Powerful post by Dr Yohuru Williams on the BAT March and the meeting with Arne Duncan and other officials of the US Department of Education: Here I am headed into the DOE with my fellow BATS for our audience with Secretary Duncan to discuss our concerns. Many people have written notes of support for our cause—but I received one e-mail that I would like to respond to publicly. A person I consider a good friend asked why I would lend my name to the BATs. “Your career is going very well right now,” he wrote. “While I appreciate your passion, you should really consider how this might impact you in the future. There are other ways, of course that you can help raise awareness.” I do not doubt the author’s sincerity—but I think he like many misses the point. The problem is there is a real crisis in public education and it has not received the attention it demands. I am a professional educator, who is also a parent of three children currently attending New Jersey public schools. This is not about teachers alone—it is about parents, students and communities—what use to be the nucleus of public education. We need to do something to jump-start the conversation to reverse policies that are doing immeasurable harm to young people all across the nation. Any movement requires sacrifice and no group of professionals knows sacrifice like teachers. I come from a family of teachers. My father was a music teacher at the Cultural Arts Center in Bridgeport CT and my mom at one point worked with primary age students on the instructional side of the Toy Lending education program. I saw them make the same sacrifices many teachers still do today in time, and resources, many times using their own money to help supplement programs for students in need. I grew up in an environment with academics heavily infused by music and the arts and around dedicated teachers-like artists Richard Statmas—who worked with my father in one of the city’s largest public housing projects offering young people alternative paths to success and human dignity. I was fortunate as a child to have teachers such as Aurora Sneed who understood the importance of building self-esteem and respecting the fact that the best model of student engagement involves individualized attention emphasizing a full range of experiences including music and the arts as part of an important foundation for life-long learning. Before I completed my Ph.D, I taught 9th and 11th graders in a private high school in Washington, DC and worked with an amazing staff whose innovative methods of engagement were rooted in the small class sizes, individualized instruction, and administrative support that many public school teachers lack. By the time I arrived at Delaware State University and took on the position of Director of Social Studies Education in the History Department, I knew that advocating for the same types of instructional spaces and student centered learning would be a big part of my life moving forward. While Delaware schools were by no means terrible, they exhibited all the challenges one would expect to find particularly in the more rural and urban districts. My 20-year work as a consultant with professional educators from New York to Alaska has given me a national perspective that is reflected in the philosophy and demands of BATs. I am not apologizing for the name. On the elevator at the hotel, a family got on. The mom smirked when she read my t-shirt, but she also asked why we were rallying. As soon as I started talking both parents began to chime in with their own experiences and those of their neighbors. 10 minutes later, I had to tell them I had to leave in order to get back to the rally. Later I saw them walk past but linger for a few minutes at the rally. All of that to say—if you don’t like the name get over it. It is not about the name it is about the issues. If smirking or getting upset about the name inspires you long enough to inquire about the issues, we address—then mission accomplished. The people who make up the BATS are dedicated teachers and professionals from all over the country. The average BAT spent somewhere in the neighborhood of $800 to travel to the District, book a hotel room, pay for meals and transportation. Most are teachers—they do not have large amounts of disposable income. Many gave up family vacation time, professional development opportunities, and even time at second jobs to come to DC and participate in the rally. Even those who shared rooms and expenses—still sacrificed something to be here. Many inner city parents like Rousemary Vega who also flew in from Chicago to lend her voice and experience to this struggle joined us. At one point, the phenomenal 10-year-old education activists Asean Johnson led us in a chant that went: Education is a Right not just for the rich and white! These are my friends, heroes, and part of my inspiration. In the afternoon, my good friend and frequent writing collaborator Marla Kilofoyle asked if I would join a small delegation going in to speak with Secretary Duncan. I was honored to be asked to help represent the 51,000 and growing BATS who are tired and frustrated with destructive education polices and the assault on teachers and public education. We have a very long road ahead of us. There is much to do. To my friends who do not understand—take the time to read up on what is happening with corporate education reform. If you do not find the evidence compelling fine, we can agree to disagree. But if you find as most do that there is an urgent crisis that facing us in the dismantling of public education as we know it—it would be nice if you found some way to stand with us too. You can join the Facebook page, or subscribe to the blog or support student groups like the Providence Student Union or the Newark Student Union—amazing high school students organizing to preserve public education. It takes a village. Chat Conversation End
Posted on: Tue, 29 Jul 2014 15:45:00 +0000
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