I have been saying this for years. -cpg
From Ed Voices
By Chris Janotta
On January 4th, many teachers, parents, students, and other Americans started out 2011 by wearing the color red to show their support for public education. Nearly five thousand people from all across America replied through Facebook that they were wearing red, and many more than that actually participated.
The “Wear Red For Public Ed” campaign generated press and discussion from Colorado to Florida and just about everywhere in between. Teachers said it made them feel empowered and not so alone when they saw others dressed in the same color. The event was so successful, that it has now become a weekly goal to “Wear Red For Public Ed” every Tuesday. Based on all of this, the “Wear Red For Public Ed” campaign was successful at doing what it was meant to do: create awareness and get people involved in and talking about public education.
However, many teachers have asked, “What next?” Well, here’s what I think.
Teachers have always been in the public eye, but currently, teachers are under the microscope more than ever. Education has become a hot topic, and, like it or not, teachers are the face that people see when they think of public education. It seems everybody has an opinion about how teachers should teach, how much they should be paid for doing it, and what that pay should be based upon. A day doesn’t go by that somebody, somewhere doesn’t write something regarding such topics as teacher tenure, teacher’s unions, or teachers’ productivity. As a teacher, I welcome and encourage this discussion. However, it is well past the time that teachers insert themselves into the conversation.
For far too long, teachers have complained about “teacher-bashing,” but have either voiced the complaint without providing any type of solution, or have kept their voices safely tucked behind the scenes in teachers’ lounges or other places where only sympathetic ears are listening. Occasionally, teachers might even let their voices venture throughout the realms of the Internet, anonymously posting comments on those stories they find most offensive.
Teachers, I am here to tell you that the time for “safe” complaining, the time for preaching to the choir, the time for anonymity has expired.
We must let the public get to know us, we should let the public hear our complaints, but, more importantly, we must let the public hear our solutions. And we must all do this together.
There are plenty of teachers out there right now standing up for public education and speaking out on behalf of public educators, but plenty is not enough. There are many teachers blogging, Tweeting, and Facebooking about the real issues facing public education, but many is not enough. There are even some teachers out there like Gina Frutig of North Carolina who have been bold enough to speak up about public education straight to the faces of our legislators, but some is definitely not enough.
If teachers truly want the public education system to succeed, then we must all be a part of that success; we must all share a part of the collective voice that I believe the rest of America is ready to hear.
What makes me so sure Americans want to hear from teachers? Well, when seeking advice for an ailment, they consult a physician. When the problem at hand concerns the law, they enlist the professional services of an attorney. It is only natural, then, that when the issue on the table is public education, the American public would want to hear from professional public educators. Who knows the ins and outs of the public education system better than teachers? Who else, other than teachers, works day-to-day putting the policies of education into practice? Who best to ask about what works in the classroom versus what doesn’t work if not teachers?
The problem is, the public isn’t asking these questions because they are being pre-fed the answers by those outside the teaching profession—and they are believing them. If you don’t think this is true, just take a look at the results of some of the polls that are out there. They show that the majority of people feel America’s public education system is not up to the standards it should be.
Why do they think this? Because this is what those outside the profession are telling them. However, when looked at more closely, these same polls reveal that Americans feel the schools in their own communities are doing quite well.
Why the huge contrast? Because in their own communities, Americans see the work teachers do. They communicate with those same teachers via phone calls, emails, and fa-to-face conferences. They understand the problems teachers face on a daily basis, such as dealing with a lack of resources or technology, having no control over the curricula they are forced to teach and test on, and having to make accommodations due to overcrowded classes, just to name a few.
They see these problems teachers are up against, and, since teachers are the face of public education, they begin to see some of the problems facing public education. However, those same Americans then turn on their televisions or open up their newspapers and hear or read about all of the rotten teachers that are dragging the education system down with their tenure, and their unions, and their implied lack of proper teaching techniques. They hear about all of the reforms that “need” to be put into place to fix all of this. And then they must sit back and think to themselves how lucky they are to live in a community with the only good teachers in the nation.
So how do we change this? By doing what we do best: communicating. We obviously communicate very well with the parents and guardians of our own students because they understand and support us. What we need to do now is communicate with the rest of America. Not about what we are so upset with, why we feel under attack, or how tired we are of feeling misunderstood, but about who we are, what we do, and how we think public education needs to be reformed.
And, as teachers, we need to do this publicly and continually until our message is heard and acted upon because if we don’t, your anonymous cries for help will never be answered. And when you look into the mirror and see the face of public education staring back at you, you might not recognize it anymore.
Showing posts with label wear red. Show all posts
Showing posts with label wear red. Show all posts
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Clay County Teachers Wear Red to Support Public Education
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Some teachers on the First Coast wore red to school to draw attention to public education at a time when the state's newly sworn-in governor vows to make changes.
