Recently I had the pleasure of appearing on Bob Herbert's Op-Ed. TV show on CUNY-TV. We spoke about segregation in our public schools, charter schools, testing, Betsy Devos' visit to NYC, class size, teacher strikes, how the Democratic party needs to reclaim the issue of equitable education, and more.
I'm so grateful to be able to discuss about these issues in depth rather than be limited to a soundbite in the mainstream media. Bob used to have a regular column in the NY Times where he wrote incisively and passionately about many about these issues. Sadly, the Times no longer has anyone on either the editorial staff or op-ed page who focuses on public education with a progressive point of view. Instead, too often we see pieces authored by charter school cheerleaders. Please watch the segment below and let me know what you think! thanks Leonie
Thank you Leonie for your defense of our public schools. The pressure and ideologies of out of touch legislators, hedgefunders and the corporate reform model has created more of a divide for communities. Public schools is the last institution where we can learn from one another. Until we make housing more affordable in every community, segregated schools will remain. That is still no excuse for not educating all children well. We have many Black scholars such as Dubois, Carver, Woodson and Booker T. Washington who were educated before Brown v. Bd. of Education. The problems that address Black and Latino communities stem from a country that will not allow us to be American but continues to see races of people. I do believe that charter schools have pushed us even more apart from the goal of educating America's children. Betsy DeVos is just an insult to the entire Department of Education and every teacher in our country.
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