To mark Teacher Appreciation Week, May 6-12, Governor Ralph Northam will teach in a public school in Virginia.
But Governor Northam is not the only state official who will teach for a day. Other state officials and the state’s First Lady will also teachfor a day. This won’t be a challenge for the state Secretary of Education, Atif Qarn. He was a middle school social studies teacher when he was invited by Governor Northam to be Secretary of Education.
Northam is the real deal. Will your Governor mark Teacher Appreciation Week? Would he or she agree to teach for a day? What will Betsy DeVos do? In New York, Governor Cuomo pays more attention to School Choice Week than to Teacher Appreciation Day.
The Roanoke Times suggests that Northam visit rural schools where water drips into the classroom through a leaky roof.
“Come the second week of May, some Virginia students will see a new teacher in their classroom.
“Gov. Ralph Northam has pledged that, as part of Teacher Appreciation Week May 6-12, he’ll substitute as a teacher somewhere in Virginia. So, too, will Virginia First Lady Pam Northam, the governor’s chief of staff, Clark Mercer, and state Secretary of Education Atif Qarn. The governor won’t have far to go if he doesn’t want to. His office in the state capitol is only about eight minutes away from Bellevue Elementary in downtown Richmond — perhaps a little closer since the governor’s motorcade might not have to stop for lights.
“We have a different suggestion, though. The governor ought to go as far away from Richmond as he can go and still be in Virginia. He ought to go to Lee County, in the state’s far southwestern tip, a place that’s closer to seven other state capitals that its own.
“Specifically, the governor ought to go to Flatwoods Elementary in Jonesville. As a doctor, Northam would be well-qualified to teach Lora Roop’s fourth-and-fifth grade science classes.
“We also hope it’s a rainy day, because then the governor can get the full effect of teaching in her classroom — he can watch the rainwater dripping through the ceiling into the trash cans that are strategically set out in the classroom. Perhaps he can even join the students in mopping up the floor.
“Perhaps then the governor can fully appreciate the shocking disparities between some of Virginia’s rural schools and some of its suburban ones. In Loudoun County, fifth-graders are learning computer science. In Lee County, they’re learning how to clean the floors.”
Diane Ravitch's blog 
I am a teacher in Virginia. When I saw the headline my first thought was I hope he goes to an elementary school because that will be a testament to having children of all levels in one class. Once you get to middle and high school the classes are leveled so he could go into a “diverse” school but teach an advanced class and not really fully understand the struggles. Also I would be more thrilled if he or any other politician committed to a few days in a row of subbing. One day is a novelty and the kids will be fine, but do a few days to have to enforce expectations and see how fast the new wears off!
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I love my governor
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I agree. He seems to have a level headed approach to how he wants to lead so far.
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Hi Arnold, good to communicate with you here. TN has a Gov race coming up & we have one Democratic candidate who could be another Ralph Northam. His name is Craig Fitzhugh & he’s running in the Democratic Gov Primary. http://1057news.com/2017/08/07/democratic-rep-greg-fitzhugh-will-run-for-governor/
He’s challenging Karl Dean , former mayor of Nashville whose fundraising totals are competitive with the Republican opponents. Dean’s backers are charter school proponents & Nashville developers.
https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/2017/06/22/nashville-business-heavyweights-step-up-karl-deans-biggest-fundraiser-date/418143001/
Do you have any tips for us in TN for beating Republicans & DFER- Dem, Dean?
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JCG,
Urge Craig to get the endorsement of the Network for Public Education.
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JCG – great news! Advice from Va: all hands onboard! Reach out to your indivisible groups and any other groups & get them onboard. Force multipliers. Focus on counties with high population centers where you can drive up turnout. Engage with TEA & others for canvassing. Invite your candidate to these counties to campaign & hold townhalls. Hold education townhalls & stream on FB Live. Call out his opponent on DFER ties, question him & try to get him on record. Blast this on blogs and other media. Get local & state media involved.
This is what we did with then-candidate Northam during the Democratic primary. It layed the foundation for the general election in the fall.
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Yes, I think too often public education is NOT a voting issue. But it should be. And the way to make it an issue is for the public to keep making the candidates state their position on it and making it clear which ones want to support public schools and which ones want to undermine them and will insist taxpayers fund their pet charters.
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He should have to do lesson plans, grade a few hundred papers, call a few dozen parents, go to countless faculty meetings, meet with the child study team to evaluate a child with emotional problems, grade more piles of student essays and writings, etc.
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I am with you and Andrew, Joe. When I used to sub (before they made subs glorified computer monitors) the kids were always on their best behavior the first day or at least some portion of it. As a sub, I got to go home at the end of the day without any responsibilities: no meetings, no phone calls, no papers to grade or lessons to plan. He may be a really good guy, but the reality of teaching is not evident in a one day stint.