Expanding the use of vouchers to give parents more options for their children and linking teacher pay to student learning gains are on Gov. Rick Scott has agenda.
"It keeps coming up over and over again: There's a problem with teachers," said Liz Crane, president of the Clay County Education Association.
"There is a process in our contract and law to remove ineffective teachers, " said Crane, who was in red today.
Terrie Brady, who leads Duval Teachers United, did not encourage teachers to wear red to school.
"Change is inevitable, change is going to happen," said Brady, who believes Duval is a leader in the state when it comes to being progressive.
"The thing is, let's have input; let's make sure it is systemic change so we can maintain that change....(It shouldn't be a) fly-by-night conversation about change," said Brady.
Last summer, Senate Bill 6 that would have ushered in performance pay for teachers was vetoed by then-Gov. Charlie Crist.
Scott said during his inaugural speech today that Florida needs to make changes so Florida has a competitive workforce.
From first coast news: http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/topstories/news-article.aspx?storyid=184872&catid=3
Expanding the use of vouchers to give parents more options for their children and linking teacher pay to student learning gains are on Gov. Rick Scott has agenda.
"It keeps coming up over and over again: There's a problem with teachers," said Liz Crane, president of the Clay County Education Association.
"There is a process in our contract and law to remove ineffective teachers, " said Crane, who was in red today.
Terrie Brady, who leads Duval Teachers United, did not encourage teachers to wear red to school.
"Change is inevitable, change is going to happen," said Brady, who believes Duval is a leader in the state when it comes to being progressive.
"The thing is, let's have input; let's make sure it is systemic change so we can maintain that change....(It shouldn't be a) fly-by-night conversation about change," said Brady.
Last summer, Senate Bill 6 that would have ushered in performance pay for teachers was vetoed by then-Gov. Charlie Crist.
Scott said during his inaugural speech today that Florida needs to make changes so Florida has a competitive workforce.
From first coast news: http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/topstories/news-article.aspx?storyid=184872&catid=3
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Some parents, teachers wear red to protest Scott's ideas
From the Sun Sentinel.com
By Cara Fitzpatrick
In the midst of celebrating his inauguration today, Gov. Rick Scott probably didn’t take time to check Facebook. If he had, he would have seen a slew of red.
Like-minded parents and teachers donned red today to show support for public schools and to send Scott the message that they don’t like his ideas for reform, particularly a proposal to expand voucher programs to all students.
“Wear Red to Support Public Ed” popped up on popular Facebook pages, such as Stop Senate Bill 6 and Testing Is Not Teaching. Fans of those pages changed their profile photos to pictures of themselves wearing red or an image of a single red T-shirt.
Some people also posted photos of themselves and their children in red.
Debbie Shaw, a Wellington mother of two, said her whole family wore red today. She said she feared that an expansion in vouchers would create an “even bigger chasm between the haves and the have-nots.”
Scott’s education transition team released proposals last month to revisit teacher merit pay, expand voucher programs and dramatically alter how public schools are funded. Most of the ideas went along with his campaign promise to get rid of an “outdated” educational system and provide parents with more choices about their children’s education.
Some people said those ideas could hurt the public schools.
Joe Preite, an 81-year-old former teacher, said he wanted to see change in the public schools, but wasn’t sure about the proposals coming out of Scott’s team.
“He can do a lot of good things,” he said. “People voted for change, but this is not a good change.”
Not everyone agreed with those wearing red.
Chet Bannister, a property manager from Fort Lauderdale, said he liked what Scott had to say about making government more efficient, creating merit pay for teachers and expanding voucher programs. He said some of Scott’s opponents just want to preserve the status quo.
“There are other people who are trying to figure out better ways,” he said. “I think we need to give them a chance.”
Staff writer Cara Fitzpatrick can be reached at cdfitzpatrick@sun-sentinel.com or 954-356-4527
http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/educationblog/2011/01/some_parents_teachers_wear_red.html
By Cara Fitzpatrick
In the midst of celebrating his inauguration today, Gov. Rick Scott probably didn’t take time to check Facebook. If he had, he would have seen a slew of red.
Like-minded parents and teachers donned red today to show support for public schools and to send Scott the message that they don’t like his ideas for reform, particularly a proposal to expand voucher programs to all students.
“Wear Red to Support Public Ed” popped up on popular Facebook pages, such as Stop Senate Bill 6 and Testing Is Not Teaching. Fans of those pages changed their profile photos to pictures of themselves wearing red or an image of a single red T-shirt.
Some people also posted photos of themselves and their children in red.
Debbie Shaw, a Wellington mother of two, said her whole family wore red today. She said she feared that an expansion in vouchers would create an “even bigger chasm between the haves and the have-nots.”
