The Save Our Schools March!

Yesterday, despite near 100 degree heat and blazing sun on the mall, I proudly attended the Save Our Schools March in Washington, DC with an estimated 8,000 other teachers, parents, and supporters of public education.  While organizers had hoped for a higher turnout, the marchers present were passionate about improving public schools to nurture the talents and interests of all children.  Many of the conversations I had with other participants centered on how to harness this momentum to generate change on the local, state, and federal levels.  We are exhausted by the increasing focus on standardized test scores and privatization of schools, but are determined to continue to fight for what is right for our students.

            Prior to the march there were two hours of inspiring speakers, including Diane Ravitch, Debbie Meier, Jonathan Kozol, and Matt Damon.  Damon delivered a powerful and concise speech, crediting his present day success to his teachers and the freedom they were given to treat children as individuals and tailor instruction to the needs and interests of their class.  That freedom, he acknowledged, is under attack today.  He shared, “I had incredible teachers. As I look at my life today, the things I value most about myself — my imagination, my love of acting, my passion for writing, my love of learning, my curiosity — all come from how I was parented and taught.  And none of these qualities that I’ve just mentioned — none of these qualities that I prize so deeply, that have brought me so much joy, that have brought me so much professional success — none of these qualities that make me who I am ... can be tested.” 

The speaker that moved me the most, however, was Texas superintendent John Kuhn.  Mr. Kuhn’s district serves a high proportion of English language learners and students in poverty, and he is proud of this fact, even though this means his test scores are low and he is under heavy pressure and sanctions from the state.  At the start of his speech Kuhn thundered, “I stand before you today bearing proudly the label of unacceptable, because I educate the children they will not educate.”  As I shared in a previous post, poverty is the core issue weakening our most vulnerable schools and communities.  Charter schools and private schools, currently hailed as the new solution by reformers like Michelle Rhee, are not required to educate students who are affected by extreme poverty- - such as students who are homeless, without healthcare, or have special needs.  Kuhn went on to proclaim, “I will never follow the lead of those who exclude the kids who need education the most so that my precious scores will rise” but instead that he will “march headlong into the teeth of your horrific blame machine and I will teach these kids!”  His speech renewed the passion I have for my work and my pride in being a public school teacher.  I highly recommend watching this eight minute version of the speech, made earlier this year at the Save Texas Schools Rally.

There is still a lot of work to be done in the effort to save our schools, but standing on the ellipse with thousands of other greedy teachers reinvigorated me for the fight ahead.