Jersey Jazzman takes pundit Alexander Russo to the woodshed in this post.
Russo is a good writer who leans reformy and can be counted on to stick a dagger in critics of corporate reform, like me. He recently slammed me on Twitter for daring to express concern about segregation as a problem. He claimed this was unheard of from me. I suggested he read “Reign of Error,” wherein I identify segregation and poverty as a “toxic mix” that harms children.
This is not the first time he has given me one of his not so subtle jabs. Usually I ignore them because I know that he lashes out in hopes of driving traffic to his Twitter account.
JJ doesn’t worry about defending me–I can do that on my own–but he takes the time to correct Russo’s mistaken belief that social justice is somehow disconnected from over-testing and underfunding. JJ argues that you can’t separate these issues from any discussion of social justice in schools, because there will be no sustained social justice in our schools in the absence of adequate and equitable funding.
JJ has honed his research skills and his rhetorical skills to a point where it is fruitless for critics to take him on. He wins every time. That’s what his experience as a teacher, a writer, and a doctoral student has produced. He is formidable. And right.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Seems so logical, but difficult to change the system.
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Russo leans so reformy that he fell into the Kool-Aid bowl a long time ago …
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That explains his fisheye perspective.
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In fact, “reform” has resulted in less social justice for poor minority students. Many are being forced into “cheap charters” without alternatives. When charters select the best and brightest, the leftovers that are the most needy and expensive to educate are left in crumbling, under funded, under resourced public schools. Charters have also legitimized the creations of separate and unequal schools that are often a lot more segregated than the public schools. The irony is that under our current laws these segregated schools are being paid for from public funds. Our current system of testing and ranking is also an unjust system, particularly if the results of the testing are used to deny students access to a more challenging curriculum. There is nothing just about corporate “reform,” It wastes valuable tax dollars that should be used to improve and enhance democratic public education.
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Tweets about this subject at Russo’s website are less interesting to me than the more thoughtful and well-documented points made by JJ and Ravitch. Twitter supports thinklets and bomblets, and stinglets not exceeding 140 characters. Endless provocations from tweets abort coherent and nuanced thinking. JJ speaks with greater authority, logic, and self-conscious understanding than Russo.
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Thanks for this, Diane.
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We, conscientious teachers try to figure out the answer for an obvious question:
“”What is solution to have “the best for all of our students, especially those who are victims of systemic racism and economic disadvantage” WITHOUT discriminatory practices within more integrated schools?””
Whereas those reformers and charters opportunists have their best strategy in one arrow to shoot for two birds: looting grants quickly, then claim public schools as their own properties in the end.
In short, it worth to repeat JJ ‘s expression:
[start quote]
Let me be clear: I don’t think budget cuts should be used as an excuse for schools to not examine their disciplinary practices. I think administrators and teachers must improve in making their schools places of true social justice, even when short-sighted politicians refuse to do their jobs and adequately fund schools.
[end quote]
Back2basic
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Bill Gates would have done better if he spent his billions to air condition city schools with classrooms that routinely reach the 80s and 90s. Classrooms that feel more like greenhouses or ovens than places to learn. Indoor temperature ranges that no professional adult would ever work in. Conditions considered inhumane by any teacher that spent the months of May, June, and September watching student’s sweat dripping onto their desks.
Sometimes social-justice comes in the form of treating kids like we care about them.
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80s to 90s?
Here in the muggy midwest we easily reach 95 degrees with 50% and higher humidity. I taught 2 years without any air conditioning, fortunately the room was half underground so that helped to keep it cooler but there were days I was soaked with sweat.
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