with their children in the event of a prolonged strike.
Recent polls in the Tribune show most parents siding with the union over the mayor. That is extraordinary with a strike looming. The union will still have a tough road ahead in consolidating that support, primarily because Rahm and friends like Stand For Children can dominate the media messaging. The main newspaper in town was recently bought by a group of Rahm’s patrons and business partners. All the more reason why blogs like yours and dozens of others are vital for putting a different perspective out there.
Thanks again.
Mike Klonsky
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The strike is right now the only weapon teachers have. I’m from Wisconsin and have been involved in whatever union activities in this state since 1960. I can remember in the 1960s when the Chicago teachers seemed to go on strike every other year. I was closely involved in the strikes in Racine, Milwaukee, Madison, Hortnville, that led to the collective bargaining law being passed in Wisconsin. Now that’s gone. The only weapons left are passive resistance or the strike. That seems inevitable..
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An excerpt from a letter teachers received at school yesterday from a group of Nettelhorst School parents in Chicago:
“Seen up close, the complexity of teaching is breathtaking and often unheralded; you guide our children through their days in more ways than it’s possible to quantify. So we are writing to say that we understand that teaching is deeply intellectual and ethical work. And that we see you doing it beautifully. We see you, and we stand by you.”
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The statement from the group of Nettelhorst School parents brought me to tears. I adore my job teaching and with that kind of appreciation from the community is more valuable than any “pay for performance” scheme.
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I wish that MORE unions, notably NYSUT, would reach out to parents. Given information, they are definitely our best and hardest working allies. Thanks for posting this parent perspective Diane, as it gives me hope and motivation to continue in the fight.
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Thank you Diane! This needs to be sent to every teacher everywhere! Politicians never discuss all that teachers do that goes above and beyond the confines of our jobs. I have and I know of others who have bought clothes, combed hair, paid for field trips, bought school supplies, bought Christmas gifts, come in early and stayed late just so a child could have a chance at a successful life. It’s so easy for presidents and other politicians to judge as they stand on their pedestals far removed from the real world of education. I challenge them to come to my school in an urban, low socio-economic area, where students often don’t get love and support until they arrive at school. Teachers are in a battle every day and it seems that each new year our enemies seem to grow and get stronger. All I ever wanted to do was teach and tell me how many politicians can say the same, or do what we do every day? Not many would or could take students who are often hopeless and give them hope and dare them to dream. Until those who judge teach a mile in our shoes, they should cease and desist blaming people who are mere mortals working to achieve against herculean sized obstacles! A teacher made you who you are today and it’s funny how that message never seems to be in a political speech! Thank a teacher each and every day that you are able to pass a sign and read it!
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Thank you Diane and a special thank you to the parent!
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http://www.pomeradonews.com/2012/05/11/viewpoint-a-celebration-of-our-teachers/
Above is a link to my son’s letter that was recently published in our local papers. As the parent of 4 children in our public schools, my gratitude is enormous for the wonderful, dedicated and brilliant teachers my children have had. It is a major driving force for my continued efforts in education advocacy. While the teachers are busy guiding and teaching my children, I will continue to fight for them, as well as for the children. Through PTA and otherwise, I have tried to galvanize other parents to this cause and have unfortunately been disappointed. I have come to the conclusion that the problem is twofold: 1. My generation (30’s, 40’s), that grew up in the shadow of the babyboomers, was accused of being complacent and disengaged from politics. Indeed, the 80’s and 90’s were a relatively calm period (before the storm). 2. Parents are busy with child rearing and paying bills. An additional possible cause here in CA is the overly complex financing of education, misinformation and the fact that 60% of K12 funding comes from the state.
The good news is that we are out here and we are fighting hard for our teachers, students and schools. I’m part of Parents for Great Education (PfGE) and each member of the core group is using their unique talents to fight against the reformers and education destroyers. I write guest editorials in order to educate the broader public. Here is one:
http://www.pomeradonews.com/2012/01/11/viewpoint-time-to-support-fully-funded-public-education/
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