City School Stories

Notes from the Field

Submitted by Frank Murphy, March 3, 2011

The rally organized by the Teacher Action Group at the Philadelphia School District headquarters on Friday February 25, 2011, demonstrated that there are many people who are dissatisfied with the direction of school reform in our district.   Questionable turn around strategies that dismantle schools, contribute to community  disempowerment and turn public funds over to private enterprise, all represent a course of action that many citizens do not support.

The TAG protesters see schooling as an essential public service not as a consumer product.  They want school reform to strengthen and support  our existing school communities not to replace them as part of an entrepreneurial experiment.  In our city, there are many supporters of public education.

The attendees at this rally are but the tip of the iceberg of the many people who resent the educational reforms being forced on our school district. Animosity towards the failed reform experiments to which our school children have  been subjected, runs deep. Ordinary citizens are tired of being excluded  from the decision-making process that affects the operation of our schools.

This isn’t a situation that is unique to our city. Across our nation other school districts are experiencing the same types of upheaval and protest. A small but powerful group of elected officials, foundation leaders, billionaire philanthropists and members of the media elite are the ones who are determining our national educational priorities. Their flawed narrative regarding the failure of our public schools is the one that the press and network news regularly report. These power brokers are adept at using the mainstream media in order to promote their anti union, pro charter school, pro voucher agenda. Lost in the noise of this media blitz are the voices of parents, teachers and students.

Being seen and counted at a rally is good.  But there is something more important  that we must do.  We need to counter the rhetoric of the educational entrepreneurs who  have dominated the reform efforts that have proliferated since the enactment of  the No Child Left Behind legislation.  It is imperative that we get our message out to the broader public.

We do not have the same level of influence with the media as do the powerful elites.  But we do have access to the greatly expanded communication opportunities that the Internet offers.  Through  social media, blogs, YouTube and personal contacts, each of us can reach out to our professional colleagues, friends and family. Together, our individual social networks can form a mass audience.

Share this Diane Ravitch video clip with your social networks.  Help to get our message out to  a larger audience.

A Catalyst Conversation with Diane Ravitch from Catalyst Chicago on Vimeo.