What's Going On in Education?

It's been such a busy few weeks in news, as well as a busy month in life. Seems all I can do is try to absorb the information when I can! I've heard rumblings about protests in Wisconsin and chalked it up to labor unions concerned for a potential loss of power. It was still in Wisconsin and not Texas so I didn't think much of it. Then I started seeing some of my teacher friends on Facebook posting links to websites organizing protests here in Texas and my interest was really peeked. Can't put my finger on it, but when I clicked on the links I got a bad vibe.

How did these protests get organized so quickly? Where is the anger stemming from? All of the teachers I know are too busy working to organize protests. They hardly have time to read or watch the news.

I found one group who has been excited about all of this: Students for a Democratic Society. Who are they? From their website:

Students for a Democratic Society is a radical, multi-issue student and youth organization working to build power in our schools and communities. We are entirely student and youth-led and have over 100 active chapters in high schools, colleges, universities, and cities all over the country.

Okay, so students are upset. But I thought this was about teachers getting what they deserve? Their motto: "Students and Workers - Unite and Fight!" They mix statements like "Defend Education" and "Save our Education" with their encouragement to support unions, encourage worker solidarity, and protect the working people. Big question marks came up in my mind from what I saw. I always cringe when I hear someone talk about "working people" in politics because it's always under the topic of how to help them or give them a break or give them something for free. Which raises the question to me - so if the "working people" need free stuff are we planning to take it from a group of non-working people somewhere that I am not aware of? As if a large body of non-workers exists with money enough to fund the essentials for all of us? Where is this money tree?

Okay, off my soapbox a bit. I danced around a bit from there and found FightBack!News. They gleefully report all that Students for a Democratic Society does, plus they give their attention to some other favorite topics of mine: Antiwar Movement, Immigrants rights, Labor, Poor People's Movements (their words, not mine...I mean do poor people actually get on the internet and search themselves out as "poor people?"), Students, and Women.

I still don't see much concern over the hard working teacher who is getting the short end of the stick here. Now, watch this video...it will make your head pop off. Sorry, there is some unsavory language but it only further illustrates the fine people who are REALLY excited about an opportunity for an uprising. They like anger, hate, fighting, hostility...not really consistent with the fine educators I know.

Breitbart.tv » Wisconsin Labor Protests and International Socialism

So okay, there must be real issues at stake. Right? Yes, there are. Every state is in a budget crunch. Money needs to be cut everywhere. It's going to stink no matter where it comes from and nobody wants their area to be cut. But I did want a little more information on my home state of Texas and what is happening. I found Protecttheclassroom.com informative. Here are a few blurps:





I do hope to see that teachers are paid well and treated fairly. I do not, however, feel good about the radical groups who are capitalizing (poor word choice probably since they are anti-capitalism!) on the struggle in education as a vehicle for their own agenda. Hateful protests full of anger do not generate viable ideas or practical solutions.

In the meantime I am preparing to send my own child into the Texas public school system where administrators and legislators are focusing on ways to spend money on the at-risk children and make everyone equal. Instead of giving my child any extra attention, the teacher will be busy writing up a report on the improvement of the lower quarter of the class and what they are doing to help them. The squeaky wheel always gets the oil and as it is my hope that my child is not the one struggling, I also hate knowing that she will be largely unnoticed for achievement. Hopefully we can do enough here to encourage achievement and keep her from the trend of mediocrity that seems so prevalent in the "everybody equal" model. It doesn't bring everyone up, you know.

*Other groups fueling the movement to "save our education" include SEIU, the AFL‑CIO, moveon.org, ColorofChange.org, Democracy for America, Green for All (Van Jones’ group), the Daily Kos, Democrats.com, the Sierra Club, Media Matters.