Blogger redqueeninla takes a hard look at what is happening to the schools and the children and asks the inevitable question: “Where’s the outrage?”
Why do parents tolerate classes with 50 students? Teachers can’t teach such large classes. Does anyone care?
Why does the media report calmly about self-enriching deals for corporate interests without treating it as a scandal?
Why do we ignore segregation of our most vulnerable children when we know it’s wrong?
She writes:
“And yet therein lies the irony. Reported anger does not register; only blandishments do. The means to move change are so hampered by our unwillingness to hear unpleasantness. We wrap up the old year and hope for betterment in the next, but we school ourselves to ignore what ought to be infuriating. Bad things – injustice, poverty, denied opportunities — are being meted out upon our very own children. As a parent, I see the structure of our society as intended to support this next generation. Why do we do any of what we do if not to provide opportunity for them? Opting for disengagement equates to sanctioning inequity. The most important accounting this new year could bring is an acknowledgement of the harm our complacency catalyzes. Let these lists infuriate you. Hear the anger and do not just shut it off. Demand an accounting with accountability.”
What should we do this new year?
Get angry. Demand an accounting.
Get active. Reject complacency.
Find allies. Make noise.
Defend the children. Defend their teachers. Defend their schools.
United, we have the power to make a difference.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Thank you! I need names of people in the Colorado Springs area who would be willing to band together. The only editorials I read in the local newspaper hoping to rid ourselves of high-stakes testing and Common Core are mine! I know there are others who would be willing to stand together to confront this evil. Please get in touch with me, for the sake of the children.
Sincerely,
Sandra L. Wickham
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And remove from office those politicians who cut school budgets and divert public funds to special interest private schools.
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Sorry, I can’t get outraged about anything important. I’m too busy getting outraged about racist and homophobic comments by some backwater self-described redneck on a “reality” TV show I never would have heard about if it hadn’t been in the news 24/7 for two weeks.
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Yes!
And would you think me crazy if I wondered if that was just the way they want it?
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I’m thinking about how frequently the French protest in the streets. They’re experts. Can we learn from them?
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I don’t think that the intent of the post is to bash parents. When parents have fought privatization, school closings, mayoral run districts, we usually lose. Yes, not re-electing Fenty, electing deBlasio are heartening victories. There has to be some expectation of hope to try. Some middle class families give up and bailto private schools to escape the insane world of high stakes testing. A low income parent with three minimum wage jobs shouldn’t be bashed for not making it to the district board meeting.
Teachers that blame parents, and not the system, for low test scores…..
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Also, it is reasonable of parents to expect their elected officials to ACTUALLY be working for their existing public schools, instead of abandoning them.
What got my attention was how none of these business leaders talk about the role of US business practices in training employees or international “competitiveness”.
Suddenly, it is solely the job of public schools to produce “job ready” employees and a thriving private sector.
That’s convenient, if you’re a CEO. US management practices apparently have nothing to do with the performance of US businesses or a thriving private sector or the loss of the middle class.
You know, I’m 51 and I can remember a time when employers trained employees and invested in them, took a risk. It wasn’t that long ago.
What do you think changed in 30 years? All of a sudden public schools suck and employees are incredibly stupid? That’s a nice focus, if you’re a CEO.
Maybe Duncan could hold a summit and ask why our private sector management class is failing at anything other than pumping up their own bonuses.
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I’ve been wondering this myself. Where is the outrage?
I understand that teachers and overwhelmed and fearful about their jobs. I’ve also been told that most teachers go into teaching because, due to their personalities, they are not cut-throat competitive business types, but instead are rather altruistic (certainly these are bold generalizations but these things have been researched). So I really don’t think all the work to get past this attack on public schools needs to fall only on teachers.
I believe good teacher unions are essential and that current yes-men/women lead unions who are not doing the historic job of protecting the best interests of their membership are not going to be any help (at least that is my take on the union in my city). Unions can be a powerful tool but apparently some union leaders are going to need to be reminded of this. Beginning to utilize teachers unions is going to be necessary to protect teachers and push back against privatization.
The other day, knowing what we already know about school closing in many larger cities than mine (Columbus, OH) and knowing how ALEC laws have been designed (my city is named the “pilot program” for closing schools based on test scores). I asked 2 online education groups if anyone wanted to study this subject and search for proactive legal ways to protect the district from the coming closings and firings.
I got no response. Literally, no one knew of a group already formed to look at the district with the intent to protect the schools and no one wanted to be part of starting such a group.
Another person posted a question about red shirting a child (holding them out of kindergarten for an extra year) and that post received a huge amount of response. Everyone had an opinion on that subject.
This leads me to believe that despite this blog, Diane’s book Reign of Error and the numerous articles pointing out the extensive corruption of charter schools, very few people really see what is going on or feel it necessary to take any action.
Any actions are apparently going to be of the reactionary sort. This is sad. My own city is in a younger child position, able to look at larger cities like Chicago and see what is already put in place to happen here but there is not any real inclination to work at organizing for prevention.
I hope that perhaps I’m wrong and just being pessimistic but this is how I currently see this subject. Again with the question, “Where is the outrage?”
