In a recent post by Kevin Welner, titled Et Tu, Mr. Boasberg, the author came under some heavy fire for his connections to the NEA. The implication was, of course, that because of these connections his work should be vaiewed as being pro union.
Let’s apply some of that same scrutiny towards the backers of Waiting for Superman. Barabara Miner has written a well researched and documented piece for Rethinking Schools, titled Ultimate Superpower: Supersized Dollars Drive ‘Waiting for Superman’ Agenda.
The intro to the article says:
This article, written expressly for NOTwaitingforsuperman.org, explores the money behind the movie, its promoters, and those who will benefit from the movie. As author Barbara Miner writes, “In education, as in so many other aspects of society, money is being used to squeeze out democracy.” After examining the role of hedge funds, foundations and other players, she asks, “Should the American people put their faith in a white billionaires boys’ club to lead the revolution on behalf of poor people of color?”
Provocative question indeed!
Popularity: 4% [?]
Mark raises some important points about the need for transparency for all the groups involved in either defending the current system (NEA, NEPC, etc) or working to reform it (ERN, DFER, EEP, CAP, Ed Trust, Hope Street, AEI, etc)
Following the money is certainly a critical aspect in understanding the nature of an organization like NEPC, ERN, DFER, Stand or others but obviously it’s also important to put the funding in the context of what the organization says about itself and what it does.
Barbara Miner’s article begins to do some of this but in the end, she cherry picks data on finances, relationships and organizational work to construct a simple-minded narrative about billionaires conspiring to destroy public education and profit in the process.
Do you really think Geoffrey Canada, Michelle Rhee, Mike Feinberg and hundreds of other reform leaders (supported by these billionaires) have devoted their life’s work to destroying public education?
Barbara Minor is correct that there are many interconnected relationships in the school reform community but like any movement there is hardly agreement among all of the leaders and organizations in the movement about means and ends.
A couple of suggestions for those that want to look more deeply and objectively at Minor’s claims-
1. A vibrant democracy requires an educated population that reads and critically thinks about the world. Visit a low-performing school in NYC, LA or Denver and then visit a high performing charter like DSST, Uncommon, West Denver Prep, DEMOCRACY Prep or others. After you’ve done that ask yourself whether the folks behind the development of these schools are out to undermine American democracy.
2. Look at ALL of an organization’s board members non-profit and political contributions to help decipher an organization’s orientation or agenda. I think you’ll find that the boards of ERN and DFER are collectively much more tied to centrist Democrats than right wing Republicans as suggested. Michael Bennet, Mario Cuomo, Mike Johnston and Barack Obama are among the most strongly supported politicians by many involved in these organizations. I would hardly describe any of these folks as part of some grand right wing conspiracy to destroy the country.
3. Look closely at the backgrounds of all of the folks and organizations associated with Waiting for Superman. Even Miner points out some very stark differences between Walden and Participant, do you really think the folks behind Syriana and Inconvenient Truth were duped by some billionaires to join the school reform movement to make public education worse for low-income kids?
4. Last, check out the growing list of over 200 partners on DoneWaiting.org It is a very diverse group that is promoting everything from equity in terms of school finance, charters, school choice (some for and some against vouchers), teacher effectiveness, district redesign and lots of other important reform efforts.
I haven’t finished reading Miner’s piece, but let me point something out to you, regarding what she says about the prospects of rich people “saving” the poor. I’m trying really hard to swallow my offense at your comments and take a “critical friends” stance on this, so please meet me halfway by actually thinking about what I’m about to say, instead of getting defensive.
It is not necessary to have a conspiracy in order to maintain the systems of oppression that keep the poor poor and the rich rich. All that’s necessary is for powerful people to continue to not question those systems, and support ideas and practices that reify them.
For instance, by continuing to assume that standardized tests offer a fair, accurate, and complete assessment of student knowledge, assuming that students who fail them necessarily lack important skills, and supporting the practice of assessing school and teacher quality on that basis, elitist “reformers” ensure that the schools serving the poorest students will continue to “fail.” They’ll continue to be subjected to an endless churn of experimental “reforms”, that actually make it harder for their schools to stabilize (and thus, harder for meaningful teaching and learning to proceed), and drain money away from the kinds of reforms *they* want and demand, like class size reduction, improvements in technology and physical plant, etc.
I truly believe that many of you on “the other side” have good intentions, but there is a certain ignorance, born of privilege, that makes it almost impossible for elites to be serious allies of the marginalized in any struggle for justice. Even just the manner in which the problem is approached– “I know best, I will impose my will on you, and you will eventually come to accept my wisdom” as opposed to, “I have the means, you have the knowledge, how can I help you achieve what you want?”– is itself a counterproductive, disrespectful way of doing things, that all but guarantees failure. Until that is understood and addressed, we’ll continue to have this kind of problem.
I genuinely hope you take this seriously. If you’re truly “done waiting” for positive change, then let’s talk about how to make that happen
“but there is a certain ignorance, born of privilege, that makes it almost impossible for elites to be serious allies of the marginalized in any struggle for justice.”
Are you serious? Yes it matters enormously to have the oppressed involved in any movement for change but your statement suggests deep misunderstanding of the history of movements and social change. Yes rich white ivy educated folks do have a harder time and probably can’t easily walk in the shoes of a low-income latino student but that doesn’t mean they should not be teachers, doctors or school reformers.
By the way, I’m no fan of most of the current standardized bubble tests but they do provide some understanding of a student’s skill level in reading and math. We do need much better tests but parents, teachers and policy makers can gleam a great deal with CO’s current metrics combined with the demographics of the school.
I’ve said it before and I will say it again that I doubt that anyone reading this blog would be happy with being forced to send their kid to a school with test scores (CSAP, ITBS, Stanford, etc) showing most kids can’t read at grade level which is true for too many low-income families in the US. Those of us with cultural and/or economic privilege take it for granted that we can buy a house near a good school, or send our kid to a private and work to get them in and drive them to a magnet. Too few of the urban poor in this country have any viable quality options and that’s why we need to reform so many aspects of public education.
I never said that privileged people should never be part of these movements; I’m saying they need to seriously examine that privilege, so that they can become true allies of the marginalized (rather than seeking to merely have them be “involved.”).
Here’s a starting point:
http://www.classism.org/about-class/what-is-classism
It matters enormously to have the oppressed involved?! Now it’s my turn to ask, are you serious?
Apparently we haven’t learned much since Kipling wrote “The White Man’s Burden.” Out with Paulo Freire and all that critical pedagogy crap. In with a reheated version of 19th century industrialists turning to charity after making a killing in whatever sector of the market they have conquered.
There is a big difference between helping and driving. Right now the so called “Billionaire Boys Club” wants to drive. I’m a white male and even I experience that as incredibly paternalistic. The collective experience of moral urgency has led us down the path that has failed to get us where we need to go again and again. But hey, we’ll just pump those test scores up and sort the rest out later. Everyone will get over their hurt feelings and all will be right with the world.
The most important thing I took away from my Peace Corps experience was the realization that I learned far more from the host country nationals than any of them probably did from me. And I thought I was there to help. A scaled up rendition of that lesson might put us on a better footing to discuss what the “oppressed” need and how to make it happen.
Sabrina, you are lots of fun. I’m laughing just reading the replies. Keep it up.
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