Some readers received an email signed by Jill Biden. They asked what I thought of her message. They asked me how I would respond if I were in their place.
The letter says:
Dear – I’ve been a teacher in public schools and community colleges for more than 30 years. Being an educator is about more than teaching — it’s about instilling confidence. There is no better moment than when I see a student realize that she can do whatever she sets her mind to do. I’m sure you know that feeling, too. President Obama knows what that’s like, too. He understands that improving the education system takes all of us, and that teachers are absolutely critical to those efforts. He listens when teachers explain the challenges they face in overcrowded and underfunded classrooms. And he knows that education is key to a healthy economy and a strong country. That’s why he’s working so hard to improve our schools. You are receiving this email because you have told the campaign you also work in education. Today, I’m proud to invite you to join me as a member of Educators for Obama, a new group of supporters dedicated to re-electing the President, who was once a college professor himself. Sign up and get connected with the Educators for Obama community today. President Obama has made education a priority. He is giving states the flexibility they need to strengthen their schools and end the practice of teaching to the test. When states were cutting their budgets and laying off teachers, he took action to keep more than 400,000 educators in the classrooms where they were needed. He’s proposed competitive funding to make sure teachers and educators like us get the respect we deserve. And he’s made federal student loan payments more affordable by ensuring public school teachers who make their payments on time will have their remaining debt forgiven after 10 years. Our students deserve a president who is committed to their education — and to the teachers who help them succeed. As a member of Educators for Obama, you’ll be kept in the loop about important news and events. We’ll also provide you with the resources you need to organize your friends and colleagues in support of the President. So join teachers, principals, educational professionals, and me, and stand with President Obama this November: http://my.barackobama.com/Join-Educators-for-Obama Thanks, Jill Of course, everyone should write whatever they believe. This is what I would say. Dear Jill, Since you are an experienced educator, I know you can sympathize with my plight. I admire President Obama and remain grateful for his work in providing stimulus dollars to prevent budget cuts in 2009-2010. That meant a lot to me and to fellow educators. However, I am surprised that you think that Race to the Top has introduced “flexibility” or that “competitive funding” (i.e. Race to the Top) gave “respect” to educators or that Race to the Top will “end the practice of teaching to the test.” None of this is true, and I assume that someone in the Department of Education has not informed you accurately about the negative effects of Race to the Top on educators and our nation’s schools. Race to the Top has made “teaching to the test” even more important than No Child Left Behind. Because of RTTT, my state now ties teachers’ evaluations to student test scores. Because of RTTT, many states are passing laws to remove any protection for teachers’ freedom to teach, as it will be easier to fire teachers for any reason or no reason. Because of RTTT, my job and that of other teachers and principals requires that we teach to the test. My state was lauded by Secretary Duncan for opening more privately managed charter schools, which takes funding away from the public schools, so we now have larger classes and fewer resources to help the neediest children, who are not welcomed by the charter schools. So, yes, there is overcrowding and underfunding, and the diversion of public funds to charter schools and vouchers is one cause of those conditions. As this terrible movement to dismantle public education and to reduce the status of teachers to at-will employees gathers momentum, I have not heard either President Obama or Secretary Duncan speak out forcefully against it. I have not heard either of them denounce the legislation that hurts our nation’s public schools. Instead, Secretary Duncan has given federal funds and plaudits to some of the states that are enacting the most toxic legislation. I voted for President Obama and Vice-President Biden with enthusiasm in 2008. I am certainly not attracted to Romney, whose ideas are even worse for educators and public schools than Race to the Top. But I wanted you to understand why I and so many other educators are disappointed in the education record of the Obama administration. It is likely to be a close election, and the Obama team needs our votes. I remain hopeful that the President will eliminate Race to the Top. Words will not be enough to persuade educators that this administration is on their side. Yours truly, |
Thank you Diane. I wonder if Jill Biden will read this. I am very worried about where our schools are going and I don’t see much of a difference between Democrats and Republicans when it comes to the state of our public schools. Romney’s kids didn’t attend public schools and neither do Obama’s. I wonder if they ever took a standardized test ever other that the SAT’s. I doubt Sidwell Friends spends hours, days and weeks on test prep, testing and testing the next test.
