Dear Friends,
I wanted to share some not very good news about my health.
This week, my hyperactivity and age caught up with me. It turns out I am not Wonder Woman but mortal me.
I have been in a hospital for two days in Brooklyn, where they determined I have blood clots in one leg and walking pneumonia. Doctors’ orders: rest.
That means I cannot fly to Chicago or Madison this week. I will resume my schedule afterwards but try to pace myself. I will Skype when I can.
Lately, I have been worrying about who will carry the fight when I no longer can do it. It was as though I had a premonition of my health issues.
I suddenly realized that you will do it. You–teachers, principals, parents, concerned citizens, students, administrators–will carry forward the struggle to gain respect, autonomy, and public confidence in our schools. You will fight for our children. You will stand up in every city, town, village, snd hamlet. The blinders are off, and there is a genuine movement determined to speak out for our children, for the future of our society. You know what’s right, and you won’t slow down until every child gets an education we can all be proud of.
This week I realized that Socrates was right: All men are mortal. So are all women.
I am going to take some time off and rest: Doctor’s order. And I will take better care of my health. I’m regretful about the reminder of my age and mortality, but I will be back. And we won’t give up.
Diane Ravitch
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Rest up & get well soon
Lo and behold, the woman I idolize and respect is a mere mortal….she is human.
Please take time to heal and rest.
The cause is not going anywhere, unfortunately, but WE NEED YOU to be well and to be with us.
Rest, relax….unplug…….just be.
Wishing you a speedy recovery!
Well I know one thing that you can do while you rest… read a ton of wonderful blogs that are out there revealing the truth about “ed reform”… and most of them were either started or gained momentum because of you. Let that be “medicine” to get you on the road to recovery. You let the “cat out of the bag” and the “corporate ed reformers” know it!
Yes, you are right, we will do it. We, the people, will do this work that you have started. We already are.
Politicians made a grave error when they thought that they could use children to get at adults. Invent manipulative testing methods to set up a game that turns this nation’s schools into a financial opportunity for the already well off.
Your work has illuminated all of this in the most timely way.
I have confidence that, in the end, children, parents and educators will win out. That parental love is too strong not to see through these attempts to dismantle schools by people who are showing more and more that they do not deserve to be in the positions of power they have been appointed to.
So rest. Sleep. Listen to your doctors. Feel our good energy and our prayers for your health. Let your mind and body take the break they need.
We, the people, will carry on. We are not tired. We have only just begun.
Diane, your health comes first! Rest! Yes, we will keep on keepin’ on, with you as our inspiration! We love you and will keep you in our prayers!
Rest up, Diane! Know that our thoughts and good wishes are with you. It is your turn to let others of us take the lead and carry on! Just as the lead goose in the migration flight needs to relinquish the lead to rest up and gain strength for this journey, we are there to carry you with us. Thank you for all that you have done! You and your work are very much appreciated!
Best wishes and take care!
Dear Diane,
You so deserve to rest , relax, and recharge. Feel better soon. Sending healing thoughts and prayers your way.
Debbie Sachs
So sorry to hear. Wishing you good resting and a full recovery. You’re a fearless leader. Thank you for your inspiration and courage. Please be well.
Be Well. Much Love…
Wishing you a speedy recovery. Let your loved ones take care of you. Thank you for everything you do for all children. We’ll be here when you’re well again.
Reblogged this on 21st Century Theater and commented:
Hi Diane,
You are the best. Thanks for all of the energy and intelligence you have dedicated to this cause. Not only do people have to continue the struggle, they have to understand it is a result of a neoliberal agenda forced on us by a ruthless corporate elite and their shock troops: the politicians and promoters (like Rhee) they buy. It is in no way limited to pubic education. If we organize with other people fighting on other fronts – in cities, states and around the world – we will gain allies and increase our strength. This is a world-wide attack on working people and anything resembling freedom or sovereignty. It has to be seen as such – and we have to organize to fight it. If we all continue to fight individual battles, we will lose the larger war. When you’re back on your feet, I hope you can help frame this struggle in a larger context and make common cause with other leaders. Whether we like it or not, it seems people need leaders. When those leaders organize amongst themselves, we will be on the road to forming a real power base.
