The other dy we learned from an article on the Huffington Post that several top Democratic staff members quit Michelle Rhee’s StudentsFirst. One of them was Hari Sevugan, who had been a leading figure in the 2008 Obama campaign. Sevugan’s departure set off speculation about why he left: was it Rhee’s union-busting goals? Was it her advocacy for rightwing governors? Was it her support for privatization?
Sevugan dashed off a comment to this blog in which he insisted that he cares deeply about helping children, nothing more complicated than that.
This teacher-parent in Florida was inspired by the exchange to write this open letter to Hari Sevugan:
Hari,
I would like to say to you … I am a teacher and I am a parent. I see this reform from both sides. I see depleted public schools and public programs. I see our public funds channeled to corporate charter schools. I see those schools failing the communities, and most importantly, the children. I am not the only one who sees it.
I read, just today, that Michelle Rhee praised my state, Florida, for their education reform. I disagree. Last year, in Florida, we reviewed the testing results. We found that less than 10% of all Florida schools are charter schools, yet they comprised 51% of the failing schools in Florida. In some counties, such as my own, the only failing school was, in fact, a charter school. The same is true for many counties in Florida, including the very large Broward county.
How can you convince us that charter schools are the answer?
I don’t believe it is possible to convince us, parents or teachers, that lobbying for charter schools is for the benefit of our children. Certainly not when we can drive down our streets and find a failing charter school, or closed charter school, with huge profits that disappeared in the wind. These are our streets … these are our children.
I do not believe it is possible to convince us. I applaud you for coming on this blog and trying … but these are our kids. We know they deserve better. This is the civil rights issue of our generation. The separation now is between the haves and have nots. Charter schools are furthering that division. I get it that the charter vision sounds good on paper, but the reality proves differently.
We need to refuel and revitalize our public schools … not punish and privatize. Remember, It is a core Democratic value to ensure free and equal public education for all. We learned once, not so long ago, that separate is not equal.
Never was … never will be.
Just my opinion as a parent and teacher. I am simply an ambassador for my child… no fancy title or IPhone for me.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
If Hari has not completely lost his moral compass, I do not see how he can [in good conscience] refuse to answer this letter. There is no trick here, no trap, no gotcha. Democracy thrives only on this kind of public dialogue. Teacher-parent has done his/her part.
Hari, it’s time to do yours. You’re on.
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Hari completely disappeared. Maybe he is duck taped in a closet at SF.
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An excellent letter expressing the sentiments of teachers and parents all over the nation. Thank you, “anonymous-yet-spot-on” parent/teacher. 🙂
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Thank you, Florida Teacher-Parent. Hari, anxiously awaiting your reply to this earnest post.
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I think he must have lost his iPhone or he would have replied by now.
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Dear Florida parent/teacher,
Thank you for your thoughtful note, and please accept my apology for the delay in responding. I ordinarily don’t feel that these kinds of public back-and-forth in comments sections are very constructive, but felt that your sincere letter deserved a shot.
First, I understand your concerns and frustrations as a parent and teacher, and welcome your take. Florida has been leading many of the most aggressive reform efforts, and it’s valuable to get a frontline perspective.
As these efforts take root, there have been some encouraging signs of progress. The results of the recent Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) and the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) show Florida (which was assessed independently of the Unites States) outperformed nearly all nations at all levels, in both reading in math. Indeed, Florida fourth graders outperformed every other country in the world except Hong Kong – including Diane’s would-be 51st state, Finland. Florida was on par with Finland in fourth grade math and one point below in eighth grade math, but in all cases near the top of the rankings and substantially ahead of the American average.
Of course, education watchers on both sides of the reform debate over-indulge in the same conceit when looking at these sorts of rankings to argue their particular case. Even the best rankings are relative to a low standard at which not every child is served as s/he deserves to be if access to a high-quality education is truly a civil right.
For example, it’s often pointed out that Massachusetts and Maryland are the highest achieving states based on NAEP assessments. However, it’s rarely pointed out that reading proficiency for Massachusetts and Maryland – our highest achieving states – is between 40-50 percent. No system can be considered a success if our best examples are failing at least half our students. At times, looking to these rankings is something like pinning a blue ribbon on a pig and forgetting it’s still a stinker.
Regardless of how you cut the numbers, we simply are failing too many children.
To me, this demands change – including better social services and better prioritization of resources to be certain. Fundamentally, however, when a system is failing as many students as the status quo currently is, the elements of change must include massive innovation and accountability.
Charters offer innovation to a system that isn’t working for too many kids. Unencumbered by bureaucracy, and also the invisible tether of past practice, charters can explore new ways to teach, administer and learn. And, yes, some of those ways won’t work. But some will, and lessons can be learned from those successes and should be scaled where possible. I’d also argue that a free school for public school students is ‘public,’ and should be funded accordingly. I imagine you won’t agree with me on these issues.
But here’s where we can agree. When it comes to charters, too often from the reform side of the debate, the emphasis is on innovation, neglecting the other necessary ingredient for change – accountability.
