Saturday, October 24, 2015

Everyday Advocates – Bertis Downs


Why is public education advocacy important to you?
Public education advocacy is important to me because I want our schools to be the best they can be for all of our kids— mine and everybody else’s. All children need quality schools which are the center of community, have active parental and community support, a dedicated, not-overly stressed-out corps of mostly experienced teachers, with reasonable class sizes, adequate facilities, and a rich and varied curriculum, as well as strong and effective leadership that makes all the parts work together for the good of every student, regardless of their needs or background. Politicians, sadly both D and R, tend to go for the “sounds good” easy answers, which are generally snake oil and do more to harm rather than strengthen our beleaguered public schools and the teachers and students striving within them.

Lately, I am heartened to see the local-that-is-national movement of parents and teachers and students and community leaders coming together to beat back the forces that would diminish and sell out our public schools and to do so with high- minded phrases like “Choice Cures All,” “No Child Left Behind” and “The Civil Rights Issue Of Our Time.”

If they need a slogan, they’d be better off with this one: Listen To Teachers! I can assure you that No Teacher Anywhere is asking for more standardized testing to help their children learn. No, what they are asking for is more support for their students to give them a decent opportunity to
learn.

#LSTNTOTCHRS.
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