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[Author Prev][Author Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Author Index][Thread Index] Re: Schooling Arne Duncan
I personally have sent Duncan a video postcard (from last year's NEA Representative Assembly). He got a pretty straight-forward message from the teachers on the panel at that meeting, and many teachers lined up with me to videotape statements, so I know he has received messages of opposition to his views from many teachers. To say he didn't get the message is untrue. It might be that he is unable to take in messages contrary to his views, so he doesn't hear opposition no matter what the words. Or it might be a deliberate lie. But he has encountered opposition from teachers (not to mention the opposition he has avoided encountering by staying away from forums where teachers can talk freely). -----Original Message----- >From: Monty Neill <monty@fairtest.org> >Sent: Jul 22, 2010 10:10 AM >To: arn-l@interversity.org >Subject: Re: [arn-l] Schooling Arne Duncan > >Art confuses being in a room when someone else is talking with >listening. Duncan has long demonstrated that he does not actually listen >to what teachers say. Despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, he >managed to claim that he has encountered no opposition to his views >among teachers. > >On 7/22/2010 9:39 AM, aburke5054@aol.com wrote: >> Well, comrades, so much for the claim that Arne Duncan does not listen to teachers. As this story shows, he talks with them face-to-face, even when they exhibit atrocious behavior. >> >> Art >> >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: free2teach1@aol.com >> To: arn-l@interversity.org >> Sent: Wed, Jul 21, 2010 8:07 am >> Subject: Re: [arn-l] Schooling Arne Duncan >> >> >> link with photo of the Dunce - good day comrades >> >> http://www.commondreams.org/view/2010/07/21 >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> -----Original Message----- >> >> From: free2teach1@aol.com >> >> To: arn-l@interversity.org >> >> Sent: Wed, Jul 21, 2010 10:41 am >> >> Subject: [arn-l] Schooling Arne Duncan >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> picture is worth a thousand words. Judy Rabin >> >> ttp://www.commondreams.org/print/58538 >> >> ublished on Wednesday, July 21, 2010 by Socialist Worker >> >> chooling Arne Duncan >> >> >> >> y Jesse Hagopian >> >> "Hi, Arne. My name is Jesse Hagopian." >> >> s I locked eyes and firmly shook hands, I wondered if my years of teaching >> >> ould be enough to help the freshman Secretary of Education gain the knowledge >> >> nd skills he would need. >> >> rne Duncan had come to the Seattle area on July 9 to address Aviation High >> >> chool, and his visit happened to coincide with the American Federation of >> >> eachers (AFT) convention taking place in Seattle. I joined the picket of >> >> eachers from the AFT who had journeyed to the high school with signs such as >> >> Race to the Top: First place business, last place students." >> >> s we rallied outside the high school, the event planners grew nervous that we >> >> ould disrupt this stage-managed affair. They offered us a meeting with one of >> >> uncan's aides in exchange for our polite behavior during his address. We >> >> greed, and after the event were escorted to a nearby classroom for the meeting. >> >> hen an aide entered the room and told us, "The Secretary will come meet with >> >> ou soon," I assumed he meant one of Duncan's clerical assistants would come >> >> rite down our concerns. But a few minutes later, Secretary Duncan himself >> >> ntered the classroom and took a seat in the center of the room, with us >> >> ducators fanned out around him. >> >> E TEACHERS pooled our collective experience that day to construct, on the fly, >> >> hat turned out to be a comprehensive "lesson plan" for the schooling of Arne >> >> uncan, driven by the essential question: "What is a quality education?" Our >> >> esson was complete with a pre-assessment, a multi-stage lesson plan targeted at >> >> rne's deficiencies, a concluding summative assessment and an intervention plan >> >> or follow-up assistance--not unlike what we would do with any other student at >> >> isk of failure. >> >> ur pre-assessment of Arne's skills was based on years of following Arne's >> >> peeches, writings and public policies--all of which have culminated in his >> >> Race to the Top" initiative (RTTT) and his national "turnaround plan." >> >> TTT is tied to a $4.3 billion fund to make states compete for desperately >> >> eeded education money by using eligibility requirements to push for charter >> >> chools--schools publicly funded by taxpayers, yet run privately, outside the >> >> ontrol of local school boards--and merit pay schemes where teachers are paid >> >> ccording student test scores. Arne's turnaround plan proposes closing some >> >> ,000 schools across the county and firing entire teaching staffs at schools >> >> erceived to be failing. >> >> hese national initiatives were first developed by Arne in his role as CEO of >> >> he Chicago Public Schools (where he served from 2001-2008) for his "Renaissance >> >> 010" program that consisted of closing down dozens of schools, predominately in >> >> lack neighborhoods, and converting many to charter schools or military >> >> cademies. >> >> t numerous school board meetings and protests, teachers, students and community >> >> embers warned Duncan that the reckless closing of schools would have dire >> >> onsequences--from the loss of cherished neighborhood schools and union teachers >> >> o an increase in gang violence. >> >> redictably, these education advocates were proven right. Student achievement >> >> tagnated, and deadly violence soared in the schools--with some 34 deaths and >> >> 90 shootings in 2009 as a result of students being transported to schools >> >> cross gang boundaries. >> >> study by the University of Chicago's Consortium on Chicago School Research [1] >> >> eleased in October 2009 examined the academic effects of the closings on >> >> tudents at 18 elementary schools shut down between 2001 and 2006. The study >> >> oncluded that the vast majority of students went from one low-performing school >> >> o another, with no achievement gains--and in fact, even saw temporary decreases >> >> n test scores during the stressful period when the announcement of their school >> >> eing slated for closing was made. >> >> oreover, a massive study by Stanford University, looking at data covering some >> >> 0 percent of all charter school students nationally, found that bad charter >> >> chools outnumber good ones by a ratio of roughly 2 to 1--and an astonishing 83 >> >> ercent of charter schools were either no better, or worse than, traditional >> >> ublic schools. >> >> he performance pay experiment that Duncan imposed on the Chicago Public >> >> chools, known as the "Teacher Advancement Program," had equally dismal results. >> >> erit pay schemes have long been criticized by teachers' unions and education >> >> dvocates for driving teachers to narrow the curriculum to cover only what is >> >> ssessed on tests--and for pitting teachers against each other for a limited >> >> ool of money, thus breaking down teacher collaboration and creating >> >> isincentives for educators to share effective teaching techniques. >> >> report issued last May by Mathematica Policy Research on the merit-pay program >> >> hat Arne initiated in Chicago reveals that paying teachers according to test >> >> cores didn't increase student achievement whatsoever. >> >> hus, every major initiative that Arne Duncan is currently advocating on a >> >> ational level has been shown by non-partisan research institutions to be >> >> neffective at best. >> >> NE TEACHER from Detroit opened our meeting with Arne by summarizing the results >> >> f our "pre-assessment," saying, "What you are doing is stepping up >> >> rivatization, charterization, and segregation and inequality...and you know >> >> hat." >> >> ur "lesson" then began by providing context to our essential question: What is >> >> quality education? >> >> explained that I was a seventh-grade humanities teacher in the Seattle Public >> >> chools until the budget cuts hit, and I was laid off. I then expressed my >> >> ispleasure with his decision to reject a call from Congress to tap some of the >> >> ace to the Top funds in order to save some of the projected 200,000 to 300,000 >> >> eaching jobs that will be cut in the upcoming school year. >> >> hat follows is the transcription (taken from my audio recording) of our >> >> xchange. Note that