Many, albeit, not all, reformers believe that any school entrusted with public dollars – whether they are traditional public schools, public charters schools or even private schools – must be held accountable for high curricular standards and student achievement. When we, rightfully, place those demands on traditional district schools, there’s no reason charters should be exempt.
If a charter school fails based on academic performance (as opposed to administrative or financing issues) – changes need to be made, including preserving the option of revoking the charter. You cannot have ‘accountability’ without charter accountability. ‘Choice’ doesn’t mean much unless there are quality options to choose from. It’s not only fair, but right. And it’s pretty simple.
So, we may not agree on the relative value of innovation to fixing our schools as compared to, say, resources, or the ‘publicness’ of a charter school, but I think we can agree on this issue: Will you work with me, and other reform-minded folks, to ensure all schools are held accountable for their student achievement? I hope so.
Sincerely,
– Hari
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73 percent of graded charters in Florida received an A or B
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Coach Bob Sikes posted that 10% of all Florida schools are charters, but 51% of all failing schools in Florida are charters. And didn’t Florida have a whole series of charter scandals, like the one in Orange County that failed but the principal kept nearly $1 million. Read about it here, plus lots more malfeasance: http://bobsidlethoughtsandmusings.wordpress.com/2012/12/30/revisiting-floridas-2012-charter-school-scandals/
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Diane, thank you for allowing this exchange on your blog. You have given a voice to so many. Thank you.
Hari,
Thank you for your response. It is encouraging to hear back from you. Although we may differ greatly in our opinions, I do commend you for answering my letter.
You wrote much about data and statistics with regard to ratings, results, test scores, (etc.) in your letter to me. And, yes, I agree, those numbers can be diced and spliced by both sides to make any particular point. So, I won’t waste your time or mine doing that. Instead, I urge you to look deeper.
Looking deeper at our nation’s schools, you will find that they are being strangled by high stakes standardized testing. I believe, as both a parent and as a teacher, that this focus on test scores suffocates the educational process. I have seen this, personally, raising two daughters in Florida public schools. I have watched important programs, such as PE and Art, be pushed out of the public school curriculum to make room for test prep – oriented classes. There is only so much public money to go around… something has got to give. Unfortunately, when high stakes testing costs as much as it does, what gives are sports, art, foreign languages, Special Education, ESOL programs, resource officers, and many other vital programs needed by our children.
Rather than debating the merits of public schools and charter schools, we should be asking some important questions. Why should there be such competition and division fostered among schools, teachers, and students? Why are our public schools being strangled by these directives while charter schools are given free range to flourish? You described charter schools as “unencumbered by bureaucracy.” I wonder, why are those charter schools free to plan curriculum, free to try creative techniques, and free from the excessive testing while the public schools of my own children are not? Why is public funding being shifted from our public schools to these charter schools? And, I wonder, why are we giving so much energy and funding to these charter schools when, no matter how you dice the data, they are not proving to be innovative or an improvement.
Most importantly, why are we entrusting corporations with the education of some of our children while the others we leave in poorly funded, overcrowded public schools?
Plain and simple, it is just not right. We should be focused on providing equal opportunities to ALL children. The fact that two different children at two different ‘public funded schools’ are given two different chances for success is not fair. It is certainly not representative of the democratic institution of free and equal education that you speak of. As I reminded you in my last letter, our US Supreme Court once ruled that ‘separate is not equal.’ The same holds true today.
As to where we agree, it is hard to say. So, I will simply tell you where I stand. I believe ALL children, whether rich or poor, should be given the opportunities for a quality, free education. We should not be splintering off into divisions, fostering an atmosphere of divisiveness, or redirecting public funds away from public schools. And, most importantly, we should not be treating our children like widgits; essentially placing the burden of ‘stimulating our global economy’ on their young shoulders. It should not be a race… NO child should be forced to fight their way to the top for fear of being left behind.
It is just not right.
So, when corporate lobbyists and organizations, such as Michelle Rhee’s Students First, lobby for this separation by charter schools and these high stakes tests, we parents and teachers have no recourse but to fight these policies tooth and nail. As I said before, these are our children. Of course, we will fight for their rights. Of course we will fight for their education. It is what we do. I hope you will take a step back and look at this issue from our perspective … from the perspective of our children. Join us rather than divide us. Stand up for all children and focus on the true issues at hand, such as poverty. We need help in our communities. We need help feeding hungry kids and providing shelter to homeless families. High stakes testing is not the answer. Bubble sheets do not satisfy appetites nor improve education and, believe me when I tell you, hungry kids do not bubble well.
Those are the true issues as I see it. Having had the opportunity over the years to work and organize with many caring parents, teachers, administrators, school board members, and leaders, I think I can say, in all confidence, that there are many people out there who agree with me. Will you?
Finally, I hope parents, teachers, and advocates for public education everywhere, will see this exchange as a glimmer of hope and use it as a way to revitalize, reorganize, and readdress the issues at hand. To all those reading who agree with me… I say, BE ambassadors for the children. ALL children deserve the opportunity to excel and grow in a cooperative, collaborative learning environment – not one riddled with divisiveness, competition, and inequality. Stand up. Speak up.
Just one voice,
Florida parent and teacher.
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