If you are on the West Coast, you still have a few hours before bedtime, but I am turning in now.
Before I do, I wanted to acknowledge that I neglected to add the link to the post in which Mark NAISON explains why charter schools are like subprime mortgages. Here it is: http://withabrooklynaccent.blogspot.com/2014/07/why-charter-school-scandals-resemble.html
Fortunately I have readers who kindly remind me when I forget the link or when autocorrect turns words into gibberish.
Then I wanted to tell you I was preoccupied tonight watching Fritz Lang’s spectacular silent movie “Metropolis” (1927). See it if you have a chance. It was on Turner Classic Movies. So much that presages the rise of fascism. Knowing what was going to happen to Germany, I found myself siding with the “bad” Maria who wanted the workers to turn against the machines to which they were psychically chained, not the “good” Maria, who wanted the workers to wait, wait, wait, and be peaceful. If you think about the movie in relation to German history and the monster who would plunge the world into war just a few years later, you want the workers to be rebellious, not docile. There is a time for collaboration and a time to stand up and fight.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Sweet dreams, from the East Coast.
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I watched it too, on TCM. Love that movie!
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there is only one diane ravitch. I am the better for meeting you this past year.
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“Never give up–never surrender.”
–from another movie, although not nearly as classic.
Good night from NJ, Diane.
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Hear. Hear. It’s time to rumble.
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Yes, it truly is critical that educators rebel now against those who want us to be merely compliant automatons that do as commanded, instead of what we know is right and in the best interests of children, families, communities and our democratic society.
Since we also know that the conditions of poverty are what impact struggling students most, but billionaires and their bought politicians, think tanks, economists and other phony “reformers” insist on ignoring this, we need to simultaneously fight for mediating poverty, including with wrap around services and jobs with livable wages.
Sweet dreams, Diane, and many thanks for all that you are doing for humanity.
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from the west coast – we hear ya …
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Whatever did we do to deserve Diane Ravitch?
MDB
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Marcy, I hope that was a compliment.
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You better believe it is a compliment. I applaud and support all your good work for public education. We founded an AFT local in 1972
because It did not seem anyone but teachers were concerned with class size, nurses in the schools, disciplinary standards, you name it.
Thank you.
Marcy Dunne Ballard
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I saw the movie several years ago and one has to really think. Think what might have happened if Germans in the 1930s would have said no to losing their freedom. They gave up their freedom for the promise of bread. What they did not understand was that when someone promises you bread, it is only for those who submit to the rule of an iron foot. The billionaires of this country promise that privatization will lead to great schools. However, what they never say is it will lead to great schools for only a few who submit to their authority of this society. We cannot let this happen to our great nation. The time has come for teachers, parents, and concerned citizens to throw down the gauntlet and draw a line in the sand. The media which they control may call us all sorts of names, but I feel in the end we will win. If we keep this society free, truth will always win in the end. I think Thomas Jefferson once said that every generation must fight anew to keep and preserve its freedom from tyranny.
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I have twice cited clips from this film on this blog on past posts. It is one of several perfect metaphors for what is going on in education reform and “societal economic reform” today.
What characters do you readers identify with, and what direct and undercurrent messages from the film do you think apply to American cuture right this minute?
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I have seen this fantastic movie before, finding it unwatchable now, insofar as it was never”only a movie,” & that it’s all happening again, and here, in our country, a democracy upheld by a constitution stating,”of the people, by the people and for the people.” WE are the people, and we–Diane’s readers and all others who believe in keeping our country the democracy it was designed to be–WILL NOT stand for any type of oligarchical rule. The backlash IS happening–all over the country. For those who daily read this blog–& others like it–tell the doubters, the worriers and the whiners and the naysayers to do the same. Although I am tired of listening to, “I’m so sick of it!” and “But what can we do?” I forward them information when they refuse to look it up.
Yes, WE can and yes we WILL! That’s OUR story, and I’m sticking to it!
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I always think about your mantra; “Yes, WE can and yes we WILL!”. It’s a good thought to have.
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Also, I like “if not me, who? If not now, when?”
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The Race to the Top and the Common Core are autocratic impositions destructive of local and regional differences and of the rich traditions and practices in the panorama of our public schools. Analogies between what we are suffering and all simpleminded utopian tyrannies like “Obamacore” are sadly very accurate. Our resistance is timely and democracy at its best.
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Reviewing the rise of the Third Reich…remember rebellion of the White Rose, and even more, of the Warsaw Ghetto….to follow along with Diane’s responses to the classic film.
Community must choose rebellion rather than being steam rollered.
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I have not seen the movie but one quote I copied and have on my bedroom mirror which has some relevancy here.
Some may remember Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German theologian who went back to Germany when Hitler came to power to fight against Hitler, was caught and hanged just before the Allies captured that part of Germany.
The story goes like this. Bonhoeffer and his fellow pastors met to discuss what to do. The knew absolutely that Hitler would take over the churches
so
Do we stand against him or go along and try to help our parishioners by staying the course.
It was NOT an easy decision. Both sides had valid arguments
but
the story goes thus:
Bonhoeffer stood up quietly and said these few words: the words I have on my mirror:
One man asks what is to come, the other what is right
and
that is the difference between the free man and the slave.
In my book, that is profound.
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The history of Germany is incredibly important. “The saddest thing about betrayal is that it never comes from our enemies”. We need to build our own organization and choose our allies carefully!
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Germa Bol wrote an important research paper, in 2007, in which he makes the point that Germany, unlike other European nations, extensively privatized government services in the lead up to WWII.
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Linda, Is that GERMA BOL? Can you please provide the name of the paper and periodical? All of my searches, including in a university library system with a huge database, came up totally blank. TIA
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Here is Germa Bel link: http://www.ub.edu/graap/EHR.pdf
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Thanks Detroiter. As noted, spelling is Bel.
If you wanted to communicate directly with the author via e-mail, (about the research), based on my experience, Bel will be responsive.
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Thank you Diane for Reign of Error, thank you for your blog and all the links and thank you for supporting teachers and public education. I am truly grateful for all of your hard work!!!!!❤ I am now a BAT, also thanks to you!
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Thank you, Suzy!
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