Scott’s education transition team released proposals last month to revisit teacher merit pay, expand voucher programs and dramatically alter how public schools are funded. Most of the ideas went along with his campaign promise to get rid of an “outdated” educational system and provide parents with more choices about their children’s education.
Some people said those ideas could hurt the public schools.
Joe Preite, an 81-year-old former teacher, said he wanted to see change in the public schools, but wasn’t sure about the proposals coming out of Scott’s team.
“He can do a lot of good things,” he said. “People voted for change, but this is not a good change.”
Not everyone agreed with those wearing red.
Chet Bannister, a property manager from Fort Lauderdale, said he liked what Scott had to say about making government more efficient, creating merit pay for teachers and expanding voucher programs. He said some of Scott’s opponents just want to preserve the status quo.
“There are other people who are trying to figure out better ways,” he said. “I think we need to give them a chance.”
Staff writer Cara Fitzpatrick can be reached at cdfitzpatrick@sun-sentinel.com or 954-356-4527
http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/educationblog/2011/01/some_parents_teachers_wear_red.html
Florida schoolteachers full of anxiety as Rick Scott era begins
by Mitch Perry
Tuesday at noon Rick Scott will officially become the next governor of the great state of Florida. Unlike any other elected official we can think of in recent times, the chief official comes into office with his ratings down from his performance at the polls last November. Public Policy Institute revealed in late December that Scott’s ratings were in the low 30s.
And some schoolteachers in the state, concerned about comments Scott has made about public education in Florida, say they intend to wear red on Tuesday as a symbolic protest against those plans. They’re not digging Scott’s proposals to revisit provisions on teacher merit pay that were included in last year’s controversial SB 6, or his interest in expanding school voucher programs to all, and changing how public schools are funded.
Regarding vouchers, Team Scott is proposing a voucher-like program called “educational savings accounts,” which would offer every public school student in the state a private school tuition subsidy. Currently, Florida’s voucher program has been used only for low-income and disabled kids.
Hillsborough County’s head school union chief, Jean Clements, condemned such an idea, telling the Tampa Tribune:
“Even the conservative leaders in the House and Senate, who have been big proponents of vouchers for a long time, have the ability, the experience and the insight to see what a flawed concept that would be,” she said. “It leaves public schools still having to provide all of the services required by law … but they would be operating on a ghost budget from year to year. How would they provide those services? It would create great instability from year to year.”
Many of these same educators are the same ones who rallied last year to lobby now former Governor Charlie Crist against signing SB 6, the education reform bill. Facebook groups, such as Florida Teachers Against Pay-For-Performance Salary/Pay Scales, are prominently collecting opposition to proposals by Scott’s education transition team.
Earlier Monday, Kim Black, president of the Pinellas County Teachers Association, issued a directive to her members, encouraging them to wear red:
Our passion and advocacy for public education calls us to action this week. As Governor-Elect Scott takes office tomorrow, there is a statewide social movement for all those who support public education to wear red. Parents, teachers and community members are urged to wear red on Tuesday, sending a message to our future Governor on his Inauguration Day, that a strong, high quality public education is key for improving our economic situation and for providing the foundation of a true democracy.
Social media sites nationwide are supporting the movement to wear red tomorrow as elected officials across the nation are sworn in. With the systematic plan to dismantle public schools in Florida, it will take all of us, standing up for all students, to guarantee the Constitutional right to a free and appropriate public education for generations to come.
Won’t you join me in wearing red on Tuesday in support of public education?
There has also been criticism over the makeup of Scott’s transition team on education, led by former Washington D.C. Chancellor Michelle Rhee. The only member with public K-12 experience on that board is Hillsborough County Superintendent MaryEllen Elia.
From the Daily Loaf: http://blogs.creativeloafing.com/dailyloaf/
Tuesday at noon Rick Scott will officially become the next governor of the great state of Florida. Unlike any other elected official we can think of in recent times, the chief official comes into office with his ratings down from his performance at the polls last November. Public Policy Institute revealed in late December that Scott’s ratings were in the low 30s.
And some schoolteachers in the state, concerned about comments Scott has made about public education in Florida, say they intend to wear red on Tuesday as a symbolic protest against those plans. They’re not digging Scott’s proposals to revisit provisions on teacher merit pay that were included in last year’s controversial SB 6, or his interest in expanding school voucher programs to all, and changing how public schools are funded.
Regarding vouchers, Team Scott is proposing a voucher-like program called “educational savings accounts,” which would offer every public school student in the state a private school tuition subsidy. Currently, Florida’s voucher program has been used only for low-income and disabled kids.
Hillsborough County’s head school union chief, Jean Clements, condemned such an idea, telling the Tampa Tribune:
“Even the conservative leaders in the House and Senate, who have been big proponents of vouchers for a long time, have the ability, the experience and the insight to see what a flawed concept that would be,” she said. “It leaves public schools still having to provide all of the services required by law … but they would be operating on a ghost budget from year to year. How would they provide those services? It would create great instability from year to year.”
