The following comment was posted on the blog by a teacher at Weigand Avenue Elementary School in response to Ben Austin’s open letter to me, in which Austin defends Parent Revolution’s campaign to oust the school’s principal Irma Cobain.
The teacher writes:
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Mr. Austin claims that “every teacher who signed that 2011 petition is now gone, and the school has gotten even worse since then.” There are exactly TWO teacher names on that petition. One of those 2 transferred to another school, and the other retired. The remaining names are staff members, 2 of whom are still at Weigand, and 1 State Preschool Teacher who holds neither a Bachelor’s Degree nor a California Teaching Credential.
As to Mr. Austin’s claim that the school has “gotten even worse since then,” does he mean that our staff is worse than in 2011? If Ms. Cobian drove teachers away, why have we all decided to leave with her? I wish Mr. Austin had been there today, our last day of school at Weigand. There were many tearful goodbyes, and some students expressed fear about not knowing anyone next year. In fact, this entire week, students have been asking us teachers whether we are going to be there next year. Their tension is palpable, their desire to seek out that “yes” so evident, even if they cannot express it in words. It broke my heart each time I answered with a “no, I won’t be here next year.” Even more difficult was trying to explain why.
Mr. Austin goes on to say “When I see kids attending schools like Weigand, I see kids who are going through a whole lot more at home than I could have ever imagined as a boy, but who don’t have a safe place where somebody believes in them, supports them and loves them.” Mr. Austin, how DARE you imply that we don’t do all this and MUCH more for our students? Anyone who teaches knows that we teachers willingly give our blood, sweat, and tears every day for our students. This is especially so in a community like Watts. You have NO IDEA how much of our personal and family lives we have sacrificed for our students at Weigand. When have you ever set foot on our campus? I have taught at Weigand for 11 years, and let me tell you, the staff at Weigand these last 3 years is without a doubt the most professional, intelligent, and passionate group of teachers I have ever had the privilege of working with in my 16 years as an LAUSD educator. Most of those teachers were recruited by Ms. Cobian herself, because she knows talent when she sees it. Perhaps our test scores dropped because we were actually TEACHING under Ms. Cobian’s leadership, and not simply drilling for the next assessment.
We left Weigand today relieved that this Parent Revolution nightmare is over for us, crushed for our students, and determined to help others FIGHT against your agenda.
— Fabiola Banuelos, dedicated veteran teacher, Stanford University graduate, who will go where I am better appreciated.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
A very good letter by Mr. Banuelos. I am so sorry you are going through this, and I am sorry for the students at your school. It is obvious they are losing good teachers, who care very much. Keep fighting with the rest of us.
Ben Austin has no business bloviating about schools, since he knows little about teaching or how schools actually function. He does not understand the importance of staff stability to a positive school culture, and how critical that is especially in communities where the school may be the safest place that students know. It is a sign of what is going wrong in public education that the words of someone like Austin are given credibility over those adults like the teacher who wrote this response who are actually dedicated to the well-being of the young people in their care.
And let me add this – Mr. Austin, do NOT expect any apologies to me. I think you owe an apology to the principal, teachers and students of the school you so disrupted.
“Mr. Austin goes on to say “When I see kids attending schools like Weigand, I see kids who are going through a whole lot more at home than I could have ever imagined as a boy, but who don’t have a safe place where somebody believes in them, supports them and loves them.”
I agree with the commentator that effective teachers create environments that are safe with someone who believes in them, supports, and loves them. Teachers across the country do this day in and and day out; it’s part of teacher culture. But I want to respectfully posit that parents play this role just as much if not more, and that teachers can create this condition to a very reasonable and fervent extent, but that parents too are critical in doing the same.
I think this goes without saying, yet in this context, it has to be said.
Still, it is a tragedy that occurred to Irma Cobain, her faculty, and her students and families.
Mr. Austin ignores community thinking in favor of smaller, individualist pursuits.
May the smack down continue. Shame on you Ben Austin!
I have worked in numerous school systems, as a teacher and years as an administrator. My observation of great principals: when they transfer to another school, almost the entire faculty asks to follow them and they initiate transfers. This reflects on the quality of that outstanding leader. Saw it many times! Highest honor from peers.
I’m curious about how much blood, sweat and tears Austin will sacrifice for the Watt’s community. He seems to spend most of his time using the media and the billionaires for his self-serving purposes while he’s collecting his inflated paychecks.
Has Austin thought about how he will recruit teachers to replace those who walked out? Can’t wait to read about his staff attrition rates (if he can find anyone gullible enough to hire) with social media following this guy.
Maybe Ben should step up to the plate, apply to TFA, teach for a while and then publish his test scores for all to “evaluate” his performance.
Time to MAN UP Mr. Austin.
That wouldn’t prove anything in Ben Austin’s case: he’d just cheat and expect to get away with it, like his friend, Michelle Rhee did in Washington DC, and her husband, Kevin Johnson, who was able to essentially “buy and bribe” his way out of trouble for initiating more than one sexual relationship with girls under 18 years old.
