What are you thankful for today?
I’m thankful to be alive. Eight months ago, I had open heart surgery. I was sedated and intubated for five days and spent a total of two weeks in the intensive care unit.
I’m thankful that I have a loving family. Many people don’t, and I consider myself fortunate. My spouse, Mary, was at my side during my long convalescence and made sure that I walked 2-3 miles every day to regain my strength. My two sons and four grandsons give me joy, for which I am grateful.
I’m thankful that I have the means to live comfortably. Many people don’t, and I hate to think that one of the richest countries in the world is unable to reduce the dramatic income inequality and wealth inequality in our country. People should not go without health care because they can’t afford it. People should not go to bed hungry because they can’t afford food. People should not sleep in the streets or in shelters because they can’t afford housing. We see the gaps and the suffering around us, and we see billionaires flying to space in their own vehicles. Yet Congress is unwilling to tax billionaires. I’m not thankful for that. I’m outraged.
I’m thankful for the many essential workers, including teachers and school staff, who have worked with dedication to enable us to get through the pandemic.
I am thankful, as a woman and a Jew, to live in the USA at this time in history. I never forget that the extended families of both my parents were killed in Europe in the 1930s because of their religion. Sure, we live in perilous times, but I feel that I was born in the right place at the right time to make the most of my life.
I’m thankful for the free press and for journalists who shine light on abuses of power and protect our democracy.
I’m thankful to all those who struggle to improve our society, who fight injustice, who understand the need to safeguard our environment, and who are engaged in the political arena to demand a better, more equitable, peaceful future.
I have a lot to be thankful for. I hope you do too.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Thank you.
All of the above.
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You are truly blessed if you are having a feast today. There are many on earth at this time who are starving. Many have been thrown out of their dwellings and have no place to live. I feel sorry for them and wish everyone cared about others.
God wishes all humans would love and care for each other. Think about those on this fantastic day. Then know that if you have plenty to eat, you are among those who are extremely fortunate.
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Diane, I am thankful for many things and you are one of them. Your wisdom and leadership have helped me and the entire public education system in the US recognize and address the injustices we see everyday. The light you shine on big money and charter schools stealing money out of public school classrooms inspires me, as a public school teacher, to continue to be informed and active. Thank you for your continued action!
Happy Thanksgiving! Debbie Baer
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You too, Debbie!
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We, teachers love you, Dr. Ravitch!
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And I love you, Angeline!
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Another here who — among numerous other things — is thankful for you and your health, Diane. Happy Thanksgiving to all on here!
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Happy Thanksgiving, Diane.
One of the things I am thankful for is YOU.
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Hooray! It’s here! I am thankful for Diane and for the annual Diane Ravitch What Are You Thankful For post. I am thankful for those who are thankful. I am thankful that I don’t work for a Broadie superintendent. I am thankful that I don’t work with a charter collocation. I am thankful that I don’t have VAM in my evaluation. I’m thankful that I am a teacher, a real teacher, not a TFA faker, a T-FAker. I’m thankful to pay taxes and support public education. I’m not thankful for those who don’t happily pay taxes and support their country by supporting public schools. They’re not thankful; they’re ingrates. They’re tech moguls. They’re hedge fund managers. They’re turkeys. Gobble gobble. Happy Thanksgiving.
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Thank you, David!!
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Best to all. I like this very irreverent take on Thanksgiving, much needed laughs for people who aren’t offended by language:
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D)
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Amen
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Beautifully stated, Diane! I could not agree more with your heartfelt comments. Happy Thanksgiving to Diane and all the great folks who comment here at this precious and most valuable blog.
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Leary Hobbs. Today I give Thanks for Brunswick, GA small town newspaper man who stayed ON the Ahmaud Aubrey story.
But for Larry Hobbs, who wrote that first short news article, doubts about the case were raised at the onset. Hobbs, one of four reporters at the daily Brunswick News, said police wouldn’t answer his questions or even tell him Arbery’s name, which he discovered by calling the coroner. He published four stories before he obtained the police report, based almost entirely on an interview with Greg McMichael, who said he told his son to grab his gun when he saw a Black man running. “Red flags start going up,” Hobbs said. “All the things started falling into place that this wasn’t right.”
Prosecutors were also not forthcoming, he said. Jackie Johnson, the Brunswick district attorney who was later indicted over her handling of the investigation and was voted out of office, gave the case to Waycross District Attorney George Barnhill. Barnhill justified the use of force as a lawful “citizen’s arrest” in a letter to police. Meanwhile, he told Hobbs he was still investigating, Hobbs said. “The main thing I did was just not let go of it,” Hobbs said. “I didn’t do any great writing. I didn’t do any investigative reporting.
