GEM is late in formally welcoming two blogs to this growing community of activists fighting for the soul of public education.
We probably all wish there weren't a need for social action of this kind, but that's a pipedream, and we're lucky that people have the energy to take on the coup in public education.
The Coalition for Public Education's first post was on Aug. 6th, but we refer GEM readers to their more recent newsletter here.Click the image for a readable version, which focuses on Moskowitz's Harlem Success Academy, whose very name includes one of those pet tag-words of the EdDeform crowd, "success." It's never been defined, and they're never going to, because it's one of those words that can mean almost anything if you manipulate the variables enough.
Concerned Activists for Public Education (CAPE), whose mission is "to lend parent and teacher voices to educational policy and fights to protect and preserve public education," received its first comment from a person (parent? BloomKleinman?) who doesn't yet get it:
"Charter schools are public schools and have the same rights as district schools to use public school buildings. The children attending PAVE are children from your community and district. PS15 is under-utilized. Why are you trying to deny the children of your own community access to a quality education at PAVE. Parents have every right to choose which school they wish to send their children.I guess some people have a different definition of the word "our" than GEM, CPE or CAPE use. I like our definition better, because theirs has a distinct flavor of Them and Us.
CAPE is comprised of teachers who don't want to be held accountable for failing their students and being protected by a union contract that put children last and union dues first.
It's our children, not yours. Do your job and educate our children!!"
Sam Coleman recently sent around an email inviting people to sign an online petition in CAPE's sidebar:
Please take a minute to sign this petition. PS 15 in Redhook Broklyn has been sharing space with Pave charter school for 2 years. They promised to be out after 2 years and are now filing for an extension. A group of dedicated teachers is organizing to defend their well known and well regarded school. I was at a meeting with these teachers last night and their description of the behavior, attitude and lack educational professionalism of this charter school's administration was hair raising. If they are allowed to stay the charter will continue to expand into PS 15's space. They have a petition at http://www.capeducation.blogspot.com/
— jw