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I should have said, “From all accounts he is a good guy,…”
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As should every corporate reformer who selling the secret sauce of charters & vouchers. Let’s start with Betsy DeVos and the entire state legislature.
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You are quite right. Northam is the real deal and Virginia is lucky to have him and his wife. I have taught for 45 years, first as a high school teacher and then as a professor of teacher education. So, I’ve spent a lot of time in k-12 classrooms. I would love to see him sub a least once a month in Richmond schools….. He might need protection, however.
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We need more leaders like Northam. He is interested in learning more and not afraid to roll up his sleeves to understand what teachers face daily. It is refreshing to see a governor that openly supports public schools. We need more of them.
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I like the idea of the governor teaching in a school. I would love to see a survivor-type program where a group of people get to be teachers for an extended period of time. It would be interesting to see how many would survive!
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I love that idea. It would really be fun to have the students in on the joke & give them each a role to play that challenged the governor at every turn.
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Great idea!
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Well, it’s like me piloting the space shuttle for a day. It’s ridiculous. One can’t just drop in a class and start teaching. This is a farce. If he wants to visit schools to see the conditions, talk to teachers and see how things run, that’s one thing. But the idea of breezing in and doing a teacher’s job is just plain stupid.
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I don’t think it is stupid to bring attention to how much is involved with teaching a class.
You are correct that if Governor Northam and his staff go into a school to spend the day as a teacher and they all say “this is so easy, we overpay teachers, what’s the big deal we should let anyone who is unemployed teach with a few weeks of training” then this is “stupid.”
Somehow I doubt that will happen. It allows him to talk about the issues surrounding education and the tough job of teachers. And I don’t think that is “stupid”.
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I would love to see every governor try to teach for a day. Hats off to Governor Northam.
Most governors, like Betsy DeVos, would go to a charter school, not a public school.
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These gimmick “teach for a day” dog and pony shows are of very little to negative value. In no way or fashion does the “teach for a day” begin to show the multitude of demands, as pointed out above by Andrew, Joe, Mamie and Speduktr.
Lights, camera, action! See you tonight on the evening news! Headline: Governor Teaches for a Day! Yeeeeehaaaaa!
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Of course, you can say this is a “gimmick,” or you can see as a symbolic gesture of empathy for the teaching profession. Nobody expects him to be qualified. He is trying to reach out to teachers and show his support.
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I think of it as an important symbolic gesture, showing by word and deed his appreciation for public schools and teachers.
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I can understand the symbolic nature of the gesture. I would prefer concrete action on improving public schools though.
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Duane,
Gov. Northam appointed a working teacher as his Secretary of Education. He is a strong supporter of public schools.
Can you name any governor who has committed to supporting public schools?
Certainly not your governor.
Name one who says he will spend a day as a teacher.
Name one who appointed a working teacher as the state Secretary of Education?
Why are you critiquing Northam?
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I’m critiquing what I perceive to be the general grandstanding of politicians in regards to public education. I do not know enough about Northam to be able to critique him personally. And I am criticizing the thought that someone can just waltz into a classroom and take the students’ time (not that I as a student wouldn’t have minded the interlude). So in that regard, yes I am criticizing Northam.
And you are correct about the Show Me State’s governor (whom I do not consider as “my” but the state’s governor). A true self glorified tool of the oligarchy.
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Your governor may not be there much longer.
He is X-rated
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Self serving egotist might be a better description.
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I am so glad this man won. He came close to losing the primary to a self-described progressive who was a long-time charter supporter and DFER favorite who would have welcomed charters in Virginia.
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“Specifically, the governor ought to go to Flatwoods Elementary in Jonesville preferably on a rainy day.
That sounds like the best assignment to get the full experience of what he and the legislators can and should do…and the press should be there.
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“As a doctor, Northam would be well-qualified to teach Lora Roop’s fourth-and-fifth grade science classes.”
Horse manure!
He’d be no more qualified to teach than any other person who hasn’t studied pedagogy, education philosophy, methods, completed a practicum or student teaching, etc. . . . Doctors are not gods, just fellow humans who have studied a particular area, medicine. Having done so does not qualify him any more to teach in any fashion than anyone else who has not taken the time to learn the teaching and learning process.
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I hear engineers make good money. Maybe I’ll just breeze on in there and do that job!
