remarks by aft president randi weingarten teach 2017 july … · weingarten was introduced by...

RemarksbyAFTPresidentRandiWeingartenTEACH2017July20,2017

Weingarten was introduced by Claudia Marte, her former student at Clara Barton High School in Brooklyn, N.Y. I. Introduction—MyDaywithBetsyWelcometoTEACH!IknowmanyofyouhavejustarrivedinWashington(andyoucanunderstandwhywecallittheswamp),butletmestartbytakingyouonatrip,toatowninOhiocalledVanWert.LikemanyruralareasinAmerica,VanWerthasgrownincreasinglyRepublican.AndintheNovember2016election,itwentoverwhelminglyRepublican.DoesthatmeanthatthepeopleofVanWertagreewitheverythingDonaldTrumpandBetsyDeVosaretryingtodo,likeendpublicschoolsasweknowtheminfavorofvouchersandprivatizationandmakingeducationacommodity?Notintheleast.ThepeopleofVanWertareproudoftheirpublicschools.They’veinvestedinpre-Kandproject-basedlearning.Theyhaveanationallyrecognizedroboticsteamandacommunityschoolprogramthathelpsat-riskkidsgraduate.Ninety-sixpercentofstudentsinthedistrictgraduatefromhighschool.ThiscommunityunderstandsthatTitleIisnotsimplyabudgetlinebutalifeline.WhyIamtellingyouaboutthistown?BecausethesearetheschoolsIwantedBetsyDeVostosee—publicschoolsintheheartoftheheartofAmerica.Unfortunately,justlikeclimatechangedeniersdenythefacts,BetsyDeVosisapublicschooldenier,denyingthegoodinourpublicschoolsandtheirfoundationalplaceinourdemocracy.HerrecordbackinMichigan,andnowinWashington,makesitclearthatsheisthemostanti-publiceducationsecretaryofeducationever.BetsyDeVoscalledpublicschoolsa“deadend.”Ourpublicschoolsaren’tadeadend.They’replacesofendlessopportunity.

They’rewhere90percentofAmerica’sparentssendtheirchildren.AndwhileSecretaryDeVosmayhavethoughtVanWertwouldbeagoodphotoop,mygoal,likeanyeducator,wastoteachhersomething.Andwedid:Greatthingsarehappeninginourpublicschools.Andwiththerightsupport,theycandoevenbetter.That’swhatshesawinVanWert,andthat’swhat’shappeninginpublicschoolsacrossthecountry.BetsyDeVoscannotclaimignoranceofwhat’shappeninginpublicschools—onlyindifference.ButhowcanyoubeindifferentwhenyouhearfromsomeonelikeClaudia?IrememberClaudia’shistoryclass—thegreatdiscussionsandthelivelydebates.ButIalsoremembersomegrousingthatIwaspushingtheclasstoohard.(Claudia,Ididn’tpushyounearlyashardasyoupushedyourself.)AndIcouldnotbemoreproudthatmyformerstudentisamemberofAFTLocal243inMadison,Wis.EveryoneinthishallhastheirClaudias.It’swhywedowhatwedo.Andit’swhywearegoingtoholdBetsyDeVosaccountableforherindifference,andforherattacksonourprofessionandonpubliceducation.Butherattacksarenottheonlychallengesweface.She’snottheonlyideologuewhowantstodestabilizeandprivatizethepublicschoolsthatmillionsofAmericansvalueandrelyupon.Letmebeblunt:WeareinaDavidversusGoliathbattle.Andinthisbattle,weareallDavid.II. HowDidWeGetHere?Sohowdidwegethere?Itdidn’tjusthappenlastElectionDayorInaugurationDay.Themomentwe’reinistheresultofanintentional,decades-longcampaigntoprotecttheeconomicandpoliticalpowerofthefewagainsttherightsofthemany.Ithastakentheformofdivision—expressingitselfasracism,sexism,classism,xenophobiaandhomophobia.Anditsintentionsareoftendisguised.Forexample,taketheword“choice.”Youhearitallthetimethesedays.School“choice.”BetsyDeVosusesitinpracticallyeverysentence.Youcouldshowher,asIdid,anaward-winningroboticsprogram,andshe’dsay“Whataboutchoice?”whichsheactuallysaid.Youcouldprobablysay“Goodmorning,Betsy,”andshe’dsay,“That’smychoice.”Shemustloverestaurantbuffets.Butletmebereallyserious.Decadesago,theterm“choice”wasusedtocloakovertracismbysegregationistpoliticianslikeHarryByrd,wholaunchedthemassiveoppositiontotheBrownv.BoardofEducationSupremeCourtdecision.

