I know there was a ³Parents Who Write Letters to Obama², march on Washington this summer. I¹ll try to get the date.
On 7/23/10 1:57 PM, "Glenn" <[email protected]> wrote: > Yes, she is the type of strong leader we need. And she is right! Public > education is a civil right and the foundation of a republic. > > If the students and teachers march on Harrisburg or Washington, I'll march > with you! > > Glenn > > On 7/23/2010 1:12 PM, Wilma de Soto wrote: >> Re: [UC]Deceptive blame was Sherrod, and straw man technique Glenn, >> >> There is hope on the horizon: >> >> Karen Lewis New Chicago Teachers¹ Union President really kicked butt at the >> AFT Convention in Seattle. >> >> Here¹s her acceptance speech from June: >> >> >> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42TtWpO9vf0 >> >> >> On 7/23/10 12:41 PM, "Glenn" <[email protected]> >> <mailto:[email protected]> wrote: >> >> >>> "Michelle Rhee Chancellor of Schools in Washington, D.C. has just fired a >>> lot of teachers based on students¹ test scores. Amazingly she has procured >>> $20 million for the schools from the private sector, but here¹s the rub: no >>> one gets a cent unless SHE is Chancellor of Schools. >>> >>> Talk about a stacked deck, securing YOUR job, while ensuring others lose >>> theirs for specious reasons." >>> >>> >>> Wilma, >>> >>> For many years, I studied the delivery of addiction services (social work) >>> and the jobs of front line workers. Like teachers, they were scapegoats >>> through the same type of simplistic focus on flawed assessments to distract >>> from the failed policies and the sabotage of their profession. Destroying a >>> public behavioral health care system was the ultimate goal, just like >>> destroying a public education system is the goal of No Child Left >>> Behind/Race to the top. >>> >>> Substance abuse counselors are blamed and evaluated only for the drug use of >>> clients and evaluated on pathetic paperwork checklists. AND THE REAL POLICY >>> FAILURES ARE NEVER LOOKED AT! I believe the comparison of these two >>> professions is very important and warrants serious discussion! >>> >>> >>>> >From a feminist perspective, the two professions can be looked at as >>>> traditional woman's work in a patriarchal system. Consequently, both vital >>>> professions have been traditionally undervalued and receive low pay. But >>>> the condescending ideology from the elite researchers in the fields leads >>>> to two important structural problems, which are not understood by the >>>> general public. >>> >>> >>> First is the failure to create the structures for individuals to develop as >>> professionals. (Both professions lose an extraordinary number of young >>> professionals in the early years.) Second is the refusal to allow the >>> ancillary services necessary to improve outcomes among the population with >>> multiple and complex issues. >>> >>> It is not the front line workers who are lazy idiots, but the elite policy >>> makers who ask for water to be made from wine!!!! We, the people, need to >>> understand why outcomes are less than ideal when the systems and individuals >>> are sabotaged. We have the grapes and the wine press, and poor outcomes >>> come from poor policy. >>> >>> >>> >>> Public school teachers and social workers in public systems are not >>> generally engaged like other respected professionals. They deal with >>> complex problems but their jobs leave them immediately isolated in complex >>> situations. Trainings and manuals tend to be useless and condescending. >>> They have no built in structure to allow them to be researcher >>> practitioners. They don't have journal clubs, mentors or collaborations >>> with other professionals to advance themselves or their field. The >>> continuing development structures for other respected professionals are the >>> right way to engage a developing professional! Teachers and social workers >>> are told to develop in isolation by studying condescending and useless >>> interventions by elite researchers. >>> >>> As for making wine from water- Addiction therapists are told to keep their >>> homeless, depressed, unemployed clients with low literacy skills from using >>> drugs. When they don't, they are blamed for being lazy and stupid, like >>> teachers who have children with multiple life issues. (The systems have no >>> way to coordinate the care for the individuals being served. By not >>> addressing the child's problems in one area; poor outcomes in other areas >>> like reading will emerge.) >>> >>> Using ridiculous measures to blame front line workers is a deliberate >>> distraction from the underlying structural problems in the systems. Should >>> teachers and social workers continue to accept blame in the midst of such >>> broken systems and the failure of the elites to stand up and educate the >>> general public about the real reasons for less than ideal outcomes??? >>> >>> I think front line workers in these two fields need to act up and fight back >>> in solidarity! >>> >>> Glenn >>> PS: Yes the corporate vultures are ready to profit from the sabotage of >>> front line workers! >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> On 7/23/2010 11:20 AM, Wilma de Soto wrote: >>> >>>> Michelle Rhee Chancellor of Schools in Washington, D.C. has just fired a >>>> lot of teachers based on students¹ test scores. Amazingly she has procured >>>> $20 million for the schools from the private sector, but here¹s the rub: no >>>> one gets a cent unless SHE is Chancellor of Schools. >>>> >>>> Talk about a stacked deck, securing YOUR job, while ensuring others lose >>>> theirs for specious reasons. >>>> >>>> >>> >>> >> >> >> >> >> >> No virus found in this incoming message. >> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com <http://www.avg.com> >> Version: 9.0.851 / Virus Database: 271.1.1/3023 - Release Date: 07/23/10 >> 02:36:00 >> >> >