My husband attended Sidwell for 11 years. He said they did “achievement tests” starting in middle school and his recollection is (he’s 47 now) that they were given on just one day each year. Our kids take standardized tests for 1 to 2 weeks, depending on the grade here in CA. BTW – I am a parent of 4 public school children who is a big proponent of public education and huge fan of our teachers, for whom I have enormous respect and debt of gratitiude. This propels my continued advocacy efforts.
I attended a Friends school — one of the Biden’s kids was a few years behind me.
At Friends we received a character building education of topical breadth and intellectual depth.
Our teachers were trusted to design and implement instruction and their assessments of our achievement was held in high regard by top selective universities.
Now I am a mid-career teacher in Bridgeport, Conn. at a school that faces every struggle my own high school did not. My endeavor is to bring to my students the same kind of educational excellence I got as a lucky scholarship kid at a Friends school. My reputation among my school’s community is that of someone who is bringing this high standard to the classroom.
Race To The Top and Bridgeport’s Chicago-based education reformers will severely hamper if not entirely end this personal endeavor of bringing a Friends caliber education to disadvantaged students.
The best educators in my building and city — those who teach with verve, dedication, and skill– they will be hobbled by RTTT. The only benefits I foresee will be for the corporations who will deliver the consultants, texts, testing, and charter schools.
One side note about places like a Friends school. They were $20k/yr when I attended (again, on scholarship) And I imagine must now run $30k /yr in addition to what a family is paying in property taxes for the public schools their kids are not attending.
Public schools do it for under $10k/yr. Where do people get the idea that public education spending is bloated? That idea is pushed by those who will profit by privatization.
Linda, the polls say it will be a very close campaign. Obama cannot afford to take his base for granted. If he thinks that having the endorsement of the NEA and AFT means that he has the enthusiastic support of teachers, he is wrong. He has to restore the hope and enthusiasm that motivated teachers to work for him four years ago. If you read the comments here, or look at the Metlife survey of teachers, you will see massive demoralization. That will hurt Obama and could cost him the election.
Diane
This is very true. Teachers are so disillusioned that I know of many who plan to vote for Roseanne Barrr, if Obama does not change his education policies, even though they know that might result in giving the election to Romney. Others may just not vote –which could end in the same result. Obama really needs to know how much his policies have alienated his base and that progressive and liberal votes are by no means assured.
I have to agree with Linda. Neither Democrats nor Republicans have a good reasonable plan for education reform. I sincerely doubt Mr. Obama intends to do anything with RTTT except make it worse. (For what it’s worth, Linda, in New York where Diane and I live, those who attend private schools are required to take the Regents Exams to graduate.)
Well said, Diane. You captured exactly how I feel about the Obama administration’s policy on education.
Given her letter, how does Jill Biden explain this? (Note the picture of Vice President Biden joining the mayors in applauding the “parent trigger”.)
Parent Trigger Laws: U.S. Mayors Back Parents Seizing Control Of Schools
from Huffington Post June 17
“(Reuters) – Hundreds of mayors from across the United States this weekend called for new laws letting parents seize control of low-performing public schools and fire the teachers, oust the administrators or turn the schools over to private management.
The U.S. Conference of Mayors, meeting in Orlando, Florida, on Saturday unanimously endorsed “parent trigger” laws aimed at bypassing elected school boards and giving parents at the worst public schools the opportunity to band together and force immediate change.”
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/18/us-mayors-back-parents-_n_1604975.html?utm_hp_ref=education
And given her letter, how does Jill Biden explain this:
Obama Administration Softens Position On D.C. Voucher Program
from the Huffington Post
“The Obama administration softened its position on Monday about not expanding the District of Columbia’s private school voucher program, after months of attacks by conservatives of the president’s decision to provide level funding to the program next year. Instead the administration agreed to finance slots for 85 additional students. U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan released a statement late Monday, citing an agreement that the Obama administration had reached “in partnership with Speaker [John] Boehner,” to increase the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program “from the current enrollment of about 1615 to approximately 1700 students.”
http://tinyurl.com/6tct96j
To Diane and other readers,
I am confused. Do the Obamas and the Bidens not know what is happening under their education policies? Do they listen to or speak to Arne Duncan?