Again, thank you and get well soon!
21st Century Poet
@21st_C_Poet
http://21stcenturytheater.wordpress.com/
I was going to break your rule, Diane, and start cursing at this news, but I shall restrain myself because you would have it that way.
Know that even as you rest, the spirit that you have awakened moves in millions of us.
Truth has this interesting characteristic: once it is known, it cannot be unknown. One has to share it with others and then, they, too, cannot un-know it, no matter how hard they try.
You’ve told a lot of truth lately, Diane. Rest. You have certainly earned it!
With love, gratitude, boundless admiration, and . . . worry. Take it easy, ___________ it!
Bob Shepherd
You are in my prayers and in my thoughts, Diane. Please take care of yourself.
Dear Diane,
I am so sorry to hear about your health and I will be saying many prayers for you! Please do not worry about who will carry on this fight as you have paved the way for so many of us to do so. Speaking of premonitions…
I left a voicemail for you at the University earlier today! We are meant to meet 🙂 I just found out about Common Core a little over a month ago. I came across the very inappropriate infidelity assignment that had gone viral on Facebook. The more research I did on this atrocity, known as the Common Core State Standards, the more petrified I became. I researched the sources of these nationalized one-size-fits-all education standards and I was in disbelief. I knew immediately that we were in big trouble. This is a very uphill battle, but we will pervail! I prayed so hard for God to remove the fear in my heart and for Him to use me in any way possible in order to protect not only my own child, but to protect every single child in America. Ask and you shall receive…
Another Christian contacted me on Facebook after he saw me plastering links and information on every anti Common Core group and page that I could find. He sent me a message telling me that he loved my passion and he let me know that he has been wanting to set up a website for about six months now, but didn’t have anyone to help in inserting and writing the site’s content. We decided on the name of the website and we got to work! http://SayNoToCommonCore.com is a website that was created in hopes of informing people, raising awareness amongst them, and providing resources on a national level. I’m tired to say the least as I have been working non-stop to end this atrocity!
I saw an article online about Ann Miller from Maryland organizing a strike on November 18th, 2013 from 10:00am – 12:00pm to protest Common Core. I had already joined the NYS Common Core Protest Day Facebook group that was just waiting on a date for their protest. I connected the dots and proposed the idea of launching a national protest on November 18th that would include New York, Maryland, and every other state in this country. I received a ton of resistance to say the least including from two Facebook groups that I was once very fond of, “Stop Common Core in New York” and “Badass Teachers Association.” Both groups seem to have administrators that were upset that they weren’t a part of the planning process. They claimed that there wasn’t enough time to plan and that this protest was being hastily thrown together. Last I knew, the more time you spend planning a protest, the more time the ones being protested against have to form a plan against you. These Facebook groups are to this day, resisting this national grassroots movement and I have been banned from their groups for promoting this protest. Despite the resistance and lack of support from anyone in the planning process, I decided to take matters into my own hands and pray that I could use my skills in/knowledge of marketing and social media to make my national protest go viral…
IT’S OFFICIAL… the national “Don’t Send Your Child to School Day” has been set for November 18th, 2013!!!!! I launched my event on October 28th from my website http://SayNoToCommonCore.com and it has gone viral! We received so many hits after I launched the event and shared it all over Facebook, that we kept exceeding bandwidth and had to change servers! The website event has been viewed over 122,000 times now since October 28th, and has been shared over 14,000 times on Facebook! I had an interview with the Huffington Post’s education editor for their online news outlet yesterday, in regards to this protest and problems with Common Core in general. I was told that the online article should be published by the end of the week.
