Deborah Meier on Education

…or at least Vote on Tuesday before you do. (For Obama, of course.)  Since we can’t opt out of the world as it is–including all its almost unbelievable distortions–we have to stick together and figure out what comes next. I’m nervously expecting Obama to win–although sometimes I expect the worst just so I won’t be surprised—and the fight after that will be just as important as if he loses.

Someone showed me an ad attacking a Democratic candidate for the Florida House of Representatives (who happens to be a teacher’s union member), linking her to Penn State sex abuser Jerry Sandusky because she favors tenure, et al. Meanwhile, education “savior” Michelle Rhee is exposed as a fake and a failure (as an educator) over and over… and she still can raise more money in one phone call than I’ve probably been able to do in a life-time (and I’ve been trying).

Some sensible middle-of-the-roader writes that, after all, doctors and lawyers are expected to police their own profession, why shouldn’t teachers (re merit pay, etc.)? But, that’s not a fact. Doctors and lawyers only get involved in cases where serious malpractice is at stake and de-licensing is called for. Every labor contract with teachers has measures to take care of not only malpractice but even insufficiently good practice. Both professions simply require “due process.”

So–vote vote vote (I don’t mean vote three times, although probably there are at least three different offices being contested). Volunteer to make phone calls, hand out leaflets, convey handicapped people to the polls, and then… See/ya Wednesday.

And–colleagues–it would be nice to see you in Providence on Friday and Saturday for the Fall Forum of the Coalition of Essential Schools. It’s an important moment for thinking ahead. We need you all.

Filed under: 2012 Posts |