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Michelle, I think,you are right. We have to do a better job of getting the word out, before it is too late.
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My greatest fear is that if the outrage is not appropriately channeled now using all the devices of our still democratic machinery, then in less then 20 years, outrage will be exhibited in some very volatile, unspeakably violent and unacceptable ways. And it will become, worse, systemic throughout the states.
Call me paranoid, but this feels all too real to me . . . . . . .
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The physical size of a classroom of just 25 students in elementary school can also be a problem…they need room to be active as well as room to grow. In my eight years as a substitute teacher I have witnessed such a suffocating effect on the classroom learning environment.
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In NYS there is more if a push back because we have already seen the results of high stakes testing. When it was only the inner city with failing grades and closing schools, few people seemed to care, but now that, formerly exemplary schools are also failing, parents are becoming more vocal. There is a big pushback in Western New York and throughout the state. And still, the word had not gotten out to the community at large. However, I think it’s only a matter if time. With enough voices, the tide will turn. Angry parents voice their displeasure at the polls and this is an election year for Governor Cuomo. Watch and see what happens.
I had to laugh though at LAUD complaining about schools with 40% free and reduced lunch. I can’t think of a school in Buffalo with a percentage that low. Think 98 or 99% in some of the schools (mostly minority) maybe as low as 65 – 70% in the more integrated schools. However, our class sizes are 30 to 32, not 50 (unless it’s chorus or gym). They should be no more than 25 in the early grades, preferably less. Anything over 25 is an exponential not a linear increase due to class dynamics and the physical size of the classrooms, especially when half or more of the class has learning, emotional, or developmental issues.
Whether in LA or in Buffalo, none of the issues of poverty are being addressed. If you really want to increase our international scores, the best place to start is in the early grades, so that in ten years the results will improve. That doesn’t mean CCSS, it means small class sizes, full time teacher assistants in each class, and at least one special every day – art, music, gym, computer, library. Plus lots of enrichment activities, assemblies, and field trips to expand vocabulary and experiences. Then we’ve got a shot at solving the problem.
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Ellen,
One of the ways to help channel the outrage is to not use the edudeformers language. We have to be very self conscious about how we talk about and explicate the edudeformers malpractices and how to present the needed changes to the edudeformer status quo.
Some examples from your post:
“When it was only the inner city with failing grades and closing schools, few people seemed to care, but now that, formerly exemplary schools are also failing, parents are becoming more vocal.”
While I understand and agree with the thought, I”ve been saying this since the beginning of NCLB, you inadvertently continue the memes and discourses of the edudeformers. The vast majority of schools have not been “failing” (aarrgghh the “F” word) the vast majority of students. To say it the way you did gives credence to the edudeformers’ rationale in a way that reinforces the meme of failing schools at the same time.
“However, our class sizes are 30 to 32, not 50 (unless it’s chorus or gym). They should be no more than 25 in the early grades, preferably less. Anything over 25 is an exponential not a linear increase due to class dynamics and the physical size of the classrooms, especially when half or more of the class has learning, emotional, or developmental issues.”
Stating that “anything over 25” is not acceptable is correct but your number is way to high. In k-3 it should be no more than 15 with one aide and one sped teacher as needed (probably full-time). 4-8 grades no more than 20 with the same adult components and high school no more than 25 with the same adult supervision. While you are correct in your thoughts, it doesn’t go far enough to illustrate the absurdity of over 25 in any class below the university level (obviously besides classes like band, choir, drama, etc. . . but with the accompanying adult supervision also).
And “If you really want to increase our international scores, the best place to start is in the early grades, so that in ten years the results will improve.”
Again, the proposition that raising international scores is a laudatory goal is ludicrous; that should be the least of our concerns in attempting to improve the teaching and learning process at all levels. By using raising test scores as a “proper and good” goal of public education you are reinforcing that, indeed, that is a proper and good course of action when it isn’t and when it is, in reality, one of the most pernicious educational malpractice memes out there.
Ellen, I certainly don’t mean to “pick on you” with this post. Quite the contrary as I know your heart and thoughts are on the just and right side of these debates. So please don’t take it that way.
That is why you see words like “supposed/supposedly” or (sic) or “. . .” and other qualifiers in many of my comments as a way of showing that what I am repeating is a falsehood and/or invalidity.
Our usage of language to not lend credence to the edudeformers’ falsehoods and outright lies is a basic strategy and very important in this struggle.
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Duane you make some very valid points.
To reword: When the reform movement was targeting the inner city, nobody blinked an eye, but once their focus turned towards the suburbs, all Hell broke lose.
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Rewording: A focus on an enriched early childhood education program with small class sizes of no more than fifteen to eighteen and a full time teacher assistant, will result in a positive experience leading to increased problem solving skills and a love of learning.
(You don’t want too small a class – the dynamics need a certain amount – too few results in infighting between kids, a few more and there is a buffer zone between conflicting personalities.)
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Even though I am willing to rewrite my thoughts to eliminate any wording which can be used as a sword against us, I stand by what I originally said.
(My main point is that there should never be a class over 25, but less is even better. 20 to 22 is probably ideal for the older grades.)
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I agree with your points also!
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