[2 articles] Ayers' teaching views defended
http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=2798&u_sid=10487826&u_rss=1&; November 15, 2008 BY JEFFREY ROBB WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER William Ayers certainly would have been a liberal political voice coming to a conservative state. But strictly in terms of education, the University of Illinois at Chicago professor would have found some allies in Nebraska. For the culmination today of the College of Education's 100th anniversary celebration, University of Nebraska-Lincoln education faculty chose a speaker who stands against a standardized curriculum and testing. Ayers pushes for urban education reform, has worked for smaller schools and has promoted connections between schools and communities. He wants schools to promote social justice the idea of pushing for fairness and equality in society. It's a concept that appeared throughout the recent Omaha schools debate. When it announced Ayers' speech last month, UNL praised the 1960s radical-turned-educator as a nationally acclaimed scholar, researcher and advocate for children. Opponents blasted Ayers, whose links with Barack Obama became presidential campaign fodder, as an unrepentant terrorist. The university canceled the speech, citing safety concerns. The dust-up sidestepped any debate over Ayers' education philosophies. Even one month after the cancellation, there has been little discussion about what Ayers was coming to Lincoln to discuss. Ayers' education views have caused a stir nationally, and his critics say those philosophies are little more than an attempt to breed radicalism through schools. Marjorie Kostelnik, UNL's education dean, this week disputed that Ayers' social justice concepts are radical. Kostelnik, in a statement, said faculty members who have heard Ayers talk felt he had much to offer students, but the speech took on "a symbolic meaning that we did not intend." "Although we reject Dr. Ayers' violent past," she wrote, "we do have an interest in the work he is doing now, which has a potential for good." This week, the university and College of Education provided the most detailed explanation yet of why Ayers was chosen. Kostelnik said faculty and students were interested in learning from Ayers about a research method known as narrative inquiry, which involves case studies in the classroom that focus on interactions between teachers and students. Education faculty, in their own statement, said the college is trying to encourage that form of research but has only a few individuals who know much about it. Ayers declined to be interviewed. He instead wrote an essay for The World-Herald that criticized the university for crushing the growth of knowledge and insight. Ayers wrote in his opinion piece that he was to prepare a paper on narrative research in schools and communities and hold a "fireside chat" about research with graduate students. Although Ayers and Nebraska educators might align in some ways, he takes a more liberal view. The concept of social justice, for example, might be part of a lesson in a class in Nebraska. But Ayers sees social justice as a core responsibility of schools. He has called urban educators "potential agents of social change" by bringing about equity in achievement and access to education. In one paper available on his Web site, Ayers equates teaching to a single spark that can start a prairie fire. "Teachers might not change the world in dramatic fashion, but we certainly change the people who will change the world," he wrote in his paper. Having a sense of social justice is one of the 40 developmental assets in a national character-building program that the Millard school district is using. Omaha's Building Bright Futures recently endorsed the program and wants schools across the metro area to use it. Kent Day, an international studies teacher at west Omaha's Beveridge Magnet Center, said he uses social justice as just one of many different teaching strategies. When learning about refugees, Day's class collected children's books for refugee families and met incoming families at Eppley Airfield. Day has an international studies unit on chocolate that incorporates lessons on geography, economics and the environment. A social justice turn involves teaching about the problem of forced child labor in chocolate's production. "I would like them to think they can have a positive impact on the world," Day said. At the university in Chicago, Ayers is a professor of curriculum and instruction. He holds an education doctorate from Columbia University and is vice president-elect of curriculum studies for the American Educational Research Association. In the 1990s, Ayers helped organize the Chicago Annenberg Challenge, a privately funded, $49 million initiative that pushed for smaller learning environments and stronger community involvement with schools. It was there that Ayers interacted with Obama, who was the initiative's chairman. Ayers' education critics say his radical involvement with the Weather Underground affects his education views today. In a Wall Street Journal opinion piece published on the day UNL announced Ayers' speech, Sol Stern, a senior fellow with the conservative Manhattan Institute, said Ayers is a school destroyer, not a school reformer. Stern wrote that Ayers still hopes for a revolutionary upheaval. "But this time around, Mr. Ayers sows the seeds of resistance and rebellion in America's future teachers." Kostelnik and education college faculty said Ayers' research work is mainstream. Kostelnik said the notion of social justice involves the idea of equity and fairness for children no matter their background. She said it is no socialist idea, but is instead based on the Declaration of Independence and is embodied in the Pledge of Allegiance. "It's a concept that's being turned into a real negative by people," she said in an interview. "That's not its original purpose." Margaret Macintyre Latta, an associate professor of teacher education at UNL, said Ayers is passionate in his commitment to students. She is one of some 4,300 educators who signed a statement of support for Ayers during the presidential campaign. She said Ayers offers a lot people can learn. "I honestly think it would have been an inspiring talk." -- Contact the writer: 444-1128, [EMAIL PROTECTED] -------- Ayers Teaching Views Defended? http://mypetjawa.mu.nu/archives/194971.php November 15, 2008 University of Nebraska has been given a lot of heat lately for uninviting unrepentant terrorist Bill Ayers. I agree with their decision but others certainly disagree. Omaha World Herald has an article in defense of Bill Ayers. The "puff piece" is written by Jeffrey Robb. Upon reading it two sentences stood out: [see above] In one paper available on his Web site, Ayers equates teaching to a single spark that can start a prairie fire. "Teachers might not change the world in dramatic fashion, but we certainly change the people who will change the world," he wrote in his paper. Apparently the author is unaware what Ayers is referencing when he speaks of "prairie fire". Prairie Fire is a communist manifesto written by Bill Ayers, Bernardine Dohrn, and two other Weather Underground members. It was dedicated to, among others, RFK assassin Sirhan Sirhan. They openly admitted they were a communist guerrilla organization hell bent on overthrowing our government by working with our enemies. Zombie is credited for discovering the book. If you haven't read Zombies entry on this I encourage you to do so. http://www.zombietime.com/prairie_fire/ Meanwhile, I wonder how the U of Nebraska's faculty and students "teach in" protest went. They believe uninviting Ayers is a threat to academic freedom. . --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Sixties-L" group. 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