AftertheBrowndecision,manyschooldistricts,especiallyintheSouth,resistedintegration.InVirginia,whiteofficialsinPrinceEdwardCountyclosedeverypublicschoolinthedistrictratherthanhavewhiteandblackchildrengotoschooltogether.Theyopenedprivateschoolswhereonlywhiteparentscouldchoosetosendtheirchildren.Andtheydiditusingpublicmoney.By1963,African-AmericanstudentshadbeenlockedoutofPrinceEdwardCountypublicschoolsforfiveyears.AFTmemberssentfundsandschoolsupplies.AndsometraveledfromNewYorkandPhiladelphiatosetupschoolsforAfrican-Americanstudentsinchurchbasementsandpublicparks,sothesestudentscouldhaveaneducation.AndwhatabouttheschoolsBetsyDeVosappallinglycalled“pioneersofschoolchoice”—historicallyblackcollegesanduniversities?HBCUsactuallyarosefromthediscriminatorypracticesthatdeniedblackstudentsaccesstohighereducation.HBCUsarevitalinstitutions,butthatdoesn’tchangethetruthoftheirorigins:TheywerebornofashamefullackofeducationalchoicesforAfrican-Americanstudents.Makenomistake:The“realpioneers”ofprivateschoolchoicewerethewhitepoliticianswhoresistedschoolintegration.Butneitherfactsnorhistoryseemstomattertothisadministration.InMarch,DeVosgaveaspeechhereinWashington.Shejustified“choice”bysaying:“I’msimplyinfavorofgivingparentsmoreandbetteroptionstofindanenvironmentthatwillsettheirchildupforsuccess.”Whocoulddisagreewiththat?It’snotideologicaltowantaschoolthatworksforyourkid.It’shuman.Butherpreferredchoices—vouchers,tuitiontaxcredits,andprivate,for-profitcharterschools—don’twork.And,afterdecadesofexperimentswithvoucherprograms,theresearchisclear:Theyfailmostofthechildrentheypurportedlyareintendedtobenefit.TheDepartmentofEducation’sownanalysisoftheD.C.voucherprogramfoundithasanegativeeffectonstudentachievement.TheLouisianavoucherprogramhasledtolargedeclinesinkids’readingandmathscores.StudentsinOhio’svoucherprogramdidworsethanchildreninitstraditionalpublicschools.AndIcouldgoonandonaboutfor-profitandonlinecharters,aswell.And,whileparentsarepromisedgreaterchoice,whenafamilyusesavoucherforachildtoattendaprivateschool,inrealityitistheschool—notthefamily—thatmakesthechoice.That’sbecauseprivateschoolscan—andmanydo—discriminate,becausetheydon’tfollowfederalcivilrightslaws.Vouchersincreaseracialandeconomicsegregation.Andtheylacktheaccountabilitythatpublicschoolshave.Manyvoucherprograms,liketheonehereinWashington,D.C.,don’tevenrevealhowmuchpublicfundingtheyreceiveorhowstudentsareperforming.DeVosdefendsthislackoftransparency,sayingtheimportantthingisnotqualityoraccountability,but—what?Choice.

