,.

Winter 1992-1993 • Vol. 7, NO.2

RETHINKING SCHOOLSAn Urban Educational Journal

INSIDE'Yes' on Feb. 16thMPS ReferendumAn edftorlal advocates supportof Milwaukee's $366 millionbuilding referendum Page 2

The Politics of theMPS ReferendumA look at who is lining upforand against the Feb. 16thbuilding referendum Page 3

Privately FundedVouchers ProliferateNational conference highlightsstrategy ofprivate school'choice' proponents Page"

How Calif. TextsPortray LatinosWriter Elizabeth Martinezexomines tIM portrayal ofLatinos in textbooks Page 10

Dear Bill: How YouCan Help SchoolsA variety of educators suggesteducational priorities for theClinton administration Page 12

Schools, Jobs andthe EeonomyPaul Weclcsteinlooks at tIMrelotitmshlp between schoolsand "high-skill" jobs Page 11

••••••••••••••••DEPARTMENTSEtIiIorillIs _ ,. 2Reso~, ".8Rethbtklng tIN Classroom •••••p. 9SIJorll p. 18S",..", Page ._ •••••••••p. 24

Souls or Dollars?How Wisconsin's Voc-EdProgram Will Change Our Schools

By David Levine

On July 3,1991, with not a whisper ofcontroversy, the Wisconsin Legislatureapproved a new vocational program that, ifimplemented as planned, will fundamentallyalter the curriculum and structure of thestate's high schools.

Boosted by substantial federal grants, theblessings of the governor, and the prestige ofcorporate supporters. this "Tech-Prep"program puts Wisconsin in the forefront of anationwide trend to foster vocationaleducation as the key answer to bothindividual and national economic problems.

Tech-Prep enthusiasts claim it willimprove education for non-college boundstudents, meet critical skilled-laborshortages, and increase educational equity.While these goals are laudable, Tech-Prep ishighly unlikely to fulfill such hopes. Instead,it will almost surely bolster - albeit with amore elaborate rationa1ization - the classand racial tracking which characterizesnearly all schools.

Just as disturbing, Tech-Prep tends tonarrow the purpose of education to merelymeeting the workforce needs of theeconomy. Under a Tech-Prep approach.educarcrs are encouraged to reduce school to.... ,,-students to critically participate in ademocratic society, takes a back seat Yet asAfrican-American scholar W.E.B. DuBoisnoted almost a century ago: 'The ideals ofeducation, whether men are taught to teachor to plow, to weave or to write, must not beallowed to sink to a sordid utilitarianism.

continued on page 14Tech-PNPd.bat. ,.1••• the """"011' wflat I. the purpoa. at _hooI.,

Tales From An Untracked Classtelling: Global Issues for college boundstudents, Geography Skills for thevocationally tracked. Students in advancedclasses read whole books, write papers,

By Linda Christensen swear they've never gotten less than an Athe whole time they've been in school."

The class is starting to sound good.Hopefully, Barbara Ward and AnnieHuginnie, the two senior counselors havegiven me "mixed up" classes of studentsagain: failures and successes, neighborhoodand magnet students, performers and non-performers, "advanced," and "remedial." Tracking helps

create, thenlegitimates, asocial hierarchywithin a school.

It's teacher "work" day -two daysbefore students arrive - and I'm trying toreconstruct my classroom between faculty,department, and union meetings. Malloryleans over my desk, her dancer's bodyrounding in the third month of pregnancy. "Ineed to transfer to your 5th period classbecause the parenting class is only offered6th. I hope this class is all mixed up like lastyear's."

Mallory reads over my temporary studentenrolhnent list, telling me about the studentsI don't already know. "Oh, he's had, Ms.Christensen. He talked all the time in mathlast year. I don't think he's passed a classyet. Oh, the Turner brothers are in here.They are the smartest kids in our class. I

Unhooking One ClassI untracked my English classes several

years ago. I knew tracking was unjust, and Ididn't want to perpetuate the myths aboutacademic ability that tracking imparts. I alsowanted to demonstrate that it was possibleto teach a wide range of students in oneclass, to present a model for our scbooLAfter ten years of teaching remedialEnglish,l also knew I couldn't standteaching one more low tracked class. Evenif my seniority allowed me the privilege ofteaching advanced classes, morally, Icouldn't teach them any longer.

Tracking helps create, then legitimates, asocial hierarchy within a school based on

'perceived differences in student ability.Students in higher tracks have access tocollege preparatory classes: Algebra,Geometry" Calculus, Chemistry, Physics.But even in the traditional subjects-English and Social Studies - studentsparticipate in different educationalexperiences. Even the titles of classes are

complete library research which preparesthem for college, while students in lowertrack classes typically read light bites ofliterature and history - short stories oradolescent novels. Their writing, if theywrite, tends to remain in the narrative,personal story telling mode rather thanmoving to the analytical.

Beyond the lack of preparation foracademic tasks, the larger problem I wimessas a teacher is the embedded beliefsstudents leave these classrooms with.Students in advanced classes come tobelieve they earned a privilege that is oftengiven them based on race, class. or gender,

continued on page 19

RETHINKING SCHOOLS1001 East Keefe AvenueMilwaukee. WIsconsin 53212

Address Correction Requested

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PAl DMilwaukee. WI.Permit No. 3638

Rethinking Schools-EDITORIALSVote ''Yes''on the Feb. 16thMPS Building Referendum

Page 2

WHO WEARERethinking SChools is an independ-

ent educational joumal published byMilwaukee-area classroom teachersand educators. We are dedicated tohelping parents, teachers, and stu-dents solve the many problems thatexist in our schools. As teachers andcommunity members, we want topromote thoughtful discussion anddebate on educational issues and helpunite the many groups currentlyworking to make our schools better,Discussion of educational issues isoften dominated by administrators andeducational consultants. We hope thatRethinking SChools gives teachers,parents, and students an effectivevoice in determining the futureof our schools.

We encourage our readers to join usin our discussion and debate oneducational issues, including thefollowing:

1) How can parents, teachers, andstudents gain more powerful roles indetermining school policies andpractices?

2) What must be done to overcomethe significant racial, gender, and classinequities that prevent many studentsfrom receiving an equal and effectiveeducation?

3) What specific approaches canteachers use to empower studentswithin the classroom and community?How can we make meaningful,community-based work experience anintegral part of each child's education?

4) What can we do to insure thatmulticultural and anti-racist educationtakes place?

5) What ~fic teaching techniquesand materials have proven successfulin our efforts to encourage students totransform both their lives and the worldaround them?

We encourage readers to send usarticles, letters, and graphics, as wellas wr~ing and drawings by youngpeople. Those interested in submitfingan article should send a SASErequesting our guidelines.

You can also help by subscribing toour joumal or by volunteering tobecome a distributor at your school,workplace, or PTA.

••••••••••••••Rethinking SChOOlsis published byRethinking SChools Limited,a non-profit, tax-exempt organization.ISSN # 0895-6855.© 1992, Rethinking SChools, Ltd.One year subscriptions are$12.50 for individuals and$25 for organizations and institutions.ContactRethinking Schools,1001 E. Keete Ave.,Milwaukee, WI53212(414) 964-9646. Fax #: 414-964-7220.Edftors: David Levine, Robert Lowe,Bob Peterson, and Rita Tenorio.Offfce manager: Mike Trokan.IIBnaglng edJtor: Barbara Miner.Edltortal Associates: Bill Bigelow,Linda Christensen, and Stan Karp.Other people who helped 011 thisIssue: Kristin Bayer, Cathy Blaski-Liptack, Dennis Casper, Andy Daitsman,Julie Eisenberg, Maureen Keyes, LarryMiller, Liam Murray, Jennifer Morales, AINichols, celin Perez, Anita Simansky.Design assistance: C.C. BrhelLayout assistance: Jeff HansenPostmaster: send change of addressesto Rethinking Schools, 1001E. KeefeAve., Milwaukee, WI53212

On Feb. 16, as few as 20,000 peoplemight vote in a referendum that is one of thecornerstones of reform for the MilwaukeePublic Schools. It is crucial that teachers,parents, and concerned community residentsnot only vote "yes" on the referendum, butencourage their friends, families, and co-workers to do likewise.The referendum is to approve a bund that

will finance $366 million of a lO-year, $474million construction plan for MPS. It is thefirst time in almost a quarter century thatMilwaukee voters have been asked toapprove a comprehensive building plan forour schools (see story page 3).The most common complaint about the

referendum is that it will unreasonably raiseproperty taxes. Yes, property taxes will rise,an average of 8% over the lO-year life ofthe plan. And no, no one likes to see risingproperty taxes.But focusing merely on property taxes signores two essential questions. First, what 0

is the alternative? To do nothing and let ~children remain in overcrowded and ~inadequate classrooms - or to have no :z:classroom space available at all, as is thecase for nearly one-third of the eligiblekindergartners in Milwaukee - is anuntenable position. And while we mustsurely fight for increased state and federalmonies for our public schools, those arelong-term reforms that do not address theimmediate crisis.Second, why aren't questions of property

taxes and public monies used to derail cityand county building projects? Why wasIbero 110 IuIc lIIId a'I abou1lbe O'I;loaDellPark fiasco at the lakefront? Why no secondthoughts about the public money that willbe funnelled into the proposed BrewerStadium project? Why no protests over themulti-billion dollar deep tunnel sewerproject? Why no mayoral alternatives to thenew County Jail?Controversy has also surrounded the

facilities plan's proposal to contract out agrowing number of seats in early childhoodeducation to community groups. It isimportant, however, to rememher that thereferendum deals strictly with money tobuild and renovate schools and does not inany way earmark funds for contracting out,The confusion stems from the fact that thefacilities plan, while separate from thereferendum, was the basis for deciding howmany schools to build and therefore howmuch money to request in the referendum.We too are troubled by the contracting

out proposals in the facilities plan. Willthere be mechanisms to ensure accountabil-ity? What about the low wages often paid to

We'd LikeYour Ideas!Rethinking SChools Is

wor1llng on two special projects.We'd like your suggestions.

The first project Is an Issuelater this school year onparental Involvement In schools.

The second project Is aspecial edition, Rethinking theClassroom, patterned after thehighly acclaimed RethinkingCOlumbus.

If you are Interested Insubmitting Ideas, aMlcles,resources, or photographs forthese projects we ask that youcontact us as soon as possible.

Winter 1992-1993

THE GOOD NEWS 15 WeSAVED THEM BEFoRE TtiELAST LIBRARY CLOSED.,rlE BAD NEWS IS TtiAT-T'tiE GCNERNMENT /5CLOSING T<115 MUSEUM

DUE TOBUDGET CUT'>.

5L...- ----J

the staff in such schools?But the reality is that contracting out is

likely to increase if the referendum fails.Without the new schools, MPS won't havethe space to educate all the city's eligiblechildren and will be forced to rely evenmore on community-based groups.

Tbe specifocs of.Jbe con~g'1i ~vague and must be clarified. It is a strugglethat needs to be fought - but after thereferendum. This issue will come up againbefore the school board, whose verycomposition may he changed after theelections next spring.'

Still other people are leery of the amountof money that will be used to build a newvocational technical high school and torevamp vocational education facilities in allmiddle and high schools. We also haveserious questions about these aspects of theplan. In particular, we are concerned aboutthe historical link between voc-ed andtracking, and question whether this issuehas been thoroughly thought out at thedistrict level. At the same time, there is noquestion but that Milwaukee TechnicalHigh School is an inadequate physicalfacility.In the final analysis, the above reserva-

tions are outweighed by the educationreforms that will be possible if the referen-dum is approved.

Those reforms are rarely mentioned byopponents of the referendum. Tactically,that is smart on their part. Who can beopposed to smaller class sizes and music,art, library, and computer facilities? Whocould reasonably argue that Milwaukee-ftchi~·iiildrlirenftdo.n~'"td;;;eilisebrviRiesuc en-. In a ndance insuburban schools?There is never any "pure" issue. Yet,

despite its limitations, the facilities referen-dum comes about as close as any otherfaced by Milwaukee voters in recent years.In a very real sense, the future of our cityrests on our schools and our children. Ourposition can be summed up in five words:"Vote 'yes' on Feb. 16." 0

Volunteer to help passthe MPS referenduml

people are needed to help withmailings, phone calling, typing,literature distribution, and muchmore. Call The Children FirstCOalition clo Progressive Milwau-kee, 734 N. 26th St., Milwaukee,WI 53233. Tel. 344-0382.

'Tis The Season ...advantages to donating to RethinkingSchools, however. First, you can seedirectly where your money goes - into thenewspaper. Second, hecause we operate ona shoe-string budget, we are extremelyfrugal. Every dollar counts. A $50 or $100donation might not make a big difference tosome non-profit groups. For us, it's likemanna from heaven.In particular, we invite you to become a

Rethinking Schools Sustainer. Sustainers,who pledge a minimum of $100 a year,receive a free subscription and a freeRethinking Schools t-shirt,Rethinking Schools started seven years

ago as little more than a dream to provide avoice for teachers and parents interested inschool reform. Please help us keep thatdream alive. 0

If you're like most teachers, you areeagerly awaiting the holiday season so youcan take a break from homeworkassignments, lunch duty, reprimanding kidsfor eating in class, and all the relatedheadaches that come with teaching. And,like many teachers, you will use the holidaybreak to catch up on all your personalrecord-keeping, from mail to book orders totax receipts.As you go through that record-keeping,

we have a favor to ask. Plese considermaking a tax -deductible contribution toRethinking Schools. We are a smalloperation thatkeeps financially afloat onsubscriptions, donations, and a few smallgrants,We know that you receive scores of

worthwhile requests for money. There are

Winter 1992-1993 Rethinking Schools Page 3

Languageminority.tudent. working In to..... r .torage cl_et at Story Elementary Sch_l.

Public Support Buildsfor MPS Refer'errdum

On Feb. 16, 1993, Milwaukee voters will face one of themost crucial referenda in the last quarter century. Theymust decide: do they want to give their children a fightingchance to equal opportunity? Or do they want to shacklethem with inferior and over-crowded schools and facilities?

The Milwaukee Public Schools has not asked voters toapprove a comprehensive construction plan since 1970. Asa result, children are being taught in storage closets, andmany schools are dangerously in need of repair (see story,this page.) Thousands of kindergartners cannot attend MPSbecause there isn't room.

,The plan has two main parts: to make sure there are enoughschools for the number of children who will attend MPS infuture decades, and to give the children of Milwaukee thesame quality of facilities that is commonly found insuburban schools.

Turnouts at February elections are notoriously low, andas few as 20,000 voters could determine the fate of thereferendum. Thus the issue is likely to be decided not on itsmerits, but on whether supporters or opponents are mostsuccessful at getting out the vote.

As of early December, the only significant publicopposition had come from the office of Mayor JohnNorquist. The mayor had proposed a scaled-down, alterna-tive plan earlier in the fall, citing concern over propertytaxes. Although the School Board rejected the plan as toolittle, too late, the mayor's office has kept its alternativealive. The plan, according to David Webster, Norquist'schief of staff, is that if the referendum is defeated, "ourplan will still be there."

Progressive Milwaukee - an organization of commu-nity and labor groups and individuals formed in 1991 -

Children crammed Into a ba.ementcia_room at Clalfce Street Elementary Sch_l.

As ofearly December,the only significantpublic opposition hadcome from the office ofMayorJohnNorquisf.

has formed a grass-roots, citywide coalition to organizesupport for the referendum. Some 45 activists, includingmany representatives from various unions, communitygroups and religious organizations, attended an organizingmeeting for the coalition in mid-November. Some of themany groups represented included Interfaith Conference ofMilwaukee, the Amalgamated Transit Workers Union, theAdministrators Council of MPS, Sherman Park Commu-nity Organization, ESHAC, the Milwaukee Alliance ofBlack School Educators, AFSCME, and a broad range ofteachers and parents.

"We view passage of the referendum as an essentialprecondition for a vibrant future for Milwaukee," BruceColburn, secretary treasurer of the AFL-CIO labor councilin Milwaukee, said on behalf of Progressive Milwaukee."We cannot ignore the children of the city, for they are ourfuture."

(The coalition has organized as "The Children FirstCoalition" and can be contacted at 344-0382 or 645-8418.)

A key question is whether the business community willsupport or oppose the referendum. As of early December,all indications were that leading business people wouldessentially remain neutral. Some, such as Bill Randall, aretired top executive at First Bank Milwaukee wbo was afounder of the Greater Milwaukee Education Trust, havesaid they are supporting the referendum.

According to several sources, many whitebusinesspeople are reluctant to enter the debate becausethey live in the suburbs; they do not want to be seen asdenying the children of Milwaukee, the majority of whomare children of color, the facilities commonly enjoyed bysuburban children.

"They are in a bind," noted one political observer wbodid not want to be identified. "For fiscal reasons theymight like to oppose the referendum, especially since taxesfor businesses will rise if the referendum passes, but theydon't want to be seen as uncaring, rich whites."

Superintendent Howard Fuller, meanwhile, has beenspeaking to community, business, and church groupsthroughout the city to explain the need for the referendum.

MPS officials are putting their main emphasis on a$200,000 campaign emphasizing direct mail literature -with information being sent to every Milwaukee house-hold, radio and television talk show appearances, andnewspaper ads. There has also been talk of a half-hourdocumentary showing the need for more building space forMPS.

MPS is legally restricted to providing information oncontinued on page 23

Lack of SpaceCrowds Out

If anyone doubts the overcrowding at many publicelementary schools in Milwaukee, they should visit StorySchool. Ask to visit the Chapter I math program, thesocial worker, or the speech/language professional.

Someone might euphemistically tell you to visit the"annex," where those programs are located. What theymean is the trailer.

"It's not an annex, it's a trailer, pure and simple,"notes principal Kathleen Code Gomez.

The trailer looks like those found at construction sites,down to the concrete blocks that act as a temporaryfoundation - only in this case the trailer has been atStory School for 15 years or so.

That students attend classes in a trailer is only half theproblem. To get to the trailer, they must go to thebasement, through the boiler room, up a short flight ofstairs, out a back door, and then across the parking lot-and hope it isn't raining or snowing.

Those who merely drive past Story, a kindergartenthrough 8th grade school at 3815 W. Kilbourn Ave.,might scoff at the idea that the building is overcrowded.From the outside, the structure looks magnificent. Built inthe 1930s with the craftsmanship common in Milwaukeeat the time, it has beautiful stained glass in theentranceways and wooden floors and trim throughout theschool.

"The building is fine," Gomez says, pausing foremphasis before she adds: "As long as you don't haveprograms like ESL [English as a Second Language],Writing to Read, bilingual education, exceptional-education, social workers, Chapter I, psychologists,speech or language, or counselors."

What about music or art or computer rooms? Gomezlaughs. The thought of fmding space for these specialitiesis unthinkable. Every imaginable closet is already beingused as an office or classroom.

"There's an unbelievable claustrophobic feeling whenyou work with 10-12 students in rooms like that,"Gomezsa s.. "But that"s what the cit apparenuy '1l.guxes\.s!,O'OQ.

e overcrowding at tory, un ortunately, is not u ikethat found in other MPS elementary schools. For ex-ample:

• More than 6,000 four-and five-year-olds, almost one-third of those eligible, can't attend kindergarten becauseMPS doesn't have enough space.

• Some 35% of elementary schools use lunch roomsfor teaching, 52% hold classes in storage rooms, 41 %hold classes in the corridors, and 25% hold classes in coatrooms.

• Of the III elementary schools in MPS, 54% do nothave classroom space set aside for computer training,63% have inadequate libraries, 75% do not have space setaside for music, and 55% do not have art rooms.

• Some 27 MPS elementary schools were built beforeWorld War I, and 29 were built before World War 11.There are 1,035 repair projects at MPS schools that havebeen postponed due to lack of money.

Superintendent Howard Fuller has recognized that thebond would significantly affect property taxes. "When Icommitted to develop this plan, I knew it would be adifficult challenge and that it would not necessarily bepopular," be explained in a speech before Milwaukee"businessmen in late November. "But there is no accept-able alternative. The neglected needs that have accumu-lated during the last two decades must be addressed. Wecannot wait any longer to take a comprehensive facilityplan to the voters." 0

••••••••••••••••Public Hearings on the Referendum

A series of public hearings will be held on thereferendum in coming months. They are:

Tuesday, Jan. 5, 7 p.m., at Milwaukee Tech HighSchool, 319 W. Virginia St.

Thursday, Jan. 7, 7: 30 p.m., Humboldt ParkElementary, 3230 S. Adams.

Tuesday, Jan. 12, 7 p.m, Riverside High School,1615 E. Locust St.

Tuesday, Jan. 19,7 p.m., 35th Street Elementary,3517 W. Courtland.

Thursday, Jan. 21, 7 p.m., Hamilton High School,6215 W. Wamimont.

Tuesday, Jan. 26, 7 p.rn., 65th St, Elementary, 6600W. Melvina.

Tuesday, Feb. 2, 7 p.m., Palmer Elementary, 1900N. 1st St.

Thursday, Feb. 4, 7 p.m., Carleton Elementary,4116 W. Silver Spring.

Page 4 Rethinking Schools Winter 1992-1993

Report From a National 'Pro-Voucher' ConferencePrivately Funded Vouchers ProliferateBy Barbara Miner

INDIANAPOLIS- Ifyou live in NewYork, Boston, San Francisco, Denver, St.Louis or Minneapolis, your area is one of 25cities targeted by conservative forces whohope to establish a network of privatelyfunded school voucher plans as pan ofefforts to make private school "choice" thedominant school reform in this country.At a pro-voucher national conference in

Indianapolis Nov. 13-14, organizers laid outa sophisticated strategy of how people canbuild public and corporate support forprivately funded vouchers.The first such program was started in

Indianapolis in August 1991 by J. PatrickRooney, chairman of the board of theGolden Rule Insurance Company. Fundedby corporate donations, the programprovides half the tuition, with a maximumvoucher of $800, to low-income parents toattend a private or parochial school.Such plans, bolstered by support from

conservative think tanks and foundations,have now spread to Milwankee, SanAntonio, Texas, and Atlanta. By the faII of1994, organizers hope to establish 25privately funded voucher plans in order "toprovide the requisite momentum to anational debate on educational choice,"according to an organizing manualdislributed at the conference.Privately funded programs may, on the

surface, seem only peripherally connectedwith efforts to institute publicly funded"choice" plans that substitute themarketplace for our system of publicschools. However, key players in the privatevoucher network stressed that these privateplans are an invaluable tactic in theirSb tV bd:tleto-inalitutc "veaal"choice" plans that use public tax dollars tofund religious and non-sectarian privateschools.Matt Glavin, president of the conservative

Georgia Public Policy Foundation whichhas organized a privately funded vouchersystem in Atlanta, explained it this way atthe Indianapolis conference: ~'The GeorgiaPublic Policy Foundation has an agenda,and it's not hidden .... It would he a dream ofmine persoually, and a goal of mine, to havethe Georgia foundation shut down in fouryears because the legislature has adopted avoucher program."The conference was billed as a "how to"

get-together for organizers. It wassponsored by The Educatioual ChoiceCharitable Trust, which administers theIndianapolis program, in cooperation withthree conservative groups: the State PolicyNetwork, the Philanthropy Roundtable, andthe Texas Public Policy Foundation. Morethan 100 people from across the countryattended, including major players in the"choice" movement such as organizers ofthe California and Colorado referenda foruniversal vouchers, the head of the U.S.Department of Education's Center onChoice, representatives of right-wing thinktanks and foundations, businessrepresentatives, and local organizers hopingto start private voucher plans in their cities.While the conference concentrated on

private vouchers, it provided an inlriguingglimpse into the internal workings of thebroader "choice" movement. It alsounderscored important lessons for defendersof a public system of schools. While the"choice" movement is dominated byconservative, free-market ideologues, itwould be foolish to deny that the movementfeeds on legitimate, grass-roots discontentwith public schools, particularly amongpeople of color in urban areas. Ifopponentsof private school "choice" are to besuccessful, they must intensify their effortsto develop a broad-based movement thatgoes beyond unions and includes parentsand community people and that addressesthe specific problems of urban schools.There's nothing the right-wing loves more

Aa .tudenta get their "choice" of echool .. achoola will get their "choice" of atudenta.Wh.t will happen to th_e not ch_en?

than discrediting opposition to choice as theself-interest of the unions and the"educatioual establishment," anddismissing calIs to increase resources forurban schools as mere requests for more ofthe taxpayers' hard-earned money.The conference took place just a little

over a-week afterthlteleclicln of BillClinton, who has opposed public money forprivate schools, and after the defeat of aColorado referendum that would haveprovided from $2,100 to $2,500 in taxpayermoney to parents who wanted to send theirchildren to a private or parochial school orto educate them at home. As a result, theelections were a key topic.Conference organizers appeared

Privately fundedvouchers emergeas a key strategyIn the conserva·tives' battle to in·stitute privateschool"choice. "

undaunted by the defeat of George Bush,who strongly supported private school"choice," or by the defeat of the Coloradoreferendum. Regarding the Coloradoreferendum, the dominant view at theconference was disappointment temperedby patient confidence. Several people saidthey expected there would be a number offailed referenda before one finally succeedsand ushers in an era of proliferatingvoucher plans."It's not a question of if we'll have

choice, it's a question of when," said JackWhelan, president and chief executiveofficer of Golden Rule in a view echoed bya number of people.Regarding Bush, participants countered

that Bush had been stymied in hiseducational initiatives and that, in any case,the key battles take place on the state levelbecause federal involvement in publicschools has always been limited."I'm not all that worried, on this issue [of

school choice], of the effect of thepresidential elections," David Boaz,

executive vice president of the conservativeCATO Institute in Washington, D.C., toldthe conference. "Ultimately," he added,"education is a state and local issue ....Ifanything, this may galvanize localsupporters to understand that the leadershipis not going to come from Washington andtIIlll if lIley'Je going to do anydliag aboutthis it's going to have to be done on thestate and local level."Kevin Teasley, director of a California

voucher initiative set for the June 1994ballot, said that California vouchersupporters expect Clinton to waffle on the"choice" issue and stay out of the Californiadebate on the grounds that it is a state, notfederal, issue. Teasley said vouchersupporters were already working on keyClinton advisors to convince them that thepresident -elect should soften his oppositionto private school "choice." The Californiainitiative is similar to the Coloradoreferendum and is considered the next bigtest for supporters of publicly fundedvouchers for private and religious schools.