Are they unaware of all the changes that are killing public input for our pulbic schools or are they lying?
I am an expert on political messaging, but what Jill Biden states and what is happening are polar opposites. I am not able to trust them either.
in need of a quiet revolution… no?
I, too, responded to Jill Biden’s email. here is the one I sent: [Thank you, diane, I am certain if any are read it will be yours so eloquently stated-despite one typo-did anyone else catch that?]
Dr. Biden,
I have joined your network, but with reservation. I, too, have been a public educator for over 30 years, just now retiring from my public middle school job, and will continue teaching at the community college part-time because I remain passionate about my field and because retired teachers need to supplement their pension, contrary to popular belief.
I agree with your points made in your email, and I am a supporter of President Obama, but I believe he is heading in the wrong direction in pursuing educational reform. I do not claim to be an expert on reform, but I am an expert in my field of education, and I know that changes that have brought more corporate control, relentless testing, and teacher vilification to education over the past decade are wrong. I believe in accountability, but putting all of that accountability on the teachers is not the right approach. There needs to be a better balance and reform in education needs to exclude non-educators making so many big decisions that are profit motivated.
I am not alone in this perspective and there are many valuable educational organizations and blogs out there that share my perspective. Why is the president not listening to experts like Diane Ravitch or Sir Ken Robinson or the educators at such respected Colleges like William and Mary?
This is not my first plea-laden email, and the others have had no reply- very discouraging and disheartening for a voter who really believed in her president.
I know he cannot do everything, but education is the key to so many other positive changes we all want to see in our country. I believe he needs to take another look at his policies and I believe you have his ear and can possibly convince him to view other perspectives.
Please try.
Thank you,
Rosemary Stevenson
I have wondered how Jill Biden reconciles the administration’s continued attack on public schools via RTTT with her own professional life as an educator. I do not think she is naive or uninformed so I assume she either agrees with the policies or has to painfully bite her tongue. Often.
I love the sample response letter from Diane and feel very much the same (though I don’t think I could maintain such a polite tone were I to construct such a letter). I too voted for Obama/Biden. I know Romney would be even worse for eduction. But the whole lot of them are so dismally disappointing. There is such an amazing lack of respect for educators and the children they teach in all that has been enacted. As a result, I cannot muster any enthusiasm for the election. Not only are words not enough, I am at the point where I don’t believe anything they say. It would take a wholesale rejection of RTTT and Arne Duncan and a replacement who was philosophically counter to all he represents for me to believe again.
I am not a teacher. I am a parent with deep knowledge about what is good for kids. An acquaintance at my daughter’s preschool recently relocated to Finland due to her husband’s job transfer. I was green with envy!
And if I were In Jill Biden’s shoes, I would use every opportunity available to work towards the ousting of Duncan and the changing of Obama’s mind. Broad, Gates and the billionaire boys’ club be damned, she has the expertise and the access to at least try and turn the ship around. I know as the VP’s wife she has to stand idly by, look pretty, and say nothing controversial, but I hope she is delivering influence, in whatever form it takes, behind the scenes.
I do not believe I could have signed that letter to educators, if I were her.
It does not appear that Jill Biden is trying to influence her husband on matters related to even her own area of education. Earlier this year, Joe claimed that increased college tuition is due to the high pay of college professors. Jill makes a good salary as a professor, but across the country, colleges have eliminated most full time tenure-track positions and hire adjuncts, who typically work full time hours for low pay and no benefits, so that about 70% of professors nationwide are considered working poor. This is very well-known in higher education, but Jill has not spoken out on the matter.
http://www.change.org/petitions/tell-vice-president-biden-dont-blame-faculty-for-the-high-cost-of-college-most-are-working-poor
http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2012/04/17/bidens%E2%80%99-tax-returns-stir-adjunct-discussion
I got the email and was debating how best to reply. Thanks for the ideas!