Thesechoicesdonotincreasestudentachievement.Theydonotreduceinequityorsegregation.Theydrainfundsfromanddestabilizeourpublicschools.AndtheymoveusfurtherawayfromthechoiceeverychildinAmericadeserves—awell-supported,effectivepublicschoolneartheirhome.ButTrumpandDeVosarenotbackingofftheirsupportforvouchers,for-profitchartersandotherprivatizationschemes.Theyhaveproposeda$250million“downpayment”theywanttofollowwithbillionsofpublicdollarsforvouchersandtuitiontaxcredits.Andyouknowhowtheyplantopayforit?Bycuttingfederaleducationspendingthatgoesdirectlytoeducatechildreninpublicschoolsby$9billion.Makenomistake:Thisuseofprivatization,coupledwithdisinvestmentareonlyslightlymorepolitecousinsofsegregation.Weareinthesamefight,againstthesameforcesthatarekeepingthesamechildrenfromgettingthepubliceducationtheyneedanddeserve.Andwhatbetterwaytopavethepathtoprivatizeeducationthantostarvepublicschoolstothebreakingpoint,thencriticizetheirshortcomings,andletthemarkethandletherest.Allinthenameofchoice.That’showademocracycomesapart.Onthe60thanniversaryoftheBrownv.BoardofEducationdecision,IwasinTopkea,Kansas,thehomeoftheplaintiffsintheBrowncase.IwastheretosupportthefightagainstGov.SamBrownback’sdraconiandisinvestmentfrompubliceducation.Thebigideabehindthegovernor’s“real-liveexperiment”withtrickle-downeconomicswasthatcuttingtaxesforthewealthyandcorporations,andslashingpublicservices,wouldsomehowleadtoaneconomicboom.Therewasnoboom—onlydevastatingcutstopublicschoolsandotherservices,andabustforthestate’seconomy.ThisspringtheKansasSupremeCourtfoundthatthepeoplewho’dsufferedthemostwereblack,Hispanicandpoorstudents.Wefoughtthisvileexperiment.AndlastmontheventheRepublican-controlledKansasstateLegislatureforcedGov.Brownbacktoincreasepubliceducationfundingbynearly$500million.WetookastandinPrinceEdwardCounty.AndwetookastandinKansas.Bothfightswerelongandhard.Wedidn’tgiveup,andwedidn’tdoitalone,withonetweet,onespeechoronedemonstration.III. HowDoWeMoveForward?FiveValues(FiveSmoothStones)Yes,it’sexhausting.Wehavetofightharderandharderjusttokeepfromlosingground.ButIhaven’tlostheartorfaith,because,althoughwefaceformidableadversaries,weareDavidtotheirGoliath.Whenleaderscontrollingthefederalgovernmentarehell-bentontakingawayhealthcarefrom32millionpeopleinordertogiveataxcuttotheultra-wealthy,weareDavidtotheirGoliath.Whenofficialsfarfromtheclassroomcareawholelotabouttestingandtestscores,butdon’tgiveadamnaboutwhatourstudentsreallyneed,weareDavidtotheirGoliath.Whenhedgefunders,billionaires

andanti-laborideologuesbandtogetherinanaxisofinequality,furtherriggingourpoliticalandeconomicsystemagainstworkingfolks,weareDavidtotheirGoliath.Whenapresidentialadministrationtakesactionsthatmakeimmigrantstudentsafraidtodream,thatfavorfraudulentfor-profitcollegesoverstudentsseekinganeducation,thatputanentirereligioninitscrosshairs,weareDavidtotheirGoliath.Whengovernorsinstateafterstategoafterlaborrightsandvotingrights,andtheyfindanallyinthenewestSupremeCourtjusticewhowillheartheJanuscase,wemustbeDavidtotheirGoliath.Yearsago,IhadtheopportunitytovisittheValleyofElah,wherethestandoffbetweenDavidandGoliathtookplace.AndifyourememberSundayschool,you’llrecall:Thatwasn’tafairfighteither.Goliathwasbig;Davidwasalittleguy.Goliathhadanarmy.AndDavid?Davidhadasling—withfivesmoothstones.ButDavidhadaplan.Goliathnodoubtassumedhisgreaterstrengthwasenough,butweallknowhowthatendedup.Ilikethefactthat,inoursling,wealsohavefivesmoothstones.Fivevaluesthatwearetranslatingintoaction.Whatarethey?• First,Americansdeservegoodjobsthatpayadecentwage,andprovideavoiceatworkanda

secureretirement.

• Second,theydeservehealthcaresopeoplearenotoneillnessawayfrombankruptcy.

• Third,theyneedpublicschoolsthataresafeandwelcomingandprepareyoungpeopleforlifeandcitizenship,careerandcollege.Andspeakingofcollege,itmustbeaffordable.