I’m a small-town newspaper. We don’t really have time to invest. I come in every day and there’s an empty newspaper I have to do my part to fill up.” At that time, the New York Times reported on the shooting, bringing national exposure and emerging details of the video that would later be released.
Still, Hobbs has been credited for his dogged reporting, as he stayed on the case, covering the trial every day until he wrote Wednesday’s story of the conviction. “Guilty. Guilty. Guilty,” he wrote. Leaving the courthouse, Hobbs spoke with Arbery’s father, Marcus, and choked up hearing him say his son just wanted to “run and dream.” “In times of reckoning, we’ve come up wanting so many times, especially people from my demographic,” Hobbs said. “The South got it right today.” WAPO
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yes, yes, yes
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YES!
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Wow. Thanks for sharing that. Needs to be shared more.
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My gratitude will be magnified when Hobbs wins a Pulitzer!
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Thankful for my children and grandchildren. Thankful for the incomparable Diane Ravitch and for recovery and her beautiful, inspiring writing and for all the commenters on this blog, who bring me such joy! Thankful that we still have these unabashed public fora/forums. As Angeline Montauban, says, Diane, we teachers love you. Thankful for public schools and public amenities of all kinds. Thankful for all my teachers, ever, in and out of school and for the millions who persevere in teaching despite all the nonsense. A special shout-out to those who continue to teach actual history instead of jingoistic slogans. Thankful for a glorious morning in Flor-uh-duh and for the moorhens outside my window with the cute green legs. Thankful that the apple pie and croissants (from scratch!) I baked yesterday for today’s feast with the fam came out pretty darned well. Thankful for fjords and Beethoven’s sonatas and the laughter of children and the small, pink ears of mice. Thankful for having got a chance to sit up and witness all this again today. If this isn’t nice, what is? as Kurt Vonnegut said–Kurt, who is in heaven now!
Love and peace and blessings to you all!
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cx: for her recovery
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Oh, and this morning, I am thankful for a great essay by GregB, on his Goodreads page, which is followable! https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3872596560
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I am thankful for family, health and a pension that allows me to live comfortably. I continue to be thankful for those the fight for our public schools, particularly you, Diane, continuing to speak out in support of our young people and educators.
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All well said, as usual. I’m thankful that you have set an example of having the courage, insight, moral commitment, and honesty to change your mind when you evaluated evidence about education and other issues of economic and social justice, and most important, the fortitude to fight for it with others.
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Happy Thanksgiving to you too!
Diane
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Diane
Happy Thanksgiving!
I am thankful that amidst all the thankfuls you wrote you illustrate and insure we never forget the dramatic inequalities in our country – that you never cease to point out what is right and good and just and public for all – and that you model for all of us young and old that one never stops fighting that fight with words and actions.
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Happy Thanksgiving to you too!
Diane
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Yes, JH!
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There is so much I am thankful for at this point in my life that I’d be sitting here hours from now still listing all those thanks down.
So, I’ll just list one of many.
I’m thankful for Diane Ravitch and this blog.
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I share your sentiments, Lloyd.
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Among the many things I have to be thankful for is the work of Diane Ravitch…sponsoring a healthy debate about public education. Without good, PUBLIC education the America we enjoy and the better America and world we seek cannot come about!
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Thanks for the moments of peace -wherever and whenever we can find them.
Take care, all.
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Happy Thanksgiving Diane!
🦃🙂
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Happy thanksgiving to all. A special greeting to Diane, who brings us all here
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Among many things, I am thankful for you and Mary. So many years ago when I was a young mom, you and Mary came to visit as I had just come home from the hospital after giving birth to our third son, Chris. I told you how honored I was that two such amazing, professional women would take time to come see us. Your response still rings in my heart today. You said that as a stay-at-home mother, I was doing the most important work there is. I carried that message over the years and shared it with others who needed to hear it. I l’ve made change in small ways when and where I can. But, few of us can reach the bar you two set. Thank you both for being the role models and great neighbors you were. Love and peace to you, Mary and your families.
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Dear Donna,
So wonderful to hear from you! I hope you and your family are thriving.
Diane
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I am certainly thankful for all that you continue to do Diane!
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Happy Thanksgiving to all.
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I am thankful for Diane’s posts about Pastors for Texas Children and their commitment to public education. As we head into the holy season, an internet commenter’s observation is noteworthy. “The left is not taking Christ out of Christmas… the right is taking Christ out of Christian.”
The left protects American religious plurality and I am thankful to those active in that endeavor who are fighting against formidable odds.
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