Comments on: Distrust Agents [Pull Out The Highlighter For This One]

By: Jose

Jose — Fri, 27 May 2011 01:49:05 +0000

Violeta, frankly, I don’t even know where to start. I’ll reply to this via write-up next week. Cool?

By: Violeta

Violeta — Thu, 26 May 2011 00:02:44 +0000

So, I come to your page in response to the tweet-question I posed and your response. Mostly, because I fell in love with a school that was cultural as much as it was political (and graduating large amts of kids) in Chicago (an alternative charter). For the research that I’ve done & the people that I know to be affiliated with them, it seems that for material that they cover and some of the views that some staff share with respect to politics and wanting Puerto Rico to be a free nation, it seems that some people would find that this sort of knowledge, discussion, etc. in a public school would be a conflict of interest. In my mind the conflict of interest would be from an imperialistic and/or racist point of view, but I still see that as a potential argument for someone arguing that this type of information should not be in a US public school. (Because in my opinion, an imperialist nation understands the importance of validated knowledge and what it means to educate generations with partial/biased/missing critical perspectives/historical narratives/ etc.)

Back to charter schools as a system, it seems to be a system where there’s more freedom from bureaucracy, but more “freedom” can lead to instability, lack of representation, security and other consequences. But if in the right hands, the idea of a charter school seems like a good idea for those looking to either supplement or create an alternative educational space that can be cultural or politicized or whatever, a characteristic that perhaps traditional public schools can’t overtly have (even though it does via whose knowledge is validated vs. whose isn’t).

There was a major study that found inconclusive results regarding which was better – charter or public. But it said something about African-American students doing better in those spaces.
I say all that to ask:

Do you think it would be possible to integrate cultural politics into the US public education system in a way that is not colorblind, nor with the sentiment “I’m gonna give you a holiday, eat your food, attempt to dance with your sabor, but not integrate your political struggle/ significant contributions to this country and/or your family’s country throughout the school year in some way whether aesthetic, curriculum, etc”? If yes, how so (so I can get on it! Lol) … If no, what are our alternatives?

A part of this to me is creating an alternative consciousness. Anyway, hope it’s not too much to respond to, I value your opinion as a teacher, poet, Afro-Latino, and guy with a cool website and Twitter page lol

Peace,
Violeta

By: Jose

Jose — Fri, 21 May 2010 01:17:08 +0000

Maybe. Some people took it on over at GothamSchools, but what might be happening is a shift towards “inevitability.” Some people are fighting, but most are letting it be.

By: Maura Alia Badji

Maura Alia Badji — Thu, 20 May 2010 06:38:40 +0000

I’m surprised not more people have commented on this topic. Has burn-out on the subject taken hold already? Or maybe it’s near the end of the year, and most teacher-folk are focused on SOL testing and such. No wonder John Legend is jumping on in.

By: Jose

Jose — Wed, 19 May 2010 23:12:01 +0000

Thanks to the both of you for commenting.

Maura, before he was even elected, I didn’t know what to say about the man. Everything else I could deal with, but his educational platform made me sick to my stomach. I felt like voting for him betrayed my own education interests, and the evidence only mounds higher.

Esteban, after you drop by, you’ll never see it again. Honest. I really hope I’m wrong, but chances are, I’m not. That doesn’t bode well for any involved.

By: Esteban Rodriguez

Esteban Rodriguez — Wed, 19 May 2010 02:45:25 +0000

Jose,

You surely are right about the death of public education and the long-term viability of the teaching profession. Keep it up.

Also,
Get rid of that annoying subscribe pop under.

By: Maura Alia Badji

Maura Alia Badji — Wed, 19 May 2010 02:14:44 +0000

Jose, I can’t tell you how disappointed I am that this state of affairs in education is taking hold under President Obama’s. Pardon the word, tenure. Was I hypnotized when I was working for his campaign? Honestly, I had not clue one that “reform” would take the twist to the path we are on now.

How did our once esteemed profession become the dumping ground for the nation’s angst? The vilification of teachers has become so commonplace that it fails to startle. Maybe I’m feeling more disheartened today due to being out on FMLA for the time being, but the future of public education is not looking too rosy.

Fight the good fight.