From an article in Salon (to which I linked yesterday). This is the passage that many people identified as most relevant to their own lives:
“Since 2001, when, for the first time in the history of federal education policy, George Bush’s No Child Left Behind linked school and teacher assessment — and cash rewards — directly to children’s standardized test performance, teachers have been, too often, nothing more than the getters of the scores. What matters in this calculation isn’t the person in front of the class, what his expertise is, what he thinks, about anything. Teachers are no longer the scholars. They are not wise or trusted. They are not valued for their knowledge or ingenuity, but for their ability to abide, to “buy in,” to “manage” a classroom, punch the biometric clock and agree to all things. They are the middlemen, only, the vehicle through which pre-set processed information is handed along. The vehicle that would rarely question an administrator, let alone carry a sign. The vehicle that can be replaced, as I was, when my principal ‘released me from my assignment.'”
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Pulling levers and pressing buttons. The role of mentor and guide has been handed over to the “free market”, and the level at which you consume, work and support the free market is the modern measure of success. As Common Core Coleman has said: “No one cares what you think”. Self-reflection and improvement, reflecting upon the condition of society and how current approaches and history can indicate a better path forward…that stuff isn’t a part of teaching anymore. The “thinking” is being done for us, and the path forward is being forced upon us. Teachers and students in our already struggling public schools aren’t to be thinking-just doing. I wonder if the same sort of thing is happening in the private schools and charters chosen by the wealthy for their own children.
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I attended public school beginning in the late 60’s through the early eighties and my teachers were not scholars. I had one teacher with a Ph.D in biology – I guess that was the closest we had to a scholar; I was not in his class as he only taught honors science. I had an intellectual or two and their teaching was interesting – so much so I thought about the ideas we discussed outside of class. My father was also a public school teacher during that period and a smart one at that. I think we need to be clear about the ways in which we conceptualize the work of teachers in primary through high school school. I am strongly opposed to the “No Child Left Behind” and “Race to the Top” and I think merit pay attached to testing is an abomination on so many levels. However – it is inaccurate to hold an overly sentimental and nostalgic concept of the work of teachers.
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Liz,
While I agree with your last sentence completely, I would like to know your definition of “scholar” as it appears that one can only be a “scholar” if one has those three letters, PhD behind ones name. What is the difference between an “intellectual” and a ‘scholar”?
Depending upon the definitions one can be a scholar and not an intellectual and vice verse. So I’m not sure which I would necessarily hold in higher “esteem”-not that I think that’s a necessary function of evaluating evidence from whatever source.
I learn a lot from speaking with the local farmers, laborers, mechanics, etc. . . none of whom hold degrees and maybe didn’t even finish high school. I learned a lot from my father who didn’t finish the 7th grade and would have bristled at being called an intellectual or scholar even though he was at least the first. But he was a man of few words so it wasn’t easy to tell.
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Teachers are scholars, a PhD is an exit ticket to university teaching, it isn’t the exclusive club of the intellectual. Consider that before the 20th century, even most university teachers did not have PhDs: C.S. Lewis for one. Was he a scholar, he taught at Oxford?
The scholarly life is a way of life, not a degree.
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I want to post this somewhere. Even the apology is insincere.
While no decision has been made about the fate of the booth, CBS, Walmart and Walden Media issued a joint statement, which read, “The matter is currently under examination.”
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Update: Stars Threaten to Walk
August 10, 2012 9:00am EST
Los Angeles – TMZ is reporting that several stars scheduled to appear at the “Teachers Rock” concert have threatened to pull out if teachers are actually rocked. According to TMZ sources, Leslee Dart, Meryl Streep’s publicist, made a fury-filled phone call to CBS, which is scheduled to record and broadcast the concert later this month. She is quoted as screaming at CBS President and CEO Les Moonves, “Meryl’s in a god damn union for Christ’s sake. She has to work with Teamsters. Damn right she wants this rectified.” No word yet on Moonves’ reaction.
Also unhappy about the “sport” of stoning teachers is Josh Groban. People magazine is reporting that Groban expressed his concerns to Walmart and Walden Media producers after getting an earful from his art teacher mom. According to sources close to the star, Groban’s mother is angry about more than just the stoning booth. She objects to the entire event which is a publicity vehicle for the movie “Don’t Give Up.” “I don’t want you lending your time and talents to a movie that glorifies yet another way to turn public schools over to charter chains,” Lindy Groban is reported as saying. “They can call it whatever they want, but this concert is not about honoring teachers. It’s being put together by the same people who did ‘Waiting for Superman.'”
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Update: No Rocks Allowed
August 10, 2012 4:35pm EST
Los Angeles – Well that didn’t take long. After receiving hundreds of thousands of phone calls, emails, on-line petitions and tweets, the concert producers of “Teachers Rock” waved the white flag. Through a Walden Media and Walmart spokesperson, it was announced moments ago that the Rock-a-Teacher booth will no longer be a part of the concert event. Reading from a prepared statement, the spokesperson said, “No teachers will be harmed during the concert. Not in a booth. Not by a youth. Not in the parking lot. Not by an angry tot. Not here. Not there. Not anywhere.
Les Moonves, President and CEO of CBS, is expected to issue a formal apology.
http://studentslast.blogspot.com/2012/08/stoning-teachers-raises-some-eyebrows.html?spref=fb
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I cannot believe someone thought that was a good idea. I do take comfort in the fact that this stunt seems to be backfiring. As associated celebrities like Groban become aware of what this is really about, more light will be shed on this.
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Here’s a glimpse of the teaching profession of the not to distant future if the reformers have their way. Read this short story written in 1951. Of course, students won’t be reading too much fiction according to Common Core…
http://iceuftblog.blogspot.com/2012/08/isaac-asimov-predicted-results-of.html
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Wow, change just a few words to modernize the sound of it and . . . .
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