This is a very encouraging editorial that appeared in the Gainesville (Florida) Sun.
A “secret Santa” sent a copy of “Reign of Error” to Nathan Crabbe, the editorial page editor. He says he had been going along with the increase in standardized testing and the expansion of charter schools and vouchers, but then he took another look. He noticed the protest of kindergarten teacher Susan Bowles, who refused to give her students a standardized test. He paid attention when Sue Legg of the League of Women Voters explained the LWV report on the lack of accountability of unregulated charter schools. He had a cup of coffee with a local elementary school teacher who showed him why she objects to the Common Core.
Not many people in public life listen with an open mind and weigh the evidence. Nathan Crabbe is listening, watching, and thinking. All rare activities these days, practiced only by the best of people.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
A good beginning to the new year. Happy New Year, Diane!
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I received my own copy of “Reign of Error” last week for Christmas.
Now I’ll have at my fingertips the data and facts I need when I combat th reformers and proponents of reform in my local newspaper.
Thank you again Diane for your wonderful book. Have a Happy New Year.
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Hats off to Nathan Crabbe! Special thanks to Santa!
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A great editorial– I just sent it to my local newspaper editorial folks, in hopes they will continue to learn from this guy’s learning, evolving and sharing. Our paper occasionally runs a “What Others Say “column and maybe this one will make it and spread the message further– every little but helps and this one was encouraging for sure. Thanks.
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I urge all viewers of this blog to click on the link—the editorial is brief, to the point and thoughtful.
I remind folks that REIGN OF ERROR is now available in a paperback edition. Easy to carry around and gift.
Inquiring minds want to know: if the LATIMES is in need of another editorial writer, do you think they might look…
Sorry. Hope springs eternal. I guess I was engaging in a little rheephorm magical thinking myself…
😎
P.S. Today’s LATIMES has an editorial that is a bit thoughtful and probing re the current federal project to rank and rate institutions of higher education. Worth a read, and then the question—why can’t they apply even a modicum of the same good sense to public education and self-proclaimed “education reform”?*
Link: http://www.latimes.com/opinion/editorials/la-ed-college-ratings-obama-administration-20150102-story.html
*Couldn’t be all that $tudent $ucce$$, could it? Or am I starting the new year in a downbeat mood? A crazy thought, I know, but Mr. Pitbull “edupreneur extraordinaire” Pérez and his “money, money, money” [from the song Juice Box] keep echoing in my mind…
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I know I’m an extremely ungrateful person, but is anyone who lives there wondering where their state elected officials and state public employees are in this?
Supposedly they’re paid to weigh in occasionally on public schools, right?
Volunteer advocates are great, but is it really the job of a public school teacher to “make the case” for public schools in her spare time? She’s paying a whole bunch of state people to do this “fact-finding and presenting” thing. What are they up to?
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I’m from Gainesville, and I am the teacher that sat down with Mr. Crabbe to discuss Common Core and school “reform.” Two out of our three elected officials are in Jeb Bush’s back pocket and won’t engage in meaningful dialog regarding public education. A colleague and I visited our state senator last April. He was rude and condescending and more interested in the lobbyists in his office than he was in speaking to two constituents. Trying to get through to him and one of our representatives is like talking to a brick wall.
There is one representative for my district who is pro-public education, and he does an amazing job of advocating for it; however, he has many other issues on his plate. As Mr. Crabbe said (and I’m paraphrasing), teachers’ voices resonate, so I will continue to speak out.
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From the article: “After all, our liberal president….”
Sometimes my husband talks about his “beautiful wife”. I always look at him a little funny and ask if I’ve ever met her. I get the same reaction when someone talks about our “liberal president”. I’m quite sure I’ve never met him.
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Giggle. My husband claims I am still cute. Fat and almost 65. I look at him in the same way. I share your feelings and expression when it comes to a discussion of our “liberal president.” Say what?!
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My reaction also.
We have also seen a shift in the editorials in both major newspapers in Philly. The Philadelphia Inquirer has finally taken the position that Philadelphia should have an elected school board; we are the only district in the state which does not.
This is an editorial from the Daily News on charter fraud:
http://www.philly.com/philly/opinion/20141211_DN_Editorial__DN_Editorial__Painted_into_a_corner.html
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One step at a time. It should not be this hard to stand up for the rights of children. They deserve a quality education.
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Glad to hear this. Mainstream editorial pages today are often years behind, and too timid to take bold positions about education. When the octopus ink surrounding corporate education reform begins to clear away, cronyism will be exposed.
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The last paragraph of the article is sad and depressing only because it is true. How pathetic that so few even bother to find out about something before jumping on the bandwagon. I’m glad they tried to make kindergarteners take a test. What better way for them to discredit themselves
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I cannot even begin to tell you how close to home this hits. I had a verbal death match recently with my brother, an otherwise intelligent retired business manager with conservative political views. He told me “American public schools are failing.” despite the fact that he, his wife, and two children have all had excellent careers after attending public schools. I taught in a “Blue Ribbon” school no one would call a failure. Here are some of his other comments that made me see red: ” I support school choice.” and “Teachers’ pensions are not sustainable.”as well as “Unions are thugs, I really don’t see the point.” After the smoke cleared from my ears, I addressed every erroneous comment in depth. After which, he retreated with, “Let’s agree to disagree.”
My point is that there is still much work to be done to convince people that are set in their opinions, whether those opinions are based on facts or not.
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Of course, not many people, period, are open to alternate views, much less the opposite position! It usually happens o me very slowly–as I see problems in my certainties… Such problems force me to at least revise my own, and sometimes they get nibbled away so that I don’t realize that I’ve changed my mind–until I reread something I once wrote. Usually these are not “core” beliefs, but strategies, agendas, etc. It’s always interesting to figure out what the key was to the changes. . On the basis of re-looking at your writings of the late 90s, early 2000’s lately, the key would seem to be the value, reliability, usefulness, and potential damage involved in standardized testing as we know it. Maybe? It seems to me that if that instrument is of no (or even very little) use a lot follows. deb
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I just got three copies of Reign of Error, (buy 2, get one free at Barnes and Noble), and I am planning to send one copy to the editor of the Fort Myers News-Press, and one to the Cape Coral Breeze.
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