• Fourth,noneofthishappenswithoutastrongandvibrantdemocracy,includingafreepress,anindependentjudiciary,athrivinglabormovement,andtheprotection—notsuppression—oftherighttovote.

• Andfifth,thereisnodemocracywithoutsafeguardingthecivilrightsofall.Thatmeansfightingbigotryanddiscrimination—liketheattacksonimmigrants,Muslimsandtransgenderkids,andtherisingtideofanti-Semitismandracism.

Iamontheroadmoreoftenthannot,oratleastitfeelsthatway.AndIgettotalkwithalotofpeople.Here’swhatI’veseenandheard:Nomatterwherepeoplearefrom,ortheirpoliticalpersuasion,thereisacommonsetofaspirations—forthemselvesandtheirfamilies.Whenweconnectonvalues—thesevalues,thesefivestones—wewin.Wehelpmakepeople’slivesbetter,andwerepairthecommongroundthathasbeenjackhammeredapart.IV. FourPillarsWell,Davidhadhisfivestones,butheonlyneededone.AndwhileIcouldtalkatlengthabouteachofthesefivecorevalues,Iwanttofocusonone:powerful,purposefulpubliceducation.

GreatthingsarehappeninginpublicschoolsineverycommunityinAmerica,andweneedtoliftthemup.Poetryslams.Socraticseminars.Sciencefairs.Speechtherapy.Studentscheckmatingtheirchesscoach.Aonce-strugglingstudentreadingongradelevel.Anyoneofyoucouldtalkaboutthingsgoingoninyourclassroomandyourschoolthatyou’reproudof—andIhopeyouwill!InNewYorkCity,theUnitedFederationofTeachers(myhomelocal)startedwhattheycall#PublicSchoolProud—yousawitinthevideo.ThiscampaignisnowtakingholdinFlorida,NewMexico,OhioandTexas.It’soneofthewaysschoolemployees,parentsandcommunitiesareshowingthatthereissomuchtobeproudofinourpublicschools.Wegetthatpublicschoolsarenotperfectandthateveryonedoesn’talwaysworkforeveryoneofitsstudents.WeknowthatschoolsinAmericahavealwaysbeenunequal,oftenbasedonraceandclass.ButI’veneverheardaparentsay,“Thatschooldoesn’tworkformykid.SoIwanttoengageinanideologicallydrivenmarket-basedexperimentthatcommodifieseducationandhasbeenproventobeineffective.”No,mostofthetimeparentswantaneighborhoodpublicschoolthatworksfortheirchild.Theywanttheirchildtofeelsafe.Theywanttheirschooltohaveadequateresourcesandsmallenoughclasssizes.Theywanttheirschooltohavemusic,artandscience.Theywanttheirchildtosoarinchallengingclassesandgetsupportwhentheystruggle.Theywanttheirchildtofillthedinnertableconversationwithstoriesaboutwhattheydidinschoolthatday.Ourpublicschoolsarefilledwithdedicatedprofessionalswhoaredoingtheirlevelbest—despiteneverhavingenoughfunding,despitetherelentlessattacks,despitemisguidedpoliciesgussiedupas“reforms”anddespitethechallengeschildrenbringfromhome.Andwithsomekeyinvestmentsandtherightstrategies,we’llnotjusthavethewill,we’llhavetheway.SoasfarasI’mconcerned,theonlychoiceis:Doweasanationstrengthenandimproveourpublicschools,ordon’twe?Weknowwhatworkstoaccomplishthis:investmentinandfocusonfourpillarsofpowerful,purposefulpubliceducation:

• Children’swell-being;• Powerfullearning;• Educators’capacity;and,• Collaboration.

