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I really like traditions. The ritualistic things we do with family and friends at certain times of the year. Maybe because I tend to be nontraditional about most things, it somehow brings normality into my life? Who knows. One of my New Year traditions is goal setting and hyper reflectiveness about myself and how I need to improve. Which direction to take next. It has even become a family tradition. The kids come over and we reflect about the year–where we have been, where we are going. I count it as precious.
Well this morning I was being transparently reflective on Twitter and the rhizomatic trail of one shared link led me to a set of pics titled Smartest People of 2010. Obviously, I wanted to scan the set to see if any of you, my readers were included and I came across our educator representative– guess who the one educator included in a set of 20 pictures about smart people was (sigh) ? 
Michelle Rhee
Image: Kevin Dietsch, UPI / Landov
Oprah Winfrey has called her a “warrior woman” and after leading Washington, D.C. schools using an aggressive approach of firing incompetent administrators and focusing on better test performance per dollar spent, Rhee this year founded Studentsfirst.org. Rhee’s detractors say her combative business-like approach is a poor fit for public education, but criticisms have failed to gain traction among education bigwigs. When her patron, D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty lost reelection this year, in large part due to Rhee, it only raised her profile. “Michelle Rhee is back—bolder and even more committed and determined than ever. If education is the civil-rights issue of our time, then we must forge a new and ever more vibrant movement to march to the beat of this new drum,” said Gloria Romero, a former California legislator and director of the California Office of Democrats for Education Reform. Rhee’s new project seeks to raise $1 billion to enact her education vision.
Did I Miss the Memo?
As I read the caption this jumped out at me… If education is the civil-rights issue of our time- I was taken aback. Is it? Did I miss this? Woah- wait- is this why everyone has recently become an expert on education- hence: Waiting for Superman and Education Nation.
I did a quick Google of the phrase.
Looks like 18 months ago Ravitch had heard Klein and Sharpton use this phrase in reference to the need for standardized test scores of whites and blacks converging and becoming equal. She raged that such hypocrisy was a slap in the face to all for which the essence of civil rights stands.
Then Rod Page used the phrase in 2009 in reference to how the black-white achievement gap sabotages the equal opportunity in his recent book, The Black-White Achievement Gap.
The Gates Foundation jumped on the bandwagon and Arne Duncan and Obama are credited with the phrase as well. And most recently, John Legend, recording artist, concert performer and philanthropist, also makes his case for education being the civil-rights issue of our time.
Where are the Teacher/Ed Leader Activists?
Ok, so if everyone outside of schools is suggesting that education is the civil-rights issue of our time- shouldn’t we (educators) be the strongest voices defining what that means exactly and why or why not that is accurate? If education is the civil-rights issue of our time shouldn’t educators be the most visible activists and the ones leading the movement?
According to Wikipedia- Activism consists of intentional action to bring about social, political, economic, or environmental change. The word “activism” is used synonymously with protest or dissent, but activism can take a wide range of forms from writing letters to newspapers or politicians, political campaigning, economic activism such as boycotts or preferentially patronizing businesses, rallies, street marches, strikes, both sit-ins and hunger strikes, or even guerrilla tactics.
activism: direct, often intense, engagement in actions for political change
All Tooled Up with Nowhere to Go
The more I thought about it the more confused I became. I mean we are the literate ones. We are the ones who understand the literature, history, science behind great leaders of the past, revolutionaries who used their voices for the good of the whole. We are the ones who use social media to define, dissect, cajole, and whine about educational reform. We get it. Right? We know first hand what needs to change, where the true travesties are, why test scores have very little to do with what needs to change and civil rights and why. Right? We do get it- right? Then why when the time has finally come (and we all know timing is everything) to strike, to make a stand – we are content with letting the rest of the world act on our behalf? Isn’t this taxation without representation? Why aren’t we at the front of this movement?
The time has come to choose- which will you be– activists or victims? Are you willing to sit silently and let this moment pass us by? Regardless if you believe education is the civil rights movement of our time or not- the perception of society, the politicians, the philanthropists and most of the business world is that it is and perception is closely tied to ones reality. If those pushing the educational control buttons believe it– then educators should be leveraging this moment to transform education into a place that truly is in the best interest of all learners in today’s connected world.
Becoming a Change Agent
So how does one become an activist? Lots of people have written on this topic. Get smart and then connect, collaborate and collectively act.