People like Austin, Rhee, Johnson and Rupert Murdoch—another BIG fan of “education reform”—go through life assuming that the rules and the laws were designed for others—“the little people”—and that with their “connections” and “influence” you couldn’t possibly expect them to actually “be honest, fair and play by the rules.”
Could you?
Yes. Also, follow him with a camera and mic on all day long. I really want to make sure he is working and not being a lazy teacher.
I saw a group of these Weigand teachers with a supportive parent at a recent UTLA meeting. It was heartbreaking listening the them tell the same story that I’ve heard time after time over the years that Austin and his little (actually they’re not little anymore) wrecking crew have waged. As a person who always gets to hear the other side of these trigger efforts, I can tell you first hand that Professor Ravitch’s language wasn’t strong enough in admonishing these monsters.
Always remember that Ben Austin and Parent Revolution will say and do anything to undermine the public school system.
http://dissidentvoice.org/2009/10/code-words-euphemisms-and-green-dots-pandering-to-westside-racism/
Before trigger passed, they were still petitioning at schools. Garfield HS, Emerson ES, Venice MS, and Locke HS were attacked before McKinley ES, Adelento, ES, 24th Street ES, and Weigand ES. They use the same methods, tactics, and deceptions. Look for a dissident parent with an axe to grind and try to leverage their selfishness. Bribing petition signers with promises and material gains. Paint opposing parents as tools of the teachers. Call teachers “defenders of the status quo” and being concerned only with their own interests. Paint any and all opposition as not promoting a “kids first” agenda. Threaten deportation to undocumented parents that won’t sign petitions, while accusing the public school side of that unsavory behavior. The list goes on and on. There’s nothing they won’t do.
It’s awful hard not to be angry when discussing these characters, especially having watched them operate first hand for years.
“…the more education “reformers” try to distract from it, the more they will expose the fact that they aren’t driven by concern for kids but by the ugliest kind of greed — the kind that feigns concerns for kids in order to pad the corporate bottom line.”—David Sirota
The Sirota article should be “as a sign post between the eyes” of every educator and every parent.
Most things antithetical to free public education seem to spring from the free market heart and brain of Eli Broad and the Broad Academy…including his support of Rhee and her highly funded group, Austin and his Parent Revolution, and with Green Dot. And it is all about greed.
My concern is for the students; who will be there for them next year.My God it is the children who suffer. I fear the goal all along is to get veteran teachers to leave, and fill the vacancy with TFA, not TEACHERS
How often is there a situation where administration and teachers are one. This symbolizes what I mean as the beginning of collaboration. If test scores are the sole indicator of a school’s status then we’re lost. Lost in a system of teaching to and for the test. Something was lost here, the students will pay the cost. Way to go LAUSD, here’s looking out for our students.
While Deasy and 5 of the 7 board members supported the “trigger,” the blame falls squarely on Ben Austin and his Heartland Institute aligned Parent Revolution. Their well paid staff created the situation at Weigand from start to finish.
For those who do not know about Heartland Institute….it has been in existence over 20 year to support the Milton Friedman monetarist free market policy and is supported by Grover Norquist. A suspect ally for Austin/Broad/Deasy to choose in support of their reform policies.
In addition to Parent Revolution, which claims credit for writing California’s parent trigger law, the parent trigger is promoted by the reactionary group ALEC and the rightwing Heartland Institute, which support privatization.
Robert…Sari called me today and we had a long conversation about coalescing our groups. Would love to talk with you. Please contact me at >>>> UCLApolicywonk@aol.com
I post as a 30+ year Special Education Administrator, Special Education Teacher and Special Education compliance specialist at the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (Massachusetts Department of Education).
Ben Austin and his ilk sit comfortably with the “Robber Barons” of the Gilded Age. His game is the old “shell game”… supported by an iron glove. I applaud the courageous work of Ms. Cobian and her staff. The current tide “Education Reform” lines the pockets of the privatizers and provides political capital to politicians. The losers, are kids, parents, community and dedicated teachers.
It is not surprising – indeed it is fully expected – that Ben Austin feels no shame.
We are beginning to see evidence of a long struggle. All who struggle must know that they are not alone.
It’s not every day that you get to hear the facts of a case so plainly. Hearing directly from teachers is crucial when the debate has been dominated by people who don’t work in the schools and base their arguments on platitudes and popular ideology. Why don’t we see teachers speaking up on the evening news? Because they have to worry about keeping their jobs, not just for their own sake but because they feel responsible for their students. The only ones who get to be plain with the facts are these who have sacrificed their jobs BECAUSE they feel responsible for their students and for the future of schools.
Self-sacrifice is in a teacher’s job description, and it seems to be how we are confronting this crisis- many teachers are quitting and going public about their school experience (eg. http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/05/28/everything-i-love-about-teaching-is-extinct-teacher-resigns-in-scathing-youtube-video-targeting-standardized-education/ )
Are we going to discount their complaints in the name of soldiering on or try to get them in front of cameras?
The resignations of seasoned teachers is desireable to the rheeformers and hedgeucators. The best thing to do is stick around.
“are,” not “is.”