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Duane, I’m sorry you are so cynical! Governor Northam taught ethics classes for years in medical school. His wife was a K-5 science teacher & he has guest lectured in her classes. He described his experiences to us at an education town hall (focus was ONLY on education for 2 hours) during the Democratic primary. He acknowledged that it’s hard work & he is in awe of teachers. He is aware of the issues and made good on his promise to appoint a teacher as ed secretary if elected!! His Secretary of Education, Atif Qarni, is a middle school teacher and it was his idea to challenge not only Governor Northam but all politicians in Virginia to teach for a day during teacher appreciation week. Kudos to our Governor for taking him up on it! This isn’t just for an hour in his wife’s elementary school science class but for the entire day. And guess what? Secretary Qarni is teaching for the entire week! He has been visiting schools all over our state so he is familiar with the issues faced by our schools in the urban, suburban, rural & all areas. Kudos to the Northam administration. They are only 4 months into their term and off to a good start if you ask me!
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Like I responded to Diane, I don’t know enough about Northam to make a judgment about him.
I just can’t stand the fact that politicians and others believe that it is okay to disrupt a child’s education so that they may score some political/public relations points. What other profession allows some stranger to come waltzing in, cameras in tow, and tell the professional, or even non-professional that they are going to do their job for the day to make a political/public relations statement. Sorry, but it is absurd to believe that it is okay for anyone to do so to the children. I can’t agree with it at all and I find it demeaning to all teachers.
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For those of you who don’t know, Dr. Northam is a pediatric neurologist and has been working with children for most of his medical career.
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If DeVos attempted to teach a class in a real public school, her heavily armed security detail would sweep the school before she arrived and then stand against the walls watching the “hand-picked” students to make sure none of them even peeped. Out of sight of the camera lens would be a teleprompter displaying messages for the students telling the students how to react.
“Monica (one of the students), raise your hand now and ask the question on the card you were given when you entered the classroom. Sit still and wait until her Majesty Betsy DeVos recognizes you, and then stand and bow like students do in Japan. In fact, get down on your hands and knees and kowtow like everyone in China did to royalty back when that country had emperors.”
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I’m excited knowing that a governor is willing to become a teacher for a few days. I think it will allow them to see the struggles that teachers face (and that they do not get paid enough to do so). Hopefully a new insight will be seen that teachers are hard workers and deserve more than the minimum that they are given by the government. Teachers deserve all the appreciation and love that they deserve.
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Governor Northam taught classes in medical school for years so he isn’t an alien to teaching. Also, his wife, Pam Northam, was a K-5 science teacher and he used to occasionally drop in to guest teach in her classes. He will be great at teaching for a day and is setting an good example for all politicians to follow. Kudos to his Secretary of Education, Atif Qarni, who actually is (was) a middle school teacher. This was his idea to challenge the Governor and all Virginian politicians to teach for a day. It’s my understanding that Secretary Qarni will be teaching for the entire week during Teacher Appreciation Week. I think this is a great effort to bring publicity to the needs of our schools, teachers & students and the disparities between districts.
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I do not know the Northam. I am assuming he knows he will not be really doing anything but calling attention to the importance of teaching and his support of it. Writers above point out correctly that he cannot assume to have the teacher experience. in order to do that he would have to invest half his life working under one assumption only to have that assumption challenged by an elected charlatan.
So letus hope he does this as a tribute to those who try and a promise to those who want to try some day. we need some encouragement.
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I’m a Virginia teacher, and I’m excited that Governor Northam is going to teach for a day. After getting to know him as a candidate, I really believe he wants to bring attention to the challenge$ that our schools are facing. Secretary Qarni has been having education town halls throughout the state and will be teaching all week. This in and of itself shows a commitment that we haven’t seen in years. Pressure is building on the Virginia General Assembly, and that’s a good thing.
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What Northam is doing is inspiring. Anyone who is critical should name one other governor who has spent a day as a teacher, or one other governor who is unabashedly pro-public schools.
Not Cuomo. Not Jerry Brown. Not Daniel Malloy.
Name one.
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Exactly.
That’s why I was so upset that Bernie Sanders was trying to defeat Northam so the DFER candidate could win and be just like Cuomo, Brown, and Malloy.
The fact that there is still one large state where the Democratic Governor is not owned by the DFER folks is no thanks to the “progressives” who tried to defeat Northam in the primary. And then refused to endorse him because his support of public schools was not very important to the very same progressive who never offered a word of support to the NAACP and their moratorium on charters.
Just like those same so-called “progressives” now are attacking Cynthia Nixon. Public school support is just a talking point for them but when push comes to shove, they will sacrifice public schools to elect some DFER governor who espouses some fake progressive views as he throws public schools under the bus.
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I want to suggest changing “so-called ‘progressives'” to “alleged and/or fake ‘progressives'”.