I use the "Socratic seminar" teaching method that stresses >> >> sking open-ended questions to allow for the student to develop High Order >> >> hinking skills, such as analysis, evaluation and creativity: >> >> Mr. Hagopian: I really need an answer to my questions about the recent Stanford >> >> tudy that was funded by the Walton Family. As soon as that study showed that >> >> harters underperformed public schools, I don't know why you didn't change >> >> olicy. >> >> rne: There is a real mix of charter schools. You have good charter schools, you >> >> ave medium charter schools, you have bad charter schools. And so I just think >> >> e need more good schools in this country...I have said good charter schools are >> >> art of the solution and bad charter schools are part of the problem. So you >> >> an't tar or paint everyone with one brush. The reality is much more complex >> >> han that. >> >> r. Hagopian: I've heard that response that you have given, but what still >> >> oesn't make sense to me is...that the problem with charters is that you put >> >> ublic funds under private control. So if public schools on the whole are >> >> utperforming charter schools on the whole, then why don't we use the system >> >> here public funds stay under public control, and then we bring in innovation >> >> nd resources to the public schools?...What is the advantage of charters? >> >> rne: There is nothing inherently good or bad about charters... >> >> As I looked around the room, I noticed my educator colleagues taking mental note >> >> >> >> hat Arne clearly hadn't done his homework on the charter school issue--and thus >> >> rovided an incomplete answer that could impact his overall grade for the >> >> esson. I realized then that I needed to step in with some facts to help >> >> caffold this activity for Arne. >> >> Mr. Hagopian: I [have also] taught in Washington D.C....I taught 10 minutes from >> >> >> >> he White House--I would drive by the White House, and then I'm in a school with >> >> hole in the ceiling, and it rains into the class. >> >> hen I would get charter school students who were kicked out of their school >> >> ome November. But what happened? When they get kicked out of their school, the >> >> unds don't follow them. The funds stay in the privatized charter school, but my >> >> lass size rises. That is a flawed system that has to change. >> >> Our lesson concluded with an informal summative assessment of Arne's analysis of >> >> >> >> ur essential question about "What is a quality education?" Chicago teacher >> >> anielle Ciesielski began the assessment by questioning Arne about his support >> >> or scripted lessons in Chicago that eliminated teacher creativity, ended >> >> roject-based learning and narrowed the curriculum to pre-approved seminars. >> >> Arne: To be clear, we [the Department of Education] want curriculum to be driven >> >> >> >> y the local level, pushing that. We are by law prohibited from directing >> >> urriculum. We don't have a curriculum department. >> >> r. Hagopian: I have to interject on that point. Because I think that merit >> >> ay... >> >> rne: Let me finish, let me finish... >> >> r. Hagopian: ...Directly influences curriculum. When you have teachers >> >> crambling and pitted against each other for a small amount of money [based on >> >> ow their students perform on a test], what it does is narrow the curriculum to >> >> hat's on the test, even if you don't set curriculum specifically. So I think >> >> ou have to address that. >> >> rne: I will. No one is mandating merit pay. >> >> r. Hagopian: But you support it though? >> >> rne: I do, I do... >> >> r. Hagopian: So you support narrowing the curriculum. >> >> rne: Can I finish? It's a voluntary program. Schools and districts and unions >> >> re working together on some really innovative things. >> >> r. Hagopian: Merit pay isn't part of Race to the Top? >> >> ARNE'S NON-answer to my direct question was troubling, and I hoped my rhetorical >> >> >> >> uestion at the end of this exchange would push him to a deeper understanding of >> >> ur topic. >> >> hile Arne's performance during our lesson was disappointing, none of us >> >> ducators were surprised, given his chronic absenteeism from the realm of >> >> edagogy. As a spokesperson for Arne recently admitted