The only thing that you need to worry about is feeling better, Diane! I will help carry on the fight on the national level. We will all carry on the fight! Please, if at all possible, send me your media contacts so I can reach them and ask that they promote this protest. I want to send a message to Washington, D.C. to let them know that we WILL NOT STAND FOR COMMON CORE! I think it is apparent that parents need to get involved and start from the bottom up with talking to their children’s teachers. However, this event was launched to protest Common Core on a national level and to raise as much awareness as possible!
Please visit my website: http://SayNoToCommonCore.com
Facebook Group: Common Core Critics – https://www.facebook.com/groups/223691117795109/
Facebook Event: National Don’t Send Your Child To School Day… November 18, 2013 – https://www.facebook.com/events/731183020229863/
Follow me on Twitter @ JanetWardWilson
#SayNoToCommonCore
I really hope and pray that you get well soon, Diane! When you are feeling better, please contact me, as I would love to work with you 🙂
Janet Wilson
take the time to get yourself strong because we need you. you are the voice of a counter movement toward common sense and restored support for sustainable education. the mother crusader…we’re counting on you.
For now, I’m just going to thank you for letting us know that you’re ailing. But I agree with you that you WILL be back—-but please, pace yourself. And I like the idea of you using Skype. (I’ll send some suggestions for other social media and webcast/webinar options when I get a chance. There are many ways to spread the message to a mass audience, wherever you are.)
We love you, Diane. You have changed the way I look at education forever. I’m proud to be part of a movement that understands the very real threat to our schools and to the vital relationship between public education and our democratic form of government.
I expect you’ll be with us for quite some time into the future; your constitution is very strong and your drive and passion for life is very obvious to all of us.
You’re in my thoughts and you continue to inspire me with your brilliance, your fearlessness, and your unwavering commitment to seek out truth and spread the word to others.
So, rest up. I love reading you daily, but I’m quite happy to settle for every other day, or even less, if it helps restore you to full health and vibrancy.
In the meantime, you’ve given us the tools, the knowledge and the optimism to expand upon the foundation you’ve built.
It’s all going to be okay. We’re going to win this thing. And you’ll be back, at full strength, sooner rather than later. But rest up. 🙂
Diane, check out the Optimum Health Institute in either Austin, TX or Lemon Grove, CA (near San Diego). You would probably see your health improve greatly after spending 2 to 3 weeks at one of these two health institutes.
I have worried about you for a long time now. You work so hard. You are passionate and you love your students (us). Rest deeply and read some good books. Be with your grandchildren, and turn off your smartphone and computer for a good long month (or even two or three)! We teachers have to be reminded frequently to take some time for ourselves, and we cannot teach when we are unwell.
I am praying for your recovery. Please rest. I suspect resting your body will be easier than resting your brain. I will spend this time reading all your blog posts and comments from the beginning. I joined this incredible community of bloggers that you inspired a little more than a year ago. So now that you are giving all of us a breather, I can go back and see what nuggets of wisdom I missed.
For those of us who tune-in regularly to dianeravitch.net, lets keep this comment section going. Let’s check in daily and keep our conversation going. Let’s keep providing links and alerts of interest. Let’s remain visible to those who might think our fight is over because our wonderful leader is resting. Let’s keep the blog stats numbers climbing.
Rest well, Diane. Take all the time you need.
very best wishes from those of us in the UK who cherish the whistle-blowing of our north American brothers and sisters in school regimes which our government would love to replicate
Diane, take care of yourself. Thank you for inspiring me, for inspiring us all to fight the good fight. May your recovery be full and swift.
Diane, much love, and please take good care of yourself! BTW, when you can no longer fight this fight, all of this nonsense will be a far distant memory.
It’s a wake up call-and one that you will heal from. I am so glad that the clots and pneumonia were found and you will recover from them.
No one but you, with your intelligence, knowledge, honesty and reputatation could have initiated this landslide that is putting the brakes on initiatives that are attempting to destroy what each and every child deserves.