Many of these same educators are the same ones who rallied last year to lobby now former Governor Charlie Crist against signing SB 6, the education reform bill. Facebook groups, such as Florida Teachers Against Pay-For-Performance Salary/Pay Scales, are prominently collecting opposition to proposals by Scott’s education transition team.
Earlier Monday, Kim Black, president of the Pinellas County Teachers Association, issued a directive to her members, encouraging them to wear red:
Our passion and advocacy for public education calls us to action this week. As Governor-Elect Scott takes office tomorrow, there is a statewide social movement for all those who support public education to wear red. Parents, teachers and community members are urged to wear red on Tuesday, sending a message to our future Governor on his Inauguration Day, that a strong, high quality public education is key for improving our economic situation and for providing the foundation of a true democracy.
Social media sites nationwide are supporting the movement to wear red tomorrow as elected officials across the nation are sworn in. With the systematic plan to dismantle public schools in Florida, it will take all of us, standing up for all students, to guarantee the Constitutional right to a free and appropriate public education for generations to come.
Won’t you join me in wearing red on Tuesday in support of public education?
There has also been criticism over the makeup of Scott’s transition team on education, led by former Washington D.C. Chancellor Michelle Rhee. The only member with public K-12 experience on that board is Hillsborough County Superintendent MaryEllen Elia.
From the Daily Loaf: http://blogs.creativeloafing.com/dailyloaf/
Monday, January 3, 2011
Wearing red to send a message to Rick Scott about Florida education
From Tampa Bay.coms gradebook, I wonder if the Times Union will mntion anythiung. -cpg
Hoping to send Rick Scott a clear but subtle message on his inauguration day, Florida public school supporters are calling for a flood of red clothing on Tuesday.
Teachers and other backers of public education have taken to wearing red on days of significance to schooling, and perhaps no day will be more monumental than the one where Scott brings his pro-voucher, anti-tenure stance to the Governor's Office. Florida AFL-CIO president Mike Williams explained it to his members this way:
"Education is not a business, children are not products. Teachers, students, parents and activists have joined together on social media sites to form a grassroots movement to defend public education in the state of Florida. These concerned citizens are calling for friends of public education to wear red on Governor-Elect Rick Scott’s Inauguration Day, Tuesday January 4 . They chose red to signify their outrage towards the proposed measures that Florida’s government will be trying to implement."
Some educators began pushing the idea on Facebook, and it's taking off with strong union backing. Kim Black, president of the Pinellas Classroom Teachers Association, sent a message to her members Monday asking for their participation.
"Parents, teachers and community members are urged to wear red on Tuesday, sending a message to our future Governor on his Inauguration Day, that a strong, high quality public education is key for improving our economic situation and for providing the foundation of a true democracy," she wrote.
Hillsborough union president Jean Clements told reporter Tom Marshall that many of her members might not get the word in time, since a message about the protest was only sent to building representatives today.
But Clements said she was planning to wear red.
"There’s no reason not to be expressing concern over the various proposals coming out of Tallahassee that would directly impact public education," she said.
http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/gradebook/content/wearing-red-send-message-rick-scott-about-florida-education
Hoping to send Rick Scott a clear but subtle message on his inauguration day, Florida public school supporters are calling for a flood of red clothing on Tuesday.
Teachers and other backers of public education have taken to wearing red on days of significance to schooling, and perhaps no day will be more monumental than the one where Scott brings his pro-voucher, anti-tenure stance to the Governor's Office. Florida AFL-CIO president Mike Williams explained it to his members this way:
"Education is not a business, children are not products. Teachers, students, parents and activists have joined together on social media sites to form a grassroots movement to defend public education in the state of Florida. These concerned citizens are calling for friends of public education to wear red on Governor-Elect Rick Scott’s Inauguration Day, Tuesday January 4 . They chose red to signify their outrage towards the proposed measures that Florida’s government will be trying to implement."
Some educators began pushing the idea on Facebook, and it's taking off with strong union backing. Kim Black, president of the Pinellas Classroom Teachers Association, sent a message to her members Monday asking for their participation.
"Parents, teachers and community members are urged to wear red on Tuesday, sending a message to our future Governor on his Inauguration Day, that a strong, high quality public education is key for improving our economic situation and for providing the foundation of a true democracy," she wrote.
Hillsborough union president Jean Clements told reporter Tom Marshall that many of her members might not get the word in time, since a message about the protest was only sent to building representatives today.
But Clements said she was planning to wear red.
"There’s no reason not to be expressing concern over the various proposals coming out of Tallahassee that would directly impact public education," she said.
http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/gradebook/content/wearing-red-send-message-rick-scott-about-florida-education
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)