to the media [2], his >> >> nly instructional experience came as a youngster when "his mother ran an >> >> fter-school program for underprivileged kids in a church basement, and he was >> >> oth a student there and a tutor." >> >> t the end of our lesson, we had to acknowledge that we failed in our objective >> >> o help Arne develop the concept of a quality education, and my belief that all >> >> tudents can succeed was truly tested. Determined not to give up even on the >> >> ost challenging of students, however, we recommend Arne meet with the following >> >> pecialists for these targeted interventions: >> >> arents: Don't let Arne close your child's school. If the federal government can >> >> ail out the banks and find the money to bomb children in Afghanistan, then we >> >> now there is enough money to build a world-class education system in your >> >> eighborhood. Demonstrate and speak out for the funding your school deserves >> >> ather than let it be shut down or privatized. >> >> tudents: You are not a number generated by a Scantron machine. You are a >> >> assionate, creative young person who can change the world. Refuse to be >> >> ategorized solely by a test score and demand an education that speaks to who >> >> ou are and what is important to your community. >> >> eachers: Unions brought us the weekend. They are indispensable, don't let Arne >> >> ust your union. Fight to make your union stronger. Replicate the success of the >> >> aucus of Rank-and-File Educators in Chicago--the reform caucus newly elected to >> >> un the Chicago Teachers Union--with its vision of social justice education and >> >> ocial movement unionism in unflinching opposition to those who would seek to >> >> rofit off of the public schools. >> >> ith this action plan of parents, students and teachers finding common cause in >> >> uilding their own vision of a quality education apart from that of Corporate >> >> merica, Arne Duncan may, despite himself, get the education he so desperately >> >> eeds. >> >> 2010 Jesse Hagopian >> >> Jesse Hagopian is a teacher in Seattle who lost his jobs due to budget cuts and >> >> founding member of the progressive union caucus Social Equality Educators [3] >> >> ithin the Seattle Education Association. He can be reached at: >> >> essedhagopian@gmail.com [4] >> >> >> >> rticle printed from www.CommonDreams.org >> >> RL to article: http://www.commondreams >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> ----Original Message----- >> >> rom: Monty Neill<monty@fairtest.org> >> >> o: RLNPartners<RLNpartners@googlegroups.com>; ndsgroup@yahoogroups.com >> >> ndsgroup@yahoogroups.com>; epata<epata@interversity.org>; care@yahoogroups.com >> >> care@yahoogroups.com>; ARN-L<arn-l@interversity.org>; ARN-state@yahoogroups.com >> >> >> >> ARN-state@yahoogroups.com>; arn2-strategy<arn2-strategy@yahoogroups.com>; >> >> ethinkaccountdc<rethinkaccountdc@yahoogroups.com> >> >> ent: Wed, Jul 21, 2010 9:49 am >> >> ubject: [arn-l] Fwd: "Common Core" School Standards Roll On Without Supporting >> >> vidence >> >> >> >> bout half the states have now adopted the Common Core standards, with others >> >> aking the decision in the next couple weeks as a deadline for winning points in >> >> state's application in round 2 of RTTT funding draws near (Aug 2). Mathis >> >> oncludes standards won't make much of a difference in educational outcomes. >> >> onty >> >> >> >> ------- Original Message -------- >> >> ubject: "Common Core" School Standards Roll On Without Supporting Evidence >> >> ate: Wed, 21 Jul 2010 08:35:17 -0400 >> >> rom: Great Lakes Center<listserve@greatlakescenter.org> >> >> eply-To: listserve@greatlakescenter.org >> >> o: monty@fairtest.org >> >> >> >> >> >> ttp://www.greatlakescenter.org >> >> >> >> "Common Core" School Standards Roll On Without Supporting Evidence* >> >> uly 21, 2010 >> >> >> >> Despite Obama administration claims, research finds no link between achievement >> >> cores and academic standards* >> >> >> >> FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE* >> >> >> >> Contact: *Teri Battaglieri -- (517) 203-2940; greatlakescenter@greatlakescenter.org >> >> >> >> mailto:greatlakescenter@greatlakescenter.org> >> >> William J. Mathis -- (802) 383-0058; William.Mathis@colorado.edu >> >> mailto:William.Mathis@colorado.edu> >> >> >> >> AST LANSING, Mi., July 21, 2010---Very little evidence supports the contention >> >> hat establishing national academic standards for K-12 schools will improve the >> >> uality of American public education, and the standards push may distract >> >> ttention from other vital school reforms, concludes a new policy brief, /The >> >> Common Core" Standards Initiative: An Effective Reform Tool?