Steven Singer reviews SLAYING GOLIATH in the pages of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
He writes:
The whole text is about the community of teachers, parents, students and concerned citizens who’ve been fighting against the corporate interests trying to destroy public education.
And let me tell you, it’s like nothing I’ve ever read. This is a history torn from the front page. It’s a continuation of her previous two books — 2010’s “The Life and Death of the American School System,” which was a history of the decadeslong plot, and 2013’s “Reign of Error,” which was also a research-based guide to stopping the destruction. “Slaying Goliath” is a chronicle of how the movement to counter the disruptors is succeeding.
One of the things I love about it is that term — the “disruptors.” She says that it’s time we stop calling the anti-public school crowd “education reformers.” They don’t deserve that label. They aren’t trying to bring about the positive change typically associated with reform. They’re trying to disrupt our school system like a hedge fund manager or vulture capitalist would do to a business in a hostile takeover.
However, the tide has finally turned against them. After three decades, it’s become painfully clear that the snake oil they are selling just doesn’t work. Our public schools are NOT failing — they’re struggling under reduced funding and the needs of students who are increasingly living in poverty. Standardized testing is NOT an effective way to assess learning; it mainly reflects family income. Charter schools are NOT producing better academic outcomes than authentic public schools; in fact, they often do much worse while denying students basic services and scamming the public.
Where the book is truly unique is in its celebration of the education activist community. Diane Ravitch talks about groups like Journey for Justice, United Opt Out, the Badass Teachers Association, and her own organization, the Network for Public Education. She talks about education bloggers, researchers, journalists, student protestors and parent groups.
In short, Ms. Ravitch’s book is not just about the Goliath of the disruptors. It’s a celebration of everyday Davids who stand up to the hulking beast and armed with only their slingshots of facts have continually beaned him between the eyes.
“and so castles made of sand, fall in the sea, eventually”
Ed reforms big voucher court case it today:
2020 will be another year where ed reformers accomplish nothing on behalf of any public school or public school student in the country.
I encourage people to ask the ed reformers in government (and on the public payroll) a simple question: ask them what productive work they have accomplished in the last year that benefits any student in any public school, anywhere. Specifically. A list.
They’ll want to dodge the question and promote charters and private schools, but insist they answer it. You’re paying tens of thousands of the members of this “movement” in government. You’re entitled to insist they contribute in some way to the 90% of students who attend public schools. If they won’t you should find people who will.
If the conservative majority strikes down all state limits on funding religious schools, brace yourself for an explosion of phony religious schools, created to get the money.
YES. The only thing we should count on with any effort to invade the public school realm is that someone is hoping to suck up a slice of the ed. funding pie.
With the big voucher win at the Supreme Court public school students and families can anticipate another year where no one lifts a finger on behalf of their students and schools, so smitten will the echo chamber with massive voucher expansions.
You’re allowed to hire people who value your schools and intend to work on their behalf. That’s permitted.
There’s no rule that says we have to hire exclusively charter and voucher advocates and no one may advocate on behalf of public school students. We could replace the ed reform echo chamber group and hire new people who actually value public schools and public school students. That’s possible. I don’t know that public schools and students will fare better with people who actually support them, but I think it’s a safe assumption.
Public school supporters should put representatives on notice. If they represent the interests of the charter lobby instead of the will of most of the constituents, public school parents and teachers will work to unseat them in the next election. Representatives need to understand that they can no longer ignore the needs of public schools.
When I realized public school students had no actual advocates to lobby on their behalf, contrasted with the ed reformers who were lobbying exclusively for charter and private school students, I hoped that hole would be filled. Holes tend to get filled and this one did. For that I am grateful to Diane’s leadership.
Public school students deserve advocates, even if their schools are no longer fashionable in DC circles. I’m glad they have some.
The Giant of Jack and the Beanstalk also works as a metaphor
“Bill and the Beanstalk”
Deep behind the garden Gates
They planted seeds, for common fates
Beanstalks that would reach the
cloud
A Common Core for teaching crowd
The beanstalks grew with public money
Grew in the Land of Milken honey
Put down roots in public schools
Teaching standards, teaching rules
Beanstalks had the teachers cowed
Channels to the data cloud
Techies harvest student fruit
The more they eat, the more we toot
Wow SDP, “Milken honey”!! Love it.