Rest and be happy, and get well, Diane. We have an excellent book we can publicize and discuss with our colleagues and communities, in the meantime.
Please take care of yourself!!! KC
So sorry to hear you have to go through this.
Take care of YOU! We will carry on the fight while you rest. Your book is such a gift to us. All best wishes, Katie
All the best for a speedy recovery. :- )
Diane,
You are in my thoughts and prayers as you rest and heal. You are loved and appreciate by thousands, and we all are very thankful for your tireless efforts to help us gather support and organize our efforts in our fight for public education.
I know I speak for countless others when wishing you a restful, peaceful hiatus and a very speedy return to good health!!
BAT love coming your way!!
Best Regards,
LH in TN
Diane,
Please rest and take care of yourself. Lots of love.
Please rest. As the weather turns colder, stay safe and warm and comfortable. Read, drink tea, and watch old episodes of Curb Your Enthusiasm.
Teachers across the nation thank you for your fight against educational injustice.
Diane:
Sending you best wishes for a full recovery. Thank you for all that you have done and will continue to do after so much needed rest and recovery.
The effect you have had on the entire education community exemplifies Eleanor Roosevelt’s adage: Never doubt that a small group of ( I know you know the rest!). You give hope where there was none, connection when we thought we were alone, courage when we were afraid. Please let GoingPublic.org how we can help. We’re all in with you.
Nancy Letts
There is no other you. You’ve been my hero from the moment I finished Death and Life. You fight the insanity with unmatched grace and depth of knowledge.
Don’t worry Diane Ravitch, God is blessing you. I shared your post on our teacher’s union Facebook page and the local newspaper comments section of a Common Core article in the Tampa Bay Times. Get well, I’m asking Charlie Crist to appoint you as Florida’s next education commissioner! We need you!
Diane,
Thank you for all your dedication to our public schools, our children, and our teachers. Please rest and take good care of yourself. We will continue the work to reclaim the promise of public education for all our children.
You are a hero to me. When I lost my teaching job of seven years in the same district, due to budget cuts, your blog gave me hope to get back on my feet. What bothered me most was witnessing spending on testing supplies, renovations on budget items that were renovated two years prior, and of course the purchase of more iPads and smart boards. Your passion helped me go through the interview process and land a job in another district, and I am better for it as I fight to educate students in NY. Get well. You are an inspiration.
Feel better, Diane. Take care of yourself. We need you. And on’t worry. You have inspired so many to fight the fight.
Count me among those who will try to do what you’ve done to advance the anti-privarization and pro-progressive education viewpoint…. and among the many who are holding you in their prayers… Take a long deep breath and come back strong… You’ve planted many seeds and while those of us who’ve read your blog do not have the national voice you do we can collectively inform people in our circles of the inconvenient truths about public education and poverty…
We are here and we’re not going away. Thank you and I’m glad you are resting up now.
Diane,
Tale your time and rest and recover. You are a rock star and, unfortunately, a busy tour schedule can negatively affect one’s health.
I didn’t really think about issues with education until I read your book, The Death and Life of the Great American School System. You are a wonderful teacher because you give enough information and commentary to make me think hard and care about these issues and you top it off with a sheer passion. Thank you for taking the time to teach me what is important and giving me an outlet to express my thoughts. For me, your posts are the lecture and the comments are the classroom discussions. I learned a lot in the process and this information will help me figure out what I should do concerning testing, etc.
I wish you a speedy recovery.
I will miss your minute by minute postings of the Education debacle. BUT as my grandmother would say “your health is your wealth”..please take care of yourself and get well quickly. We will keep the fight going from the trenches. Grandma taught “arithmetic” for 42 years in the NYCity public schools.
Thank you for all that you do! We all love you. Now, it is time to take care of YOU.
There is lots more to say, but for now unless you need a few gallons of Schmidt family chicken soup — Get lots of rest and Get Well.
