National Day Of Action For Public Education

Today was National Day Of Action, a day called by community, education, faith, labor, and social justice organizations for the declaration of our support of the nation’s public education system – its students, teachers, families – and the communities in which we educate our children.

On the Reclaim The Promise Of Public Education – Our Schools, Our Solutions website that is promoting the National Day Of Action, we read this statement:

“We are parents and caregivers, students and community members.

We are educators and school staff. We have come together around a common commitment to public education. We believe that the only way to give every child the opportunity to pursue a rich and productive life, both individually and as a member of society, is through a system of publicly funded, equitable and democratically controlled public schools.”

The organizations that joined together to call this Day Of Action share a “vision for public education” that is  distinguished “from that of the current corporate agenda. They say that:

“Now, more than ever, access to good public schools is a critical civil and human right. We are committed to working together to reclaim the promise of public education as our nation’s gateway to democracy and racial and economic justice.”

There are seven principles that undergird this Action:

• Public schools are public institutions
• Our voices matter
• Strong public schools create strong communities
• Assessments should be used to improve instruction
• Quality teaching must be delivered by committed, respected, and supported educators
• Schools must be welcoming and respectful places for all
• Our schools must be fully funded for success and equity

The sponsors of the National Day Of Action have issued A Call To Action to all of us who care about the education, learning, encouragement of creativity, and preparation of our children for the living of lives that contribute positively to the well-being of others and society at large.

“Our schools belong to all of us: the students who learn in them, the parents who support them, the educators and staff who work in them and the communities that they anchor. No longer will we allow ourselves to be divided. We have developed these principles and are committed to working together to achieve the policies and practices that they represent. Corporate-style reforms that disregard our voices, and attempt to impose a system of winners and losers, must end. None of our children deserve to be collateral damage.
 We call on our communities, and commit the power of the organizations that we represent, to pursue these principles in our schools, districts and states. Together, we will work nationally to make this vision of public education a reality.”

Support your local public schools, teachers and staff, students, and their families for a better world, today and tomorrow.

Teachers, Unions, And Social Justice

I’m not a teacher but I work for a local independent school district. Our district is not unionized but I support labor unions and would join a teacher’s union if I had the opportunity. And, I am concerned about social justice issues, especially worker’s rights, immigration reform, and living wages for working men and women.

I have recently learned of a book that addresses the issues of democracy in the classroom, teacher’s unions, and how teachers united in unions and collectives can positively impact and make a difference in social justice causes, both inside and outside of the classroom. The book is The Future Of Our Schools – Teachers Unions and Social Justice. It was written by Dr. Lois Weiner, an educator, union organizer, and social justice activist. Weiner teaches at New Jersey City University.

Dr. Weiner had written and published an article in the New Politics magazine entitled “Should We ‘Play Nice’ With the NEA and AFT?“.  I read the article and emailed Dr.  Weiner, expressed my appreciation for the piece, and asked her some questions that pertained to union membership and my work at a local high school. Dr. Weiner was very gracious, replied to my email, and answered the questions I had posed to her.

In her reply, Dr. Weiner mentioned The Future Of Our Schools and suggested that it would be a good book to be read by teachers who are interested in forming a teacher’s union or collective and becoming involved in social justice campaigns.

It is my intention to purchase Dr. Weiner’s book, read it, and then seek out teachers who would be interested in reading through and discussing it, collectively, with a view toward the possibility of forming a teacher’s collective in our area or even forming a local that would affiliate with an established teacher’s union. The purpose of the collective would be to bring before local school and district administrators, and the general public, local school district and social justice issues that need to be addressed.

There is one teacher at the high school where I work who is a member of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) that I will approach about being a part of a reading group. I am under the impression that she became a member of AFT primarily for the legal coverage that membership provides rather than out of any commitment to rank-and-file, union-political-social movement purposes and activity. The teacher has shared with me that there are other teachers in our district and the one in our “twin city” who are members of AFT. I would like to contact those folks, and a history teacher at my school who has mentioned that he often refers students to Howard Zinn’s A People’s History of the United States, and  invite them to be a part of the reading group.