The Private VoucherMovement

The private school "choice" movementhas several different emphases. One focus ispressuring state legislatures to pass publiclyfunded voucher programs - attemptswhich are proliferating but still meetingwith limited success. There are alsostatewide referenda, the two most notablebeing the Colorado initiative that lost at thepolls this November, and the California voteset for June 1994. Some "choice"advocates, such as Clint Bolick of theconservative Institute for Justice, are filinglawsuits calling for private-school tuitionvouchers on the grounds that failing publicschools violate state constitutionalguarantees to educational opportunity.There are also for-profit schemes such as

the Edison Project started by WhittleCommunications and headed by formerYale President Benno Schmidt. RodneyFerguson of the Edison Project told theIndianapolis conference that while theEdison project has no official position onchoice, it is convinced that "choice" ~initiatives will only increase and, sooner orlater, become a reality across the country."The genius of our project is that theprincipals [i.e., key investors] were able tosee this trend more clearly," Ferguson said.Teasley, meanwhile, noted that ChrisWhittle of Whittle Communications is

doing "what any smart businessman woulddo," He is staying out of the political debate,putting his money into research anddevelopment, and creating a base "so whenchoice comes down the pike, he's got achoice to offer,"Privately funded voucher plans, however,ha .

the school "choice" movement.The Indianapolis program, considered the

standard by which private voucher programsare measured, was started some 16 monthsago by Golden Rule with a $1.2 milliondonation after the Indiana legislaturedefeated a voucher bill. Under the program,a child whose family qualifies for thefederal free or reduced-price lunch programmay receive half of the tuition of a privateor parochial school, up to $800. Theprogram was announced two weeks beforethe start of the 199 I -92 school year andorganizers were immediately swamped withapplications. By November, 1992, some 925children were receiving vouchers and 395were on the waiting list.The program was the brainchild of

Rooney, a contradictory "maverick" who isboth a staunch Republican and a member ofthe Indiana Civil Liberties Union. A devoutCatholic who attends a predominantlyAfrican-American parish, Rooney also has along-standing concern with discrimination.Rooney, for example, had Golden Rule suethe Educational Testing Service and theIllinois Department of Insurance in 1976,accusing them of using culturally biasedtests to exclude minorities, older people andnon-college educated people from enteringthe insurance business. Golden Rule wonthe suit and used the money to help formFairTest, a group in Cambridge, Mass. thatis a leading advocate for reformingeducational testing in this country.Rooney stresses that his private voucher

plan has one main goal: to help low-incomekids have the same choice in schools thatmiddle-class and white kids have.While Rooney has staled in media reports

that he has no intention of undercutting thepublic school system, his speech to theconference had a different emphasis. Hesaid he had concluded over the years that"the problems are not fixable in the urban[school] systems" and he criticized effortsthat focused on the public schools and the"perpetuation of a system that is notworking."Rooney also emphasized the enormous

public relations strength of the privately

Winter 1992-1993 Rethinking Schools Page 5

funded voucher program, saying it had donemore good in terms of the company imagethan anything Golden Rule had ever done."We could not have anticipated ahead oftime the positive public relations benefit ...,"he said. "I can tell you, the public relationsbenefits of this are immense."The evolution of the privately funded

voucher program is a fascinating look athow seasoned organizers can spot apolitically useful movement - and move into try to take control. The Indianapolisprogram remains identified with Rooney,who seems sincerely concerned withdiscrimination and the education of childrenof color. But conservative, ideologicallyentrenched think tanks and foundations nowdominate the private voucher movement.The three other main private voucher

programs are all closely identified withconservative foundations or think tanks. InMilwaukee, the prominent and conservativeBradley Foundation - headed by free-market ideologue Michael Joyce - isdonating $1.5 million to get a local programgoing. In San Antonio, the program wasinitiated by the Texas Public PolicyFoundation and in Atlanta it was initiatedby the Georgia Public Policy Foundation.(In all cases, separate non-profit groupshave been set up to run the program, in partbecause this allows corporations to maketax-deductible contributions. If the voucherwere given directly to the parents, it wouldnot be tax deductible.)Teasley, of the California voucher

initiative, was one of several people whoexplicitly linked the success of privatelyfunded vouchers to hopes for a universalsystem of publicly funded vouchers forprivate schools. Perltaps most important, theprivate voucher system, in which applicantshave exceeded the number of vouchers. can

iilliilii t ub ic is .

"When you see the number of childrenlining up for the financial opportunity tochoose a different school, that's a verypowerful message ...," Teasley told theconference. ''That message cannot be shotdown rather easily by our opponents. It'sworth its weight in gold."Teasley also argued that despite its

success, a private voucher program islimited by its reliance on corporate largesse.The long-term strategy, Teasley said, mustfocus on publicly funded, universal vouchersystems.Teasley said "choice" advocates in

California hope to institute private voucherplans in both Southern and NorthernCalifornia and to use the response to arguethat true choice can only be implementedthrough publicly supported vouchers.Tom Tancredo, a U.S. Department of

Education official who helped organize thefailed Colorado initiative, also said heplanned to go back to Denver to start aprivate voucher plan. Like Teasley, he sawit as a tactic to build support for publiclyfunded vouchers. Referring to Golden Ruletype initiatives he said, "All they are, really,are simply pump primers."

Differences and ProblemsSeveral differences emerged at the

conference. Should voucher plans belimited to low-income children or wouldthat alienate middle-class supporters whomight wonder, "What's in it for me?"Should public schools be included in privatevoucher plans, as they are in San Antonioand Atlanta? How explicitly shouldorganizers describe their program?One of the dilemmas facing the

conference involved race. While many ofthose taking part in the private voucherplans are children of color - and many ofthe programs are explicitly presented as achance to give minority and low-incomekids the same opportunities as middle-classwhites - the movement is dominated byconservative whites associated with theright wing. At the Indianapolis conference,

the only identifiable person of color,except for invited speakers, was a African-American man from Indianapolis whoshowed up for a few hours on Saturday.Several participants admitted they

weren't quite sure how to resolve tltisproblem. Many prominent African-Americans have been vocal in theiropposition to "choice," in part because themovement historically has been associatedwith segregation forces, in part becausethey fear that a successful "choice"movement would mean that large numbersof minority children would be trapped ineven worse public schools than is now thecase, in part because African-Americansare for the first time gaining positions ofauthority in many public school districtsonly to find that many private school"choice" supporters don't even support theconcept of a public school system, and inpart because the private "choice" move-ment is run primarily by white Republi-cans. As one conference participant fromthe conservative Indiana Policy Institutesaid privately, "You've got to get whiteRepublicans out of this debate, and get thePolly W iIliamses and recognizable liberalDemocrats in." Williams, an African-American representative in the Wisconsinlegislature who sponsored the bill institut-ing Milwaukee's publicly funded "choice"experiment, has become the darling of theconservative speaker circuit She spoke atthe conference and underscored herimportance to the "choice" movement. Asa Black single mother, she said, "I can doand say a lot of tltings that you can't.""Choice" organizers also face the

problem that many white suburbanites,while they might not admit it publicly, areopposed to "choice" because they don'twant inner-city children of color coming tothe· I . .

~~_-::,,",:"_=-_---.i,,"",,:::...1W"" poIlcl.s will .nsu... equality?

dum, although it never was discussedopenly because people did not want to bebranded as racist. Glavin of the GeorgiaPublic Policy Foundation said some of thepeople he found hardest to convince werethe middle and upper middle class whitesin the suburbs. "I had one senior executive,with one of the largest corporations inAtlanta, say to me: 'Now look Matt, doyou really want those kids going to schoolwith your kids?'," Glavin said.David Boaz of the conservative CATO

Institute, was the most explicit in terms ofone possible way of dealing with thisproblem. The opposition of suburbanites,he said, "may be an argument to try achoice plan that only applies witltin theconfines of cities over one million, orsometlting like that. So that if you're doingit [a publicly funded voucher plan] inMichigan, it only applies within Detroitand the voucher can only be cashed in at a

continued on page 23

Complex Web ofConservativesFosters MovementThe privately funded voucher move-

ment may seem just one more example ofcorporate philanthropy, similar to thescholarships and tutoring programs thatbusinesses have always sponsored to tryto prove their civic-mindedness.But integrally linked to this movement

is a complex web of right-wing thinktanks and foundations led by unabashedlyconservative ideologues such as MichaelJoyce, president of the Lynde and HarryBradley Foundation in Milwaukee.The Indianapolis conference (see story,

page 4) was sponsored in cooperationwith three prominent conservative groups:the Philanthropy Roundtable, the StatePolicy Network, and the Texas PublicPolicy Foundation.It would be impossible to outline all the

interrelationships between these andsimilar groups around the country. Buteven a brief look reveals a well-fundednetwork of like-minded people whobelieve that the problems in the UnitedStates stem from government programsand can only be solved by an unbridledmarketplace. The groups routinely targetnot only the "monopoly" of public

newsletter of the Heartland Institute bas astate-by-state list of 101 organizations thatconduct and disseminate "market-orientedresearch and commentary on state and localpublic policy issues." Most of them are lessthan three years old, and almost all haveneutral-sounding names such as the Wis-consin Policy Research Institute, or theResource Institute of Oklahoma, or the IowaPublic Policy Group.While both the Philanthropy Roundtable

and the State Policy Network often describetheir missions in vague-sounding languagesuch as promoting "private initiative,""individual responsibility," and fostering a"vibrant private sector," their politics areoften far more raw.Take Michael Joyce.Joyce is head of the Bradley Foundation,

one of the largest foundations in the countryand a key source of funding forconservative tltinkers. With an estimated$26 million in annual grants, the BradleyFoundation carries significant clout that itdirects toward conservative causes. To citejust three examples of its involvement in the"choice" movement in Milwaukee alone:the foundation was the principal financial

The voucher movement is integrallylinked to a complex web of right-wingthink tanks and foundations.

schools, but environmental regulation, the"myth .. of growing poverty. nationalealth c e ro sals ci Il ri IS

supporter of the Milwaukee private voucherinitiative. provided the money this 'Past yearf r ttl Vir il . 1 •• en•• , i'oi'~U1ii1•••• "liI!I.University, and helped found the WisconsinPolicy Research Institute, which routinelyprovides "research" and articles critiquingthe public schools and promoting privateschool "choice."In an opinion article in The Milwaukee

Journal on June 21, 1992, Joyce explainedthe private voucher initiative in terms thatwent far beyond providing money for low-income parents. Launching a broadsideagainst public education, Joyce charged thatpublic school curriculum reflects"everything from environmental extremism,to virulent feminism, to racial separatism, toa radical skepticism about moral andspiritual truths ...."The State Policy Network is also prone to

promoting similarly blunt ideologicalbroadsides.A new phenomenon, the State Policy

Network has a limited number of initiatives.Its first project was a book, Gridlock inGovernment: How to Break the Stagnationin America. that is being distributed throughits state affiliates. Following are tworepresentative views from the book:• A chapter on "Resegregating America"

begins: "The Los Angeles riots in 1992were not just a protest over the failure toconvict the police who beat Rodoey King;they were a sign of the social sickness andcriminals that are endemic in low-incomeminority communities."• The chapter later criticizes "wasteful,

silly ideas" such as providing birth controlinformation and devices to teenagers. Itcomplains: "The problem of siclcly babies- who are cared for at great expense by thetaxpayers - does not come from a lack offree medical care. It comes from a lack ofcaring by irresponsible mothers."If a private voucher movement comes to

your city, its likely connections to groupswith such views will purposefully be keptobscure. But that doesn't mean that theconnections aren't there. You'll just have todo a little investigation. 0

Barbara Miner

goals is privatization, not just of educationbut of basic government services such asroads and airports.The Philanthropy Roundtable was

founded in 1987 as a way for conservativegrantmakers to coordinate their efforts.The chairman of the board is MichaelJoyce of the Bradley Foundation. Otherdirectors include representatives fromwell-known conservative foundationssuch as the John M. Olin Foundation inNew York and the JM Foundation in NewYork. Members of the Roundtable havebeen active in funding national, state andlocal conservative think tanks.Prior to 1984, conservative foundations

concentrated on investing in nationalthink tanks such as the American Enter-prise Institute, the CATO Institute, andthe Heritage Foundation. The founding ofthe Chicago-based Heartland Institute in1984 was the start of efforts to alsodevelop state and local conservative thinktanks that focus on a free-market approachto social issues.The state tltink tank movement took a

step forward this year with the foundingof the State Policy Network, whichprovides coordination and resources forthe conservative state tltink tanks. Itspresident is Matt Glavin of the GeorgiaPublic Policy Foundation, which startedthe privately funded voucher initiative inAtlanta, and its executive director isByron Lamm, who was one of theorganizers and moderators at theIndianapolis school "choice" conference.Other board members includerepresentatives from the JM Foundation(also represented on the board of directorsof the Philanthropy Roundtable), theHeartland Institute, and the Adolph CoorsFoundation.The Philanthropy Roundtable

newsletter carried a front-page story thisfallon the State Policy Network. EntitledThe State Policy Movement: A NewFrontier, it lists 31 conservative state andlocal think tanks. The September 1992

Page 6 Retlt/nlclnfl Schools Winter 1992-1993

An Interview with Howard Zinn

Why Students Should Study HistoryThe following is condensed from an

interview with Howard Zinn, author of APeople's History of the United States. Hewas interviewed by Barbara Miner ofRethinking Schools.

Why should students study history?I started studying history with one view in

mind: to look for answers to the issues andproblems I saw in the world about me. Bythe time I went to college I had worked in ashipyard, had been in the Air Force, hadbeen in a war. I came to history askingquestions about war and peace, aboutwealth and poverty, about racial division.

Sure. there's a certain interest ininspecting the past and it can be fun, sort oflike a detective story. I can make anargument for knowledge for its own sake assomething that can add to your life. Butwhile that's good, it is small in relation tothe very large objective of trying tounderstand and do something about theissues that face us in the world today.

Students should be encouraged to go intohistory in order to come out of it, andshould be discouraged from going intohistory and getting lost in it, as somehistorians do.

What do you see as some of the majorproblems in how U.s. history has beentaught in this country?

One major problem has been the intensefocus on US history in isolation from theworld. This is a problem that all nationshave, their nationalistic focus on their ownhistory, and it goes to absurd lengths. Somestates in this country even require a year-long course in the history of that state.

But even if you are willing to see the. States in ~ IIIworld history,

you ace lite pro em that we have notlooked at the world in an equitable way. Wehave concentrated on the Western world, infact on Western Europe. I remembercoming into my first class in SpelmanCollege in Atlanta in 1956 and finding thatthere was no required course in blackhistory, or Asian or African history, butthere was a required course in the history ofEngland. And there on the board was this

chart of the Tudors and the Stuarts, thedynasties of England.

For the United States, emphasis has beenparticularly glaring in terms of LatinAmerica, which is that part of the worldclosest to us and with which we've had themost to do economically and politically.

Another glaring problem has been theemphasis in teaching American historythrough the eyes of the important andpowerful people, through the Presidents, theCongress, the Supreme Court, the generals,the industrialists. History textbooks don'tsay, "We are going to tell the story of theMexican War from the standpoint of thegenerals," but when they tell us it was agreat military victory, that's exactly whatthey are doing.

Taking tbat as an example, if one wereto have a more inclusive view of tbe warwith Mexico, wbat would be some of tbetbemes and perspectives one wouldinclude?

The Mexican War is an example of howone event raises so many issues. You'dhave to see the war first of all as more thana military action. So often the history of waris dominated by the story of battles, and this

~,_.-...SI • .,.. ndoned by Sout" Cerollne pI.nt.tlon owner, 1862.

is a way of diverting attention from thepolitical factors behind a war. It's possibleto concentrate upon the battles of theMexican War and just to talk about thetriumphant march into Mexico City, and nottalk about the relationship of the MexicanWar to slavery and to the acquisition ofterritories which might possibly be slaveterritories.

Another thing that is neglected in theMexican War is the viewpoint of theordinary soldiers. The soldiers who hadvolunteered for the Mexican War - youdidn't need a draft because so many peoplein the working classes were so destitute thatthey would join the military on the promiseof a little bit of pay and mustering outmoney and a little bit of prestige - thevolunteers went into it not really knowingthe bloodshed it would involve. And then somany of them deserted. For example, sevenregiments of General Winfield Scottdeserted on the road to Mexico City.

You should tell the story of theMassachusetts volunteers who went into theMexican War. Half of them died, and thehalf who returned were invited to ahomecoming party and when a commandingofficer got up to address the gathering, theybooed him off the platform.Ithink it's a good idea also to do

something which isn't done anywhere so faras Iknow in histories in any country, andthat is: tell the story of the war from thestandpoint of the other side, of "the enemy."To tell the story of the Mexican War fromthe standpoint of the Mexicans means toask: How did they feel about having 40% oftheir territory taken away from them as aresult of the war? How did they view theincident that President Polk used as a reasonfor the beginning of the war? Did it lookreal or manufactured to them?

You'd also have to talk about the peoplein the United States who protested againstthe war. That would be the time to bring upHenry Thoreau and his essay, CivilDisobedience.

You'd have to look at Congress and howit behaved. You'd have to look at AbrahamLincoln, who was in the House ofRepresentatives in the Mexican War. You'd

learn a lot about politicians and politicsbecause you'd see that Abraham Lincoln onthe one hand spoke up against the war, buton the other hand voted to give money tofmance the war. This is so importantbecause this is something that is repeatedagain and again in American history: thefeeble opposition in Congress topresidential wars, and then the voting offunds for whatever war the President hasinitiated.

How do you prevent bistory lessonsfrom becoming a recitation of dates andbattles and Congresspersons andPresidents?

You can take any incident in Americanhistory and enrich it and find parallels withtoday. One important thing is not toconcentrate on chronological order, but togo back and forth and find similarities andanalogies.

You should ask students if anything in aparticular historical event reminds them ofsomething they read in the newspapers orsee on television about the world today.When you press students to makeconnections, to abstract from the uniquenessof a particular historical event and fmdsomething it has in common with anotherevent- then history becomes alive, notjust past but present

And, of course, you must raise thecontroversial questions and ask students,"Was it right for us to take Mexicanterritory? Should we be proud of that,should we celebrate that?" History reachersoften think they must avoid judgements ofright and wrong because, after all, those arematters of subjective opinions, those areissues on which students will disagree andteachers will:.,d1'j,i·sa~grlnee,r'~mg:rel!iIIll!l\f'llillitali't!""-But It's !fiethe most important. Questions of right andwrong and justice are exactly the questionsthat should be raised all the time. Whenstudents are asked, "Is this right, is thiswrong?" then it becomes interesting, thenthey can have a debate - especially if theylearn that there's no simple, absolute,agreed-upon, universal answer. It's not likegiving them multiple choice questionswhere they are right or wrong. I think that'sa tremendous advance in theirunderstanding of what education is.

Teachers must also address the problemthat people have been mis-educated tobecome dependent on government, to thinkthat their supreme act as citizens is to go tothe polls and vote every two years or fouryears. That's where the history of socialmovements comes in. Teachers shoulddwell on Shay's Rebellion, on colonialrebellions, on the abolitionist movement, onthe populist movement, on the labormovement, and so on, and make sure thesesocial movements don't get lost in theoverall story of presidents and Congressesand Supreme Courts. Emphasizing socialand protest movements in the making ofhistory gives students a feeling that they ascitizens are the most important actors inhistory.

Students, for example, should learn thatduring the Depression there were strikesand demonstrations allover the country.And it was that turmoil and protest thatcreated the atmosphere in which Rooseveltand Congress passed Social Security andunemployment insurance and housingsubsidies and so on.

How can teachers foster criticaltbinking so that students don't merelymemorize a new, albeit more progressive,set of facts?

Substituting one indoctrination foranother is a danger and it's very hard to dealwith. After all, the teacher, no matter howhard she or he tries, is the dominant figurein the classroom and has the power ofauthority and of grades. It's easy for theteacher to fall into the trap of bullying

Winter 1992- 1993 RetlJinlclng SChools Page 7

students into accepting one set of facts orideas. It takes hard work and delicate ~dealings with students to overcome that. £lThe way I've lried to deal with that ...

problem is to make it clear to the students ~that when we study history we are dealing ~with controversial issues with no one, 8absolute, god-like answer. And that I, as a lIEteacher, have my opinion and they can have ~their opinions, and that I, as a teacher, will _try to present as much information as I can ~but that I may leave out information. I try to ';imake them understand that while there are .:Iexperts on facts, on little things, on the big 1iissues, on the controversies and the issues ~of right and wrong and justice, there are no "-experts and their opinion is as good as mine. il

t8~iB!!

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But how do you then foster a sense ofjustice and avoid the trap of relativitythat, "WeD, some people say this andsome people say that?"?I find such relativity especially true on

the college level, where there's a greattendency to indecisiveness. People areunwilling to take a stand on a moral issuebecause, well, there's this side and there'sthat side.I deal with this by example. I never

simply present both sides and leave it atthat I take a stand. If I'm dealing withColumbus, I say, look, there are thesepeople who say that we shouldn't judge an obstacle to resolving .those problems ofColumbus by the standards of the 20th race, and when it enters it comes in late incentury. But my view is that basic moral the picture. Abraham Lincoln was not thestandards are not different for the 20th initiator of the movement against slaverycentury or the 15th century. but a follower of a movement that hadI don't simply lay history out on a platter developed for 30 years by the time he

and say, "I don't care what you chose, became president in 1860; it was the anti-they're both valid." 1let them know, "No, I slavery movement that was the major forcecare what you cbose; I don't think they're creating the atmosphere in whichboth valid. But you don't have to agree with emancipation took place following the Civil

.......... w to know "if... le,.._.wiIi •• ·• .13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments after theywere passed. In the 1960s it wasn't Johnsonand Kennedy wbo were the leaders andinitiators of the movement for race equality,but it was black people.