Dear Diane,
Your post about your health was both frightening and alarming. As my dad used to say, your health comes first. Without it, nothing else matters.
There is no way to adequately express the depth of gratitude to you that so many of us feel. Your intelligence, insight, passion, and presence remain urgently needed. Please take all the time you need to rest and recuperate, and know that you will remain in my thoughts and prayers during your forced respite while you do so.
Thank you for everything you have done – and will do – on behalf of our children and families. And please get well soon!
T B
Dear Diane,
May the love, courage, stamina, truth and hope you have sent out into the world come back to you a thousand fold and help you heal. So many of us carry you in our hearts. Rest, recover, and we will continue carrying y(our) message out to the world. What you have helped start is unstoppable. And definitely consider the chicken soup!
You are truly an inspirational leader for all caring educators. There is no doubt you will be back to lead again. Lord know you deserve some rest! Get well soon.
I was just thinking the same thing the other day…who will take over, who has the passion, the drive, the wealth of knowledge and experience and I came to the same conclusion, we do, just not all in one very energetic package. But you are our bastion from which we sally forth. So, rest, eat some chicken and rice soup and get well! We will hold the fort while you are recovering.
As you rest and recover, know that the fight and the message will continue through the efforts of the DA-Diane’s Army. Thank you for leading the way and inspiring us!
Diane,
Thank you for all your dedication and hard work that you have done for teachers across this country. I am wishing you a speedy recovery, but also that you can find a balance that will let you continue to be a passionate advocate for public education, but also time to re-energize and take care of you. We all love you.
Dear Diane,
Friends and fans the world over are thinking about you and sending their very best wishes! You’ve taken wonderful care of so many — now please concentrate on taking care of yourself. We will welcome the news that you are feeling better–but please take the time to rest and recover.
All best,
John
Ms. Ravitch,
You are truly an inspiration and a voice of reason in the sea of mass confusion, that education is becoming. Thank you for all you knowledge and strength in your fight for making education, what it should be. Take care of yourself and I for one will continue your fight!
Helen
Get a lot of rest and feel better!
Thank you for all you have been doing for our children. Please take care of your health. We need you!
Please take good care of yourself, Diane. We need you desperately. Yes, people will step up, but you are unique. Your influence is vital to education. You will remain in my thoughts and prayers. Blessings
I hope you feel better soon! You have built an army of advocates for public education. We will fight for the children in communities across America. You have provided us with all of the armor we need in the form of truth. Our mission is to spread the truth to everyone we can.
Get well soon. Take care of yourself.
God bless the education champion of our time. Rest and get better. There is plenty of fight left in you..
You are an inspiration. You give me hope. You are the beacon of light. Thank you for your wisdom and passion. Rest and get better. Thank you.
Rest and be good to yourself!
You have given so much, rest and be good to yourself.
Love and prayers your way Diane. Unfortunately, I know of someone with the exact same thing (more or less) pneumonia and a blood clot near her heart. She is in her early 40’s and was very healthy (non smoker, non drinker). I have been praying for her as well. Wishing you all the best in your recovery.
Wishing you the best and a full and speedy recovery.
You’ve taught us well (no rubric required). Know that the work continues and that students, parents, teachers, hero administrators and all who care are working to get to that mountain – you’ve given us the map, we need to do the footwork now!
We will be praying for your quick recovery- while we keep reading your books! Thank you for being the voice of sanity in our profession.
My thoughts and prayers are with you Diane.
Get well soon .
You will be fine..You are strong
Take care of yourself! You have informed and inspired many who will continue your work. Rest.
Get well soon!
You have been in my prayers for awhile now. I am so thankful for all you have done. You are my hero and I was so happy to be able to tell you that at the book signing in lower Manhattan a month or so back. Healing thoughts are with you.
You will be profoundly missed here in Chicago, but anything happening to you would be a far bigger blow. Please take care of yourself.