Most do stick around. Those who are making a stand by quitting should be applauded, not as model for what all teachers should do, but as examples of what we are losing under the status quo. For every Ellie Robinson, how many teachers are just sticking around until their retirement benefits kick in?
It is so powerful to hear these real teachers report the situation on the ground that the corporate education reformers cover up with platitudes and misdirection. Most teachers don’t speak out because we want to keep our jobs, for our sake and because we feel responsible for our kids. The only ones who get to speak out are those who have sacrificed themselves BECAUSE they feel responsible for kids and the future of our schools.
Self-sacrifice is in a teacher’s job description, so maybe it’s natural that many teachers choose to use it in this struggle (eg. (eg. http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/05/28/everything-i-love-about-teaching-is-extinct-teacher-resigns-in-scathing-youtube-video-targeting-standardized-education/ )
Are we going to discount their stories or try to get them in front of cameras?
There you have it, Ben Austin.
You have done an incredibly self-centered, short-sighted, destructive thing.
Diane Ravitch is the least of your problems. What of your own conscience?
Dr. Ravitch has raised this point several times, and it is so important: The parents of children attending a public school at any particular point in time do not “own” the school and have no right to hand it over to private interests.
If you accept the “trigger” concept, please address these issues: Do parents of multiple children get more than one vote? What if your child moved into the district halfway through the term? Half a vote? What if your child will attend the school in the future, but isn’t there yet? What if your child is graduating and leaving the school? He/she won’t be enrolled next year so why do these parents get a vote? What about childless residents whose taxes support the school? What about families with children in school, but who pay no taxes due to low incomes? What about city residents who use the school for other purposes? During Hurricane Sandy, our high schools became emergency shelters for residents whose homes were damaged. What if a private charter had taken control? No shelter? Payment for shelter? What about all the teachers, mentors, local companies, and families (with or without children) who have donated computers, artwork, books, musical instruments, and sports equipment, and who have made other improvements to classrooms or the physical plant? Does the charter get to keep these things too? Our schools serve as polling places. Would a private operator allow this public use? Finally, in the recent past we have lost two teachers to cancer. The staff and students planted a tree and a flowering bush in honor of these educators. Many schools have similar ways to commemorate members of the school family who have passed on. When a school falls victim to a trigger, what happens to these memorials? Does title pass to the new private owner? Does the charter get the plantings? The plaques? Both?
Ms. Banuelos is right to be outraged at what Mr. Austin has done. Sadly, I don’t think he understands a thing about the role of a public school in the life of a community.
One more question: Mr. Austin, what do parents do if their children are “trapped” in a failing charter?
Hi MST,
Love your post.
Please let us know if you ever get a response to your very reality centered questions.
Spoiler alert…breath holding not suggested!
😉
These people have no conscience so appealing to something that doesn’t exist, along with their souls, is pointless. Like the Heartland Institute, they are driven predominantly by greed, secondarily, by racism, and thirdly, by hate for anything remotely contributing to the common good. They operate out of self aggrandizement and power and they are funded by well heeled sociopaths sadly. We have been dealing with this in Florida with the king of all things reform Jeb Bush and his merry band of privatizers.
They are bottom of the barrel scum. If the reformers dish it out, they can take it too.
I was both at the Board of Education listening to the teachers and parent of Weigand and at UTLA. Here are the fact of the API scores at Weigand according to the California Dept. of Ed. (CDE) website. 2011-12: 688, 2010-11: 687, 2009-10: 716, 2008-09: 717, 2007-08: 680. I am interested on comments now that you know the actual scores. The latest I do not have as that is in the latest school report card and I just tried on the CDE site and they would not come up. However, except for the latest last year here they are in time. Please analyze the facts and comment on whether or not this should have happened and if since it did should it not have been done legally with legal signatures. By the law, rules and regulations they are not legal as they involved promises, payments, intimidation and such as have been testified to by the parents and teachers of several of these schools publically and at the UTLA meeting many others from other schools talked about the same tactics being used at their schools. Presently known is that Parent Revolution is looking at 50 LAUSD elementary schools in disadvantaged neighborhoods as that is where it is easiest and the numbers are not high.
It is time thfor the general public to see letters like this one, and for them to know the truth about what is happenning in public education. I strongly believe that the general public supports their teachers, and would not stand for what is going on. Everywhere throughout the country school districts are suddenly going broke, yet money flows to charters, and in more and more cases, tax payer money is not being accounted for.
I will do what ever I can to bring out the truth!
Because what kids really need is constant churn, chaos, division among tge adukts in tgeir communities and schools, and a new teacher every three months.
Add some stupid, fad gimmick just to liven things up for them, and change THAT once a year, because they have to innovate!
This develops “grit” which is another silly, pop culture term that will be out of use in 6 months.
What are we teaching these kids? That people are expendable and relationships they develop don’t matter? That the answer to every problem is to tear it up and start over?
I thought we were supposed to be the adults.
OMG. You definitely described what will happen in this school. The parents have been hustled. The “innovation” will involve unqualified staff who turnover all the time and hefty amounts of cash being funneled into a CEO. “GRIT” what a joke. I love how they act like schools have never taught values and manners before. So dumb.