Evidence shows that the Koch brothers and their Kochtopus (Betsy DeVos belongs to ALEC and ALEC is the cornerstone of the Kochtopus) have been running fake liberals and progressives in Democratic primaries to defeat real liberals and progressives as they continue to subvert the country to turn it into a kleptocracy and fascist, fake theocracy.
Not satisfied with control of the GOP, the Koch brothers and their allies are also infiltrating the Democratic Party and outspending real liberals and progressives in the primaries to get their fakes elected.
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Governor Northam is the real deal and so is Secretary Qarni. They have been laying the groundwork on a pro-public education agenda this first legislative session. Great things to come!
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Good for Ralph Northam. Yeah, it’s true, only one day serving as a teacher doesn’t connect especially well to the daily life that teachers live. But it is a symbolic gesture that Northam at least wants to try and understand that life by spending a day in it…by walking a mile in the shoes of a teacher.
Meanwhile, in Virginia, there’s a senatorial election in November, with the incumbent, Democrat Tim Kaine (a former governor), running against another Republican right-winger, possibly Corey Stewart, who barely lost the Republican nomination for governor to Ed Gillespie, who ended up losing to Northam. Stewart is the guy who really set off all the alt-right- KKK, Neo-Nazi nonsense in Charlottesville when he came – early on – to that city and held a rally at the statue of Robert E. Lee that was videoed and went viral in the alt-right world. Stewart is making the Confederate statues and white nationalism central elements of his campaign. One of Stewart’s challengers – Nick Freitas – said on the floor of the General Assembly that gun violence was a direct result of “the abortion industry.” Freitas is all about God, and “originalism,” and educational “freedom,” and “criminal” immigrants, and – of course – the absolutism of the Second Amendment.
Tim Kaine is not perfect. But he was a pretty good governor and he’s been a pretty good senator, and he’s head and shoulders better than either Stewart or Freitas.
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And Tim Kaine is not a DFER – never has been. His kids attended public schools in Richmond. His wife was former Virginia Secretary of Education & an adjunct prof at George Mason Univ. Both are big supporters of public schools. They have the record to prove it!
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Yes, but Kaine did not sufficiently oppose TPP so you get those who don’t value public education very much but claim some moral high ground attacking him as not worthy and trying to undermine his campaign. I don’t understand those people, but they will be coming out of the woodwork soon as the campaign heats up to try to turn Dems against Kaine and will talk about how co-opted and corrupt he is.
Beware of those on this board who support public education only as far as they can get the teachers’ union to vote for their candidates. Otherwise, public schools are expendable and if someone who supports public schools is running against a DFER candidate who will support the “trade union”, then public schools get thrown under the bus.
I don’t really care if they are willing top throw public education under the bus to elect some DFER candidate who opposes free trade. I just object to them claiming the moral high ground as they sacrifice public schools to the cause that benefits them most.
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I would like to see Ralph sub in my class: low incidence, special education, k1. I could use the day off!
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I think that it is a great idea to have the governor spend a day teaching in the state that he governs. To see what kind of conditions that the students of Virginia experience when they go to school. It is not right that the poorer school districts have to deal with leaking roofs while the suburban ones are teaching computer sciences. It is not okay that the schools in Virginia are facing inequality, the governor needs to make sure that this does not happen. He should make sure that the money is being spread out and that every school is being treated fairly and that every student is receiving the best education possible. Having a school that is well maintained shows students that their school cares about them and gives them a safe environment to go to school in. Hopefully the governor will make the necessary changes to the schools in his state, thus giving all the students in his state a fair chance when it comes to their education.
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At a time when so many politicians criticize teachers for not doing enough, it is refreshing to see someone in government who is interested in putting himself in the shoes of the teachers and students whom his decisions affect. By doing so, he can perhaps develop more empathy for the challenges that teachers and students, especially those in low-income or rural districts, face on a daily basis. I think it would be a good idea for more lawmakers to follow his example and go out to the “frontlines” and experience for themselves what it is like to be a teacher under their jurisdiction. When people who have never taught a day in their lives are writing education policy, the result is often a series of out of touch, unrealistic, and burdensome edicts that ultimately do more harm than good. Perhaps this type of role-play can be the start of a search for more humane and workable ways to improve education for all.
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It is very encouraging to see these members of the legislature coming into schools and taking an active role in understanding our current education system. Often policy makers do not even visit public schools before implementing legislation that directly affects the students and teachers in the public school system. These policy makers are working to bridge the gap between themselves, their policies, and the schools that they serve. It is my hope that other law makers will be motivated by the action taken by Governor Northam and actually take the time to fully examine our schools.
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