I look forward to acquiring and reading The Future Of Our Schools by Dr. Lois Weiner. I believe it will be a very encouraging and informative book as I seek to become more involved in the issues of our local school district, rank-and-file teacher unionism, and the social justice issues of worker’s rights, immigration reform, and a living wage for working men and women at a grassroots, community level.

Wendy Davis Is An Advocate For Texas Public Education

In June, Wendy Davis, Texas State Democratic Senator from Ft. Worth, made national news when she conducted an eleven hour filibuster to prevent the passage of a bill that would close all but five abortion clinics in the State of Texas. While she was successful in  preventing a vote during that session of the State legislature, the bill eventually did pass in a special session that was called the next day by Governor Rick Perry.

Because of her filibuster, Wendy has become known primarily as a pro-choice advocate and campaigner. But, Wendy, who announced her candidacy for governor of Texas in September, represents and stands for much more than women’s rights. She is also a strong advocate for the education of Texas children and our state public school system.

Below is a great article that addresses Wendy’s record on education in the Texas House of Representatives as well as some of the public recognition she has received for her work for Texas education. The article also shares some about Greg Abbott, the Republican candidate for Texas governor, and his record on education, which is, by-the-way, virtually non-existent.

The article was written by Kim Burdett and published in the October 28, 2013 edition of the “educate for Texas” blog.

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PTA Mom Asks: Are You Sure You Really Know Wendy Davis?

educate for Texas :: Kim Burkett :: October 28, 2013

Guilty pleasure confession: I watch reality television. There, I said it. The Amazing Race, Survivor, The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills – I’ve burned brain cells watching them all. Yet despite my well-earned status as reality television connoisseur, no amount of TV backbiting or acrimony I’ve seen can prepare me for Texas’ 2014 gubernatorial campaign season upon us.

While Senator Wendy Davis (D-Fort Worth) only announced her run for Texas governor earlier this month, the silly season of gubernatorial politics had begun months ago. (Quick recap: Davis gained worldwide attention this summer as the 83^rd Texas legislature considered Senate Bill 5, an omnibus abortion restriction bill that dramatically reduces the number of abortion facilities in the state of Texas. More than 180,000 viewers tuned in to watch the ultimate reality TV show as Davis fought the bill for nearly 12 hours. It was the filibuster heard round the world and it catapulted the senator from Fort Worth into the national limelight and into the race for our next governor.)

Since then, Senator Davis has been labeled “baby killer,” “abortion Barbie,” ”retarded Barbie,” and other smears. Some have even resorted to using social media to launch death threats against the senator. As the attacks mount, it quickly becomes clear that many Texans seem to have no idea who Wendy Davis really is.

Okay, so you’ve heard about her stand for women’s health issues. You watched the filibuster. You saw the pink sneakers. You may have even seen the Texas Monthly cover featuring Senator Davis or maybe the Vogue magazine spread.  But aside from the legislative circus and shenanigans you saw this summer, what else do you know? Are you familiar with Senator Davis’ record? There is more to Wendy Davis than this summer’s filibuster. Are you sure you really know her?

Here’s something that should be carefully considered by Texas parents and educators as they weigh their vote – Wendy Davis is a well-known and proven champion of public education. Senator Davis is quick to tell of the positive impact public education had on her life and has made it one of her key policy interests.  As a PTA Mom I’m quite familiar with Senator Davis’ work for public education. Let me tell you some things I know about Senator Davis that have absolutely nothing to do with abortion:

• In September Texas PTA honored Senator Davis as one of only ten recipients of their Legislative Honor Roll recognition for her “outstanding work to strengthen and protect Texas public schools.” Texas PTA president Karen Slay called Senator Davis “a trusted friend to Texas PTA and a courageous defender of Texas children and their families.”

• In October Senator Davis was awarded the Silver Star Award by the Texas Council of Administrators of Special Education (TCASE) for her work on behalf of special education students and teachers.