-

.'_'nflhem, AL,1963:Demon.tNton e"eek.d by the forc. 01wet.r pow.rfu •• nouflh to rip be'" from tre•••

that those calling for black equality werethreatening the lives of these ordinary whitepeople.In the history of labor struggles, you

should show how blacks and whites wereused against one another, bow whiteworkers would go out on strike and thenblack people, despenue themselves for jobs,would be brought in to replace the whiteworker's. how all-white craft unions

it is important for students to understandthat the roots of such hostility are social,environmental, situational, and are not aninevitability of human nature. It is alsoimportant to show how these antagonismsso divide people from one another as tomake it difficult for them to solve theircommon problems in united action.

the trap of condoning it?That's always a problem: how do you

explain something without justifying it?That issue, as a theoretical issue, needs tobe explained because it's a commonconfusion. You need to make the pointagain and again that trying to understandwhy people do something is not the same asjustifying it And you need to give specifichistorical examples of that problem, or, as Isuggested, literary examples.

antagonisms. So the class and race issuesare very much intenwined, as is the genderissue.

unchanged, and who wants that?

Are there specific ways that teacherscan foster an anti-racist perspective?To a great extent. this moral objective is

not considered in teaching history. I thinkpeople have to be given the facts of slavery,the facts of racial segregation, the facts ofgovernment complicity in racialsegregation, the facts of the fight forequality. But that is not enough.I think students need to be aroused

emotionally on the issue of equality. Theyhave to try to feel what it was like, to be aslave, to be jammed into slave ships, to beseparated from your family. Novels, poems,autobiographies, memoirs, thereminiscences of ex-slaves, the letters thatslaves wrote, the writings of FrederickDouglass - I think they have to beintroduced as much as possible. Studentsshould learn the words of peoplethemselves, to feel their anger, theirindignation.In general, I don't think there has been

enough use of literature in history. Peopleshould read Richard Wright's Black Boy;they should read the poems of CounteeCullen; they sbould read the novels of AliceWalker, the poems of Langston Hughes,Lorraine Hansbury's A Raisin in the Sun .These writings have an emotional impactthat can't be found in an ordinary recitationof history.

It is especially important that studentslearn about the relationship of the UnitedStates government to slavery and race.It's very easy to fall into the view that

slavery and racial segregation were asouthern problem. The federal governmentis very often exempted from responsibilityfor the problem, and is presented as abenign force helping black people on theroad to equality. In our time, students aretaught bow Eisenhower sent his troops toLittle Rock, Ark., and Kennedy sent troopsto Oxford, Miss., and Congress passed civilrights laws.Yet the federal government is very often

History teachersoften think theymust avoidjudgements ofright and wrongbecause those arematters ofsubjectiveopinions. Butquestions of rightand wrong andJustice are exactlythe questions thatshould be raisedall the time.

In addition to focusing on socialmovements and having a moreconsciously anti-racist perspective, whatare some other thematic ways in whichthe teaching of history must change?I think the issue of class and class conflict

needs to be addressed more honestlybecause it is ignored in traditionalnationalist history. This is true not just ofthe United States but of other counlries.Nationhood is a cover for extreme conflictsamong classes in society, in our country,from its founding, from the making of theConstitution, Too often, there's a tendencyto overlook these conflicts, and concentrateon the creation of a national identity.

How can you teach white students totake an anti-racist perspective that isn'tbased merely on guilt over the thingsthat wbite people have done to people ofcolor?

If such a perspective is based only onguilt. it doesn't have a secure foundation. Ithas to be based on empathy and on self-interest, on an understanding that thedivisions between black and white have notjust resulted in the exploitation of blackpeople, even though they've been thegreatest victims, but have prevented whitesand blacks from getting together to bringabout the social change that would benefitthem all. Showing the self-interest is alsoimportant in order to avoid the patronizingview of feeling sorry for someone, ofgiving somebody equality because you feelguilty about what has been done to them.At the same time, to approach the issue

merely on the basis of self-interest would bewrong, because people should learn toempathize with other people even wherethere is no visible, immediate self-interest.

How does a teacher deal with theintersection of race, class, and gender interms of U.S. history, in particular tbatthe white working-class has often beencomplicit, consciously or unconsciously,in some very unforgivable actions?The complicity of poor white people in

racism, the complicity of males in sexism, isa very important issue. It seems to me thatcomplicity can't be understood withoutshowing the intense hardships that poorwhite people faced in this country, makingit easier for them to look for scapegoats fortheir condition. You have to recognize theproblems of white working people in orderto understand why they tum racist, becausethey aren't born racist.When discussing the Civil War, teachers

should point out that only a smalJpercentage of the white population of theSouth owned slaves. The rest of the whitepopulation was poor and they were drivento support slavery and to be racist by themessages of those who controlled society- that they would be better off if theNegroes were put in a lower position, and

One of the ways of giving somesatisfaction to men who are themselvesexploited is to make them masters in theirown household. So they may be humiliatedon the job, but they come back home andhumiliate their wives and their children.There's a wonderful short story by a blackwoman writer, Ann Petry, "Like a WindingSheet" that sbould be required reading inschool. It's about a black man who ishumiliated on the job and comes home and,on the flimsiest of reasons, beats his wife.The story is told in such a way as to makeyou realJy understand the pent up anger thatexplodes inside a family as a result of whathappens out in the world. In alJ theseinstances of racial and sexual mistreatment.

In response to concerns aboutmulticulturalism, there's more lip serviceto include events and perspectivesaffecting women and people of color. Butoften it's presented as more facts andpeople to learn, without any fundamentalcbange in perspective. What would be theapproach of a truly anti-racist,multicultural perspective in US history?I've noticed this problem in some of the

continued on page 8

PageB Rethinking Schools Winter 1992-1993

Why Students Should Study Historycontinued from page 7

new textbooks, which obviously are tryingto respond to the need for a multiculturalapproach. What I find is a bland eclecticismwhere everything has equal weight. Youadd more facts, you add more continents,you add more cultures, you add morepeople. But then it becomes a confusingmelange in which you've added a lot ofdifferent elements but without any realemphasis on what had previously beenomitted. You're left with a kind ofunemotional, cold combination salad.You need the equivalent of affirmative

action in education. What affirmative actiondoes is to say, look, things have beenslanted one way for a long time. We'regoing to pay special attention to this personor to this group of people because they havebeen left out for so long.People ask me why in my book, A

People's History of the United States, I didnot simply take the things that I put in andadd them to the orthodox approaches so, asthey put it, the book would be betterbalanced. But there's a way in which this

so-called balance leaves people nowhere,with no moral sensibility, no firm convic-tions, no outrage, no indignation, no energyto go anywhere.I think it is important to pay special

attention to the history of black people, ofIndians, of women, in a way that highlightsnot only the facts but the emotional intensityof such issues.

Is it possible for history to be objective?Objectivity is neither possible nor desir-

able.It's not possible because all history is

subjective, all history represents a point ofview. History is always a selection from aninfinite number of facts and everybodymakes the selection differently, based ontheir values and what they think is important.Since it's not possible to be objective, youshould be honest about that.Objectivity is not desirable because if we

want to have an effect on the world, we needto emphasize those things which will make

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students more active citizens and moremoral people.

One of the problems for high schoolhistory teachers is they may have fiveperiods and 30 kids in each class, andbefore you know it they're dealing with150 students. What types of projects andapproaches can tbey use?The most important thing is to get

students to do independent reading andresearch. Tell the students, "Pick somethingthat interests you, pick out a person thatinterests you," Your job as teacher is topresent them with a wide spectrum ofevents and people, and not just the usualheroes of history but all sorts of people orincidents that they may never have heard ofbut that might intrigue them. I find thatwhen students have a research project oftheir own they can get excited about it-especially if they are allowed to choosefrom a complex set of possibilities.

How can a progressive teacher promotea radical perspective within a bureau-cratic, conservative institution? Teacberssometimes either push the limits so farthat tbey alienate their colleagues or getflfed, or they're so afraid tbat they tonedown what they really think. How can ateacher resolve this dilemma?The problem certainly exists on the

college and university level- people wantto get tenure, they want to keep teaching,they want to get promoted, they want to getsalary raises, and so there are all theseeconomic punishments if they do somethingthat looks outlandish and radical anddifferent. But I've always believed that themain problem with college and universityteachers has been self-censorship, I suspectthat the same thing is true in the highscbodls, 8ltJio gh you luive! l'Je 1lI~sympathetic with high schoolteachersbecause they operate in a much morerepressive atmosphere. I've seen again andagain where college and university teachersdon't really have a problem in, for instance,using my People's History in their class-rooms, but high school teachers alwayshave a problem. They can't get it officiallyadopted, they have to get permission, theyhave to photocopy parts of it themselves inorder to pass it out to the students, theyhave to worry about parents complaining,

about what the head of the department or theprincipal or the school superintendent willsay.

But I still believe, based on a lot of contactwith high school teachers over the past fewyears, that while there's a danger of becom-ing overly assertive and insensitive to howothers might view you, the most commonbehavior is timidity. Teachers withdraw anduse the real fact of outside control as anexcuse for teaching in the orthodox way.

Teachers need to take risks. Tbe problem ishow to minimize those risks. One importantway is to make sure that you present materialin class making it clear that it is subjective,that it is controversial, that you are not layingdown the law for students. Another importantthing is to be extremely tolerant of studentswho disagree with your views, or studentswho express racist or sexist ideas. I don'tmean tolerant in the sense of not challengingsuch ideas, but tolerant in the sense oftreating them as human beings. It's importantto develop a reputation that you don't givelcids poor grades on the basis of their dis-agreements with you. You need to create anatmosphere of freedom in the classroom.

It's also important to talk with otherteachers to gain support and encouragement,to organize. Where there are teachers unions,those are logical places for teachers tosupport and defend one another. Where thereare not teachers unions, teachers shouldalways think how they can organize andcreate a collective strength.

Teachers don't always know where toget those other perspectives. Do you haveany tips?

The orthodox perspective is easy to get.But once teachers begin to look for otherperspectives, once they start out on that road,they will quickly be led from one thing toatIlftfrerm lInorfla.

So it's not as daunting as people mightthink?

No. It's all there. It's in the library. 0

Howard Zinn has taught history andpolitical science at Spelman College inAtlanta and at Boston University. He is theauthor of A People's History of the UnitedStates, The Politics of History, Declarationsof Independence and other works.

Resources For Teaching U.8. HistoryBy Howard Zinn nation's most distinguished material coming out of the Lerner, Gerda (editor) (1977). Nash, Gary (1970). Red, White

intellectual rebel gives us huge research done for the TV docu- The Female Experience: An and Black: The Peoples of EarlyFollowing is an annotated list of amounts of information about mentary, Eyes on the Prize. American Documentary. Bobbs- America. Prentice Hall. A pioneer-

15 books that teachers will find recent American foreign policy,Hofstadter, Richard (1974). The

Merrill. A marvelous collection of ing work of "multi-culturalism"useful as resources in teaching and puts it into historical perspec- the writings of women throughout dealing with racial interactions inAmerican history. It is by no tive, going back to the Columbus American Political Tradition. U.S. history, dealing with child- the colonial period.means the list, just one possible era. Vintage. A classic of American hood, marriage, housework, oldlist to help enrich a teacher's history, beautifully written, an age, education, industrial work, Takaki, Ronald (1989). Strang-factual knowledge and provide Drinnon, Richard (1990). iconoclastic view of American politics and sexual freedom. ers from a Distant Shore. Penguin.some provocative points of view. Facing West, Schocken, A political leaders, including Gives US what has been glaringly

brilliantly written account of Jefferson, Jackson, Lincoln, Lynd, Staughton (editor) (1966). missing from our traditionalApiheker, Herbert (editor) imperial expansion by the United Wilson, and the two Roosevelts, Nonviolence in America. Bobbs- histories, the story of Asian-

(1990). A Documentary History of States, not just on the American suggesting more consensus than Merrill. A valuable examination of Americans, from the early years ofthe Negro People of the United continent against the Indians, but difference at the top of the the ideas, in their own words, of the republic through the dramaticStates, Vols. 1 - 4: Citadel Press. overseas in the Philippines and in political hierarchy. early Quaker dissidents, abolition- and tragic experiences of ChineseAn extremely valuable, I am Vietruun. ists, anarchists, progressives, and Japanese immigrants, to thetempted to say indispensable,

Hope Franklin, John (1974).conscientious objectors, trade recent arrival of refugees from

collection, not at all dry, as are Foner, Eric (1988). Reconstruc- unionists, civil rights workers and Southeast Asia.some documentaries. tion: America's Unfinished From Slavery to Freedom. Knopf. pacifists, from the colonial period

Revolution. Harper & Row. A The classic overview of Afro- to the 1960s. Yellen, Samuel (1974). Ameri-Brown, Dee (editor) (1971). rich, vivid, epic-like narrative of American history by the nation's can Labor Struggles. Pathfinder,

Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee: those extraordinary years 1863 to leading black historian. This brings to life the great laborHolt, Rinehart & Winston. A 1877, by one of the leading "new

Lerner, Gerda (editor) (1977).Martinez, Elizabeth (editor) conflicts of American history,

moving collection of statements historians". (1991).500 Anos del Pueblo from the railroad strikes of 1877 toand recollections by American Black Women in White America: A Chicano: 500 Years of Chicano the San Francisco general strike ofIndians which gives you lhl:iI: Hampton, Henry, Steve Fayer, Documentary History. Random History. Albuquerque: Southwest 1934.point of view in a vivid, passion. with Sarah Aynn (editor) (1990). House. A rare glimpse into the Organizing Project. Full of . .ate way. Voices of Freedom. Bantam. An lives, the minds, the spirits of that marvelous photos but also an Editors note: Don' tforget

oral history of the black move- doubly oppressed group, ranging exciting, bilingual text loaded with Zinn's A People's History of theChomsky, Noarn (1992). Year ment for civil rights, from the from slavery to our time, a valuable history. United States (1981), Harper and

501. South End Press. Here, the 19508 to the 1980s, much of its wonderful sourcebook. Row. 0

Winter 1992-1993 Rethinking Schools-RETHINKING THE CLASSROOM

Page 9

u.s. Constitution Not Engraved In StoneBy Bill Bigelow

I began hearing about ''The Test" when Iwas a fifth-grader in California. Itwaswhispered about, like a dirty joke. But noone laughed. We all knew that the studentwho failed the eighth-grade Constitutiontest would be the student who failed to enterhigh school the following year.When eighth grade arrived, my

Constitution mentor was Mr. Duffy, astocky ex-Marine who droned on aboutchecks and balances and curious littlephrases like habeas corpus. But Mr. Duffywas in love with the document For him, itwas a thing of beauty to be examineddutifully and then simply to be admired. Mr.Duffy chose to ignore that the Constitution,when written, was tremendouslycontroversial and intensely criticized; allthat he required of students was that we

alliances toward their respective visions ofthe good society. We don't attempt a full.'rewrite of the Constitution, but chooseseveral subjects that were controversial -in the country as a whole, if not in the actualconvention.For example, students in their various

roles consider whether the slave tradeshould be continued, whether Northenersshould be forced to tum over escaped slavesand crucially, whether slavery shouldremain legal.In our more representative convention, an

interesting thing generally happens. Despiteeloquent pleas from plantation owners-often supported by other wealthy socialgroups - an alliance of slaves, workers andfarmers abolishes slavery."So what really happened?" students

demand. They make an interestingdiscovery: The Constitution does not evencontain the word "slave." Instead, slaves

lenders raged in the 118Os. A RevolutionaryWar captain, Daniel Shays, with a thousandfarmers in western Massachusetts, shut thecourts to prevent the poverty-stricken -many of whom were former soldiers -from being jailed for their debts. Shays'rebellion cast a shadow over theconstitutional proceedings in Philadelphiaheld the following year. My studentsconsider whether states should allowfarmers to pay debts in kind, with produce,to ease their financial burdens.

What makes mosttreatment of theConstitution sopernicious is the

But why these particular sides? Inevitably,students want to learn who wrote theConstitution and what social groups theyrepresented.This is another thorny question

sidestepped by the textbooks. For example,one widely used high school text ("A ProudNation," McDougall, Littell) describes theConstitution's framers as "brilliant,dedicated leaders" but skims over theirsocial status. In contrast, my students and Itake the direct approach - we look atwhere the writers lived, and what they didfor a living.Nearly 40 percent owned slaves, often on

more than one plantation. Many werewealthy lawyers, others successfulmerchants. Not a single "brilliant,dedicated leader" was a common farmer orworker. All were white; all -lIl8Ie.,"What is your instructional objective in

this Iesscn? ," vice rinc! 1s axe toml o{

Later, when I became a social studiesteacher, I discovered that the Mr. Duffys ofthe world live on in U.S. history textbooks.Most of those books present theConstitution as a secular TenCommandments: James Madison broughtthe document from the mountain and it wasgood. The books helpfully point out that noteveryone agreed on the best plan forgovernment, but through debate andcompromise "Right" triumphed.What makes this treatment of the

Constitution so pernicious is the effect onstudents. Removed from its social context,cast as an inevitability, the document iselevated to an almost holy status, aboveanalysis and critique. Students becomereceptacles to be ftlled with constitutionalwisdom or memorizers: "We the people, inorder to form .. ,"In my classes at Jefferson High School,

students and I travel back to 1787, to theConstitutional Convention - but with atwist. In our convention, we imagine thatinstead of only lawyers, moneylenders andplantation owners in attendance, there arealso poor farmers, workers and enslavedAfrican-Americans. Students take on theseroles as they argue heatedly and build

as in Article 4, Section 2: "No person heldin service or labor in one state, under thelaws thereof, escaping into another, shall inconsequence of any law or regulationtherein, be discharged from service or labor,but shall be delivered up on claim of theparty to whom such service or labor may bedue," Students learn from this nasty littleclause how the constitution they createddiffers from the real thing.Elsewhere in the document, students learn

that for purposes of congressionalrepresentation an enslaved individual is tocount as three-fifths of a person. Ourtextbook, "People and Our Country" (Holt,Rinehart and Winston) refers to this as acompromise. "What compromise?" mystudents in the role of slaves ask. "We don'tcare how we're counted, we want to befree!"Thus, the word "compromise." so often

and SO casually sprinlded into discussionsabout the Constitution, comes into sharperfocus for students. A compromise betweenprivileged elites can be seen to maintain anindefmite purgatory for those at the bottom.My student Founding Fathers and

Mothers also debate questions of economicjustice. The struggle between debtors and

students.Removed from itssocial context,the document iselevated to analmost holystatus, aboveanalysis andcritique.

Again the alliance of the poor - slaves,farmers, and workers - usually prevails,and students search through the actualdocument to find what Madison, Hamilton,Jay, et al. decided. A seemingly innocuousphrase in Article I provides the answer: "Nopayment in kind was to be tolerated. Norwould states be allowed to issue currency toease farmers' economic plight"What students begin to realize is that the

framers, meeting in 1787, made verydefinite choices; the Constitution took sides.

Questions About the ConstitutionBy June Jordan

Certain questions about this country'shistory must be asked by every Americanchild. I propose the following analysis ofthe Constitution of the United States as anon-negotiable component of compulsorypublic education:

1.Who were the different peoples aliveon this continent when the Constitution waswritten?2. What was the comparative size of each

group? What economic and civil liberties

did each group have?3. What kinds and amounts of armed

force did each group possess and maintain?4. What were the territorial habits and

objectives of these different peoples?5. How many of each of these different

peoples participated in the design and/orenactment of the United StatesConstitution?6. How did each Article of the U.S.

Constitution benefit, exclude, or punisheach of the different peoples of the UnitedStates?7. Why were the Amendments (the Bill of

Rights) necessary?8. Who were the beneficiaries of the

Amendments?9. What would you propose as a New Bill

of Rights?10. Who would benefit?11. Why would you propose these

changes? Fit your answer into a detailedvision of America as a democratic state. 0

The above is adapted from a brief essayin the quarterly book review, The HungryMind Review, 1648 Grand Ave., St. Paul,MN 55015. Subscriptions are $12 a year.

condemn nor praise the Constitution and itsauthors. Rather, treating the Constitution asa product of social conflict and written bypartisans in that conflict- brilliance anddedication notwithstanding - implicitlygives students permission to becomethinkers. No longer intimidated by thedocument's holy status, they can analyzeand make judgments. Students also learnthat they can be social actors, that they canparticipate in determining characteristics ofa good society.Critiquing sacred cows and empowering

young people: I'm afraid Mr. Duffy wouldbe disappointed. 0Bill Bigelow is a Rethinking Schools

editorial associate and teaches socialstudies at Jefferson High School in Port-land, OR. This article was written in 1987for The Portland Oregonian, as part of aseries commemorating the bicentennial ofthe Constitution.

Good-byeColumbus,Hello Classroom

With this issue, Rethinking Schoo/sretires the column RethinkingCo/umbus, and introduces a newcolumn, Rethinking the Classroom.

We'd like to thank Bill Bigelow forhis invaluable work contributions tothe Columbus column. Along w~hed~orial associate Unda Christensen,Bigelow willoversee the new column.

The column is designed to provideideas that teachers can use in theirclassroom. tt willfocus on fosteringan anti-racist, mutticultural curriculumthat encourages students to belterunderstand and change the world.

We encourage teachers to submitideas for Rethinking the Classroom.Please send submissions to: Rethink-ing Schools, Rethinking the Class-room, 1001 E. Keefe Ave., Milwau-kee, WI 53212. 414-964-9646.

, ~~~~~~~~=J

Page 10 Reflt/nllln" Schools Winter 1992-1993

When Slavery is a "Life-style,"What Happens to Mexicans?HoW'Calif. Texts Portray LatinosBy Elizabeth Martinez

When we read a social smdies text for 5thgraders which refers to slavery as a "life-style," we might think it's some book fromthe 1940s or 50s. Alas, such descriptionscan be found in the glossy new seriespublished by Houghton Mifflin and adoptedfor California schools in 1990-91. Evenworse, this series was supposed to mark amajor break with the longtime Eurocentrictextbook tradition.California had invited publishers to

submit new histories for grades K-8 as partof an overall effort to upgrade itsinstructional materials and methods.Houghton Mifflin was the only house that

-submitted books for all those grades. It alsowas the only house that prepared booksspecifically intended to fit into a newhistory and social studies "framework," orcurriculum, that California had adopted.The framework called for pupils to study

history much earlier and more extensivelythan in the past Recognizing that themajority of California's 3.7 millionelementary and junior high pupils are nowyoung people of color, the framework alsorequired that textbooks "accurately portraythe cultural and racial diversity of oursociety." (Nevertheless, the framework,written by conservative historian DianeRavitch, by no means advocated equalitybetween peoples.) The main author of theHoughton Mifflin series is Gary Nash, aUCLA professor with a reputation foradvocating multiculturalism.California's Board of Education adopted

the Houghton Mifflin series and an~ditional 8th:grade histo~ from Holt,

thousands of peop e in virtually every racialand ethnic sector (including Muslims, whohad been the first to object) as well as gays,lesbians, and the disabled. Since localschool districts are not legally obliged tobuy the state-approved books in California,the struggle continued.EvenbJalIy most local scbool boards

adopted the approved texts, sometimes withsupplemental readings. InOakland, wherestudents are almost 92% of color, both theHoughton Mifflin series and the Holt,Rinehart & Winston title were rejected.(The task of fmding satisfactory substituteshas yet to be resolved.) In San Francisco,where 83% of the student population are ofcolor, the new books were finally adoptedon the condition that supplemental readingsbe used. However, the scbool district placedjust one copy of each supplemental title ineach school.

