Students and parents are the most powerful voices in the battle to save public education from ideologues, one-issue zealots, misguided philanthropists, and greedy entrepreneurs. Why are they so powerful? They can’t be fired or intimidated!
Students in Jefferson County, Colorado, are holding a rally on Saturday. If you are anywhere nearby, please join them and show your support for them as they fight for a real education. Their school board is dominated by rightwing corporate reformers. The students have had enough of their school board’s love of privatization, testing, and censorship.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
I find it interesting that “rightwing corporate reformers”—mostly Republicans—toot their horns for democracy/freedom, but control most of the traditional media and the message from that media, and are more than willing to employ censorship to silence any opposition to their agendas. And when they fail at censorship, they turn to demonizing.
After all, it was President Regan and the 1st Bush who got rid of the Fairness Doctrine that mandated both sides had a right to be heard from the same media source [you know, like a real pro and con debate], and soon after honesty in politics and media was eliminated by GOP presidents, rightwing radio talk shows exploded across American with a one sided, cherry picked and often false message filling the air.
If the rightwing is so right in what they advocate, what do they have to fear in a balanced pro-con debate in the traditional media where both sides are heard by the people? What do they have to hide?
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JeffCO is both frightening and hopeful. It’s frightening because it shows that Citizens United has created a situation where people like the Koch Brothers will underwrite local school board elections. It’s hopeful because the public is starting to wake up to the fact that they need to pay attention to EVERY election… Here’s hoping that message penetrates before November!
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I graduated from one of these Jeffco schools, so I’ve been closely following the story. It gives me hope not only that students know they can fight for their rights (something the curriculum changes were trying to squelch), but also that national media has picked up on it. I hope other students in other districts follow the example when needed.
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THANK YOU! former JeffCo Parent and teacher many years ago!… Williamson County Schools in TN should be next on your list! Americans for Prosperity funded several of our new school board members. They are now have been warned by ACLU for Talk to your buddy Lamar 🙂 Tennessee needs your help! thanks https://www.aclu.org/religion-belief/aclu-tn-urges-williamson-county-school-board-not-institute-prayer-school-board
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More coming from the new board majority in Williamson County, TN Help! http://franklinhomepage.com/school-board-wrestles-with-textbook-review-changes-cms-16887#.VDhV7dTF_4x
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Thanks for the post. Support Jeffco Kids (non-profit that is raising awareness in the community about the situation with the Board majority) will be selling yard signs and t-shirts to support our efforts. Look for the yard signs and people with blue Stand Up for Students t-shirts. Most importantly, attend to support the amazing high school leaders and to hear their messages.
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What are the students protesting against? The JeffCo school board.
What are the students protesting for? The College Board.
That is a problem.
http://america.aljazeera.com/opinions/2014/10/ap-us-history-educationschoolscolorado.html
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Nick, neither are trustworthy. Isn’t that sad? Protest for academic freedom, the freedom to teach and the freedom to learn. Not the duty to be tested or the duty to submit to authority.
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It’s a framework, nothing more. Walk into a classroom here in Jeffco and observe, talk to a teacher, and look at the textbooks before you judge. It’s also worth mentioning for the umpteenth time that taking the AP U.S. history class is an option. Students can take a non-AP U.S. history class. Students can opt for a concurrent enrollment U.S. history class if they are at a school that offers it. No one is forcing students to take this.
Our students–and parents like myself–are protesting that the board majority could remove that option. They are not protesting “for” the College Board. That’s a ridiculous position–and one that we Jeffco parents, frankly, don’t have the luxury of taking.
I might remind you that we were the ones speaking at last week’s board meeting, not you. Don’t tell the students or their parents what or how we should be protesting about until you come here and talk to us. (Yes, I’m sure you have “sources” — the same ones who told you these new board members were ok because they were anti-inBloom and anti-Common Core. These new board members are also very anti-union, pro-charter school, and pro-merit pay, but I don’t know if your sources bothered to mention that. They also are pro-voucher, though no one has indicated that they would push for those…yet. If your sources haven’t mentioned any of these issues, and are simply falling back on their “but they got rid of inBloom” line, I think you need better sources. I’ve been saying this for months, but then someone better known replies to my post to talk about their “sources,” and my experience as a Jeffco parent has been ignored. Their argument that the other candidates were “pro-inBloom” was never accurate, among other things. I’m tired of being ignored, and not entirely sure why I’m taking the time to post this now, other than it would be great to have real support and not a lukewarm, quasi-condescending, “Protest for academic freedom, the freedom to teach and the freedom to learn. Not the duty to be tested or the duty to submit to authority.”
The issues in our district are complex and, in my opinion, show the danger of simplifying education issues down to good/bad perspectives with little middle ground. I suspect that’s why this blog has been strangely silent while the national media paid attention. I greatly respect the careful, nuanced and documented approach you have taken in your books. I wish you would take it on your blog when it comes to issues such as these.
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Diane: Thank you for the note. I’m planning to attend the NPE conference today and I’ll say hi.
realrellim: Maybe your comment was for me as well as Diane? If so, a few observations.
First, taking AP history is an option, but it is one of the few college-credit-bearing courses that HS students can take.
Second, the APUSH 5-page topical outline has been replaced by a much more detailed document that cannot avoid taking positions on controversial topics.
Third, this is a national issue because it concerns the College Board and Advanced Placement courses.
Fourth, my piece does not defend the JeffCo school board. My concern is that the College Board wants to preserve/expand its virtual monopoly on history instruction for college-bound HS students. In a democracy, no private group should hold such a monopoly.
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The student rally was a success. The students, parents and community members were all surprised when our Lt. Governor, Joe Garcia showed up and gave a short, passionate speech in support of the students. Here is a link to an animoto created by one of the community members in attendance that captures the spirit of the event. https://animoto.com/play/QZv1k20QaHfutmfEsLx5DA
We also got decent local coverage, those links are also included. We won’t back down. As Diane said, the game changer in Jeffco is the tenacity of our amazing students. The parents and community members are backing them up every step of the way.
Chalkbeat: Jeffco students, at rally, flirt with recall effort
http://co.chalkbeat.org/2014/10/11/jeffco-students-at-rally-flirt-with-recall-effort/#.VDnASGddWSq
9News: Jeffco HS students to protest history review
http://www.9news.com/story/news/local/2014/10/11/jeffco-hs-students-to-protest-history-review/17106497/
4 News: Students Continue History Review Protest With Rally
http://denver.cbslocal.com/2014/10/11/jeffco-students-to-continue-history-review-protest/
CBS Photo Gallery (Mostly from Board meeting 10/2):
http://denver.cbslocal.com/photo-galleries/2014/10/04/jeffco-students-protest/
Channel 7 ABC News: More Jeffco students protest history review
http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/local-news/more-jeffco-students-to-protest-history-review
Fox 31 News: JeffCo students continue protests against changes to AP curriculum
Denver Post: Jeffco Students for Change rally, but delay recall drive
http://www.denverpost.com/News/ci_26710144/Jeffco-Students-for-Change-rally-but-delay-recall-drive
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