BTW, it’s incredible, if not incredibly alarming, that you’ve been blogging at your usual pace even from your hospital bed. You are a treasure!
Dear Diane,
Just want you to know how you continue to inspire me in the classroom. I told my 3rd Graders a little about you (in kid language of course). The children were bored with social studies (the text is quite dry), and of course the, “Why do we have to learn this?” question came up. I had to pause… and then I threw caution to the wind and explained to them what historians do, and then gave you as an example of an “education historian,” and how policy affects them in the classroom. We talked about all the tests they had to take, and I connected that with how so many adults are arguing about what kids should/shouldn’t have to do in the classroom. We talked about how learning about the past helps you make decisions in the present. We talked about how when someone is wrong, does it make sense to continue doing what they’re doing, or is it wise to admit to being wrong and change what you do (applicable on SOOO many levels whether in the classroom, on the playground, or in life in general). We talked about how democracy can be “messy,” because all points of view needed to be discussed, and those with differing ideas worked to persuade others to change their mind and “vote” in another direction. Social studies came alive that day. This week, they became historians. The were to interview an adult about anything they wanted to ask them from “the past.” Today they will bring in their questions and answers… I’m interested to hear about what they’ve learned! Hoping that this little anecdote gives you inspiration and understanding of how deeply your teaching is affecting my teaching.
Regards,
Hannah
Diane,
There are no words to express our debt to you. You spoke truth to power when no one would listen to us. Because of you, there is a movement to save public education. You have inspired, educated, and led us so that now we too can speak truth to power. Now you must take care of yourself. Rest, rest, rest! We need you and, as a grandmother myself, your grandchildren (and all the grandchildren out there) need you. You are in my prayers. Thank you for all you have done and will continue to do.
Diane you are a teacher at heart- still blogging on your sick bed. How many times have we dragged into work, sick, because we had planned a special lesson or promised a child we’d roller skate with them in PE.
Please, please eat tons of chicken soup. Your voice is louder than all of the BBB’s propaganda horns blasting our airwaves and computers. We need your honest voice.
Rest and get better. Bask in the warmth of your family. And know that you are loved and respected by all of us. Take care of yourself as you have taken care of so many. You are a true believer and fighter. Hope you are up and about soon.
Dear Diane,
My heartfelt wishes for a speedy recovery. Thank you so much for your dedication and leadership in the fight for public school communities.
You deserve to rest and heal. You have been an inspiration to me and countless others in this fight.mget well and come back strong!
Diane….When I retired from teaching I thought no one could do what I had done, but then my son was hired to replace me and the tradition continued. You have started a movement and it will continue to flourish even if you take a few months off to rest and recover from your tough speaking schedule. Take care of yourself first and then you will be able to return to your leadership role stronger than ever. Bless you for your concern for the teachers and students of our country. All the best…Joan
Wishing you a speedy recovery! Your work and dedication are appreciated beyond words.
.
Thank you for the update – I was sorry to read of your problems. You have been an inspiration to so many of us and continue to be so. Wishing you a speedy recovery.
May you find deep rest and rejuvenation. The movement is going and the snow ball is getting bigger and bigger! The shift IS happening and thanks for being a great catalyst for us all in this time of peaceful reunification of teachers, students and parents to a commitment to each other and a love of learning redefined in the system of education.
Diane, it would be impossible for me to express the gratitude I feel for the great work you have done and continue to do on behalf of public education. You books, your public appearances, your willingness to take on the politically connected, and the darlings of corporate reform have helped to redefine the conversation.
Please look after your health, and take comfort in the fact that the “Ravitch effect” is being felt in nearly every quarter.
Again, a heartfelt thanks for all you do.