Behind all the highly publicized debateone can assume some heavy-dutypoliticking. Houghton Mifflin calculatedthat the California market alone couId yield$52.9 million in sales of the textbook series.With so much at stake, Houghton Mifflinhired a public relations firm for the firsttime in its history to help win stateapproval.Those defending the Houghton Mifflin

titles claimed that they were a vastimprovement over the past, with much moreinformation about people of color and theirperspectives. "We have 80 pages on Africanhistory for 12-year olds,' Gary Nashpointed out. But a numerical increase intextual references or images doesn'tpromote multiculturalism if the contentleaves a fundamentally Eurocentricworldview in place. The occasionalinclusion of dissenting views from peopleof color may give some 'balance to isolatedpassages; it does not alter the dominantperspective.The worldview put forth in these texts

rests on defining the United States as "anation of immigrants." This view seesNative Americans as the first "immigrants,"based on their having come across theBering Strait from Asia (but this theory isrejected by many Indians, a disagreementnot mentioned in the series). After Indianscome Africans (but weren't they broughthere in chains?) and then Mexicans (butwasn't their homeland seized by Angloforce?). Europeans and Asians round out thelist of so-called immigrants.The immigrant model has usually

included the "melting pot" metaphor; theHoughton Mifflin series rejects that nowtarnisbed image in favor of the "saladllo.w "1IIhK:IIl!11ows ~ toretain their ethnic identity and culture insideone big unified society. But how different isthe bowl from the pot?Both ignore issues of power and domina-

tion, such as which groups in society havepower and which don't, or which groupsdominate and which are dominated. Bothare molded by a national identity firmlyrooted in an Anglo-American culture andperspective. As critics of the textbookspointed out, the norm to which so-calledimmigrants are supposed to relate is white,Anglo-Saxon, and usually Protestant - inshort, WASP, and the Mexican-American,for example, is not a "real" American. TheHoughton Mifflin texts hammer home thepower and authority of this norm with anextraordinary quantity of U.S. flags (in theK-5 book alone, 29 depictions compared tozero flags from other nations).The Eurocentric viewpoint of the series

can be found in its treatment of all U.S.peoples of color, exemplified by onesentence in a literature selection in theGrade 5 textbook: "She had blue eyes andwhite skin, like an angel" (which reduces usdarkies to being devils, I assume). Scores ofinaccuracies, distortions, sanitizations,omissions, and outright racist accountspepper these books. Here we'll take a lookat how the Houghton Mifflin books depictMexican-Americans and other Latinos inthe U.S. (Having limited space, we'll defera review of how Mexico and other parts ofLatin America are portrayed, although thiscertainly affects the image and self-imageof Latinos living in the U.S. Also, notevery error will be noted.)Five major problems appear, then,

ranging from general perspective to thehandling of key events involving people of

The newtextbook seriesin California isdominated by aEurocentricperspectivecamoflouged byclaims of"multiculturalism."

Mexican origin. The first general questionis: do we even exist?

LIavisibilizalionIncreasing the quantity of references to a

people doesn't multiculbJralize a textbook,as we said; at the same time, invisibilitydefinitely hurts. The Houghton Mifflinseries gives very shabby treatment toLatinos in this respect.By the third grade it would seem

reasonable to expect real awareness ofMexicans in the U.S., especially wben thetextbook From Sea 10 Shining Sea has a 60-page unit called "Settling the Land." But no.In the whole book, Mexican Americansappear only as farmworkers, and even thentheir historic role in producing vastagricultural wealth is not recognized (nor isthat of Filipinos). A single photo shows anorchard with a rain of almonds being shakenout of some trees - by machine, notpeople. Nowhere does the text say thatagriculture was made possible in theSouthwest by an art that Mexicans and

"n"'" c...... 'n".fc.", Allzone.Aft.rAII_ _ YJr.n from " •• 'co,"'.'_n-JlnwIIc_ c,..",." vaal .""",nf. of _,tI. tor US corpo...tI......

Indians taught to Anglos: irrigation.The fourth grade book, Ok California,

offers lots of Latinos but they are almost all"explorers" and "settlers," missionaries. orupper-class ranchers.Nowhere can we fmdthe lower-class Mexicans, nowhere themany Mexicans who were violentlyrepressed and driven off the land, ofteneven lynched, from the Gold Rush days tothe I930s, nowhere the massive strikes byMexican workers in the I930s or thedeportation of thousands who were actuallycitizens. Chicanos and Mexicans vanishtotally from California in pp.157-259. Thenwe find a paragraph on East Los Angeleswhich includes Mexicans in a listing of allimmigrant groups; it doesn't say that theyformed the original population of L.A. andhave continued to be a strong presence forover 200 years.Ok California briefly describes the

United Farm Workers led by Cesar Chavez,in the series' only account of Chicano!Mexicano struggle for U.S. social change.We find nothing about how the courageousfarmworkers stood up to mass arrests,beatings and harassment by the growers andtheir goons. Nothing about Dolores Huerta- one of the best known women activistsfor social change in the U.S. today - whoheaded the union along with Chavez.Nothing about the ongoing struggle againstpesticides. And nothing about othermovements of California Chicanos such asthe walkouts by thousands of high schoolstudents in 1968 and the anti-Vietnam warmarch of some 20,000 people on that day in1970 when police tear-gassed hundreds at apeaceful rally, including this writer, andcaused three Chicanos to die. A picture ofone "Chicano Power" mural is apparentlysupposed to suffice for all those t,eaIS llfmass activism.In America Will Be, a basic 5th grade

U.S. history book, Latinos as a people donot exist beyond immigration statistics andother lists with the exception of a singleimmigrant family presented totally out ofcontext. Even Latinos as governmentalrepresentatives vanish after 3 pages on Juande OIIate, who invaded New Mexico forSpain in 1598. From p.128 to 370, noreferences at all.If it is hard to find Mexicans in this

series, other Latinos are even less visible.After profiling the great baseball player andhumanitarian Roberto Clemente in theGrade 2 text, the series abandons PuertoRicans. For the millions of CentralAmericans resident in the U.S., HoughtonMifflin includes a single nameless youngwoman who came from Guatemala forunspecified reasons and lives anundescribed life here (Grade 3 text). Ingrades 4 and 5 we get one and twosentences respectively referring to refugeesfrom Cuba and Central America - with noexplanation of why they had fled.

2. That Old White Magic:Eurocentrism and Its ValuesThe books for kindergarten, The World I

See. and Grade I, I Know a Place. lay thefoundation for Eurocentrism. Both include athematic photo with several pupils of color,including a probable Latino, and the Kvolume has one story about Mexico. But thedrawings in the "Long Ago" pages of the Kbook are overwhelmingly populated bywhites; one image shows 31 persons out of35 as white, another makes all 20 peoplewhite, and so forth. In the Grade 1 bookalso, everyone from the past is white, e.g., aunit called "Grandma's Album" and anothercalled "I go with my family to grandma's."The message comes across loud and clear:the foundations of our country areEuroAmerican (or perhaps people of colordon't have grannies). Yet Mexican peoplesettled in what is now the United Statesfrom 1598 on.Some People I Know (Grade 2) introduces

Teresa Sanchez of East L.A. The text puts a

Winter 1992-1993 Rethinking Schools Page 11

healthy stress on the merits of beingbilingual and bicultural like Teresa, but whydid they make hera totaUy Anglo-lookinggirl? Any Latina -like this writer - whohas grown up longing for blonde hair andlight-colored eyes will know what a badmessage this conveys. especially wheneveryone else in Teresa's family is dark.(perhaps she can he one of those angels?)A special form of the Eurocentric

perspective. Hispanicism. flows through theHoughton Mifflin series. Again and againthe "customs" and "culture" and"traditions" of the Mexican people in theU.S. are described as originating in Spain- a European country. Indian or mestizoroots go unnoticed. This would be laughable(how many people in Madrid eat tortillasand heans?) if Itwere not so racist.The Houghton Mifflin authors actually

discuss Eurocentrism (Grade 8). defining itas "the notion that Europe is the center ofthe world." They then. however. affirm thatviewpoint by stating, "And for a long periodof time it seemed to he. From the l500s tothe 1900s, European countries controlled alarge part of the world." End of explanation,leaving readers with a very Eurocentricview of Eurocentrism. The same book tellsus that "U.S. citizens ...tended to look onMexico as a backward nation. an attitudethat has continued to this day." Nocomment; no criticism or alternatives to thisview are suggested.

If one of the goals of Eurocentrism is tomake U.S. history a more comfortableabode for white people, the 5th gradetextbook shows how. The teachers editionsuggests an exercise in which students areasked to think about what it is like to moveinto a new neighborhood or even a newcountry: what are the neighbors like? Is it..un rstan e co om ashared many of the same experiences andfeelings." What a novel way to imaginetaking over someone' s land! Otherexamples of sanitized treatment abound. Forexample, the often deadly racism practicedagainst Mexicans in the Southwest isdescribed as "considerable discrimination"(Grade 4) and "prejudice" (Grade 5).The series is riddled with a Eurocentric

vocabulary: "discoveries," "the newWorld," ..the Age of Exploration," and"Moving West." It also manipulates thereader with self-justifying types of wordusage. Again and again Anglo-Americans'"belief' in the rightness of their actions isused to justify how Mexican people andNative Americans have been treatedhistorically. One text (Grade 4) evendescribes as "idealistic" the U.S. belief thatwestward expansion would help "bringfreedom" to the "less fortunate" Indians andMexicans.The use of "dreams" serves a similar

purpose. as in statements like. "The forty-niners had dreams of becoming verywealthy." (Grade 4. teachers edition. myitalics). Such descriptions tend to makeyoung readers identify with men who in factoften robbed. raped, and murdered peopleof color. The text goes on to say of theforty-niners that "They did not feel they hadto share those dreams with Indians ...... aremarkably mild way of describing theiractual deeds.Eurocentric usage of "beliefs" and

"idealism" and "dreams" - all conceptswhich many youth embrace - can workwonders. We see this in the series'treatment of three historical periods:westward expansion and the take-over ofTexas; the U.S. war on Mexico; the GoldRush and Mexican resistance to the U.S.take-over.

3. Westward Expansion and TakingTexas"United States expansion in the West was

inevitable," says the 4th-grade text. Asection on "Texas and the Struggle with

Mexico" (Grade 5) describes how Anglosobtained land and settled in Texas withMexico's permission on certain conditions.including no slaves and being Catholic.When they broke their promises andMexico tried to tighten its control. theAmericans in Texas "were upset. ..Mexicanrule ...had become too strict." Being "upset"- a variation on "belief' - apparentlylegitimizes the Anglo move to take Texas.The Battle of the Alamo at San Antonio,

Texas in 1836 is the one event involvingMexicans that appeared in every publisher'stextbooks submitted for consideration inCalifornia. This Mexican military victory.in which aUAnglo fighters died defendingthe fort - or, some scholars say, wereexecuted - sparked a legendary desire forrevenge. The Grade 5 teachers editionemphasizes that students should see theBattle of the Alamo as "an importantsymbol of freedom and liberty" where"heroes" fought for Texas independence.From a different perspective. it was asymbol of U.S. landgrabbing in which the"heroes" featured an escaped murderer(WiDiam Travis). a slave-runner (JamesBowie). and a gunfighung adventurer(Davey Crockett). But that perspectivedoesn't appear.In a unique account of the Texas take-

over, Holt. Rinehardt & Winston's 8th-grade book - which was adopted with theHoughton Mifflin series - tells how theU.S. surprise-attacked Mexico at SanJacinto after the Alamo battle. Confrontedby the revenge-hungry Anglos. the Mexi-can troops "fearfuUy" called out: "Me noAlamol,' supposedly in hopes of beingspared ..... .in fact." the book says ." thesewere the very same men who had slaugh-tered the defenders of the mission." Thus

Mexican Territory Lost to the United State

t:::::: :]Texas

P.:')i\:.<::J Claimed by Texas

t======j Treaty of GUadalupe Hidalgo

~]:i:iIj::]fIJGadsden Purchase

patronizing trivia.The war officially ended with the Treaty

of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which. the textstates. provided that "As citizens. theCalifomios would have the same rights asother United States citizens." There's nomention that this treaty was grossly vio-lated. The civil rights of Mexicans were not

. ..buffoons - who cannot, of course. outwitthe righteous Anglo.

hope many more can make such correctiveefforts.But what is the larger. long-range

solution? During the textbook battle Dr.Sylvia Wynter. a Stanford Universityprofessor of African and Afro-AmericanStudies as weU as of Spanisb andPortuguese, .circulated a lengthy, forceful

our cultural diversity or pluralism. sheargues, but of redefining what she refers toas our "native model" and what is oftenreferred to popularly as the "Americancharacter." .The textbooks present a dual problem.

Wynter observes. First, they are dominatedby a Eurocentric perspective. Second. toparaphrase Wynter's view. this Eurocentricperspective is not acknowledged but iscamouflaged by a "multiculturalist alterna-tive." Yet this alternative remains entrappedby its assumption that the U.S. is integratedas a nation on the basis of a single.EuroAmerican culture. Thus this"multiculturalist alternative" seeks to"save" the EuroAmerican nation model bymulticulturalizing it. The real solution,however. is to de-imagine the United Statesas a nation and then re-imagine it as a"world": a community of communitiesrelating on the basis of mutual respect andintegrity.It goes without saying that achieving such

a goal would require a massive shift inpower relations throughout U.S. society.Still. defming one's goals - no matter howdistant they may seem - matters. With thehelp ofWynter's re-imagining, perhaps wecan also imagine new textbooks that willmake real sense out of American history. 0

[My deep thanks to Communities UnitedAgainst Racism in Education in Berkeleyfor research assistance. CURE issued an85-page study of how the K-5 HoughtonMifflin books treat people of color ingeneral; it is especially strong on NativeAmericans and includes examples ofalternate wordings to avoid Eurocentrism.The study can be obtained for $10.00 from;CURE, c/o Oyase, 2702 Mathews St.,Berkeley, CA 94702.

Elizabeth Martinez is a San Francisco-based writer, educator. and activist who haswritten extensively on Latino issues. Hermost recent book is the bilingual volume,500 Years of Chicano History in Pictures.

4. The 1846-48 U.S. War on Mexicoand the Treaty or Guadalupe HidalgoThese two events must rank among the

most inaccurately depicted history in U.S.schoolbooks. "Belief' strikes again in theGrade 4 text from Houghton Mifflin. whichbluntly states: "In the l840s many [U.S.]people believed that their nation should ruleall the land between the East and Westcoasts. Mexico owned much of this land. Sothe United States decided to go to war withMexico to try to win this land."More detail comes in the next grade:

"Mexican officials refused to talk .. (thatword "talk" - which sounds like littleenough to ask - actually meant negotiatingwith the U.S. over its demands for moreMexican land). So, "President Polk orderedAmerican forces to move down to the RioGrande. They were now in territory that theMexican government said was theirs. InApril 1846 Mexican troops fought with anAmerican scouting party, leaving 16 dead orwounded. The United States and Mexicowere now at war." A teachers editionsection on Critical Thinking says: "No onereally wanted the Mexican War. How couldit have been avoided?"This is a disingenuous. indeed deceptive

version of what even Anglo historians haveidentified as Polk's deliberate provocationof war with a view to seizing half ofMexico. Polk declared his intent in his owndiary. but the text remains silent on that. Wealso find not a word about the atrocitiescommitted by U.S. invading forces duringthe war or the fact that General Ulysses S.Grant and other Americans denounced thewar. In some apparent gesture to objectivitythe Grade 4 text says about the war inCalifornia: "In these battles [Mexican)soldiers fought briUiantly. Stephen W.Kearney. a general in the United StatesArmy. admired their horseback riding."Given the failure to identify this war asnaked expansionism. such compliments are

ment of Protocol accompanying the treaty atthe Mexican government's insistence wereignored.By Grade 8 the textbook does say that

Polk deliberately 'provoked' the war. andthat the treaty was "often not enforced." Butat this late date a few facts about what theU.S. actually did are unlikely to reverseyears of conditioning to identify with thisnation's policies. no matter how unsavory.

5. The Gold Rush and the U.S. Occupa-tionThe Houghton Mifflin series sanitizes

some of these events and demonizes others.Its treatment of the Gold Rush is wondrous:"Beside the gold they found. what did theIorty-niners contribute to California?" Theteachers' edition answer. ''They contributedthe skills. energy. and population increasethat would help California grow." Onewants to add: not to mention driving out orkilling Mexicans and Indians so thatCalifornia had a white instead of Mexicanmajority and could become a state. Andwhat about the crucial skills. beginning withmining technology. that were taken overfrom the indigenous populations?Resistance to the U.S. occupation is

transformed into sheer criminality:'''Joaquin!' they gasped. No one feltsafe ...Who was this Mexican bandit?"Actually Anglo miners drove Murieta (likeother Latino miners) out of the goldfieldsafter raping his wife; as a result he began aguerrilla-type movement which enjoyedwidespread support. Many Mexican peoplesaw him as a resistance hero. The Holt,Rinehardt & Winston book also calls theresistance heroes "bandits."Confronted by textbooks like these. some

California teachers are making specialefforts to present the Mexican-American orLatino perspective with other materials.One San Francisco teacher in a largelyLatino neighborhood has created a specialcurriculum around the theme of ManifestDestiny and another at her school makesminimal use of the adopted textbook. Let's

Page 12 Rethinking SChools Winter 1992-1993

•ear rest fThoughts on an Education Agel

For too long, educators have been on thedefensive. Twelve years ago, the ReaganAdministration proposed eliminating theDepartment of Education, setting the tone forfederal education policies that were a devas-tating mix of neglect and cutbacks. When theReagan/Bush regime decided to take anoffensive posture toward education issues, itdid so primarily by launching an attack on thevery concept of public education and promot-ing plans for publicly funded vouchers forprivate schools.Coupled with severe budget cutbacks on the

state and local level, these federal policiesforced progressive educators to adopt a defen-sive stance. We were forced to neglect ourvision of what should be, and to focus insteadon what might be salvaged from the conserva-tive onslaught.With a new Democratic administration about

to take power, progressive educators are once

Rethinking SchoolsAnalysis

again nurturing the hope that we can notmerely defend, but move forward. We askedseveral educators to briefly explain what theythink should be the educational priorities ofthe Clinton Administration. We offer thesestatements, and our own developing analysis,as a modest beginning of what should be along discussion on an agenda for change.The task is daunting. And the danger, we

fear, is not that progressive educators will putforward unrealistic plans for reform, but thatwe will take the safe route and timidly pro-pose measures that will only chip away at thecrisis in education in this country.We are not under any illusion that education

policy will be the Clinton administration's toppriority in its first few months. Clinton hasalready made clear that he will emphasizeeconomic initiatives. For educators, the posi-tive side of this reality is that it providesbreathing space to re-energize our imagina-tions and develop far-reaching - dare we usethe word "breathtaking?" - proposals thatcan forge a new vision of education reform.Our task is not merely to develop specificpolicies and legislation, although that is sorelyneeded, but to change the very confines of thedebate and mold a new consensus on how, andwith what resources, we want to educate allour children.In looking at the many issues in education, it

is our opinion that the new administration'soverriding concern must be equity. This is thefocus that must guide all policy decisions, theyardstick by which to gauge success or failure.It's not that our society doesn't know how to

teach or raise children well, but that we do sounequally. Some children go to fullyequipped, modem schools, with small classsizes and big expectations of success. Theyalso have the advantages of private lessons

coatinued on page 15

Early ChildhoodPrograms are KeyBy Norm Fruchter

The following is condensed from a conversation withNorm Fruchter. president of one of New York City's 32school boards and program advisor for education at theAaron Diamond Foundation in New York City.I'm asswning that President-elect Clinton will move

toward full funding of federal programs such as HeadStart and Chapter One. He should also strengthen otherearly childhood programs essential to helping kids startschool without a disadvantage.Programs across the country should focus on working

with the parents of very young children on optimal childdevelopment and how parents can work with their kids athome. On a federal level, Clinton should support andexpand such programs.He also needs to expand the experimental Head Start

transition program trying to improve what happens to kidswhen they move from Head Start into public schools, toprovide links between Head Start teachers, kindergartenteachers, and parents. One of the strengths of Head Start isthat it emphasizes parental involvement - but thatinvolvement often is discouraged when the kids get toschool.Clinton needs to transform the nature of Chapter One to

make it a school improvement program. Reduce thedisincentives; relative success now means losing thoseChapter One funds. In too many settings ChaRter One istargeted on kids rather than on schools. Use the money forschool improvement, rather than for remediation.Clinton should also consider two other areas not usually

seen as a federal responsibility.First, schools should be full-service community

institutions. TIley need to provide all the various supportsand services that kids and families need, including basichealth care. The federal government could do ademonstration program of such full-service schools in arange of sites, urban and rural. I think the results would bepowerful enough that it would be hard to argue againstschools providing such services.Second, another area where the the federal government

is currently not involved is equalizing funding of schools.The federal government should use incentives to get states

Early cltUdltood ed_.tloll: • key prIorftr.

to reduce financial disparities among school districts. Oneway would be to structure incentive grants to states thatdemonstrate they are reducing such disparities. Anotherway might utilize the existing equity requirements ofChapter One, combined with incentive grants from ChapterOne funding, to reduce disparities. The bottom lineargument is that the federal government should be theultimate guarantor of equitable resources for publicschooling. 0

ComprehensivePlan EssentialBy Deborah M. McGriff

In The Mis-education of the Negro, Carter G. Woodsonwarned us that opportunities and problems of greatimportance cannot be resolved in a day with simplesolutions. We need a comprehensive plan. We need a timetable and we need to keep itAccordingly, Iwould recommend that President-elect

Clinton take the following steps during his first 100 days.First, President-elect Clinton should clarify his vision and

mission for education, especially for preschool throughgrade 12. He must specify whether or not he will continueto Support "American 2000" in its current form. If it's to bemodified, he must specify the changes he will pursue, e.g.,will he support private school choice with public fundingand vouchers, will standards and assessment policies beimplemented without regard to equity?Second, the President-elect should appointa secretary of

education who shares his vision and bas the knowledge,skills, and passion needed to inspire and implement anational campaign which will substantially changeeducation for all children: rich, poor, black, white, brown,male, and female.To accomplish task two, President-elect Clinton should

acknowledge that money matters. He should find thepolitical will to end savage funding inequalities, especiallyfor preschool through grade- 12 education, "by any meansnecessary."Finally, if President-elect Clinton is to be the Education

President, he must always acknowledge the inextricable linkbetween education and other social policy irtitiatives. Hemust ensure that all policies nurture families, buildcommunities, stimulate the economy, and improve thequality of life for children, youth, and adults.What should be the goals of these policy initiatives? That

our high school graduates:• Enter college without needing remedial classes.• Enter the world of work with the skills needed to

acquire jobs that pay above the poverty level and offercareer advancement.• Develop the entrepreneurial spirit to create new

business opportunities, all the while demonstratingexemplary levels of social responsibility and actualizing thepractice of freedom.Our children and youth deserve no less. 0

Deborah M. McGriff is Superintendent ofDetroit PublicSchools

,

EradicateIlliteracyBy Tony Baez

Since the early 1970s, many educators have been callingfor a national initiative to eradicate the incredibly high -and still growing - incidence of adult functional illiteracy.Tens of millions of adults in this country cannot performbasic academic or technological tasks.Even though First Lady Barbara Bush made illiteracy one

of her pet projects, the Bush admirtistration never increasedfunding for the Adult Education ActWhat troubles me most is that when we discuss the need

Winter 1992-1993 Rethinking SChools Page 13

•inton.--

••ida for the riew Admirristr-ationfor educational reform, rarely do we make the case forestablishing quality adult education programs for theparents of school-age children.

Few organized educational advocacy groups make adulteducation an integral part of the educational reformmovement in our major cities. Few are willing to be aspassionate in demanding more resources for adult educationas they are in advocating for better schools, better buildings,and more public school funding.

It is critical that the new presidential administration takethe lead in rejecting this society's negative perceptions ofadult learners. President-elect Clinton must also end thesenseless fragmentation in federal adult educationprograms, and he must dismantle federal initiatives that arepunitive and based upon "deficit" theories oflearning thatblame the students for their failures and that don't recognizeand build upon the strengths of the students and theirfamilies.

President-elect Clinton must also turn over the lead foradult education pulicy to those who leach and take part insuch programs. Together, they must launch a new adulteducation and literacy initiative that approaches adulteducation with the same energy we give to public schoolreform.

As part of this initiative, the President should establishexperimental, adult, pre-college preparatory schools incollaboration with local governments, the public schools,and community-based advocacy groups. The initiative mustalso focus on increasing the number of people of color whoteach and manage adult education programs in our cities.

The President should set clear goals for literacy and adulteducation and develop a plan to implement them. My hopeis that, by the year 2000, we can boast about the eradicationof illiteracy and the successful education of all people inAmericaDTony Baez is on thefaculty at the University of

Wisconsin-Milwaukee Center for UrbanlCommurrttyDevelopment.

End AmericanApartheidBy Jonathan Kozol

Thefollowing is condensed/rom a conversation withJonathan Kozol, author of Savage Inequalities and otherbaoks on education.

