Keith Gamache, an art teacher at South Side High School in Rockville Center, Long Island, New York, ran for school board and lost. He plans to run again.
He wrote the following, drawing on the inspiration of anti-Nazi theologian Martin Niemöller:
First they came for the large, inner city public schools, and
I did not speak out
Because I did not live in the city
Then they came for the poor and rural public schools, and
I did not speak out
Because I was not poor and did not live in a rural community
Then they came for the suburban public schools,
the principals, the teachers and their unions, and
I did not speak out
Because I as a teacher felt insecure and defeated
Today, [I am running for the East Rockaway School Board, and]
I am speaking out
Because our public education must be preserved.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
This is so true. I used a version of this when our district cut teacher librarians. I knew that everyone else was in danger of being cut as well. I do think their aim is to destroy the entire system and replace it with computers and robots.
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Keith,
Thank you. I have been thinking this every day for months and months.
Diane,
Thank you for posting this. This message needed to be shared with the widest audience possible. The pain that is in store for more and more teachers, parents and students (who are all of our children) seems obvious and tragic. Keith is running for local office, and many more of this need to do the same in order to mitigate and eventually overcome the tragedy of the bloodless coup of America by transnational mega-corporate interests and billionaires.
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I love that. What a great statement.
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Agreed. I think many NYC parents take a blind eye at what is happening in other districts because they think THEIR schools are immune from these threats.
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At my old school was an excellent teacher who, like many teachers of a certain age, felt that it was her duty to get along with the principal, no matter what. So every time a teacher was unfairly treated, this teacher would comfort the victim, but would never stick her neck out to defend the person. She got along with every principal and was rewarded with plum assignments and lots of praise. Every teacher reading this recognizes the type. These people are not “bad;” timid is a better word. Or perhaps they are just lacking in the courage to follow their conviction.
Then came the recession and the district started to push older teachers out. Suddenly, and without warning, the older teachers of the district, including the teacher I am talking about, were pressured to leave. This teacher, so loyal and so hardworking for twenty-five years, has been transferred to different grades three different times in the last three years. Her last two principals have treated her unkindly.
Now this teacher suffers alone. There is no one to speak up for her because all her friends are retired and she did nothing to speak up for the younger teachers at her school. Interestingly though, now that she is the target, she has become quite feisty!
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I spoke up for the younger teachers in my district. They were glad … until they had to stand up for themselves. People are afraid of losing jobs, so they are afraid to be honest. They talk when they can’t be “caught”. We were told to limit our discussions to professional comments. We were told to quit whining and do our jobs during negotiations. Our wages were frozen in 2007. We were told not to recommend anyone for an interview or their papers would be thrown in the trash. We were told to never state publicly that we had issues with anything the district was doing. We were told to “get out” if we didn’t want to “play ball” after being screamed at by a principal who called herself the “coach” and we had better play ball or get off the team. Trouble was, she was no coach. She was merely a bully. I am sure this takes place all over the U.S. She was a creator of fear and stress. But she had a coupld of lap dogs that loved to call her “boss” or “chief” … and she adored those teachers. Almost all of us are gone now. Retired. The younger ones who had the audacity to stand up for themselves are likewise gone. Epic Fail, imo.
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Deb, the only way to stand up is in company with many others. When everyone says “no,” the boss has to listen.
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Diane, my point in stating my anecdote is precisely that. We wonder why and how we have reached this point where we have even the NEA succumbing to this CCSS Nd pearson Testing. It is because, in the end, it seems that some people will do whatever they must in order to keep their jobs. They complain in private but do NOTHING in the group effort that will effect a change. They throw up their hands and get walked upon.
I understand. We need an income in order to survive. I believe that the collapse of the economy played right into the hands of the corporate reformers of education and local government. I believe that they don’t look at education or other service jobs as an investment in America. Sweat equity is,apparently a thing of the past. Private ownership and usury are driving the middle class and infrastructure of this country into mere memories.
But, I did stand up for what teachers needed and wanted and knew was right. All it gained for me was resentment by the principal. That, in turn, put fear in the others that they could not risk rocking the boat. One by one we retired from the battle we were losing. I would say that it would benefit this group to reach out to retired teachers who do have the time, and nothing to risk or lose by joining in the good fight.
I was proud to be part of the 1 million signatures that overturnrd SB5 in Ohio and to become involved with the fight for public education and public workers’ rights.
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You are so right, Diane. This applies in the political arena as well. I first started standing up for livable wages to Reagan, when he promoted trickle down economics and my private school boss, who strongly supported him, would not pay a decent living to (non-union) teachers. I ramped up my letter writing campaigns after the “A Nation at Risk” nonsense and beyond, but I was a lone voice crying out in the wilderness.
So, here we are today, still dealing with a highly stratified society and government which continues to give preferential treatment to businesses, ignores poverty and trashes education, while leading everyone to believe that education is the ticket to prosperity. My three college degrees stand as a testament to a very different life. If only we, the educated working poor, had organized and spoken out together 30 years ago.
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Actually, I first became aware of the economic problem in this country in college, when I read The Rich and The Super Rich by Ferdinand Lundberg in the early 70s. So my generation, which was already organized and fighting for social justice at the time, could have been speaking out on this matter 40 years ago, We really dropped the ball on economic justice.
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Keith is one of the most thoughtful, creative, and student-centered teachers I have ever met. He is also an outstanding instructor and an accomplished artist. It is a pleasure working with him.
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My all time favorite quote. I have it (the original) hanging in the entry way of my home. Excellent updating, and good luck.
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Just out of curiosity, Corinne, which version do you have hanging on the wall?
I’m fascinated with the almost universal application of the ideas in the poem. And yet, too often we stand by and complain.
Here in Texas, today they are coming with the long knives to take away health care for non-rich women with reproduction issues. I hope I’m standing and shouting loud enough.
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