/ >> >> >> >> he brief, authored by William J. Mathis, was released today by the Great Lakes >> >> enter for Education Research and Practice. >> >> >> >> Without addressing both the in-school and out-of-school influences on test >> >> cores, common core standards are not likely to improve the quality and equity >> >> f America's public schools," Mathis explains. >> >> >> >> he Obama administration has embraced "common core" standards and has pressured >> >> tates to adopt them by stating that federal Title I aid will be withheld from >> >> tates that do not adopt standards such as those being developed by the National >> >> overnors Association and the Council of Chief State School Officers. In >> >> ddition, states that adopt the standards have a major advantage on their Race >> >> o the Top applications. >> >> >> >> tandards advocates argue that common standards are necessary for keeping the >> >> ation competitive in a global economy. But Mathis points out that research does >> >> ot support this oft-expressed rationale. No studies support a true causal >> >> elationship between national standards and economic competitiveness, and at the >> >> ost superficial level we know that nations with centralized standards generally >> >> end to perform no better (or worse) on international tests than those without. >> >> urther, research shows that national economic competitiveness is influenced far >> >> ore by economic decisions than by test scores. >> >> >> >> athis also raises questions about the rapid development of the common-core >> >> tandards, the lack of field testing, and the overarching need for any >> >> igh-stakes consequences to be "valid," pursuant to established professional >> >> uidelines. Given these concerns, he says that the prospect of positive effects >> >> n educational quality or equality "seems improbable." >> >> >> >> ind William Mathis's report, /The "Common Core" Standards Initiative: An >> >> ffective Reform Tool?/ on the web at: >> >> ttp://greatlakescenter.org/docs/Policy_Briefs/Mathis_NationalStandards.pdf >> >> >> >> his policy brief was produced by the Education and the Public Interest Center >> >> EPIC) at the University of Colorado and the Education Policy Research Unit >> >> EPRU) at Arizona State University with funding from the Great Lakes Center for >> >> ducation Research and Practice./ >> >> >> >> About The Great Lakes Center* >> >> he mission of the Great Lakes Center is to improve public education for all >> >> tudents in the Great Lakes region through the support and dissemination of high >> >> uality, academically sound research on education policy and practices. >> >> >> >> isit the Great Lakes Center Web Site at: http://www.greatlakescenter.org. >> >> >> >> ## >> >> >> >> >> >> o unsubscribe, please email unsubscribe@greatlakescenter.org with the subject >> >> nsubscribe. Please note that if this message has been forwarded to you from a >> >> istserve other than ours we may be unable to remove you individually. >> >> - Monty Neill, Ed.D.; Interim Executive Director, FairTest; 15 Court Sq., Ste. >> >> 20; Boston, MA 02108; 857-350-8207 x 101; fax 857-350-8209; monty@fairtest.org; >> >> ttp://www.fairtest.org; Donate to FairTest: https://secure.entango.com/donate/MnrXjT8MQqk >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> ------------------------------------------------------ >> >> nsubscribe ARN-L: >> >> ttp://interversity.org/lists/arn-l/subscribe.html >> >> >> >> >> > >-- >Monty Neill, Ed.D.; Interim Executive Director, FairTest; 15 Court Sq., >Ste. 820; Boston, MA 02108; 857-350-8207 x 101; fax 857-350-8209; >monty@fairtest.org; http://www.fairtest.org; Donate to FairTest: >https://secure.entango.com/donate/MnrXjT8MQqk >------------------------------------------------------- >Unsubscribe ARN-L: >http://interversity.org/lists/arn-l/subscribe.html
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