To a large degree, during the Reagan and Bush years ourimaginations atrophied because we were waging adefensive action. It is sometimes difficult after such aperiod to even remember what a significant goal would be.Yet now is the time to be bold in our suggestions, and to bebold immediately. I suspect the die will be cast during thenext 12 months.If President-elect Clinton invited me to the White House,

I wouldn't even waste my time talking about full fundingfor Head Start, because I think that's going to happenanyway. But I would say, "If you really want to heal thisnation's wounds, you ought to reopen the issue of Americanapartheid."

Nobody in America talks about racial segregationanymore. To say that the nation has become insensitive toracial injustice would be a terrible understatement

I go into inner-city schools where every kid is Black,where you don't see a White face, where racial integrationmeans mixing Latinos with Blacks or a few Cambodians.And I'll look at the principal around II in the morning, aBlack principal, and I'll say, "Would you call this asegregated school?" And he'll just smile and say, "Youknow, Jonathan, no one has even asked that question for adecade. Of course it is. This is American apartheid. This isaccepted. We don't even question it anymore."

Is it realistic that Clinton would take a political chanceand open up the forbidden question of whether we are reallygoing to remain two societies? Probably not at first, Mighthe ultimately? Maybe.

I would also hope that President-elect Clinton has thecourage to address the inequitable funding of our publicschools.

I'd like him to go beyond the terms that most of us havebeen forced to deal with, which is inequities within a givenSlate. I'd like to see Clinton address the obligation of the

Fed.r.' fund. cou'dbuild n.w .choo' •• nd •• _ o"ercrowdlng•• uch •• 'n the_Mllw.uk.e cl._room ••• ,..r.ted by • bI.ckboerd.

Don't ForgetTeachersBy Linda Darling-Hammond

If President-elect Clinton truly wants to restructureAmerica's schools so they can leach all students to performat high levels, he must ensure that all schools have well-prepared and well-supported teachers.

Three areas must be addressed: recruiting teachers, betterpreparing teachers, and sharply reducing the number ofteachers who leave the profession after their first few years.

Teacher shortages are acute in key areas such asmathematics and science, foreign languages, specialeducation and bilingual education. These shortagesparticularly affect urban schools. The reason for theseshortages is no mystery. Teacher salaries, for instance,remain about 25% below the salaries of other college-educated workers. Moreover, in 1981 Pres ident Reaganeliminated a number of special programs for those hopingto teach, such as the Urban Teacher Corps program. Inaddition, few teachers are prepared to teach ,II childreneffectively. To succeed, they need to deeply understandstudents' multiple learning styles and needs as well as thesubjects they teach.

Given that fully half of the teachers who will be teachingin the year 2000 will be hired over the next decade, we mustimmediately address these problems - unless we want tocontinue the all-too-common practice of hiringunderprepared teachers who are typically assigned to teachlow-income and minority students in central city schools.Many children in central city schools, in fact, are taught bya parade of short-term substitute teachers, inexperiencedteachers who leave before their first year is up, andbeginners without training.

Building a well-prepared teaching force will require

the teacher sb es of

and loans and the Teacher Corps). We will need as well amore sustained and serious attempt to strengthen profes-sional education and recruitment. Federal initiatives shouldseek to:

• Recruit new teachers, especially in shortage fields andin shortage locations (particularly central cities) throughscholarships and forgivable loans.

• Strengthen teachers' preparation through improvementincentive grants to schools of education.

• Increase teacher retention and effectiveness byimproving their clinical training and support during thebeginning leaching stage when 30-50% drop out Thiswould include funding internship programs for newteachers during which they would receive mentoring fromexperienced teachers. D

Linda Darling-Hammond is professor 0/ education atTeacher's College. Columbia University, and co-director ofthe National Center for Restructuring Education.

DistributeResourcesEquitablyBy William Ayers

Now that the "Education President" is riding off into aTexas sunset, it is time to get serious about improvingschools.

Among Clinton's earliest actions as President should be aseries of investigative visits to schools where initiative,creativity, and a willingness to take matters into one's ownhands are paying off for kids. He could search out thoseplaces where folks are defying the odds, succeeding wherethey were expected to fail - Central Park East in SpanishHarlem comes to mind, as does La Escuela Fratney inMilwaukee, the Foundations School in Chicago, and Forks-of-Salmon School in rural California The point would notbe to impose a favorite slogan ("choice," "standards") on adynamic situation, but to seek real counsel from thoseyoungsters, parents, and teachers who actually are makingprogress with school reform. The people with the problemsare also most likely to be the people with the solutions.

continued OB page 15

,.

Page 14 Rethinking Schools Winter 1992-1993

Souls or Dollars?continued from page 1

Education must keep broad ideals before it,and never forget that it is dealing with Soulsand not with Dollars."Although there has been little debate on

the merits of Tech-Prep - and the historyof vocational education in this country hasbeen all but synonymous with rigid tracking- key educational bureaucracies inWisconsin are moving to implement thelegislation. The state Department of PublicInstruction (OPI) and the Wisconsin Boardof Vocational, Technical and AdultEducation (WBVTAE) are nourishingTech-Prep through an elaborate web ofcommittees, pilot programs, state-wideconferences, and curriculum developmentprojects. According to OPI officials, by fallof 1995 these major elements will be inplace:

1. At the end of tenth grade, allWisconsin students will take a "GatewayAssessment" exam which will includesections on math, science, andcommunication skills.2. Aided by the results of this exam,

students and their parents will choose

Tech.Prep willalmost surelybolster - albeitwith a moreelaboraterationalization -the class andracial trackingwhichc a,acler. %esnearly all schools.

between a traditional college prep track. anew Tech-Prep track, and a new YouthApprenticeship track. General educationtracks will no longer exist.3. Students who have elected the Tech-

Prep track will encounter a new curriculumof "applied academics" in math, science,and communication skills, and re-furbishedvocational courses in a number of careerareas. The goal of the Tech-Prep track willbe to prepare students to enter specificcareer programs in technical colleges.4. Students who choose the Youth

Apprenticeship track will be provided withgeneral and technical education and on-the-job training designed to help them beginmastering a trade.

The Roots of Tech-PrepA number of states are developing Tech-

Prep plans, at least 20 of them with theguidance of the prestigious Commission onthe Skills of the American Workforce(whose co-chairs include Hillary Clintonand Clinton economic adviser IraMagaziner). Proponents say that Tech-Prepis designed to redress the historic neglect ofstudents who are not in a college prep track.During the-past several years, they claim,this neglect has helped engender an eco-nomic crisis. As the economy has demandedincreasingly sophisticated skills, manyemployers claim they have had difficultyfinding qualified young people. Tech Prepadvocates further argue that, even if oureducation system were meeting the needs oflOday's employers, more sophisticatedtechnical training is essentia1to prepare aworkforce that can compete in the 21stcentury.Inhis book The Neglected Majority,

prominent Tech-Prep advocate Dale Parnellexplains that our society produces "anincreasing number of individuals who areuneducated, unskilled, and unable to cope

with ...technological changes." The resultsof this educational failure, it is maintained,include increased vulnerability of the U.S.economy to foreign competition, inefficientworkers bewildered by sophisticatedtechnology, and high school graduateswhose poor education keeps them lockedout of rewarding careers.The solution offered by Tech-Prep is

better high school training for technicalcareers. According to State Superintendentof Public Instruction Herbert Grover, "80%of all future jobs will require more thanhigh school education but less than a (fouryear) college degree." Wisconsin's Tech-Prep seeks to prepare an increased propor-tion of high school students for these jobsby replacing the general education trackwith a Tech-Prep track and a YouthApprenticeship track which both havehighly focused career goals. A WisconsinOPI publication entitled Technical Prepara-tion notes that only a minority of youngpeople graduate from four-year colleges andstates, "Just as preparation for collegeprovides motivation and sense of purposefor some students, other equally viablepathways need to be created for otherstudents who are wandering aimlesslythrough high school."

Why Isn't This a Great Idea?At first glance, the Tech-Prep approach

has some plausibility. Scholars such asJeannie Oakes, an expert on tracking, offerconvincing evidence that students in collegeprep tracks often reap the rewards of classand race privilege. Students succeeding incollege prep programs are gaining a highstatus ticket which can lead to a comfortableand rewarding future. Students in a"general" track are prone to drift among lessdesirable options, dazed prisoners of the

. . ecb-Prejlsuppo rs, meanw e, conten ilia! aproperly implemented Tech-Prep offers "theneglected majority" a program just asrigorous as the best college prep programs.Their arguments are buttressed by thespecter of international competition and theinability of traditional academics to engagemany students.Because Tech-Prep is a relatively new

phenomenon, it is difficult to evaluate itspotential efficacy. We can, however, assessits assumptions. A good place to start is theassertion that poor schooling has helpedincubate a critical skills shortage.On this point the evidence is far from

clear. Although some experts andemployers cite skilled worker shortages, anumber of researchers have challenged thegeneralization that we are on the brink of anexpertise meltdown. For example, aninfluential report entitled America's Choice:High Skills or Low Wages! conducted asurvey in 1990 in which only 5% of theemployers polled cited the scarcity ofskilled workers as a problem. Similarly, a1991 report by the Economic PolicyInstitute in Washington, entitled, The Mythof the Coming Labor Shortage, says: "Farfrom an explosive growth of job-skillrequirements, the effect of occupationalupgrading on job skills is actually projectedto slow down in the future to one-third toone-fourth of its rate in the recent past."In Milwaukee County, which lost 32,000

manufacturing jobs between 1979 and 1987,not only do new jobs tend to be grouped inlow-paying occupations, but there is agrowing gap between the number ofunemployed and available jobs. Accordingtu a new report by Milwaukee's SocialDevelopment Commission, there are anestimated 12 potential workers for everyavailable job. Two years ago, there wereonly nine potential workers for every job.The new report "confirms what manypeople looking for work already know -job prospects are bleak," said Robert Odom,executive director of the commission. "Soeven if a person wants to work, the jobs arenot there."Although secondary education needs to

WI"Teclt-Prep reduce student.' future option. In "'e?

be im roved. Tech-Prep proponents also errw en ey b1iirie U.S. economic woesprimarily on schools. Some social scientistswho favor technical education, such as theUniversity of Wisconsin's Joel Rogers,insist that educational reform won't bringprosperity unless the business sectorrestructures itself to create more high skill,high wage jobs. Other analysts contend thatcorporate inefficiency, rather than poorschooling, is the source of many corporateproblems. Stanford University economicsprofessor Henry Levin, an expert on work-force skill needs, has argued that topcorporate executives often use schools as ascapegoat. In a recent Washington Postarticle be is quoted as saying: "The easiestway to take pressure off themselves forproducing a lousy product with too manymiddle managers, too high executivesalaries and too little creativity is to say,'How can we do it? We have a lousy workforce, this is basically a (rotten) excuse for alousy management process."Tech-Prep also assumes that its "applied

academics" or its improved relationshipswith technical colleges will help studentsget jobs. But such claims are not backed upby convincing evidence. Throughout itshistory, vocational education has had anunimpressive track record in linking schoolto future employment. Oakes cites severalstudies which indicate that vocationalcourses of study have had negligible impacton employability. Similarly, Norton Grubband Marvin Lazerson argue in their article,"Education and the Labor Market: Recy-cling the Youth Problem," that the multi-tude of vocational programs generated inthe 1960s and 19708 had "small impact" onyouth unemployment. Yet supporters ofTech-Prep have not really explained whytheir program will be any more successfulin terms of helping students get jobs.

Tech-Prep as ReformTech-Prep intermingles ideas that hold

some promise with proposals which arerecipes for inequality. Most teachers wouldagree that "hands on" learning, careerexploration, and a meaningful sequence oftechnical courses can benefit students.

Unfortunately, Tech-Prep weds thesefeatures to a system of three tracks which islikely to result in:• the perpetuation within schools of

inequality based on class and race;• the narrowing of a student's aspirations

and self-concept;• the segregation of students in a way

which hinders learning.It's worthwhile to take a closer look at

these likely results.Tbe perpetuation of inequality based

on class and race. Because tracking is anexplosive topic, some Tech-Prep championsattempt to avoid trouble by using verbalcamouflage. In the OPI documentWisconsin Tech Prep, the three tracks whichare scheduled to be in place by 1995 arelabeled "student options (pathways orconcentrations)." In Oregon, where apioneering program has students choosingbetween a college and a vocational track atthe beginning of 11th grade, state Depart-ment of Vocational Education officialRichard Schmidt says, "It [the OregonTech-Prep program] isn't tracking. Studentsare choosing some very distinct paths. Theyare working at the business of being whatthey want to become." Officials atWisconsin's voc-ed governing body, theWBVTAE, claim: "Tech-Prep does notclose off options for students the way arigid tracking system would."

Another response has been that studentswill be able to switch tracks between Tech-Prep and college prep. This reassurance willprovide cold comfort to any parent whorealizes how rarely students presentlychange from a lower to a higher track.On occasion, OPI head Herbert Grover

and others have handled the trackingquestion in a more honest fashion. Theyhave admitted that Tech-Prep is tracking,and then have argued that present practicestrack non-baccalaureate students into deadend programs and Tech-Prep offers them agood track which puts them on the road to agood career.

Although this tack has the virtue ofhonesty, it does not address the likelihoodthat Tech-Prep will simply perpetuate the

continued on page 15

Winter 1992-1993 Rethinking Schools Page 15

Souls or Dollars?continued from page 14

class and racial stratification of highschools, albeit within a new set of curricularshells. Given the history of high stakestesting and tracking, it is highly likely thatthe "Gateway Assessment" in 10th gradeand the counseling which accompanies itwill produce college bound tracks which arepredominantly white and middle class, andTech-Prep tracks composed mostly ofworking class and/or students of color.But the heart of the problem is not the

fairness of the proposed GatewayAssessment. It lies within the whole set ofassumptions which allow policy makers toargue that it is a good idea to divide highschool students into three separate tracks.These assumptions place Tech-Prep solidlywithin a historical tradition which, under theguise of meeting the needs of students asindividuals, structures schools to perpetuatethe class and racial hierarchies of the largersociety.

Statements made by some Tech-Prepadvocates, in fact, are hauntingly similar tostatements made in previous generations tojustify why some students are encouraged tochoose voc-ed programs.In 1908, for example, the superintendent

of Boston's public schools said: "Untilrecently [the schools] have offered equalopportunity for all to receive one kind(italics in original) of education, but what

will make them democratic is to provideopportunity for all to receive education aswill fit them equally well (italics in original)for their particular life work."

Parnell, a contemporary supporter ofTech-Prep, argues: "One of the pressingdilemmas for educators is how to meet thegreat range of individual differences amongstudents while seeking the best in allpeople, whether rich or poor, able ordisabled, destined [my italics] for theuniversity, community college, apprentice-ship, military, or a specific job, includinghomemaking."Though separated by 84 years, these two

statements express a common convictionthat students start high school alreadypredestined for a specific role in life.

This theme of predestination is evidentwhen the Center for Occupational Researchand Design (CORD), producer of the mostwidely disseminated "applied academics"textbooks, defines the "target population"for applied academics as students "in themiddle two quartiles of the average highschool population" Given the enthusiasmmanifested by educational policy makers inWisconsin for the CORD approach, it iseasy to imagine a re-configuration of statehigh schools which deposits the top 25% ofstudents in traditional college prep, themiddle 50% in Tech-Prep, and the bottom

Job "raInIng- .... y dl.appolnt .tudent. " promf.edJob. aren' the...

25% in Youth Apprenticeship programs.The narrowing of a student's

aspirations and self-concepts. A carefullydesigned sequence of technical electives ora challenging work experience can behelpful components of a student's juniorand senior years. If the Tech-Prep planningprocess produces new variants of thesekinds of experiences, they deserve to bejudged on their own merits. However, theTech-Prep plan will do more than update

vocational and academic curricula. Underthe new approach, students and parents(presumably with the help of a guidancecounselor) will evaluate the student'sperformance on the 10th grade GatewayAssessment and then choose the collegeprep, Tech-Prep, or Youth Apprenticeshiptrack. It is possible that students fromdifferent tracks will have some courses incommon. It is more likely, however that the

continued on page 16

Distribute Resources Fairlycontinued from page 13

Clinton could listen to their accomplish-ments, their aspirations, their larger goals,and their perspectives on the obstacles that

_~ldin the way. He would surely Jearnsomething, and it would cost him nothing.If from there he hopes to seriously

challenge educational failure, he must findways to fight for generous educationalfunding and the fair distribution ofeducation resources. One step could be tosupport the Hawkins Bill (or some similarmeasure) that could cut federal funds to anystate that fails to create an equitable fundingformula. This costs nothing. Another wouldhe to creatively blend the concept ofcategorical and general federal funding bytargeting, for example, large sums of federalaid that could be used in any way that states

or districts deem appropriate, as long asspending directly decreases inequities at theschool level- and not one cent for

should immediately initiate a massivefederal jobs program with life-sustainablesalaries and meaningful work that can helprebuild our communities. Inparticular, theClinton administration should be judged byits ability to reduce unemployment amongpeople of color to the level of their whitecounterparts.• Equity in each school and classroom.The Department of Education should

provide leadership to, and fund, localinitiatives by teachers and parents that aimto replace outtnoded forms of curriculumwith those that build on students' strengthsand cultures, while challenging students tothink critically about solving our nation'sproblems. Tracking must be replaced withapproaches in which well-trained teachersteach students in more heterogeneousgroupings. The racist attitudes of educators,who explicitly or implicitly hold thatchildren of color or poor children can'tlearn, must be challenged. Money shouldalso be provided for staff retraining forthese necessary initiatives.• Equity in teacher training and

retention.The federal government should provide

fmancial scholarships to dramaticallyincrease the number of teachers of color inour public schools and teacher traininginstitutions. Further, it should developprograms to help with on-the-job training sothat fewer teachers leave the field after theirfirst few years.

Equality for All Children • Equity in health, housing and socialservices.

If all children are going to have an"equal" chance in our society, then we mustimprove health, housing, and other socialneeds for the millions of children who livein poverty. In addition to the federal jobsprogram mentioned above, the new Admin-istration should move quickly to institute anational health care program, and to pumpmoney into the low-income housingprograms that were neglected or abolishedduring the Reagan/B ush era.Conclusion: Change from BelowWill Clinton be up to the task? Will he

establish an attnosphere of change that willbenefit not only the middle class and theaffluent but the millions of people who havegrown up on the short side of equality?The answer ultimately rests not with

Clinton alone, but with educators, parents,and policymakers across the country.Clinton might be up to the task - but onlyif he is supported by a massive movementfor change that can both pressure him todevelop needed policies and defend himfrom likely attack from conservatives shouldhe move forcefully .

It is past time for governmental leaders torecognize the severity of the crisis faced bythe young people of America, in particularlow-income children and children of color.We need, what this nation promised SOmany generations ago and has yet to deliver,liberty and justice for all. 0

continued from page 12

and clubs, full health insurance, and fmehousing. Unfortunately, millions of otherchildren are not so lucky. They attendunder-funded, poorly equipped schools withbig classes and small expectations ofsuccess. Their parents often can not affordprivate lessons or clubs, have no healthinsurance, and live in inadequate housing.Schools, rather than helping low-income

children rise above these realities, insteadtend to reinforce the economic and socialinequalities in society. If schools are tofulfill their democratic mission, they mustforcefully address the issue of inequity. Byequity we mean:

• Equity in school finances and re-sources.One of the most serious ways school

inequity manifests itself is in unequalfunding. The federal government should notonly increase funding for federal educationprograms, but must enter the as-yet-uncharted territory of ensuring fundingequity for public schools throughout thecountry. Itmust target federal money topoor schools in urban and rural areas, andalso pressure stales to equalize funding ofschool districts within their borders.• Equity in school facilities/community

centers. •

The actual school buildings in manyurban areas are dilapidated. They're old,overcrowded, out-dated and often unsafe.Two things need to be done. First, thefederal government should launch a multi-billion dollar initiative to build new schoolsacross the country as part of the Clintonadministration's promise to focus oninfrastructure needs. Such a program wouldbegin to provide necessary space for smallerclass sizes and specialty rooms to givestudents in poorer districts facilities morecomparable to suburban ones. Second, anational school construction initiativeshould ensure that these new schools be partof a broader effort to revitalize impover-ished urban and rural areas and be built ascombination learning and communitycenters. These school/community centerswould be focal points of the neighborhood,providing everything from recreation andcultural activities, to social welfare services,to education for young and old alike.

• Equity in jobs.The unemployment rates in many

communities, particularly those of color, areintolerably high. It is no wonder thatadolescents might tum to drug dealing andviolence, when the job market offers themso little hope. The federal government

Winter 1992-1993 Rethinking SChools Page 17

WhyBetter Schools Won'tNecessarily Lead to Better Jobs

Education and the EconomyBy Paul Weckstein

The failures of our schools are receivingwell-deserved attention, fueled by the viewthat an uneducated workforce bas seriouseconomic and social consequences.However, the focus on education too oftenbecomes a substitute for looking at theeconomy. The failure of our schools is partof a larger failure of our economicstructures to create high-skill, high-wagejobs. By ignoring this economic reality, weencourage the mistaken view that such jobsare out there, if only people got a bettereducation.Heightened concern about our schools

results from a couple of factors. First. thereis a widespread belief that the economicimperatives of a high-tech, internationalizedeconomy are forcing the restructuring ofjobs in ways that demand high skill levelsfrom virtually all workers. Second, adeclining youth population, together with agrowing minority share of that youthpopulation, means that employers will nolonger have the luxury of picking those whoappear most qualified or acceptable andrejecting the rest.Together, these factors have created a

concern that schools provide higher levelsof educational skills to all students,including those whose talents werepreviously viewed as either absent orunneeded.Thus, our education system is very

properly receiving attention for its wastefulfailure to develop the full range of creativecapacities of our youth - particularly thoseyouth, now labeled "at-risk" youth, whohave traditionally fared least well in ourscbQQ.Js-., iA O(Qrr josriAUiQR' Whae 'bedropout rate has steadily declined over thelasl50 years (to aboulI4'J1», dropoulmtesabove 40% are common in many of ourlargest cities. While virtually all high schoolstudents have successfully mastered basic orrudimentary skills, most have sizeabledeficits in higher-order skills requiring moreadvanced levels of comprehension, analysis,problern solving, and decision making -skills increasingly being touted as critical toour economic future.Like many other institutions, the schools

serve low-income families less well thanothers. The more obvious examples includelower quality curriculum, staff, andfacilities; lower expectations; assignment tolower "ability groups" or tracks whereacademic content is watered down; lessresponsiveness to student, parent, andcommunity input; and harsher discipline.Yet the current focus on "at-risk-youth"

too often becomes a vehicle for harmfullabeling of children, ungroundedassumptions about individual, familial, orcultural pathology, and new forms ofsegregation. Locating the problem in youthdiverts attention from fundamentalproblems in the structures of both theschools and the economy which put theseyouth "at risk."

numbers are mostly of a different sort, withmuch lower wages and skill levels. Of the10 most rapidly growing occupations onlyone - food preparation and serviceworkers/fast food restaurants - is amongthe 10 where the largest number of new jobswill be (along with janitors, nurses aidesand orderlies, sales clerks, cashiers, waiters!waitresses, clerks, nurses, secretaries, andtruck drivers.)This is consistent with other data

indicating that almost three-fifths of the netgain in new jobs generated in the 19808comprised jobs paying under $11,104 in1986 dollars - i.e., less than half themedian income that full-time employeesearned in 1973.Those who argue that better education

will lead to better jobs for youths also tendto ignore the effects of discrimination onone's job prospects. If education by itselfcould explain people's economic fortunes,we would expect to see the income gapbetween men and women disappear as theeducation gap closed. Men and women nowhave similar average levels of educationalattainment (12.8 years), high schoolcompletion, college attendance, andcognitive skill levels, yet the income gapremains. In fact. as of 1986, among full-time workers 25 years old and older, femalecollege graduates earned 10% less thanmales with only high school diplomas.Female high school graduates earned 16%less than males with only 8 years ofelementary school education.Further, the unemployment rate for

African-American high school graduates isactually 20% higher than the rate for whitehigh school dropouts, according to a reportby the William T. Grant Foundation.

conomy 0 yncThese statistics are in tum confirmed by a

closer analysis of data used to describe "at-risk" youth. Being born into a black, Latino,or a single-parent family is not a "problem"in and of itself. Itbecomes SO only becauseour society is structured so that having thesecharacteristics increases one's chances ofbeing poor. For example, once you controlfor economic status, being from a single-parent horne (a popular "at-risk" category)or having a working mother is notassociated with falling behind in school.