Despite Jill Biden’s assurances that Obama understands the concerns of teachers about “overcrowded classrooms”, this is an administration whose budget calls for a 25% cut in Title II funds, which would mean even more teacher layoffs and larger classes next year, and to divert these funds into “alternative pathways” for teachers like TFA. This is an administration that has mandated damaging policies for struggling schools, including closing them, firing half the staff or converting them to private management or charters. This is an administration which is pushing not only for test-based teacher evaluation, but also merit pay, which teachers themselves overwhelmingly reject and has never worked to improve student outcomes. I would ask Ms. Biden to go talk to the people making decisions on education funding and policy at US Dept of Ed, the White House and OMB, and ask them if they are prepared to move in a new direction.
I haven’t gotten the email because I’ve replied “take me off your email list” at least 50 times to the Obama campaign. I’ve explained why every time.
Campaign organizers have worked hard to prevent any actual message from membership about defense of American public education from coming through. My disgust at their deliberate and planned dishonesty is total.
We have no president to lose if we tolerate this, and no party. Don’t join.
I refuse to sign and be manipulated by propaganda. They assume Romney reform is
Even worse than Obama/Duncan reform. So that’s our choice: worse or worst. Pathetic!
Sorry for typos. iPhone.
Voting for the lesser of two evils is still voting for evil.
Vote your conscience, there are other options other than the two sides of the coin that is D & R.
Reading about ALEC controlling changes across the nation and the mind boggling amount of money that is going into this anti teacher reform, I wonder what kind of an uneducated person Dr. Biden feels that we are. I am so incredibly disappointed with the Obama/Biden ticket but I am repulsed with the Romney/? ticket that I am depressed even thinking about voting this year. It isn’t that Obama failed to implement change; the changes were so wrong headed and so clearly aligned with big money interests.
The public statement of approval at firing of all those Falls Church teachers really smacked of hubris. He did not know their circumstances- the teachers, the students anything. Just as 1% of the rest of the billionaire’s boys clubs except that he speaks with the voice of change and out spews rhetoric.
So incredibly disappointed.
Dr. Biden would have garnered more respect for being silent- that would have been understood as not agreeing but to send out this email defies logic.
Bravo! good letter! Obama and Duncan owe you a response, but I am not holding my breath.
Where are the Democrats? Jill Biden, Joe Biden, Obama, Duncan, Axelrod, to name a few will not respond because they only come to us when they need us, they don’t actually believe in our struggles or fight, they just want our vote.
Do they really read our letters like many of us read your blog?
I don’t know if they are read but they are counted. So if there were hundreds or thousands of emails expressing concern, it would be noticed.
Diane
If they are not read and one replies and doesn’t change the subject line, they will probably count them all as supporters. Maybe we should snail mail to Jill and Michelle.
However, I have heard of many who wrote to the President about this situation and they either got a form letter or no response at all.
I was hoping to be able to talk about that letter on your blog!! I wrote back:
“Please don’t insult my intelligence. I’m a teacher, too, and Obama better start standing for students, teachers and public education!
The federal government has ALLOWED corporations to destroy public education.
You all better get on board with Diane Ravitch….she is the Elizabeth Warren of public education!!
And don’t act like you don’t know who she is and that what she stands for is right!!
Diane Ravitch’s blog
dianeravitch.net/
On Mon, Jun 18, 2012 at 1:42 PM, Dr. Jill Biden wrote:”
That’s a remarkably tone-deaf letter. I hope she gets a deluge of responses, and that she reads them and responds in some constructive way.
I just hit the reply button on Biden’s email and my reply automatically went to: info@barackobama.com
I got an auto email back giving me a different address to send comments, does that mean my email went to no one at info@barackobama.com?
Diane, I also replied to the email, in the same vein as you, but not nearly as eloquently. I hope many wrote back. I was frankly appalled at the letter coming from her. Thanks, from a 31 year veteran, with 4 days to go. Fight on….
I also replied, and I hope there is some pushback from educators whose support is wanted now but who have been scapegoated and treated with enormous disrespect throughout this presidency.
I got this letter, shook my head in disgust and disbelief, and deleted it.
In 2008, I did something I’d never done before: I donated to a political campaign. I was one of those who gave $50 or so just about every time he was asked. After eight years of W., I was not going to miss this opportunity to put a Democrat in the White House.
