One thought on “Schools Matter: Who Controls the Table Wins”
Dr. Thomas:
My attempt to “comment” on this at the end was frustrated by my attempt to use my name without understanding what was required in the “profile” box. I had no desire to be anonymous. Had I been able to add it, my comment is:
You got it. The next step is the answer given by Diane Ravitch to a teacher who asked in a meeting in Cleveland a couple of years ago, “What can we do?” Ravitch answered, “Some kind of direct action.”
I would add, as example, the kind of direct action Chicago teachers took in standing up (1) to the President’s friend, the Mayor; (2) to the former Chicago schools “CEO,” President’s basketball buddy, and now Secretary of Education; and (3) to an Illinois legislature that did everything it thought necessary to prohibit such action. Not surprising to me, Chicago teachers also enjoyed overwhelming parental support in kicking the Mayor’s butt.
Chicago didn’t just happen. It was made to happen as the result of extensive and intelligent hard work by its leaders up and down the line for a long period. Such action would have occurred in more places and more often, but for state and national union leaders who’ve been silenced largely by Corporate America reformers’ contributions to their treasuries. Teacher frustrations and passions are boiling. They just need leaders.
dr. p.l. (paul) thomas 
Dr. Thomas:
My attempt to “comment” on this at the end was frustrated by my attempt to use my name without understanding what was required in the “profile” box. I had no desire to be anonymous. Had I been able to add it, my comment is:
You got it. The next step is the answer given by Diane Ravitch to a teacher who asked in a meeting in Cleveland a couple of years ago, “What can we do?” Ravitch answered, “Some kind of direct action.”
I would add, as example, the kind of direct action Chicago teachers took in standing up (1) to the President’s friend, the Mayor; (2) to the former Chicago schools “CEO,” President’s basketball buddy, and now Secretary of Education; and (3) to an Illinois legislature that did everything it thought necessary to prohibit such action. Not surprising to me, Chicago teachers also enjoyed overwhelming parental support in kicking the Mayor’s butt.
Chicago didn’t just happen. It was made to happen as the result of extensive and intelligent hard work by its leaders up and down the line for a long period. Such action would have occurred in more places and more often, but for state and national union leaders who’ve been silenced largely by Corporate America reformers’ contributions to their treasuries. Teacher frustrations and passions are boiling. They just need leaders.
Norm Young
Cleveland, Ohio