There is something odd about industry'sconcern with "at-risk" students. Childrenare poor because their parents don't havejobs that pay above-poverty-level wages. Ifcompanies are not providing the parentswith jobs that pay living wages, then whereare the high-skill, high-wage jobs for thechildren?Thus, rather than an educational system

out of sync with an economy that isgenerating jobs requiring high skills whichthe schools are failing to impart, theeducational system and the employmentsystem are both out of sync with our realsocial and economic needs. We have bothan educational system which fails todevelop and an economy which fails todemand and utilize the full set of capabili-ties of our youth.In fact, in the absence of such a demand

from the economy, it becomes harder to getthe schools to provide high-qualityeducation in the first place.In education, there are two facets to this

issue. First, a high-wage economy is neededin order to generate the revenues to pay forhigh-quality education. But the issue goesdeeper - it depends upon whether thenature of jobs and the organization of workgenerate the need for higher educationskills. Even the most recalcitrant of currentproblems in education would becomeimmeasurably more resolvable if the localeconomy were being restructured to assurethat good jobs, providing good income anddemanding the full use of each person'screative capacities were available for aII-thereby creating a real, not just rhetorical,demand for schools to help students developthose capabilities and a real, not justrhetorical, reason for youths to feel that they. .

Political andEconomic Choices

Whether we move to a high-skill, high-wage economy is not a question to beanswered with projections or predictionsabout the labor market of the future. It isprimarily a question of economic andpolitical choice.First, the answer is not dictated by

technology itself - high tech can be usedto expand and enrich jobs, or it can be usedto further routinize them. In both

manufacturing and the service sector, thereare plenty of examples (such as food service)where companies have found ways to takecomplexity and thinking skills out of the jobsand put them into the computers - "fool-proof" technology.Second, the answer cannot be based on

assuming that our economy willautomatically move in the healthiestdirection. Our long-term economic interestsdo lie in a high-skill, high-wage economy.Yet short -term economic interests oftentempt firms to go the low-skill route: iftechnology can be used to routinize work,then (I) it is easier for companies to controlthe work process, (2) lower skill levelscommand lower wages because a largershare of the labor pool is eligible, and (3)companies have less need to be concernedabout workers' technical and academicpreparation and have less need to pay forworker retraining themselves.Third, we should not assume that we will

be able to move toward a high-skill, high-wage economy simply by producing highlyeducated workers, when even now theeconomy is not able to accommodate theskilled students that do come out of our far-from-perfect education system. Sole relianceon such a "supply-side" approach will notwork - any more than we could haveexpected supply-side economics to workwhen we simply provided corporations withadditioual capital in the form of big taxbreaks so that they would use it to build newproductive capacity, when their existingplant capacities were underutilized.In both cases, supply-side increases -

whether of human potential or financialcapital - cannot substitute for increaseddemand. We must ensure that we have an

that porential. 0Paul Weckstein is Co-Director of the

Washington office of the Center for Law andEducation. This article is adapted from alonger piece. which has appeared elsewherein different forms, offering a comprehensivealternative to current policies. includingsuggestions for education reform which areconsistent with this economic analysis. TheCenter for Law and Education has a nationalproject to implement key elements of the1990 federal vocational education act whichwere designed to address these problems.

Problems in the EconomyWe cannot assume that the problem is just

a failure of our educational system todevelop the full creative capacities of all ouryouth. It is also a failure of our economicsystem to use those capacities.When low-income youth look at their

communities, they do not see high-skill,high-wage jobs waiting, if only they stay inschool long enough to qualify. Instead, theysee high levels of youth unemployment Forthose youths who can find work, the jobsare most often low-skill and low-wage.This is nOla misperception on their part.

For example, despite the fact that many ofthe "fastest growing occupations" in termsof percentage growth are relatively high-skill and high-wage, they still provide verysmall numbers of jobs, while the fastestgrowing occupations in terms of sheer F_ ....... -.ly on _hool •.... _. ClVCta' "... st,on. 01 why __ onomy doe... 't produce h....... "Jobs.

..",

Page 18 Rethinking SChools Winter 1992-1993_r-------..;,.;.;..;.,;",;.------.....;,,;,;;;::~=SHORTS

Schools To DropRacist Mascots

The Native American mascots that arecommon at Wisconsin schools may soon bea relic of the past.Following an opinion by the state

Attorney General's office that the mascotslikely violate anti-discrimination laws, theWisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Associa-tion announced in mid November that someschool districts will voluntarily abandon useof the Indian mascots, logos, and nick-names.Attorney General James Doyle wrote a

legal opinion in mid October that the use ofthe Native American mascots "could causean American Indian harm by enforcing astereotype and/or creating an intimidating oroffensive environment, thus perpetuatingpast discrimination."Native American mascots are common in

Wisconsin schools. There are II teams, forexample, with the name "Warriors," 17 withthe name "Indians," and nine called the"Blackhawks. "

Reports RecommendsInclusive ClassroomsA strongly worded report has recom-

mended that disabled children be fullyincluded in general education classes.The National Association for State

Boards of Education recommends that

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boards create fully inclusive classrooms fordisabled children rather than rely on"mainstreaming" practices under whichdisabled children spend only part of theschool day in general education classrooms."There should be no mistake about the

implications of this vision: The [report] iscalling for a fundamental shift in thedelivery of education," according to thedocument.

Rethinking OurClassrooms InstituteA week-long series of workshops for

teachers and parents will be held in Wash-ington in July around the theme RethinkingOur Classrooms: Teaching for Social andEconomic Justice.This second annual institute for K-12

teachers and parents will be from July 25-28 in Washington, D.C., just prior to thenational conference of the National Coali-tion of Education Activists. For moreinformation write the Network of Educatorson the Americas, 1118 22nd St., N.W.,Washington, D.C. 20037. 202-429-0137.

NASDCFundraisingPut on Hold

Fundraising apparently is on hold for theNew American Schools project spawned bythe Bush Administration, as corporationswait to see whether President-elect Clintonwill support the program.The project, initiated with private funds

by the New American Schools Develop-ment Corp. (NASOC), is a spin-off ofBush's America 2000 education plan. LastJuly NASOC announced IIwinners ofgrants designed to create "break-the-mold"schools. The winners received initial one-year funding from $1 to $3 million each.However, those initial grants have used upmost of the funds raised so far by NASOC,

Board News, publication of the NationalSchool Boards Association.The "break-the-mold" projects were

designed for five years, and are to receiveup to $20 million each over that period.NASOC fundraising, however, "is in

suspension now," according to Joan GanzCooney, a member of the NASOC Board ofDirectors and head of Children's TelevisionWorkshop. "Raising money has been verydifficult for several weeks, in part becauseof the economy and because some busi-nesses want to make sure the new secretaryof education under Clinton will be enders-ing it."

NCEAConferenceJuly 29·Aug,1

The National Coalition of EducationActivists (NCEA) will hold its annualconvention from Thursday, July 29through Sunday, Aug, L in WashingtonD.C. The conference theme will be"Building Bridges," and workshops anddiscussions will address anti-racisteducation, who should run schools, newways of teaching, and national policyissues. For ore information contactNCEA, PO Box 405, Rosendale, NY12472.914·658-8115.

Educators Tourto Mexico

The Network of Educators on theAmericas and its San Diego affiliate aresponsoring a bilingual/multiculturaIeducation tour to Mexico from Aug. 1-16.The tour will explore cultural/social,economic, and political issues in thecontext of the North American FreeTrade Agreement and the migration ofMexicans to the United States. For moreinformation contact NECA, 1118 22ndSt. NW, Washington, D.C. 20037. 202-429-0l37.

Sojourners PublishesRacism Study GuideA new study Guide on combating

racism has been published by SojournersResource Center, a religiously orientedjustice group in Washington, D.C.The 180-page resource is divided into

nine sections, each with study questions.It is designed for use not only by schools,but also church and community groups.Articles are written by a range of activ-ists, from Manning Marable to C.T.Vivian, to Anne Braden.

, m'&tea's Original Sin. AStudy Guide to Whire Racism. is availablefor $10 each for single copies. Bulk orderprices are also available. Contact So-journers Resource Center, Box 29272,Washington, D.C. 20017. 202-636-3637.

Conference on NorthAmerican EducationA conference will be held in the state

of Washington at the end of January todiscuss the effects of the proposed NorthAmerican Free Trade Agreement onpublic education in Canada, the United

States, and Mexico.The conference will be held from Friday,

Jan. 29 through Sunday, Jan. 31 at Ever-green State College in Olympia, Washing-ton. It is sponsored by the Evergreen StateCollege Labor Education and ResearchCenter and the Association for HigherEducation in Washington State, Registra-tion fee is $65. For more informationcontact the Labor Center, TESC, Olympia,WA 98505. 206-866-6000,

Express Yourself!A new interactive computer program on

First Amendment rights has been developedby the American Civil Liberties Union ofNorthern California.The program, "Express Yourself," is

aimed at middle and high school students.Using dynamic graphics and sound effects,it features a racially diverse group ofstudents exploring the history and interpre-tation of freedoms of speech, assembly,association, press, and religion. Specialemphasis is placed on school-related issuessuch as dress codes, prom dates, andstudent-led protests.The program comes on a Macintosh

compatible diskette and is available free tostudents and teachers ($10.00 for others)from ACLU-NC, 1663 Mission St., Suite460, San Francisco, CA 94103. 415-621-2493.

Math and ScienceTests Flunk

Standardized math and science tests usedto evaluate most students in this countryneglect key subjects, inadequately stressthinking, and distort the teaching of mathand science, according to a scathing critiqueof the tests issued by the National ScienceFoundation.The report looked at the six most com-

mon srandardized tests used in fourth andeighth grade and in high schools, and at thetests given every few weeks as part of mathand science textbooks."It is a depressing picture," said George

Madaus, one of the co-authors of the report."If we are going to realize the hopes ofeducational reformers in math and science,we are going to have to reform thesematerials and bring them up to date."The study was funded by the National

Science Foundation and conducted by theCenter for the Study of Testing, Evaluation,and Educational Policy at Boston College.

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Tales from an Untracked Classcontinued from page 1

while students in remedial classes learn theyare incapable of completing more difficultwork.But I wonder what other messages my

students learn when they see a majority ofwhite students or magnet students inadvanced classes. Do they believe thatwhite students are smarter than students ofcolor? That students who don't live in ourneighborhood know more than neighbor-hood students? When we allow tracking,especially tracking which privileges onerace, one class or one gender over another,we may unwittingly allow students to walkaway with these assumptions.When I decided to untrack, I asked the

counselors to place a variety of students inmy classes. And they do. I typically teachfour classes a day: Literature in AmericanHistory, a two period block class that I co-teach with Bill Bigelow, and two sections ofContemporary Literature and Society, asenior level course. (This is not a full load; Iwork as director of the Portland WritingProject for part of my day.) Each of theseclasses fulfills the requirement for juniorand senior level English classes. TheEnglish department and the administrationapproved both courses as variations in theregular curriculum. Depending on the timemy classes are offered, they are more or lessdiverse.

MIths andMisunderstandings

After teaching untracked classes forseveral years, I've come to believe that thenotion of great differences in student abilityis false. Many of the students who comefrom "remedial" classes are quite brightBut the abilities they bring to class often gounrecognized because they aren't the skillstraditional education has prized. Anyone

this. During my [ust years 0 teaching, I ."",,ulOO't f~ up WflII tile verbal sparring inmy Tine I (now Chapter I) reading classes.Students beat me quite handily in verbalbattles about going to the bathroom, eatingfood, and chewing gum in class.Because of the difference in students'

education histories, they come withdifferent sets of skills, but not necessarilydifferent sets of intellectual capabilities.The students who typically perform well inclass have better reading, writing,geographic, and math skills. They havehetter work habits. They know how tostudy. They are often voracious readers.They have written more essays and knowhow to put together a well organized paper.They are confident of their ability asstudents. Whereas, many "remedial"students still have problems with the basicsin punctuation, spelling, sentence structure,and grammar. They don't know where tobegin or end a sentence much less aparagraph or an essay. Many have neverread a complete book by their junior orsenior year in high school. Many never dohomework. They are often intimidatedwhen it comes to traditional class work, orthey have made a choice to slide by.

But often the most creative students in mymixed ability classes are the students whohave not succeeded in school. Previously inmy low skilled English classes, this creativeenergy funnelled into "stinging" each other,insults. Now, it finds outlets in poetry,dialogues, oral work. (This is not to say myclassroom is perfect; I battle side talk daily.)In my experience, many previously lowtracked students have a great ear fordialogue because their listening andspeaking skills are more finely honed.These students tend to be playful, talkative,adept at role plays, debates, and classdiscussions. They are risk takers.Steven, for example, literally jumps into

the middle of a debate. Once, in a unit onthe politics of gender, he strode to the centerof our circle and acted out how he believeswomen have a shopping mall approach tomen. Steven pretended he was a woman

-

..'

Student. bring dlffe...nt .klll., but certaInly not dIffering ablll"e., to the cla•• room.

inspecting each man as if he were a piece ofmerchandise, then tossing him aside when

grouping is that "low" students automati-cally benefit while advanced students. .

improvisation on gender issues, Jessica'sdialogue, Tony's metaphoric analysis of the. . . . .

difficulty writing an essay on e topic,his spontaneous "presentation" duringdiscussion was well argued and gavestudents a metaphoric framework for manyof their debates on the topic.Each group of students (as well as each

individual student) presents their ownproblems. While most of the "advanced"students complete their class work andhomework on time, too often they write"safe" papers. Chris, a potentialvaledictorian, summed it up when he asked,"What do I have to do to get an A?" Not

tnat top stu ents en up p aymg teac er totheir not so bright peers in an untrackedclass - and unfonunately this is sometimestrue. Adam, a senior, writes of his experi-ence in this role:I was always the one the teacher looked atwhen someone else needed help. "Oh,Adam can help you." It's not the usualform of discrimination, but I realize nowhow much it bothered me when I was ingrade school. "Well, so and so isn't agood student, he needs extra help, we'llmake him partners with Adam. Adam

After teaching untracked classes forseveral years, I've come to believe thatthe notion of great differences In studentability Is false.

what tools must I be capable of using, notwhat knowledge will I need to understandabout literature, writing, society, history,but what must I get done. My goal is toshake them out of their safety, to create adesire to write, instead of a desire tocomplete the work, to awaken some passionfor learning, to stop them from slurping upeducation without examining it. I want themto walk around with note pads, ready fortheir next poem, story, or essay, but I alsowant them to question themselves and theworld: in fact, I want them to question theprivilege that placed them into advanced orhonors classes. I want the same for my lowskilled students, but additionally, I amchallenged to harness their verbal dexterityonto paper and motivate them to workoutside of class. But I also want to provokethem to examine the inequalities that landedmany of them in low skilled classes in thefirst place.

Who Benefits?Another myth about ending ability

won't mind spending his extra timeexplaining things to so and so,"

This problem tends to erupt when a classis untracked but the curriculum and method-ology remain the same. It's the worst casescenario that proponents of tracking use toscare us into maintaining the status quo.They assume that top students master thematerial quickly and must either tap theirtoes or play teacher while remedial studentsstruggle. This situation places students whoarrive feeling one down educationally at afurther disadvantage, but it also takes timeaway from advanced students who shouldbe working at the edge of their abilityinstead of repeating what they alreadyknow.

But if we tum the practice of students asteachers around and look at it differently, ifwe shift perceptions about who teaches in aclassroom, then we acknowledge that allstudents can he teachers. When there is realdiversity in the class, students teach eachother by sharing their strengths: Steven's

punctuate. lvon s syn ests 0 po lUCissues into concrete images, Cortina'simages in her poetry, Joe's insight into howsocial politics reverberate in the 'bond.Students also teach each other by telling

the stories of their lives or debating issuesfrom diverse perspectives. Scott thoughtthat racism had disappeared after the '60s,When Millshane told about her brother'sdeath at the hands of a white man who wasnever punished for the crime, when shedescribed the cross burning in front of herhouse, when Suntory wrote about the hour ittook for 911 to respond after a round of gunshots were fired into his house, Scott'seducation about race relations became real.As Jessica noted in her class evaluation:This is the first English class in threeyears where I have been around differentstudents. All of us have been tracked intoseparate little migrating groups foreverstuck with each other. I think that havingso many different thinking minds made itrich. All the experiences we shared wereexciting and new. It made us debatethings because most often we didn't agreewith each other. But we listened and weall think a little bit differently now. Don'tyou wish the whole world could he likeour class?Of course this notion of students as

teachers implies a major shift in thestructure, content, and methodology of theclass.

Changing the Curriculum.I was moved to untrack my classes

because of the injustice I saw in students'education. But I continue to teach untrackedcourses because they make better classes -for teachers and students.Now instead of constructing my

curriculum around a novel in my Englishclasses, I teach thematic units that empha-size the social/political underpinnings of mystudents' lives: the politics of language,men and women in society and literature,the politics of cartoons and mass media.The point is not to teach a certain novel or aset of facts about literature, but to engage

continued on page 20

Page 20 Rethinking SChools WinJer 1992- 1993

Tales from an Untracked Classcontinued from page 19

students in a dialogue, to teach them to findconnections between their lives, literature,and society. And most importantly, to teachthem to question what is too often accepted.The same is true in my Literature inAmerican History course. We no longermarch through the year chronologically."Essential" questions provide the focus foreach unitIn the politics of language section of my

Contemporary Literature and Society class,I ask, "Is language political?" There is noone text that answers the question. A varietyof readings - novels, plays, essays, shortstories, poems - as well as role plays,discussions, improvisations, writing fromour lives, all serve as "texts." Think of it asa symphony or a choir. Each text, eachstudent's life, adds an instrument or voice tothe discussion. The texts are interwoven,but the recurring refrain is made up of thestudents' stories and analysis - theirvoices, either in discussion or in read-arounds of their own pieces, hold the song .together.For example, instead of teaching students

Standard Written Edited English as if itwere the only way to speak: and write, as ifit were the language agreed upon as the bestchoice, I ask them to question that policy.Because many of the seniors are eitherpreparing for or avoiding the SAT's, I beginthe unit by giving them a sample test, thenexploring how they felt about it. Most felthumiliated. We explore why a test forcollege admissions should make them feellike that We ask why there should be teststo keep some people in and some people outof college. Statistics from FairTest thatbreak down SAT scores by race, class, andgender provide students another perspec-tive. They try to analyze what these datamean. Are women less intelligent than men?Are rich people smarter than poor people? Ifnol..Mw ......... ...scores? What other explanations can we

find?"The Cult of Mental Measurement," a

chapter from David Owens' book None ofthe Above, gives historical background totheir analysis. Then we look at howlanguage affects different groups. We readGeorge Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion andlook at the intersection of class and lan-guage. Through "The Achievement ofDesire," a chapter from RichardRodriguez's book, Hunger of Memory,students examine how people whose firstlanguage is not English change when theyassimilate. We also read parts of Talkin'and Testifyin' by Geneva Smitherman. Formany students, African-American andEuropean-American, this is the first timethey've studied the historical roots of theAfrican-American language. For some, thisis an affirmation of their home language, awinning back of pride in themselves andtheir families; for others, it is an opportunityto explore misconceptions about language.The change in content to thematic units

with a focus on essential questions shifts theeducational domain from memorizing therules to questioning the rules. This issometimes uncomfortable. There are noeasy-to-answer, machine-scorable tests atthe end of the unit There is no "getting itdone." Sometimes, there isn't evenagreement. The shift in terrain fromconsumption of knowledge to thequestioning and examining of assumptionsmoves students of diverse abilities awayfrom the lock-step nature of a skills ap-proach while at the same time challengingthem with a rigorous, accessible curriculum.Our explicit focus on the politics of

language and education plays an additionalkey role in untracking my classes. Becausetracking has to one degree or anothershaped students'academic self-conception,especially low-tracked students, taking a

rethink their potential. As my teaching

False ChoicesWhy School Vouchers Threaten

Our Children's Future

"Choice" has become the hottest controversy in education. RethinkingSchools, which published the highly acclaimed Rethinking Columbus, has justpublished a speeial32-page magazine on this key debate.Contributors to False Choias range from Jonathan Kozol, to Herbert Kohl,

Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), Linda Darling-Hammond, Anthony Alvarado,and Robert Lowe.

"False Choices is a terrific package of ammunition in the fightto ward off private vouchers and the right-wing 'choice' agenda.'Questions and Answers abou t School Choice' by the editors ofRethinking Schools is particularly important."

Jonathan Kozol, author of Savage Inequalities

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partner, Bill Bigelow, writes in an article onuntracking the social studies classroom:

...[t]he unequal system of education, ofwhich tracking is an important part,needs a critical classroom examination sothat students can expose and expell thevoices of self-blame, and can overcomewhatever doubts they have about theircapacity for academic achievement.

Changing StrategiesIt's hard to parse out techniques. They

don't easily divide into reading, writing,Social Studies, English. Is writing interior

Students alsoteach each otherby telling thestories of theirlives or debatingissues fromdiverseperspectives

monologues and poetry about a historicalnovel a reading strategy, a writing strategy,or a way to deepen students' understandingof history or literature? When studentsbegin writing poetry, drama, essays, fiction,their reading of those genres change. Theyread with a new kind of awareness - theylook at blocking, dialogue, imagery, use ofevidence instead of reading for answers.When students begin making a social_IyslHJfa English elldand Social Studies begin? Just as umrackingmakes us question the notion of "good" kidsand "bad" kids, changing classroompractice blurs borders between content areasand strategies. Nothing is quite so tidy.Some of the readings discussed above are

quite difficult - for all students. And thisprovides a roadblock or a dilemma for thoseof us who want to untrack classes. How dowe continue to read challenging literaturewhen not all of our students are capable ofreading it? Do we "dummy down" thecurriculum and deny capable studentsaccess to a rigorous curriculum or do wegive different assignments to students basedon their reading levels? Although I've doneboth in the past, as well as providingstudents a choice of novels within a theme, Igrew uncomfortable with those options.Improvisations, dialogue journals, poetry,

and interior monologues as well as otherstrategies teach students in any class toquestion rather than read for answers. But inan untracked class, these methods equalizeaccess to reading as well as push students todiscuss content Not every student in myclass completes the readings by the duedate, but they can still be involved in thediscussion. Often the class talk entices themto read and provides a meaningful contextfor them to understand the text.

this remind you of ...?The groups provide access to the entire

class as they reread, reinterpret, and act outthe text. Goldie and Antonia rewrote thescript in modem Jefferson language.Steffanie and Licy worked with the originalscript on the bath scene. Students stay incharacter on "stage" as the class questionsthem. Disagreements about the .interpretation of a scene lead to engageddialogue about character motivation,author's intent, and society. Often, we'resent back to the original text to "prove" ourpoint to the class. Although I usually beginby modeling the kinds of questions I wantstudents to ask, they quickly take over. Thisyear in my second period class, Mark'sstatement, "Henry didn't love Eliza, heconsidered her a professional equal," keptthe class debating for an hour. In sixthperiod, Licy questioned whether Eliza's lifeimproved with her new knowledge orbrought her misery. As Licy's questionssuggest, the improvs permits all studentsaccess to important issues about the politicsof language.The improvs are not an end; they are

means to provoke meaningful discussionabout literature or history in a way thatenables all students to participate, no matterwhat their reading level.