Children’swell-beingmeansmeetingchildrenwheretheyare—emotionally,socially,physicallyandacademically;makingsuretheyfeelsafeandvalued.Sincehalfofthekidsinpublicschoolsarepoor,thatalsorequiresconfrontingtherealityofpoverty.Onewayistocoordinatetheserviceskidsneedin

communityschools.TheAFTInnovationFundishelpingouraffiliatesopenandexpandcommunityschools.Whataboutpowerfullearning?Publicschoolsareaskedtodevelopstudentsacademicallyandpersonally.Thatdoesn’thappenbytestingandtestprep.Ithappenswhenlearningengagesstudentsandencouragesthemtoinvestigate,strategizeandcollaborate.It’swhywefightfiercelyforartandmusicandproject-basedlearninglikethecomputeranimationcareer-techprogramtheAFTInnovationFundissupportinginMiami.Andwhataboutdevelopingourcapacityaseducators?Howmanytimesinyourcareerhaveyoubeenthrownthekeysandtoldtojustdoit?Noonewouldtoleratethatforpilotsordoctorsorourarmedforces.Buteducators?Please…Wecontinuetofightagainsttheinfantilizationofteachersandthe“teachersshouldbeseenandnotheard”sentimentofpeoplewhomakedecisionsaffectingteachingandlearning,butwhohaven'tspent10minutesinaclassroom.That’sthepurposeoftheAFTTeacherLeadersProgram,whichnowcounts800participants.ThousandsofmembershaveparticipatedinAFTprofessionaldevelopment.AndhundredsofthousandsmorehavedevelopedtheirskillsthroughShareMyLessonandtheprofessionaldevelopmentofferedbyourstateandlocalaffiliates.Thegluethatholdsallthistogetheriscollaboration:schoolemployees,parentsandcommunitypartnersworkingtogether.Whenschoolsstruggle,theresponsetoooftenistop-downtakeoversandfiringstaff.Thoseapproachesare“disruptive”allright—anothertermpublicschooldenierslove—buttheyarenoteffective.JustlookatMcDowellCounty,W.Va.,theeighth-poorestcountyintheUnitedStates,wherecoalusedtobeking.Thestatetookovertheschooldistrictforadecade.Nothingchanged.Butnow,afteranAFT-ledpartnershipthatutilizesthesefourpillars,graduationratesareupbydoubledigits.Mostimportantly,wearehelpingchangechildren’slives.Thesefourpillarswon’tbebuiltonhopesandwishes,they’llbebuiltonlearningeffectivestrategies—whichyou’redoinghereatTEACH—andoninvestment.Investmentiscrucial.ButTrumpandDeVos,andmanystates,areactuallygoingintheoppositedirection.Theytelltheliethatpublicschoolsarefailing,andtheytrytomakehugebudgetcutstomaketheliereal.TheTrump-DeVosbudgetzerosoutresourcesforreducingclasssizeandforteacherprofessionaldevelopment,andstripsallfundingforcommunityschools,andafterschoolandsummerprograms.SoofferingslikethesummerlearningprogramatD.C.’sBrightwoodEducationCampus,whichIvisitedthisweek,wouldbegone,alongwithitsSpringboardprogram,asummerliteracycourseforstudentsinkindergartentosecondgrade.Thisprogramnotonlypreventssummerlearningloss,butinthefiveweeksofclasses,hasincreasedstudents’literacylevelsby3½months.Inessence,theTrump-DeVosbudgettakesameatcleavertopubliceducation.