• Did you know this summer’s filibuster wasn’t Senator Davis’ first? In 2011 Wendy Davis filibustered to defend public schools from $5.4 billion in budget cuts. Since that filibuster, we’ve learned those cuts were unnecessary due to faulty projections by the state comptroller.  While the cuts were still made (leaving new students unfunded for the first time since World War II), Senator Davis stood up for Texas public schools when few others did.

• Likely as retribution for that 2011 filibuster, Senator Davis was removed from her position on the Senate Education Committee. But Davis showed up any way. By crashing the education committee meetings in 2013, she was an integral and vocal participant in fighting against Senator Dan Patrick’s (R-Houston) voucher scheme to funnel tax dollars from public schools to private schools. (That ill-conceived and unpopular bill ultimately died.)

• She also helped collaborate and compromise to shape Patrick’s seemingly ALEC-based charter school bill, which began as a strange attempt to sell off taxpayer-owned school facilities to charter school management companies for the cost of $1 and to completely eliminate the cap on charter schools. Through bi-partisan compromise, Davis and members of the Senate Education Committee turned that bill into more palatable and productive legislation.

• While the vast majority of her colleagues voted to pass a Senate budget in 2013 that only restored a paltry $1.5 billion to Texas schools (still reeling from the previous session’s historic cuts), Senator Davis was one of only two senators that voted against it. Recognizing that funding was available and that a court had just ruled public education funding unconstitutionally inadequate, Senator Davis stood in the distinct minority arguing that the legislature hadn’t done enough to restore funding to public schools.

• In the 83^rd legislature, Senator Davis was also influential in legislation that reduces the number of standardized tests; audits Texas’ testing contractor, Pearson, for accountability; helps students in foster care transition within public schools; and provides children of active duty military families flexibility in regards to school attendance requirements.

In the interest of equal time, let’s also look at Senator Davis’ gubernatorial competitor, Attorney General Greg Abbott.  Where does Attorney General Abbott stand on public education? I have no idea.

Interestingly, education isn’t listed as an issue on his campaign website. According to his website, Abbott’s focus seems to be protecting the 2^nd amendment, reining in the EPA, and defending “traditional values.” Sadly the nearly 160-year old Texas tradition of public education doesn’t appear to be one of the values he’s trying to defend.

Perhaps Attorney General Abbott doesn’t recognize public education as an important issue to Texans. (I guess he’s not familiar with this recent Texas Lyceum poll that showed Texans identify education as the top issue facing the state.) Or perhaps he believes in the lawsuit his office is defending against the 600-some school districts that have sued the state; his office contending that despite being 49^th in the nation in education investment that Texas is doing an adequate job in providing for its schools. (In the attorney general’s defense, it’s in his job description to defend the state of Texas.)

But without a voting record to look at and with education missing as one of his key campaign issues, it’s difficult to discern Greg Abbott’s opinions on public education policy – or if he even has any. There have been some clichéd mentions of “education reform” thrown into a few stump speeches and ambiguous talk of “outputs,” but no real policy discussion you can evaluate when considering the candidate.

While I look forward to hearing more from candidate Abbott about his thoughts on public education, his lack of attention to education policy is disconcerting. Texas has just spent more than a decade under leadership disinterested in public education, willing to let it wither and die from chronic underfunding, anxious to sell it off to private interests, and quick to prostitute it to Big Testing. This leadership void has taken its toll on our public schools and Texas students. And it will ultimately take a toll on our businesses and economic development. Can we afford another decade of negligence to the education system that will produce the future workforce for our growing state? That’s a decision you should consider when voting in 2014.

If this PTA Mom blog sounds like a love letter to Wendy Davis – well, frankly, it is. I love the fact that Senator Davis proudly and vocally supports public schools and Texas students at this strange time in our state history when few lawmakers are willing to make such a stand.  I love the fact that Senator Davis is one of the few Texas legislators willing to uphold her oath to support the Texas Constitution, including Article 7, Section 1 which declares that a public system of education is the responsibility of our legislature. I love the fact that Senator Davis recognizes the importance of my child’s education and is willing to battle special interests and lawmaking ideologues on his behalf. I love the fact that Wendy Davis is a living example of and poster child for the opportunities that public education can offer Texas students.  I love the fact that Wendy Davis is “a trusted friend” to Texas PTA.