ImprovisationsNow I use a variety of strategies to give

students access to the readings. Forexample, with Pygmalion I useimprovisations. I divide the stndents intosmall groups, give each group a provocativescene and ask them to create animprovisation which will help the classunderstand what took place in thatparticular section of the play. As a smallgroup they discuss the scene and makemeaning. As I circulate from group togroup, Icateh snatehesofquestions: Whatis going on? Who is Freddie? And thenmoving to higher level discussions: Whydoes Eliza throw the slipper at Higgins?Why doesn't she fight back when he callsher a "squashed cabbage leaf?" Doesn't

Dialogue JournalsImprovisations are neither appropriate nor

valuable for all texts. The method I mostfrequently use to equalize access to articles,essays, stories and novels is the dialoguejournal (otherwise known as double entryjournal, talk hack journal, note taking/notemaking). The purpose of the journal is toteach students to read closely, to encouragethem to ask questions of the author, but alsoto find out what confuses them in the piece.I try to get students to question, to makeconnections with other readings or lifeexperiences, instead of reading to consume.In the dialogue journal, students become

the authors of their own questions aboutreadings. Sometimes at the heginning ofclass, I ask students to read over theirdialogue journals and circle questions orcomments they want to discuss. Afterthey've assembled their contributions, Idivide students into small groups and askthem to talk with each other using theirquestions/comments as a starting point. Itell each group to bring one or two ques-tions or statements to the whole class fordiscussion. Here's a sample from my juniorLiterature in American History classdiscussion about the novel River Song byCraig Lesley:

Group #1 returns to full class discussionwith the following question: Is Craig Lesleyracist, sexist. homophobic when he makesthe Mexican jokes. etc. or is he just trying todevelop Danny's character?

Angela: I think he's just trying to showwhat Danny is like.Aaron: Okay, but then why does he have

to keep bringing [racist remarks] up?Couldn't he just have him make those jokesduring the first few chapters, then leave italone? When he keeps doing it, it's anoverkill. It seems like with the NativeAmerican issues there is so much to cover,why spend time making jokes aboutMexicans or male nurses?Janice: Wouldn't he have to keep doing it

if it's a characteristic? I mean he couldn'tjust do it for a few chapters then stop or elsehis character wouldn't be consistent.Aaron: Yeah. I hadn't thought of thatSarah: I think he's trying to make a point

about the Native American culture - thatsince they are consistently being put down- alcoholism, lazy - that they put otherpeople down, other racial groups.Aiden: I think he's just trying to make it

realistic. That's how people talk; they makefun of others.Jim: Maybe he's trying to make us think

continued on page 21

------------------------------------------------------~-I./inter 1992-1993 RetlJinklng Schools Page 21

Tales from an Untracked Class:ontinued from page 20

ibout the racism, that's why he puts in SOnany - and against so many groups.

Aaron: But couldn't he do that and thenlave someone make a comment about it -ike Podge? When Danny makes a joke,:ouldn't she say, "Hey, that's not funny.lhink about how people talk aboutndians?"

Janice: Yeah. Because people do that ineal life too - stop someone when they're.elling a racist joke.

The class becomes more democratic. Thisluestioning method puts students in charge)f the discussion rather than the teacher. Itvalidates their questions. Sometimes inlarge group discussions when the teachertalks about symbolism or a well-readstudent discusses the imagery in a passage,some students are too intimidated to ask thesimple questions. Students have an opportu-nity to try out ideas on this small groupbefore taking the point to a large group.

Again, students learn from each other, bychallenging each other's assumptions andlistening to someone else's opinion. Clairewrote, "I got ideas I wouldn't have thoughtof, interpretations I would not have consid-ered. When I really thought about all of it, Iacquired some new skills from [my class-mates]."

While writing dialogue journals, studentsstand outside of the text and ask questionsor make comments, whereas the writing ofinterior monologues and poems from theliterary or historical character's point ofview encourages students to exannine whycharacters act the way they do. These tacticsput students inside the literature and history.They breathe life into content that can seemdry, factual and distant from students' lives.Jor example, in the following poem, "ToDie Without Weeping: The Atomic Bomb"" lapan, ..CIesta borrows language j.rpmthe book Hiroshima and writes about the""""'ing of H'frOsliima:

Near the centerit was ... hot as the sunand people became nothing.Windless.Their heads bowed in expressionless

silence,butterflied patterns of kimonosscarring shoulders and backs.Cries for water echo off destroyed lives,moans of pain haunt the shadows of men,as if their spirits leftso that we do not forget too quicklyour people buried together.

-

Students leem from e.ch other, ch.llenglng ."umptlons .nd listenIng to others' opInIons.

As black rain fallsplants flourish wildly in the wreckage.A city of death blanketed in flowers,morning glories twist around lifeless

bodies,

WI out

and writing. One of the points I try to makeis that neither history nor literature isinevitable. People made choices.

Filtering reading through improvisations,dialogue journals, interior monologues,

and class discussions slows the classso er w 0 watc IS en re. ~si-_!fto~w~n~."ie~Ii;.;~vmr~"'m;;"~m,;;;...- .....--linterior monologue came from a Japanese- much history, as we did before. But studentsAmerican girl's point of view as she burned learn more. Tbey discover how to digall of her Japanese toys and books before beneath the surface, how to makethe Japanese internment By getting in touch connections between texts and their ownwith their own pain and loss, students learn lives. Last year, in class evaluationsto empathize with others. This deepens their students let me know in no uncertain termsreading. Instead of reading words, they read that the units they enjoyed and learned thelives. most from were the units we spent months

There is no right answer in these on; the units they enjoyed the least were theexcercises. As I tell students, "The only way ones where I "bombarded [them] withyou can do this wrong is to not do it." I readings" which I didn't give them time tobegin by sharing examples from previous digest.years so students will understand what I I remind myself that taking time towant. The student pieces advance classroom carefully teach students how to "talk back"knowledge and dialogue about content, in to text pays off throughout the year becausethese cases history, but also about reading continued on page 22

students read pieces of literature or historyor view slides, videos, or paintings in classas prompts and then imagine the character'sthoughts. Heather wrote from the point ofview of an enslaved woman raped by her« ." .

rgncrmg ose wweeping.

Her poem puts us inside Japan. We nolonger count bodies from a distance. Insteadwe feel the pain and see the destructionclose up. We talk about the personal toll ofthe bombing. Historic decisions becomeembedded in real people's lives -lives thatstudents, at least momentarily, havetouched.

Interior monologues also help erase thedistance between people separated by time,race, nationality; and gender. In this form,students get inside a character's head andwrite thoughts and feelings about a situationfrom that person's perspective. Typically,

One Student's ExperienceThe Difficulty of Changing Tracks

Once students are pigeon-holed in alower track, they are rarely able to switchto a higher track. When they do, it is oftenbecause of extraordinary circumstances -sheer persistence, or connections at theschool, for example. One of my students,Christen Richard, wrote the followingabout her experience with this system:

On my first day of high school, myEnglish teacher greeted us with a test."Class, we are going to take a test to see ifyou should remain in this class. If you testlow, we'll move you down to theintermetliate level, English B. You maystart."

I opened up to what you might call abook of riddles: "Blue is to sky as__ --:-:is to ." The wordsseemed foreign to me, words I couldn'tpronounce, words that didn't carry anymeaning for me. They challenged myability to comprehend a sentence.

After searching to find a prefix or suffix

I learned in middle school, I dropped mynumber two pencil in disgust.Unfortunately, the war wasn't over."In the next section, you must find the

errors in these sentences."The next day I entered my classroom at

8:25 and waited for the tardy bell to ring soI would know if I belonged in English A."Jerry Maze, Rhoda Peterson ...ChristenRichard ..." I hadn't passed the test. I hadfailed.

But don't think I left it at that. I ignoredthe teacher's idiotic speech and startedplanning. I made an appointtnent to see mycounselor. As I walked down the hall, I feltthe walls were trying to close in on me. Iknew the odds were against me. I was onlya freshman. What could I do? I felt like anoutsider, a piece that didn't fit part of thepuzzle. But whether I belonged or not, I wasdetermined to carve my way to fit.

I made it through freshman English A andcarne out with a "C" grade. I really don'tknow my teacher's feelings about me

staying in her class, and to be frank withyou, I don't care. She never spoke to memuch at all.

But my battle didn't end. When I returnedat the beginning of my sophomore year, Idiscovered I was once again in English B. Iwas devastated. I knew I shouldn't be in thisintermetliate class. I never had anyhomework. I finished it during class inabout 15 minutes. "Class," my teacherwould say, "I'm going to give you the word'Christmas.' I want you to find as manywords as you can in 20 minutes." I wasgoing off my rocker in two weeks.

I pleaded with the head of the Englishdepartment, telling her why I wanted toleave my class. "The work is too easy. I'mnot learning anything by finding words out .of other words, and I'm tired of it." Sheknew what I was talking about Then camethe test As mad as I was, I think I couldhave passed the SAT. Should a multiplechoice test determine what I know? Shouldit determine what I want to learn?

"You were low on the multiple-choicesection, but high on your essay skills. Idon't know if I should let you go toadvanced placement, but I'm going to letyou try. I want you to do your best, andshow me that you belong in an advancedclass,"

I felt like a winner. I got up out of my. seat and shook her hand. I said, "Thankyou very much." I left with my head upand ten pounds more of pride.

Christen's determination proves that it ispossible to change tracks. But Christen'sgrandmother worked at the school, so shehad an ally, a trusted adult within theschool to help her. Most students I knowin low skilled classes would not havepersevered as Christen had. Most wouldhave felt defeated by the test, humiliatedby the move. 0

II1jIIJjI

II

Linda Christensen

Page 22 Rethinking Schools Winter 1992-1993

Tales from an Untracked Classcontinued from page 21

these practices teach students to read andrespond critically. In her class evaluationLily wrote, "I look at the world as aquestion now. When I read the newspaper, Idon't know if I can believe what it issaying. I always read more than one historybook, and definitely question what CNN issaying. The press has a way of changingstories to make them sound good so that thepaper will sell. I think the historians did thesame thing."These techniques also allow students

from different literacy backgrounds a wayto join in the conversation. There's no oneway, no right way to talk about literatureand history.

Changing Writing StrategiesFew students, regardless of their ability,

see themselves as writers. So my firstchallenge is to change students' perceptionsabout writing and their ability. I tell them:Don't worry about grammar, punctuation,or spelling on the first drafts, just write,then revise. I try to get them to kick theeditor out of their heads.The threshold for success should be low

enough for all students to cross over. Theclimate should be welcoming enough foreveryone to want to try. Whatever we write,wherever we begin should be cause forcelebration. I know this sounds like somekind of fairy tale magic - "just believeenough and your dream will come true."

Race and class canbecome tenderwounds where

either leam from oneanother or createInseparable gulfs.

But, corny as it sounds, it's true. Maybe partof it is that if teachers believe in a student'scapacitv to learn, they will. But I think partof it is rewriting the student mind set,replacing the belief, "I don't know how towrite or read or discuss," with the belief thatthey can.The read-around is where the fairy dust

that converts nonwriters to writers happens.The circle is necessary so everyone is a partof the class. (This also cuts down ondiscipline problems because all students arevisible and accountable.) As students and Iread our pieces, classmates take notes andgive positive feedback to the writer. I talkabout three kinds of feedback: content,style, and "me too." They can respond tothe content of the piece - what did theylike about the arguments, the ideas of thewriting. They can respond to the style of thepiece. I ask them to be specific. What line,what phrase did they like? Did they like theimagery, the repetition? Instead of workingon a deficit model- what's wrong withthis piece, we work on a positive model-what's right with this piece. What can welearn from it? They can also respond, afterthey've given the writer feedback, with a"me too" story which tells how the writer'sexperience stimulated a memory. As Petenoted in his class evaluation:The way you have us make comments

(what did you like about [the piece ofwritingJ) has helped me deal with people.My skin is thick enough to take a lot ofabuse just because I've always had a fairlyhigh opinion of some of the things I can do.I didn't realize a lot of other people don'thave that advantage. After a while I foundout positive criticism helped me more thannegative too.Students learn from each other. They

provide each other with accessible models. Iencourage them to listen for what "works"in the writing of their peers, and then stealthose techniques and use them in their ownpieces. In their portfolio evaluations, theywrite about what they learn from eachother's writing as a way of discussing thechanges in their writing.Erika wrote in her portfolio:My classmates played a huge role inimproving my writing. Without them Iwouldn't be able to write at all. Whenlistening to people's pieces I find thingsto use in my own work. When I hearJessica or Courtney read a piece I listen totheir "attitude" and try to bring it into myown writing. When I hear Amianne andRose's description I then try to reachdeeper into my own vocabulary. Andwhen I hear Rachel's and Adam's truelife stories, I search back in time to fmdsomething that happened in my life worthwriting about

In an untracked class, the fear is thatadvanced students will read and studentswho have been placed in low-trackedclasses will be silenced. But that has notproven true. I begin with low threat assign-ments: write about your name; write aboutan event in your life; write from the point ofview of a character. At the beginning of theyear, I ask students to write a compliment toeach of their classmates about their piece.The message is: anyone who reads willreceive positive feedback. No one will bethrown to the wolves. We do critiquewritings later, but always the initial feed-back is what works. All students are fearfulwhen they share. They feel exposed andvulnerable. Their hands shake, their voicesquaver, clearly, they are nervous. AlthoughSharon was afraid to read for the first'~"'--"3 1._. 9").......

"One thing I need to learn is to read mypieces out loud because I might think mypiece is scum but it might be just dandy toanother. I think it was good that we hadread- arounds because you got a chance tohear what people thought about our piecesand that leads to rewrites."

Heather wrote:When I listen to other people's writing, Ihear things I love or wish I'd writtenmyself. Most of the time that's where Iget my inspiration. Sometimes I catchmyself saying, "I wish I could write likeso-and-so." Then I think, "What was itabout his/her piece that I liked?" When Ifigure that out, I'm that much closer tobeing a better writer. I use their papers asexamples. I steal their kernels of ideasand try to incorporate it into my ownwriting. For example, I love how Ki usesher personal history in her writing, so Itry that out for myself. I like Lisa's use ofunusual metaphors, so I try as hard as Ican to steer clear of the generic type I'vebeen known to use in the past.

As with the reading, not all students in anuntracked class arrive on the due date with apaper in hand. To be sure, some studentshaven't taken the time to do the work, butothers can't fmd a way to enter the work;they either don't know where to start or feelincapable of beginning. Even my pep talksabout "bending the assignment to find yourpassion" or "just write for thirty minutes;I'll accept whatever you come up with as afirst draft" don't entice these students.That's why I'm not a stickler about dead-lines. During read-arounds the students whowrote papers will spawn ideas for those whoeither couldn't write or who haven't learnedhomework patterns yet. They will teachthem how to find a way to enter the assign-ment Sometimes students write a weak"just to get it done" paper, then hear astudent's piece that sends them back hometo write.

Conflict and ConsciousnessAs we solve problems, we create them.

Untracking raised issues I haven't had to

always been separate from the real world.Finally, there is a connection.

One 0' the cha'len".. 'n an untl'lJck.d c'a .. _ Ie ' .. m'n. how tochann.' student.' c.... tlv•.... rgy.

deal with before. At Jefferson, abilitygrouping tends to divide down race andclass lines, so there is less tension overthese issues in homogeneously groupedclasses - usually because one group feelstoo marginalized to speak out. This is nottrue in a "mixed up class" - especiallywhen the curriculum I teach explicitlyexamines and challenges race, class, andgender inequities. Students who have beenprivilieged feel the weight and sometimesthe guilt of that privilege. While otherete d refeel ~ when they understandthat "their prison decorated with modemillusion is still a prison," as my studentTivon wrote. Put these two emotions, guiltand outrage, together in fifty-five minuteperinds and the result is conflictRace and class can become tender

wounds where students and teacher eitherlearn from one another or create inseparablegulfs. A student I'll call Paul wrote, " Thisis the first time in my history as a studentwhere I would cry because of a class ..Jcried because I was a white male who hadbeen through the scholars program, oblivi-ous to tracking."Some turned that shame into anger.

European-Americans didn't want to feelguilty about the past or the present In oneclass after the Rodney King verdict, almostevery topic turned into a discussion on race,and the discussion always left someonefeeling anxious, at the very least As onestudent wrote in her evaluation, "I foundmyself contributing less to the class than Inormally do. I had always thought of thisclass as a place where I could be free toexpress my ideas and have those ideas berespected, even if everyone doesn't agreewith them, but instead a lot of the time Ifound it to be a place where I had to watchmy tongue for fear of being labeled aracist" Later she added, "I know hearingwhat a lot of people had to say made mefeel uncomfortable, but it changed some ofmy perceptions about the world, and ourclass."

Sekou, an African-American male,provided an alternative perception to thesame class:It gets almost scary/when we begin totouch on controversial racial issues oruncover other sheets that seemed to beintentionally pulled over our eyes.Everyone feels the seriousness in theroom, but for some ittumed them away.They became disgrontled with the class .."This always happens," some said But tome, it is beautiful. Itmakes me lookforward to discussions, and I lookforward to taking part. I think about theissues on my own outside of class. Thatnever happened to me before. Class had

Unfortunately, there is no quick exercisethat makes inequality go away. This conflictand the discomfort have become morepronounced since the uprising in LosAngeles. It's more acute in the senior yearwhen students are competing for scholar-ships and entry into colleges.

1 try to structure my Literature in Ameri-can History class around movements wherepeople worl<ed together for change. 118llrabout constructing alternative moral ances-tors - people we want in our familyfracialhistory because they worked to end oppres-sion. As Johanna wrote, "I'm glad westudied the abolitionists; they reseored myfaith in my race. I learned not to feel guiltyfor what my ancestors did. I am free tochoose my own moral ancestors, and Ihave."I take Bill Bigelow's idea of looking at the

use of pronouns - who is the "we" studentsidentify with? For example, when Leab said,"How did the Nez Perce feel when we tooktheir land?" the class looked at the "we." Didwe identify with the settlers or with thepeople who were trying to keep land for theNez Perce? Licy, a Mexican-Americansenior, told Joachim, a foreign exchangestudent from Germany, "You don't have tofeel guilty unless you identify with the partof the system that denies people theirrights."

Is there an alternative to this conflict?Change is sometimes painful. I don't wantmy students feeling tongue-tied, but protect-ing them from reality is not a trade off I'mwilling to make.

ConclusionWe can't just wish tracking away. There

are too many barriers and too much resistanton too many levels. The evidence againsttracking is mounting. Parents, teachers,administors, and students need to beconvinced that we can deliver a rigorous,challenging education for everyone inuntracked classes. In addition to making acase against the injustice of tracking, weneed to create a vision of education thatserves all children. I am hopeful that changeis possible. Teachers in my school andaround the district are questioning practicesthat before were taken for granted. Now isthe time for the education community toprove that justice and quality education arepossible. 0

Linda Christensen is a Rethinking Schoolseditorial associate and teaches English atJefferson High School in Portland, OR.

Page 23Retllinking Schoolsnter 1992-1993

~rivatelyFunded Vouchers Proliferateuinued from page 5

As Timothy Ehrgott, administrator of theIndianapolis voucher program, said in thefinal words spoken at the conference:"Let's go out and give some of the samechoices to our children that they have inWarsaw, Poland and Russia now."(For a more complete discussion of the

role of schools in a democracy and thedangers of a marketplace approach toeducation, see False Choices, a specialissue of Rethinking Schools.).While it's too soon to tell whether

conference organizers will succeed ininstituting privately funded voucherprograms in the 25 cities targeted, thepower of the movement is already clear.Most important, the organizers know whatthey want and have the support andbacking of well-funded foundations andthink tanks. Feeding on legitimatediscontent and wrapping their program inthe mantle of all-American values such as"choice," they have clearly seized theinitiative. As in so many other politicalcampaigns, victory can all too easily go tothose who offer simplistic solutions tocomplex problems.In this regard, the Indianapolis

conference was not only a call to arms forthose who want to institute private school"choice" supported by public tax dollars. Itwas a warning to those who truly careabout the future of public education in thiscountry: focusing reform effortsexclusively on calls for more funding andrefusing to acknowledge the many serious,non-financial problems in our nation'surban schools is a recipe for defeat. 0Barbara Miner is Managing Editor of

Rethinking Schools.

that might arouse the least bit ofcontroversy.As Rooney told the conference, "The way

we always position it is, we're trying to helpthe children. Sure it is inherently a criticismof the public school system, but we don'tdefine it that way."The key marketing strategy, however,

rests on an exploitation of worthwhileconcepts such as of freedom of "choice"and parental rights."Sometimes, I think the way to do this is

to simply stand up and say, parents shouldhave the right 10choose the schools theirchildren will attend because parents shouldhave the right 10choose schools theirchildren will attend. Thank you and goodnight," said Boaz of the CATO Institute."I'm not really sure why there needs to bemore argument than that"

All conference participants in Indianapo-lis received a 18I-page manual on how toorganize a private voucher plan. Producedby the Texas Public Policy Foundation, themanual includes everything from samplepress releases, 10 tips on organizing, toarticles of incorporation, to a softwareprogram for a database to administer thevouchers.The most interesting parts of the manual

provided organizing tips. One key piece ofadvice is, secrecy above all."Every program would do well to conduct

its entire developmental stage in totalsecrecy," the manual cautions. "Theimportance of this can not be over-stressed.Itwould be quite unfortunate for word toget out into the community prior to yourbeing ready for public announcement.Should this happen you will find the "anti-choice" forces quickly at work 10 create anenvironment that would make it mostdifficult - if not impossible -10 functionand 10enlist financial and other support."The manual also argues that the key 10a

successful program is to present it in such away that it undercuts any potentialopposition. It notes that the similaritiesbetween the four main existing programs"are no accident."The Indianapolis, Milwankee, San

Antonio and Atlanta privately fundedvoucher programs, for instance, emphasizethat the program is designed 10helpmoderate and low income families offsetthe cost of tuition at the private school oftheir choice. The statements consciously donot talk about the broader "choice" debateor problems in the public schools, or taxes,or unions, or test scores or any other issues

1001 within the city limits of Detroit,olic or private."'rivate voucher plans automaticallyivide a way to undercut the potentialposition of well-to-do whites. By limiting.maximum scholarship and by forcingv-income parents to pay half the tuition,plans prevent low-income kids fromending the more elite private schools. Forunple, say a family has two childrenending a school with a tuition of $2,000,I the voucher pays a maximum of $800.at means the parent must fmd $2,400 10t the rest of the tuition - a hefty sum forhree-person family that can have arximum weekly income of $397 in orderqualify for the program. In Milwaukee,mrbanite fears are eased because childrenthe program must attend a school in they of Milwaukee. The geographical limito targets money 10those religiousiools with the most fmancia! difficulties. Schools and Democracy

Absent from the "choice" movement'sdiscussion is any talk of the role of publicschools in a democracy, beyond ensuring aminimally skilled workforce. Indeed, it wasnever suggested at the Indianapolis confer-ence that the larger society has an inherentinterest in education issues. The argumentwas that parents have the right to do whatthey think is best for their child, and that'sthat Of course, another dominant themewas the unchallenged assumption that amarket approach will magically improveour nation's schools. Throughout theconference, this argument was tinged withnot-so-subtle anti-communist references 10the breakup of the Soviet Union and EasternEurope and calls to break the government's"monopoly" on education.

Lack of Accountability[0 its credit, the Milwaukee program is:only one which explicitly calls uponrticipating schools to "educate studentsm diverse cultural backgrounds" and tove "open enrollment and non-discrimina-y policies" - although this does not:essarily include children with specialysical or learning needs. Nor is it clearIt there is any follow-up in Milwaukee 10sure that schools meet these minimalndards. In general, advocates of privatelynded vouchers have required little to no:ountability from participating schools., Timothy Ehrgott of the Indianapolisogram proudly stated: "Our involvement)ps at the school door."

~acIIlties the Marquette interchange, and $163million 10 rebuild 1-9410 WaukeshaCombined with money spent on freewayrepair since 1983, the total is more than$400 million.

Fuller noted that if one adds capitalspending by these entities since 1980 withprojected expenditures, the total is $4.7billion between 1980 and the mid-1990s.

"That's $10 for every one dollar in theMPS plan," Fuller said. "If we can afford$4.7 billion for freeway, jails, sewers, andpolice and fire stations, I don't think it's'excessive' or 'staggering' 10invest 10% ofthat amount to let all children go to kinder-garten, to begin 10reduce busing, to providecomputer training and allow children toexplore music and the arts, to maintainexisting schools, to lower class size, and toprovide technical education facilities thataddress the workplace needs of the 21stCentury."

