TeacherKen is a veteran social studies teacher who has a passion for teaching and a passion for justice.
He wrote a letter to the President and Mrs. Obama, politely asking them to reflect on what they want for their own children and what they are inflicting on the nation’s children. I don’t think he used the word “inflict,” but how else to describe the federal mandates that impose endless hours of standardized testing on children? It would not be tolerated at Sidwell Friends in D.C, or at the University of Chicago Lab School, where the Obama girls were students.
Ms. Ravitch,
I don’t know if this will work, and I will leave a comment on the blog, but didn’t know if you were aware that seven Houston ISD teachers were suing the district for their evaluation system (which includes VAM and performance pay).
http://blog.chron.com/k12zone/2014/04/hisd-teachers-to-sue-over-job-evaluation-system/
Regards,
Meghan Brannon-Reese
Sigh. So many eloquent words wasted on two people who will never read them. Unless you like the feeling of banging your head against concrete, please give up on the Obamas.
Indeed. But you voted for him TWICE didn’t you, Dienne? And you’ll vote for Hillary too won’t you, who’s just a white Obama in drag.
Bingo
Why even bother writing these two, when it’s so obvious they have nothing but contempt for teachers and working people in general?
So, Michael Fiorillo, what’s to be done? An uprising on the docks?
What’s to be done?
Well, the first thing to be done is give the kids the best you can, which my (unionized) colleagues and I try to do every day.
The second thing to be done is to educate parents and the public, while resisting the encroachment of these vicious bastards – which is what they are – into the schools and classrooms by every (non-violent) means available.
Fair enough, Michael. Nothing there from which I dissent. The question still remains, how to pay for better education for all. I don’t think poverty is caused by the rich stealing the fruits of the labor of the poor, but a shrinking middle class surely is a problem. Expanding prosperity for the workers is the goal. The question is how to do it.
Well if Ken had promised the Dem Party a gazillion dollars in contributions then they would have gladly sat down and dined with him. Since he is just a regular working teacher they don’t give a hoot
Guess we’re not trying hard enough to have our voices heard. Here is a quote from Arne Duncan in today’s Washington Post. The headline:
PERSONAL CONVICTION AND OUTSIDE PRESSURE LED TO CHANGE IN SEXUAL ASSAULT MEASURES
“This change has been long in coming but now I think it’s unstoppable and I don’t say this lightly,” Duncan said. “Without your collective leadership, this sea change simply would not be happening and this White House task force report we hope is another step in the right direction.”
A small, but significant change to the headline i referenced:
Personal conviction and outside pressure led to WHITE HOUSE sexual assault push
Let us all write letters to the First Lady and her daughters, Malia and Sasha.