As anyone who has been reading Peter Greene’s posts over the years knows, Peter and his wife have young twins. They just turned five —and it seems like only yesterday that they were born!
Peter signed them up to receive free books from Dolly Parton’s program. Anyone is eligible, between the ages of born and five. The boys, known as Peter’s “board of directors,” have aged out of the book program.
The National Education Association named Dolly its Friend of Education for 2022, and when you read about her program, you will see why.
Currently over 700,000 children are signed up to receive a free book every month.
The quality of the books is great. Over the years we have received classics, newer books, books featuring every sort of family, every sort of kid. They are filled with wonder, kindness, beauty, excitement. This is one of the best examples of thoughtful, useful, not-trying-to-take-over-a-government function philanthropy you’ll find…
None of the rich amateurs who want to change the face of education are doing anything of this value on this scale–both intensely personal and yet broadly across the globe. I mean, imagine if Bill Gates had said, “I want to give every child a book” instead of “I want to give every child a test.”
And if there is a tiny human in your life, and they aren’t signed up, go to the program website and see if it’s operating in your neighborhood, and if so, then sign up that child.
What a fabulous, generous, powerful program. God bless Dolly Parton. We are going to miss here at this house.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
We reading teachers love this and have immense appreciation for Dolly. All children love getting mail and small gifts. The anticipation and joy of receiving your very own new book every month can be life changing for those families who have very few books in their homes or the time or resources to use a public library. 60 books for 5 years for one child is an amazing gift and would help to improve vocabulary, early language development, and could strengthen the parent/child “cuddling together time” relationship. God bless Dolly Parton,
I know of no other figure in the public eye who has more carefully curated her image to be inclusive, kind to all, and positive. Like such greats as Carol Burnett, she was always assaulted with rumor and dismissal on account of her status as a woman. Instead of lashing out, she responded with grace and wisdom. As a result, she finds herself in a unique position to be revered by almost everyone in a country that is sorely divided along almost all other lines.
We need more Dollys.
This is my favorite Dolly song. Written in the immediate aftermath of September 11.
She is a true national treasure.
Dolly is friend to children, even those outside the US. She understands how important the early years are to child development and how important access to books is for young minds. She is a humble hero that does not promote herself, but she is making a big difference in the lives of preschoolers with her program. Aside from all that, she is a great talent both in performing and writing songs. She is a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Love. This. Woman.
An extraordinary lady and, as FLERP! says, a national treasure. Also, I highly recommend her rendition of “Muleskinner Blues.” It is killer.
And never forget Jolene. Even in its popularity, it retained the hint of the old ballad singing that underpinned that era of music.
Absolutely Roy–some times really good things (the popularity of Gorecki’s Third Symphony thirty or so years ago comes to mind) become popular.
Roy, fantastic song.
Just think what could be done along these lines by someone with the resources of Bill Gates, who in sharp contrast has used his vast wealth to impose upon the country the Common [sic] Core [sic] and invalid standardized testing, ironically in the name of data-based accountability (to what, to voodoo?), leading to a breathtaking deformation, debasement, and devolution of US curricula and pedagogy.
Two poles. Parton . . . Gates. The angel and the ghoul.
It so reckless the way Gates, or any other group that has money to hire lobbyists, can bribe their way into the federal or state education policy. Gates has had nothing but a string of failures, but he keeps getting in so he can impose unfounded schemes on the education of other people’s children.
By the way Nancy Bailey has an article that describes that both parties are pushing tutors on public schools as a way to get more young people staring at screens under the guise of “tutoring.” Teachers should be deciding when and how to use computers, not politicians.https://nancyebailey.com/2022/07/13/students-need-teachers-not-tutors-whos-pushing-tutors-and-why/
“I mean, imagine if Bill Gates had said, ‘I want to give every child a book” instead of “I want to give every child a test,’” wrote Greene. Imagine if Eli Broad had said, “I want to give new books to every school,” instead of “I want to give every school a superintendent trained to make draconian budget cuts. Imagine if the Walmart Waltons said, “We want to give every child’s parent a job with a decent wage,” instead of “We want to privatize everything and suppress collective bargaining.”
In other words, imagine if the people, Steve Jobs’ widow, Mark Zuckerberg, and on and on, who used to call themselves education reformers and are still trying to destroy the country that made them had great hearts or great minds. One can only imagine because the difference between all of them and Dolly Parton is talent.
Current president of National Education Association, Becky Pringle, hails from Philadelphia High School for Girls, preparing teachers (and public school advocates) since 1848.
Dolly 2024