Personally, that’s all this PTA Mom needs to hear.

“We Watch. We Remember. We Vote.”

There will be a “Save Texas Schools” rally in Austin, Texas this coming Saturday, March 25. The purpose of the rally is to express our committment to the education of our children and the children of Texas.

We say “No!” to the under-funding of our public schools and “No!” to the over-testing of our children.

Find information about Saturday’s rally here.

Revising History in Texas

If you are interested in the continuing assault on public school education in the State of Texas, I would encourage you to read “What Did You Learn in School Today? (The Texas Version)” by Criag Studer. Studer is an Advanced Placement U.S. History teacher in the Austin (Texas) Independent School District and has a Master’s degree in U.S. History. His article was published in the August 25, 2001 on-line edition of Common Dreams.

In the article, Studer writes about the new revisionist (my word) curriculum that has been written for Texas high school  students. Students like my three high school children.

The new curriculum is  noted more for what it does not teach than what it does teach. For example, it does not mention:

• George Washington and Thomas Jefferson in Texas TEKS as being American founding fathers
• the 20th Century labor movement, with the exception of a reference to Cesar Chavez and  Delores Huerta.
• the Fair Labor Standards Act
• the National Labor Relations Act
• the role that labor has played in helping obtain many of the rights and benefits that American workers enjoy today
• the words “labor movement” in the TEKS. (Don’t refer to it and it doesn’t exist? A subtle assault on labor unions and public sector workers? I’m just thinking.)

Studer cites other examples of Texas new take on the history of the United States that I will let you read for yourself.

But, just so you won’t think that I am totally upset about the new material and textbooks that my children will be bringing home and reading this school year, there is one thing that I know that my daughters will be excited to learn this year: Estee Lauder, the cosmetic magnet, is the world’s 68th most important historical figure ever.

Thank you Rick Perry and the Texas Education Agency for “protecting” us from things that you do not want us to know and for “educating” my young students about things that really don’t matter.

Save Texas Schools!

Save Texas Schools

The Texas education system – public schools as well as institutions of higher learning – is in a crisis. The state’s budget deficit is so great that this year’s legislature is considering cutting the state’s education budget by $4.8 billion. In fact, the Texas Education Agency has already begun laying off personnel.

Local public school districts are cutting their budgets. Austin Independent School District has already laid-off 1,000 employess and Dallas ISD may lay-off as many as 4,000 people. One district that I am very familiar with is planning to cut its budget by $2.5 million to $5 million starting this school year

The effects of such measures are disasterous. Budget cuts mean fewer personnel to take care of the business of educating our children, increased unemployment numbers, larger classroom sizes, greater teacher-student ratios, greater teaching challenges, fewer programs and extra-curricular activities, and the closing of facilities. The list could go on, but the point is that the current economic crisis that our nation and states are in the midst of is having a disasterous effect on our children, their education, and their families.

But, if there is a positive note about all of this, it is that people are responding in growing numbers to the decisions and actions that state legislatures are taking to reduce public services like education and healthcare programs. People are rallying, gathering, and protesting against such actions when state legislatures could take other steps to address state budget spend-and-cut measures.

One such action is a “Save Texas Schools” rally that is going to take place in Austin, Texas on Saturday, March 12.

Save Texas Schools will hold a rally and march at the State Capitol on March 12, 2011. We are expecting thousands of parents, teachers, students, community members, business owners, and faith organizations to attend. And we need YOU there with us!

The proposed legislative cuts to public education funding are unacceptable. Texas – we deserve better. If you agree, stand with us at the capitol on March 12 to say YES to a strong public education system that supports our children, our communities and our future.”

Join thousands of other Texans who will gather at the Texas State capitol on March 12 to let our voices be heard when we say, Save Texas Schools!