Andit’snotjusttheeducationcuts.WhileTrumpcaremightbeonholdrightnow,thebattleisfarfromover.Its$880billioncutfromMedicaidwasinhumane.Anditwouldmean,forthealmost80percentofschooldistrictsthatrelyonthesefunds,thelossofschoolnursesandhealthscreenings,wheelchairsandfeedingtubes,forourmostvulnerablekids.Andforwhat?AtaxcutforthewealthiestAmericans?Thesecutsrobchildrenofopportunity.That’swhywefightthem,withactionslikethelobbyingandrallyingmanyofyoudidyesterday.Andpeoplearewithus.TheAFTrecentlycommissionedapoll.Three-quartersofthepeoplewetalkedtoopposethedeepcutstoeducationthatTrumpandDeVosareproposing.Andjustasmanyopposetakingawayfundingfrompublicschoolstoincreasefundingforprivateschoolvouchersandcharterschools.V. RESIST—ANDRECLAIMWhilepeoplehavealwayssupportedpubliceducation,whatmakesthismomentdifferentisthatnow,millionsofAmericansarehungrytofightforsomethingbetter.Butwiththedailyoutragesandtherelentlessassaultsonourvaluesandourdemocracy,itcanbehardtoknowwheretobegin.Well,itbeginswithelections.Theyhaveconsequences—bigtime.Votingreallymatters.Butwhatcanwedobetweenelections?That’swhereoneofthebooksI’vebecomeobsessedwithhelps.It’sbyYalehistoryprofessorTimothySnyder.It’scalledOnTyranny:TwentyLessonsfromtheTwentiethCentury.Andyougotacopyinyourconferencebag.Snyder’s20lessonsaretoldthroughthelensofhistory.Theysharpenourunderstandingofwhatisgoingonaroundus.Andtheselessonsareimportantbecausemostoftoday’sstudentswerebornafterNazigenocide,afterapartheid,aftertheBerlinWallfell,andafterdejuresegregationintheUnitedStateshadbeenoutlawed.Theycouldhave,asSnyderwrites,the“sensethathistorycouldmoveinonlyonedirection:towardliberaldemocracy.”Tragically,that’sjustnottrue.Snyderwrites,“Historydoesnotrepeat,butitdoesinstruct.…Historycanfamiliarize,anditcanwarn.”Heremindsusthatwecan’ttakeourinstitutionsforgranted.Thatdictatorsthroughouthistoryhavebuiltpowerbykneecappingtradeunionsandco-optingorundercuttingpubliceducation.Believeintruth.Listenfordangerouswords.Contributetogoodcauses.Beapatriot.Defendinstitutions,suchasunions.Thereissomethingthateachofuscandotodefenddemocracyandfighttyranny.Andifthenextgenerationistotakeupthefight,whobettertoteachthemthanAmerica’seducators?SoIamaskingyou:Let’stakeourresponsibilitytoresistinjusticefullon.Andlet’stakeourresponsibilitytoreclaimthefuturefullon.Classroombyclassroom.Communitybycommunity.IfIcouldaskyoutodoanything,itwouldbethis:Tellyourstories.Advocateforyourstudents.Doitinpublic.Shinealight.Usesocialmedia.ShowthepeoplehereinWashingtonwhat’shappeningathome.Showthemwhatabudgetcutmeansinveryhumanterms.Manyofyouaredoingthisalready.

Andwearenotalone.Takealook.ThisisaphotooftheinaugurationlastJanuary.AndthisisfromtheWomen’sMarchjustonedayafter—andsoisthis,andthis,andthis.No,wearenotalone.

Yes,thosemillions—yes,millions—ofpeoplewhohaveprotestedsinceElectionDayare,asthekidssay,woke.Theyareenergized—energizedtofightagainstbigotryandhate,tofightforaneconomythatworksforeveryoneandanAmericathatleadstheworld.

WhydoweteachourstudentsaboutDr.King’sletterfromBirminghamjail?OrCesarChavez’sorganizingofimmigrantworkers,orMahatmaGandhi’sfasts,orMalala’sordeal?Becauseweknowthatnothingismoreinspiringthanwhenpeoplewhomthepowerfulwanttokeepdown,riseup.Andwe,too,willrise.Torisetakesmorethanamoment,orevenahundredmoments.Ittakesamovement.Andyouarepartofthatmovement.So:

• Ifyouarealocalunionpresident,pleaserise!• Ifyou’vebeenpartoftheAFTTeacherLeadersprogram,riseup!• IfyouhaveparticipatedinanAFTprofessionaldevelopmentcourse,riseup!• IfyouhavedownloadedoruploadedaresourceonShareMyLesson,riseup!• Ifyouhaveboughtschoolsuppliesforyourstudents,orfoodforahungrykid,pleaserise!• Ifyou’vespentasleeplessnightworryingaboutastudent,pleaserise!• Ifyouhavelobbiedforacauseyoubelievein,riseup!• Ifyouare#PublicSchoolProud,riseup!• Ifyouknowthattheunioncanhelpempoweryoutomakeourcommunitiesandourworlda

betterplace,pleaserise!Byresisting,andreclaimingthepromiseofpubliceducationforallofourstudents,wewillpreserveourdemocracy.Wewillprotectourmostvulnerable.Wewillstrengthenourcommunities.WewilltakeonGoliath.Andwewillwin.

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