Diane, please focus on resting and taking care of yourself. You have planted seeds of strength and wisdom all over this country, and those seeds are growing stronger and stronger by the day. It is your time now to enjoy the view of the strong garden you have planted, sip hot tea, nap under a warm comforter, and allow your soul and body to savor and embrace the support and loving energy of all your readers, friends, and family. You have always been there for all of us and we are all so grateful and blessed to learn from you each and every day. It is our responsibility now to be there for you, and give you all the time your need to heal. Sending you a beautiful bouquet of love and positive healing energy!
Rest. Recover. Take care of yourself. – josh
Rest up and get well soon! We need our Field General back in action!!!
Take good care of yourself. We won’t let you down.
Diane,
I just saw your email about your health. Please take care of yourself and get well.
You have inspired many including me to speak out and fight the good fight.
All the best to you,
Raymond
God bless you and bring healing. Every now and then we all need to take some rest. I don’t post often but know important your job is – taking care of yourself is the best way to continue on.
I pledge allegiance to my students and the United States that concurr. And to the future for which they stand. One direction under truth, undeniable with liberty and education for All.
Best wishes for a quick and uneventful recovery!
Please rest up, Diane. This education movement needs you.
Diane,
We have and will continue the fight. But, we will sorely miss your stature. Your stature gives the guarantee that others will listen.
So, I will take this opportunity to beg the national leaderships of the various Teachers’ Unions to stand up and take the lead. Quit being so complacent and passive and help us to organize the resistance to corporate education reform. The Unions have the resources, so let’s use them.
Amen to that!
Diane,
I forgot to say God Bless you! Take care of yourself and GET WELL!
Get well soon. Thank you so much for helping understand the scope of the attacks on my profession and public education.
Dear Diane, Thank you for everything you’ve done thus far. No one else can combine your passion and your cool, your academic savvy and your political savvy, your dignity and your chutzpa, but because of all that thousands if not millions more people are now in our camp and will continue to do battle with the arrogant and with the ignorant. Please take a well-deserved rest.
Rest! Work only on gaining a full recovery! Thank you for your work.
Take Care Diane and get better 🙂
Diane, rest and regain your strength! Remember you have thousands of friends and colleagues who support you and value your leadership. We will carry on!
Feel better, Diane. Get some rest and lots of chicken soup!
Diane,
Best wishes for a speedy recovery. You have been vital in getting the message out and providing people across the nation with the information they need to arm themselves for the fight against those who would bamboozle us for their own benefit. You provide strength for us through knowledge. Now take some time to rest, recover and rebuild your own strength. The seeds you’ve planted will continue to grow. Thank you for all you do and for serving as an inspiration to those of us that would continue to fight the good fight.
Be well!
Beth
May your recovery be swift and complete. We need you!
Love you, Diane. You are a light in the darkness.
Diane, you ARE Wonder Woman, but even WW needs rest. Seventy five is the new 55. My mother, who retired from NYC high school teaching at 65, went back into acting. She got work including a number of comedy spots on Letterman. Just before her 97th birthday, she starred in “Leave Me Alone,” our comedy music video starring mostly oct- and nanogenarians. I give you the link to help you laugh while you’re healing: http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=vfZz2PmARyU&feature=c4-feed-u
No worries about keeping the movement alive. You’ve already given us the Book and yourself. You will be back to normal in no time. Meanwhile, have fun and rest up so you can laugh a lot.
Blessings and love,
Elizabeth Rose
Thank you, Eliabeth Rose. You reminded me of a fabulous show in Palm Springs called the Follies. Everyone in the cast was a professional performer, minimum age 65. You should see those amazing dancers in their 70s and 80s
Sounds great.
“Leave Me Alone” was honored by NY’s Cariing for Caregivers, sponsored by Emblem Health. It was shot inside Atria, assisted living on the Upper West Side. Many of the residents were on Broadway, in TV and film. The amateurs are great, too. My next trip to Palm Springs, I’ll check out Follies.
Thank you Eliz Rose for the great story about your mother.