- 12 Steps to becoming an Activist
- How to be an Activist
- Becoming an Activist
- 14 Steps for Activists
- Educator as Agent of Change
Respond below. What area of education needs to change from your perspective? Is this a civil rights issue? Should we treat it like one? Experience in activism? Teach us how.
Remove the chains and let us TEACH. Let us use the tools that we know the students use. Why aren’t we using twitter and blogs and wikis? Remove the CIPA fears that students will see something “inappropriate”. Duh. They see it daily. Isn’t that a “teachable moment?” Bring parents into the classroom — use it at night with parents who want to learn new tools.
Even more progressive – why aren’t we getting text messages from students? Mine routinely text when they’re going to be late, or absent, or a question about an assignment.
Oh. Just figured that one out. In the old days, like 2005, giving your cell phone number out meant something was awry in the relationship. Now? it means communication, and the opportunity to build meaningful relationships with knowledge as the base.
We’re humans. So are the students. Let’s keep it meaningful – for today’s world, not the world far too many school board members are still entrenched in.
I deliberately taped an episode of Oprah to see Michelle Rhee after hearing all of the hype about her plans to fix education in America. What I heard her say was that she could predict a student’s ability to score on standardized testing by their zip-code. In another breath she blamed incompetent teachers for students’ shortcomings on such tests. These two things are incongruous. Rhee boasted about the number of incompetent administrators and teachers she fired during her tenure in Washington. All I could think as I watched is that I am glad that I live and teach in Canada. At least here we attempt to provide equity funding for all students. While that alone cannot mitigate the many factors of poverty that work against students we at least provide teachers who are well trained and equally paid, regardless of one’s postal code. And, Louis V. Gerstner, Jr. (former CEO of IBM) said, Americans need to start paying teachers a competitive wage if they want to attract the best and the brightest. There is no longer an underclass (women) willing to accept substandard compensation for one of the most important jobs in society. Michelle Rhee is smart enough to understand this and it was disappointing to see her blame individuals for a complex systemic problem.
Pardon me if this was sent prematurely – what I meant to say is:
I deliberately taped an episode of Oprah to see Michelle Rhee after hearing all of the hype about her plans to fix education in America. What I heard her say was that she could predict a student’s ability to score on standardized testing by their zip-code. In another breath she blamed incompetent teachers for students’ shortcomings on such tests. These two things are incongruous. Rhee boasted about the number of incompetent administrators and teachers she fired during her tenure in Washington. All I could think as I watched is that I am glad that I live and teach in Canada. At least here we attempt to provide equity funding for all students. While that alone cannot mitigate the many factors of poverty that work against students we at least provide teachers who are well trained and equally paid, regardless of one’s postal code. And, Louis V. Gerstner, Jr. (former CEO of IBM) said, Americans need to start paying teachers a competitive wage if they want to attract the best and the brightest. There is no longer an underclass (women) willing to accept substandard compensation for one of the most important jobs in society. Michelle Rhee is smart enough to understand this and it was disappointing to see her blame individuals for a complex systemic problem.
Just last night I saw an interview of Guggenheim. It was mainly about “Superman” … he referred to Rhee as the “Luke Skywalker” of education and Joel Klein as the “Obi Wan Kenobi” of education … and fawned over both of them as he explained that his film got people talking about education (true, that could be a good thing) and that was his goal … that’s when he made the Skywalker comments above.
If we expect our students to be ready for the 21st century workplace, then we must become 21st century teachers. There is a place for cell phones in the classroom, along with other technologies. Our education model has not changed in ages. Let’s teach our students the skills needed to become leaders of tomorrow, not random facts.
This is a great post. As it turns out Diane Ravitch, who you mentioned in your article, is our most respected spokesperson. Bill Gates called her his number one adversary. High praise, I’d say. However, she can’t do it alone.
The culture is so polluted with anti-education, anti-teaacher, anti-union messages that its almost impossible to be heard above the din. The ultra-right, market fundamentalists have done a stellar job in co-opting the conversation. They would have the public believe that the problems are all the fault of ineffective teachers and not the result of poverty and the huge disparities in income that exist in this country. (Something that conservatives are unwilling to acknowledge.)
Even people who should know better like the president of the AFT are signing on to questionable practices such as “value added” and merit pay.
Unfortunately, I think the battle has already been lost. The right as done too thorough a job convincing the public that public education wastes their money, that choice, vouchers, and charters are the way to go. I am willing to fight nonetheless. So, help me out here. Other than Diane Ravitch, who are our champions. Where do I sign up?