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Re: Question
I should have phrased my proposed challenge to the NCSL differently...not
that they have the power to "get the debates going" but that we could appeal
to them to CALL FOR national debates.
Also, I wanted to add that I think Dave Miner is quite right that Obama and
Duncan would be highly unlikely to concede to participating in debates where
they could not control the mike, questions, and the questioner. But I think
that is exactly how the challenge should be presented to them, that they
submit to fair and DEMOCRATIC debates in which neither side is allowed to
control or frame the debate. If they refuse, wouldn't that alone say a lot?
Tauna
----- Original Message -----
From: "Tauna Rogers" <taunar@plateautel.net>
To: <arn-l@interversity.org>
Sent: Sunday, August 16, 2009 8:57 PM
Subject: Re: [arn-l] Question
Yes, there are negatives, always roadblocks. It really does get
discouraging. But tell me if you think the following idea has
possibilities.
I recently sent a message with a link to statements from the Education
Standing Committee of the National Conference of State Legislatures. If
you
go to the link you have to scroll down a bit to read their statements
about
lifting charter school caps and the impositionof national standards. It
seems they oppose both. Here's the link again:
http://www.ncsl.org/Default.aspx?TabID=773&tabs=855,22,634#Public_Charter
Maybe I am grasping at straws, but would there be a way to appeal to them
and through them to get national debates going?
Three key excerpts from the NCSL statements:
"The Department of Education's emphasis on charter schools as a means to
improve struggling schools is a regulatory step that goes beyond the
legislative intent of Congress. This action could have the effect of
usurping state chartering authority and preempting state constitutions. It
is also beyond the limits of the language creating the Department, but for
what end? If a medicine were discovered that helps 17% of people, doesn't
do
anything for 46% and hurts 37%, would the Food and Drug Administration
approve and encourage that medicine for all?"
"We have already seen and experienced the damage that can be done when the
federal government adopts a component of reform from one state and imposes
it upon the other 49."
"Federal statutory construction in the legislation creating the U.S.
Department of Education prohibits federal involvement in a national test.
Similar language in NCLB prohibits federal involvement in standards,
assessments and curricula. These protections against federal involvement
in
state and local issues should be adhered to and continued. It is the
position of the National Conference of State Legislatures that there is no
legitimate or constructive role for federal involvement in national
academic
standards or a unified national test, especially while the structural
flaws
of NCLB remain unaddressed."
Tauna
----- Original Message -----
From: "gerald bracey" <gbracey@q.com>
To: <arn-l@interversity.org>
Sent: Sunday, August 16, 2009 6:37 PM
Subject: Re: [arn-l] Question
Of course, to "publicly" challenge them, the public has to know about it
which means getting the media's attention. And getting it in a big way.
Jay Mathews wrote about my challenges to Obama's Hispanic Chamber of
Commerce Speech, but that was over very quickly (I don't know how many
people see his online column).
You'd need to have someone in many cities to have simultaneous protests in
a
public place like city hall or the state capital and let the media know in
advance it was coming. Still not sure the media would show up, but it
would
be necessary to do something that showed that the challenge was broad in
scope. And the protesters would have to be diverse. I don't know that
ethnic diversity is necessary. It sure would help but getting blacks on
board with Obama as president and Al Sharpton "leading" a reform effort
will
make it harder; blacks have, in general, been the strongest supporters of
NCLB and they might well say "now that we've got something that will help
us
you guys (whites) don't want us to have it). I'm thinking age diversity
because on another list someone already lamented that it was mostly us
grayhairs who were criticizing the "plan."
You need to convince parents with kids in elementary schools or about to
enter them, that Duncan is pushing poison. You can't count on college
students as you could in the Vietnam days because then they, as always,
had
the time to protest without losing money or getting fired, had friends who
were wounded or dead, and could be mobilized in large numbers. College
students mostly don't have kids at risk. People surviving on a salary, or
two salaries aren't likely candidates to spend a lot of time waving
banners
and marching.
Sorry to see so many negatives. I'm open to ideas, but it's gonna be
hard.
The best thing I've seen so far is Diane Ravitch's letter to the
Department.
As a former assistant secretary with a reputation as a conservative and
reformer" in favor of high standards, she carries a gravitas that most of
us
can't command.
The unions, of course, the natural enemies of the plan are worthless.
Jerry
-------Original Message-------
From: Tauna Rogers
Date: 8/16/2009 4:22:18 PM
To: arn-l@interversity.org
Subject: Re: [arn-l] Question
----- Original Message -----
From: <DWMINERESQ@aol.com>
To: <arn-l@interversity.org>
Sent: Sunday, August 16, 2009 3:53 PM
Subject: Re: [arn-l] Question
All of us should and Obama/Duncan should be confronted with such a
challenge every time they appear in public. However, I believe it very
unlikely
that either would ever consent to an event where they felt they did not
control the mike and the questions or the questioner.
Dave Miner
In a message dated 8/16/2009 4:50:18 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
taunar@plateautel.net writes:
What is to prevent those of us who oppose much of the Obama/Duncan
recipe
for education reform from joining forces and publicly challenging them
to
submit to nationally televised debates?
Tauna=
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