As for Diane, you are just the right age, full of wisdom, courage and a big heart holding hands with a big brain. Now the rest of you must rest and recover and laugh while watching the comedy video. We love you. Feel it and heal.
Oh, Diane. Please take good care of yourself. I worry about all of us, but have especially
wondered how you fight so hard, so brilliantly, and so deeply without internalizing it. I can see how it effects me, and can’t even imagine the toll it must take on you and the other activists who have been at it much longer. Thank you for leading us, teaching us, and fighting so hard. Now you need to take care of yourself. Your book will continue to speak for you as you recover. Thank you on behalf of our public school children, parents and teachers. You are a blessing to us all.
Wishing you a speedy recovery! Take all the rest you need and get well. Your words of encouragement and your desire to do the right thing for children and educators has motivated so many to stand up with you!
You are my hero! Take time to rest, to heal, to watch the BATS fly! Best wishes for a speedy recovery – and then a much slower pace. 🙂 ^o^
Just adding another voice to the well-deserved chorus thanking you from the bottom of my heart for your persistence and courage, not to mention making your website such an outstanding clearing house for so much news and information on public education developments. Here’s to your speedy recovery, and thereafter putting more “down time” in your sche-who am I kidding? Got get ’em! And by the by, tremendous comment you made on the Daily Show, about how the emphasis is on getting children to fill in the correct boxes when they should be getting encouraged to wander outside the box.
all the best and lots of love from a public school teacher
Rest and feel better soon, Diane. You are still Wonder Woman!
God bless you, Diane. You have done enough already by lighting the torch of reason and common sense. The rest of us stand ready and willing to carry a piece of that forward. The beacon of awareness and hope began with your efforts. Thanks for stepping up to demonstrate how it’s done. You did good. You did great. We can take it from here. Something tells me you are thinking to yourself, no way! I know you’ll be back out here beating the drum for the great American schools very soon. Just know that if that doesn’t happen like you want it to… we’ve got your back on this one. No worries. Sending healing prayers your way today and everyday.
Sandy Date: Fri, 8 Nov 2013 02:41:43 +0000 To: sjhume@msn.com
Recognition of mortality can be a good (and healthy) thing. Rest, be strong and well. We all thank you for spending your strength, intelligence, heart and life on the future of our children. You turned on the lights and opened the windows.
Be well.
Rest, rest, rest… & then come back to Jersey!
..love & prayers from the McEvoy’s
Diane, take this well-earned rest and come back stronger than ever!
I’ve been worrying the same thing as I read your book. Get well. I will pray for you. AOK
You have helped me to fight the good fight where I am (your hometown). Please rest and take care of yourself. You are a light in the dark for those of us in the trenches.
Wish you well from Sweden, where the Swedish model of charter schools (so called ‘free schools’) is dismantling our once so proud public school system. We still need your voice!!!!
May you recovery quickly and feel better ASAP! We will miss you in Madison and hope to see you in the near future. Warmest wishes. Thank you for being who you are!
Best wishes for a very speedy recovery. I hope I didn’t contribute to your poor health. While you were at Princeton HS on Monday, I asked you a question about how to respond to one of my naive on-line students. I am passing your words along to the entire class and to everyone else who will listen. I already spoke at a meeting at SUNY Oneonta on Wednesday night and will continue to speak out. THANK-YOU so much for all your do for our children!
You have given us hope, Diane, and you’ve done it by presenting the truth about our great public education system. Rest, and get well soon!
Thank you!
You are inspiring and empowering, and have truly led a revolution. You are admired and appreciated. Take care of yourself, my family and I wish you the very best for a speedy recovery!
Be well. You are an inspiration, and your good energy is felt, even as you rest and care for your health.
Feel better soon, Diane. Thank you for all you do!
My thoughts are with you and I hope you take the doctors advice, not an easy thing for a warrior to do! From the classroom to the board room, we will continue to take the fight to those who would profit financially and ideologically from our schools and our kids.