This year, however, is different. I will vote for Obama, but I haven’t made a donation, and don’t plan to. The reason is Obama’s education policy. We need something better than NCLB-lite.
We need you, Diane, in Arne Duncan’s position.
I didn’t get the letter from Jill Biden, but I got a similar one from NEA. They caught me in a kind of a bad mood, I think, because this was my reply:
“You have got to be kidding me. I’m a lifelong Democrat, 2008 Obama supporter, and proud union member, even in right-to-work Virginia. I look at your “Issues” tab, and what I see there has nothing to do with the 3 1/2 years of education destruction we’ve just witnessed – it’s complete fabrication. In all honesty, I don’t think we’d be worse off than we are now if we’d elected McCain in 2008. Educators for Obama? How about Obama for Educators first.”
I, too, received the (insulting) letter from the NEA. Even more insulting have been the Obama-Biden e-mails offering: 1. “A chance to be put into a lottery (for a $5 donation) to win dinner w/the President & George Clooney!” 2. A chance to win dinner w/the President & Anna Wintour! 3. A chance to win dinner w/the President & Sarah Jessica Parker! 4. An opportunity to give Pres. Obama a happy Fathers’ Day! (sent from “Michelle’ herself!!! And on & on ad. nauseum. E-mails from “Bill Clinton,” “Caroline Kennedy,” “James Carville,” all sent to MY name–“Dear Retired…”
I have been answering all the Obama-Biden e-mails w/this:In 2008, I donated & volunteered for hope & change. Now, as an educator & parent, I cannot, in good conscience, do either until the following is accomplished (BY NOVEMBER):
1. Replace Arne Duncan w/an educational professional, preferably Dr. Diane Ravitch or Dr. Linda Darling-Hammond (who, I understand, was supposed to have been chosen).
2. Repeal Race to the Top, & STOP the standardized testing, thus funneling billions of
dollars back to the PUBLIC schools & directly to the students.
3. Streamline or abolish the Dept. of Ed.
When these three are completed, then I will once again donate, volunteer & vote for the President.
I do not care about having dinner with George Clooney, S.J. Parker &/or Anna Wintour.
What I care about is the future of America’s children in public schools.
And, of course, Diane is correct–we must respond in the hundreds of thousands and more. It must be heard–and understood– that we expect change BEFORE November; otherwise, the Obama-Biden ticket will lose those votes, all those votes from the education sector, which would cost them the election.
This sounds like perfect language for a petition of some sort. Since we’re not sure they’re reading (or even counting) our emails, would a straightforward petition help?
Yes, draft a petition. Email. Write. Write letters to the editor. Speak up. Don’t be silent. Don’t let them steal our public schools and mass-produce the brains of our children.
I wonder about the impact of a letter mailed directly to
Jill Biden as well. I am afraid the way they are managing their campaign that they think they don’t need us, so it will all be ignored.
Thank you so much for the response to Jill Biden’s letter. I believe that RTTT was intended to be a lifeline for educator’s suffering under NCLB. Ironically it just ratcheted up the frenzy over funding, i.e. increased test scores, improved evaluation process for teachers. Then, the waiver offered to states to relieve pressures of NCLB backfired and gave policymakers a vehicle to create a system of teacher evaluation that relies heavily on students’ test scores and the eventual erosion of tenure and unions. Obama’s education reform (left in the hands of greedy policy makers) has created a culture of fear.
I wish you were right. RTTT is no better than NCLB. It was started to promote charter schools and to demand that teachers be evaluated by test scores, which means more teaching to the test. RTTT was never a good idea. It was rotten from the start. Race to the Top is even worse than NCLB because it blames teachers for problems that can influence but not control.
Being brought to a loss for words, I guess I would answer Jill Bidens’s letter with the words of this long-ago legendary leader —
“And understand this: If American workers are being denied their right to organize and collectively bargain when I’m in the White House, I’ll put on a comfortable pair of shoes myself, I’ll walk on that picket line with you as President of the United States of America. Because workers deserve to know that somebody is standing in their corner.”
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SA9KC8SMu3o
Hey, where did that guy go? Was he around recently for Wisconsin?
How many states have lost or will lose collective bargaining for their teachers?