During the heights of the South Africa resistance movement against Apartheid, there was worldwide solidarity for those who were suffering to force the government to end its separate and unequal form of governing. I believe that the widespread resistance in the form of boycotts of companies that did business with the South African government played an important pivotal role in ending that system of Apartheid. In the 1980s I was a member of a womens group that joined the people of SA in solidarity with their quest for justice; we made a list of products and companies that did business in SA, and our members decided to launched a boycott of those companies and products. I remember an experience I had with one of the company that was at the top of the list, it was Shell gasoline, I was traveling back from NY, and as I neared my home I noticed I was running out of gas, and the one station that was close by, you guessed it, it was Shell. It was night time and I was worried that I would run out of gas, but I chose to continue and lucky for me a I got to one station and was able to fill up my tank. My close friends knew about our work and the boycott, and many joined in the struggle. Once a friend was at the supermarket and she called me asking, what is the brand name of the juice were not supposed to buy?. For those who know me well, you are well aware of my love for Haagen daz ice cream, well one day I learned that a company that had recently purchased it was one that did business in SA, and as a result I ended up depriving myself of my favorite ice cream. Until one day while at MIT, going to the student lounge there was a truck giving out samples, I told the lady thank you, but your company is one on my boycott list, to which responded, well Haagan daz was sold to another company and this one does not have any ties with SA. I was happy to be able to indulge. Again, I strongly believe that the good people around the world who responded in solidarity with the people of SA, were influential in helping to end Apartheid. So, it brings me to our struggle of today and of course you might be wondering what is the connection here; well, it is a fact that the present business style of public schooling led by Billionaires and Legislators has become a similar system of Apartheid, a separate and unequal schools system where a childs zip code is the best indicator of a students academic success or failure. In her book, The New Jim Crow, Michelle Alexanders exposes what many educators have been experiencing, a system where the children of the poor and the working class are exposed to the most abusive measures, and teachers and schools are being attacked as pretense to opening the doors for the profiteers to take them over for their own profit; while the children of those forcing their factory like schools on the less fortunate and politically connected enjoyed real education in their private schools. I make a plea to my colleagues, families, friends,and anyone with the moral fiber to understand what is happening, to join us,realizing as I know that this is a hard challenge take, but one that needs to be taken if we are truly in the business of saving our children and the next generation. The proposal I make is for us to take steps similar to what was done to help end Apartheid in SA, and begin our own form of protest, and do whatever it takes to expose these pirates. and to use our human power and boycott them, hit them where it hurts, the almighty $$$$ for that is the only God they respond. I for one will join my dear friend Jesse Turner, and believe as he does that we have a calling, and that is to save every child and their teacher to be able once again to make their teaching and learning in our public schools the safe haven for learning that every child so rightfully deserves.
Posted on: Fri, 21 Nov 2014 05:09:36 +0000
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