Key parts of the construction/facilitiesplan are 10:

oBuild 12 new elementary and two newmiddle schools in neighborhoods wherethere are not enough schools for childrenin the area,.

o Build a new technical high school toreplace

Milwaukee Trade and Technical HighSchool.

o Expand 14 existing elementaryschools.

o Make needed repairs and maintenanceon older schools.

o Implement universal kindergarten for4-year-olds for a half-day, and all-daykindergarten for 5-year-olds.

o Lower class size 10 19 students inkindergarten through second grade.

o Expand libraries, providing adequatelunchrooms, and providing space forcomputer, art, and music classrooms. 0

lolinued from page 3~referendum and cannot openly advocate'yes" vote. The public relations campaignbeing handled by Carl Mueller of the:ppos-Remsik-Mueller firm,Few people have disagreed with theerits of the referendum but insteadestion its price-tag. Fuller has emphasizedhis frequent speeches that one reason thend issue is so high is that MPS hasn'tught approval for a comprehensivei1dingplan in 22 years. Unlike otherling entities such as the city, county or...erage district, MPS must first get voterproval for major capital projects such asnstructing new buildings.In a talk before several hundred business-m in late November, sponsored by theblic Policy Forum, Fuller outlined several

figures 10put the referendum in perspective.The MPS $474 building plan calls for

expenditures in the next 10 years of slightlyless than $50 million a year. By compari-son, he noted:

o The deep tunnel project cost more than$2 billion.

o Capital spending by Milwaukee Countyhas been $700 million since 1980, includingthe recently opened $106 million jail. Thecounty figure is about 40% more than theschool facility plan.

o Since 1980, capital spending by theCity of Milwaukee has been $783 million,or more than 50% greater than the facilityplan.

o The Wisconsin Departtnent of Trans-portation will spend $100 million to rebuild

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"RethinkingSchools

is aterrific publication- the only thing

I've seen that cutsright through all the

jargon and addressesthe real issues."

Subscribe to slay informedaboutcrucial educational issues. Tolearn what other teachers are'doing in Iheir classrooms. Andto make sure you get each issuein a timely way.

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Page 24 Rethinking Schools Winter 1992-1993

Student Page

El jueves se quemo un liquor del otro lado deLa calle del edificio donde vivo. El fuegoestaba llegando al edificio, pero mi tio y otroshombres se subieron hasta arriba del edificioy agarraron una manguera. Estaban apagandoel fuego, y luego llegaron los bomberos y 10apagaron.

In this i•• ue we are highlighting the work of la.t spring'. third graders fromthe Hoover St.... t Elementary SChool in 1.0. Angele., California. In thewon» of th.lr teacher llarjorie Orellana, these .torie. and poems werewritten "in re.pon •• to the 'I..A. Riots'. The.e .tudent. are mostly CentralAmerican and Mexican immigrants. llany of them fled poverty and war in EIsalvador only to find more poverty and war here."

o

On Thursday the liquor store on the otherside of the street near my house where I livegot burnt. The fire almost reached ourbuilding, but my uncle and some other mengot up on top of the building and grabbed ahose. They started putting the fire out, andlater the firefighters came and put it out.

Marco M.n ••••

We Need Paz

Sirenas, gritos, llantos, disparos.Vigenre corriendo y genre muerta.

Mucha gente tenia miedoy lloraban mucho.

Sirens, shouts, cries, shots.I saw people running anddead people.Yo oi balazos,

Tombien gritos.Ylmuertos.Vi cosas quemadas.Tristeza

I heard shots,Also shouts.I saw dead people.I saw burnt things.Sadness

People were scaredand they cried a lot.

Matanzasydolorymiedo,

I felt bad, I felt sad.The people burn

Dead people, dogs and people.Killings, shouting,ambulances.Now I hope they give my fatherand all people jobs,and that they stop the bad things.

Patricia Perez

Yo me senti muy mal, y me da tristeza.Se quema gentemuertos, chuchos, perros, y gentes.

Matanzas, gritos, sirenas,ambulancias.A/wra espero que den trabajoparamipapay toda la gente,y que paren las cosas matas.

Muertos, destruccion,robandoPaso porquelos policiasle pegaron a Rodney Kingyporque el juradosaco libres a los policias.

Death, destruction,stealingIt happened becausethe policebeat Rodney Kingand because the jurylet the police go free.

Jo.e Aleman

Laure Reye.

Esperanzas ydolorymiedo.

Yo oi balazos, sirenas y explosiones.Tambien vt tiendas quemadas. Yo vt eltrabajo de mi mama, solo se quebrado losvidrios y Ie pusieron tabla dura. Vipistolas,ametelladoras, balazos, bombas.

Llantosymuertos y destruccion. I heard shots, sirens and explosions. I also

saw stores get burnt. I saw my mother'swork, only the windows got broken and theyput up some strong wood. I saw pistols,machine guns, bullets, bombs.

Killings andpain andfear.

I.ouis sandovalHopes andpain andfear.

Students! Teachers! Parents!Cries anddeath anddestruction.

Plea••• end u. poetry, pro.e, andartwork of young people.

We prefer d~wings in pencil or black ink.Enclose full name, age, school, and phone number.

Send to:Rethinking School., 1001 E. Keefe Ave.,

Milwaukee, WI 53212

Spring 1993 • Vol. 7, No. 3

RETHINKING SCHOOLSAn Urban Educational Journal

INSIDERethinking Schoolsis proud to presentan expanded editionfoC'asin.911,parents~~.Someof

....._ many articlesand essays include:

theRainbowStan Karp reports on attacks on'multicultural curriculum inNew York City Page 8

:P... ts~tbeght Question

Boston project trains parents toquestion school authorities

Pagel3

~~0It the TrackWhat's wrong with tracking andwhat some parents are doingmwwit P~s14&l5

Parents, the Law,and EducationA guide to parents' legal rightsin the schools Pages 12 & 23

••••••••••••••••OEPARTlfENTSTable o/Cordents p.2EtlIIDriIIls _ _ •.- ••_ p. 2

Shorls _ p. 24Bibliography p. 26No Comment! p. 28=Resources .._ _ p. 29Student Page p. 32

Parent Involvement in the 1990's

Beyond Pizza Sales

Address Correction Requested ...."................JOAN Y. HARRIS

8369 TAMAR DR APT 725

COLUMBIA MD 21045

"Schools don't need more money, what theyneed are better parents so kids come toschool ready to learn." This mentalityblames the victims and does not deal withmany of the underlying causes of social andfamilial problems. Poverty, unemployment,racial and class inequality, and inadequatehea1thcare and housing are the real culpritsat which people should aim their anger andtheir legislative solutions.

We believe parents have somethingimportant to offer and can help the schoolbe a better school. In this view, parents are astrength, not a weakness. They are vitalresources, not detriments, to school reform.(While we tend to use the term "parent" werealize the term's limitations in today' sworld. We use "parent" as an inclusive termfor any adult family members working onbehalf of their children in schools.)

In this expanded issue focusing on parent/family involvement, Rethinking Schools

RETHINKING SCHOOLS1001 East Keefe AvenueMilwaukee, Wisconsin 53212

reports on specific parent projects inBoston, Washington, D.C., Chicago, andToledo, and includes essays by parentactivists from around the country. Inaddition, we have extensive coverage of thecurriculum controversy in the New YorkCity Schools as well as a report on thegrowing influence of religious fundamental-ist groups in education. We have back-ground articles on four key issues facingparents: tracking, standardized testing,multicultural education, and school"choice." Finally, we have information onparent legal rights and a listing of parentalinvolvement resources.

The MPS Referendum: What Went Wrong? ••••••••••Page 30

Scratch the surface of parent involve-ment in schools and there's notelling what you'll find. In some

schools it's little more than rhetoric, withinvolvement frozen at the level of pizzasales. In Chicago it's parents having theauthority to hire principals. In some cities

A RethinkingSchools Analysis

it's parents organizing against sciencecourses that teach evolution.

As with many popular buzzwords ineducation, parent involvement can mean justabout anything. Rethinking Schools has aparticular perspective. We view parentinvolvement as a way to help ensure thatparents act as advocates and decision-makersin the schools, that they be seen as keyresources working not only to improve theirown children's education but the schoolingof all children.

Many traditional parent involvementprojects focus on the home. They try to helpparents improve their parenting skills so thatchildren come to school better behaved andprepared. While not dismissing the criticalimportance of parenting, we believe such anemphasis misses the broader significance ofparent involvement.

All too often we hear statements like,

Why Parent Involvement?Parent involvement in public schools is

particularly important in today's world.Clearly, our society will only reluctantlyprovide the resources needed to solve the

. continued on page 5

NON-PROFITU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDMilwaukee, WI.Permit No. 3638

------~~~_.~~~~~~~~---------------------------------------Page 4 Rethinking Schools Spring 1993

The Coalition for QualityEducation, organized in1978, is the only grass-roots

organization in Toledo whose mainfocus is on educational issues in thepublic schools ..It's main current project involves

organizing around high schoolproficient testing mandated for allpublic high school students in Ohio.The proficiency tests, which wereintroduced statewide in the 1990-91school year, are a the key factor inwhether high school graduates will begiven a Diploma of Basic Competencyof a Diploma of Merit.The coalition hos called for a

statewide blue ribbon panel thatwould investigate whether the testswill help students or the educationsystem improve; provide data that thetests are bias-free and able to mea-sure the competence of all students;institute due-process protection fortest-takers and parents, includingdisclosure requirements and the rightto chollenge questionable test results.The coalition is composed of

parents, community activists, legaladvocates, clergy and educators. It isa project of the religiously basedToledo Metropolitan Mission.In addition to lobbying with elected

officials around issues such as theproficiency tests, some of the group'sactivities include:• Advocating on behalf of parents

and students in public education.• Conducting workshops and

training for parents and communityresidents on educational issues.• Monitoring the policies, practices

and programs of the Toledo PublicSchools to help ensure equal educa-tional opportunuies-:-- and takinglegal action when necessary. 0

For the address ofCQE see p. 29.

Interview with Parent Lola Glover

'We Must Act as if Allthe Children are Ours'The following is condensed from an

interview with Lola Glover, head of theparent and community-based Coalitionfor Quality Education in Toledo, Ohio.Glover is also co-chair of the NationalCoalition of Education Activists, andco-director of the National Coalition ofAdvocates for Students. She wasinterviewed by Barbara Miner ofRethinking Schools.

How did you get involved ineducation?

I'm the mother of nine children and Istarted the way most parents do. And that'sthe PTA, Mothers' Club, room mother,chaperone, chairperson for the bake sales,that kind of thing. This was 30 to 35 yearsago.

Because I was at school a lot, I began tonotice things that I felt were not conduciveto the educational or emotional well-beingof students. I began to realize there was apattern to certain things, instead ofsomething I observed for one day. I beganto question those actions, or the lackthereof, and to talk more to my ownchildren about school. It was then that Istarted to get involved in my children'sactual schooling and in academic issues.

I always made sure, however, that I wasactive in such a way that all the students inthat particular classroom or school wouldbenefit, not just my child. When Iadvocated only for my child, not a lotchanged. lbe IIF b_ =1 , ujristmsorswould just make sure that when I was onthe scene or when they dealt with my child,they would do things different.

I don't believe that we will ever get all ofthe parents involved in the ways that wewould hope. I believe that those of us whohave made a committnent to get involvedmust act as if all the children are ourchildren.

Do you sense that some teachers arereluctant to have parents involved inmore than homework or bake sales, afear that parents are treading on theteachers' turf if they do so?

Absolutely. And I don't think much ofthat has changed over the years.

Let's say I'm a teacher, and I come inand do whatever I do in my own way, in myown time, and nobody holds me account-able in any way for providing a classroomenvironment conducive to learning, or forstudent achievement. I get pretty set in myways - and defensive with people whomight question what I do.

I've found the teachers who are reluctantto have parents involved are those whoknow they are not doing the best they canfor their students.

Then there are some teachers whosedegree gave them a "new attitude" and whoquestion these folks who didn't graduatefrom high school, and surely didn't go tocollege. Such teachers question what theseparents are doing in their classrooms. Itdoesn't matter that they are the parents oftheir students.

I also have found some really greatteachers in our district. They don't have anyreservations or problems about parentsgetting involved in their classroom orschool. In fact, they welcome and encour-age parent involvement.

Many parents don't necessarily havetime to sit in on their child's classes orvisit the school on a weekly basis. Howcan such parents make sure their kidsare getting a decent education?

Not all schools have parent organizationsat their schools. But usually you find a few

active parents who are great advocates forchildren. If you know you don't have thetime and energy to be actively involved,touch base with those parents that areinvolved. Build an alliance with them, geton the phone with them and when you can,meet with them and talk about yourconcerns. Help in any way you can to assistin developing an organized parent group inyour school.

You don't need all the parents in theschool to be involved. Sometimes it justtakes five or ten dedicated parents who careabout kids, and not just their kids, to make apositive difference in what goes on in ourschools.

What advice do you have for parentswho want to get involved?

First of all, you have to understand that asa parent, it is your right and your responsi-bility to be involved. You should let theschool know that you would like to worktogether in a constructive and collaborativeway if possible, but if not, you're still goingto be there.

ters, visit kids' homes, and have parentcommittees, but I barely have time toprepare lessons every day." How wouldyou respond?

Parents have to do more than be involvedin their school or district. They also have torespond to elected officials. And if moremoney is needed for education, let yourthoughts be known. Everybody claims to beeither the Education Mayor, or theEducation Governor, or the EducationSomebody. Parents need to lobby and fightfor those funds.

Another area of concerns is class sizes.With the kinds of problems kids bring toschool today, either the classes need to besmaller or there needs to be teacher aides inthe classroom. And these aides should beparents or people from that school commu-nity. This allows some additional time and aresource for teachers.

How can teachers and principals makeparents feel more welcome?

The district or each school should have aparent outreach program. One of the biggestmistakes that teachers make is not being in

For the sake of our children,public education and our future,

together. Make the first move.

I would also find out if any parent groupsexist in the school. I would try to determinewhether the group is really involved inmaking a difference for kids, or whether it'sjust a rubber stamp with no voice. You alsohave to decide whether you want to beinvolved in decision-making, or in thingslike fund-raising.

If you want to get involved in schoolpolicies, you must first know the rules. Ifyou are interested in suspensions orexpulsions, for example, you must ask for acopy of the discipline policy for the district,not just the school. Then you must find outif there is an individual school policy orpractice that goes beyond the district policy.

Then you must sit down with the princi-pal and say, "I understand that this is yourpolicy on discipline, but this has been yourpractice in this building for x number ofyears, and these are some of the areas I'mconcerned about."

It's also essential that you always try toget a neighbor or a friend or another parentto go with you when you talk to theprincipal or teacher. My experience hastaught me, do not go alone.

Why?Words get twisted, views get changed.

People in schools are no different thananyone else. They will say, "Oh, that's notexactly what I said," or, "I didn't mean itthat way." If there's another person withyou, they tend not to try to get away withthat kind of stuff because they know morethan one person will hear what they aresaying.

Some schools face severe budget cuts,and teachers have larger classes and areasked to do more and more. What if theteacbers and administrators say, "Parentinvolvement is great, and I would love tohave more meetings, do parent newslet-

touch with parents until there's a problem.And most parents don't want to hear theproblem. They would like to think that littleJohnny or Mary is doing fine all the time,and if not, they don't want to hear youputting their kid down. If you start off thatway with a parent, it will take some realdoing to get on the right foot with themagain.

It's not going to be easy to build analliance with 30 parents, so start with one ortwo. Get those parents to be your liaisons.Let them know how much you care andwhat you are trying to accomplish in theclassroom. Give them the names andaddresses of parents of the kids in yourclassroom, and ask, "Would you help mecontact these parents and explain to themthat I would really like to talk to all of thempersonally." Find out when will be a goodtime for everyone to meet, and set a date.

Why is it so important to foster mutualrespect between parents and teachers?

I am convinced that if students begin tosee parents and people in their communityand their schools working together, a lot ofthings would change. First of all, the kids'attitudes would change. Right now, kids'attitudes have not changed about schoolbecause they don't see any connectionbetween home and school. They do not seeany real efforts being made by either side tocome together for the purpose of improvingtheir schools or educational outcomes.

I don't think any of us have the answers tosolve these problems. But I do believe that ifwe come together out of mutual respect andconcern, we will make a difference in whathappens in our schools and our communi-ties. I know we'll never find the answer ifwe keep this division between us. For thesake of our children, public education, andour future, we can ill afford not to worktogether. Make the first move. 0

Spring 1993 Rethinking SchoolsPage 5

Beyond Pizza Salescontinued from page 1

crisis facing our public schools, particularlyurban schools attended mainly by childrenof color. Unless we draw on the strengthsand power of parents and communitymembers, school reform will, at best, belimited to superficial efforts designed tocover up rather than resolve the crisis ineducation, particularly the crisis ofinequality.Parental involvement holds many

promises. It can help improve thecurriculum, teaching, and learning inindividual schools. It can help bridge thedivision between many teachers andcommunities they serve - a division thathas tended to grow, given the overwhelm-ing~y white composition of the teachingforce and the overwhelmingly non-whitecomposition of urban student bodies. Parentinvolvement can also help build necessarypolitical coalitions. If teachers and parentscannot work together at their individualschools, they will be unable to forge the cityand state-wide organizations necessary tocounter the slash and burn mentality thatdominates many school budget decisions.Unfortunately, some of the most success-

ful parent organizing projects are led byarch-conservatives with an agenda that runscounter to values of multiculturalism,equality, tolerance, and respect for childrenas people capable of learning to thinkcritically and make their own decisions. Thesuccess of right-wing parent organizing is achilling reminder that there is nothinginherently progressive about parentalinvolvement

It was parents, for example, who threwstones at buses carrying African-Americanchildren in the mid-1970s in Boston asthose children tried to exercise their right toattend integrated schools. It is parents whohide behind Bibles and shout the most un-

and measures to counter the AlDS/HIVepidemic among adolescents in many urbanareas. It is parents who often are the mostvirulent opponents of multiculturaleducation and who are quick to try to banbooks such as Catcher in the Rye, Of Miceand Men, and The Bridge to Terabithia.

What is to be Done?We believe that schools should work to

increase parental involvement in four areas:l) governance and decision-making; 2)organizing for equity and quality; 3)curriculum and its implementation in theclassroom; 4) home educational support.Following are some preliminary thoughts,designed to spur discussion rather thanprovide answers to complex issues.

GovernanceParents should be viewed as decision-

makers, whether through formal or informalarrangements such as school-based councilsor parent committees where their input islistened to and respected.Key questions are: Who should serve on

school councils? What should be the ratio ofstaff to parents to community people? Howshould members be selected? How can youensure that representatives on the schoolcouncil truly represent their constituents?What powers should they have? What is therelationship between school-based decisionsand district-wide policies and contracts?These are complex issues that need thor-ough discussion.

Organizing/AdvocacyOrganized into groups, parents can

advocate for children and can educateeducators. This is particularly important ofparents of color, who may see inequality orinsensitivity from even the most well-intentioned white teachers.

Such parent groups can take variousforms, from city-wide advocacy organiza-tions to ad hoc committees at individualschools. In Albany, N.Y., for example,parents and community activists challengeda racist tracking system (see article on p.

Parents' involvement in their children's education takes many forms.

schools (see article on p. 13).These organizing efforts are often short -

lived, hampered by funding and the manytime demands on parents, especiallyworking parents. The struggle to sustainparent advocacy groups is difficult. If suchgroups start receiving money from schoolsystems, their politics might becomecompromised. But without funding, theseefforts may die out and valuable trainingand experience are lost, only to bereinvented again by other parents when thenext crisis erupts.By perseverance and strong leadership,

however, some organizations have managedto get funding yet not compromise theirpolitics (see interview, p. 4). Anotherapproach is to have community-basedorganizations make parent organizing a

that local school districts, perhaps fundedby state legislatures, hire parent organizersat each school.

Curriculumand the Classroom

Particularly as schools try to institutemulticultural curricula, parents are avaluable resource. Parents can have positiveeffects on curriculum, especially if theirparticipation is organized and supported bythe local school (see article p. 3). A key stepis to have the school agree on an orientationtoward parental involvement, in the processovercoming negative attitudes in eithergroup. Some parents may have to overcomea legacy of negative personal experienceswith schools, while some teachers need todevelop greater respect for parents.

Educating at HomeWe recognize that parents can signifi-

cantly help their children at home. Many do,and some do not. Schools can encouragepositive interactions between parents andchildren by helping the school serve as acenter where parents can help one another.Support groups, parenting classes, andliteracy classes can be very popular,especially when organized by or with theconsultation of parents. Lending libraries oflearning games, hands-on math activities,books, and tapes also help enhanceeducation in the home.Sometimes parents educate their children

about the history and contributions of theircultures and communities - filling in gapsschools to often leave.

Teacher TrainingTeachers need to be sensitized to the

importance of parental involvement. At adistrict level this should include staffinservice. But most important, statemandates should force teacher traininginstitutions to adequately prepare newteachers in knowing how to work withparent volunteers, conduct parent/teacherconferences, maintain on-goingcommunication, and overcome possibleracial, class, and gender biases.

o! Parent's Rights" Parents have more rights than they might~ imagine. They have not only legal rights,;; but ethical rights: the right to have notes~ and newsletters from school come home inif their native language; the right to be treateda. with respect by school staIt whetber /besecretary, principal, or teacher.People who work first shift often have

diff'"l..cuh.ygettin~ ;'n"o\." ...d. hd=c ....'-c:'>,..""_ \ ....~ ...

"'IIIIii!iIIi"the Cleveland Federation of Teachers,whereby parents are allowed to take timeoff with pay to attend special Parent/FamilyDays (see article this page).

Justice and EqualityIt is in the long-term interests of everyone

in society that schools are based on valuesof justice and equality. There is no way tolegislate such values. In the long run, theonly insurance rests with the parents andteachers who uphold these values toorganize and work together.No one has a stronger, more direct

interest in good education than a parent.Educators who fail to recognize this, seeingparents instead as irrelevant, inadequate, oreven obstructionist can never full succeed ineducating young people. 0

Parent Involvement in ClevelandBy Michael Charney

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Thousands ofCleveland parents no longer have to fearthey will be reprimanded if they leave workto visit their child's school. In fact, they arepaid to do so.Under an innovative program developed

by the Cleveland Teachers Union, morethan 100 area employers have agreed togive parents and family members paid timeoff once a year to attend Parent/FamilyDay- a special day when the ClevelandPublic Schools invite parents, grandparents,and guardians to visit and see what happenson a normal school day, and work withparents on home and school issues.The union initiated the concept of Parent/

Family Day as a concrete way to resolve aproblem facing many working parents,especially those who are paid by the hourand often do not have the flexibility ofsalaried employees. For many working

parents, leaving work to visit their child'sschool created problems on the job. In somecases, parents even feared they might befired if they left work to take part in schoolactivities.The union argued that parent involvement

is similar to jury duty, in that parents have aright and responsibility to be involved intheir child's education, and that anemployer has an obligation to allow parentsto carry out those duties.The first Parent/Family Day was held in

May 1992 under the theme, "TeamworkMakes the Dream Work." An estimated14,000 parents, grandparents and guardiansattended, and more than 50 area employersallowed workers to leave their jobs for theday. Most of those attending Parent/FamilyDay were family members who worked athome during the day or were salariedemployees with more flexible work sched-ules. The second Parent/Family Day, heldthe following September, attracted 18,000parents; more than 100 area employers

allowed paid time off.Because of the success of the Parent/

Family Days, the schools have decided tomake them an annual event. The next one isscheduled for the fall of 1993.The union started working on the idea of

paid time off to visit schools in 1989. Thefirst stumbling block was the ClevelandBoard of Education, which was reluctant toallow even their own employees paid timeoff. By working with parents andcommunity groups, the union was able toultimately convince both the ClevelandPublic Schools and area employers that theParent/Family Days were a way to movebeyond hopes for parental involvement toinstitutionalizing concrete ways of makingthose hopes a reality. 0

Michael Charney teaches at LincolnIntermediate School and developed the ideaof Parent/Family Day for the ClevelandTeachers Union.

------,

Page 6 Rethinking Schools Spring 19

Chicago School Reform:Giving Parents Decision-making PoweBy Barbara Miner

CHICAGO - Parent Denise Fergusonremembers the day in the spring of 1990when the Local School Council at HefferanElementary School met with the principal totalk about the next year's budget. The LocalSchool Council was only months old, partof a citywide reform effort that set upcouncils in each school composed of amajority of parents and given powers suchas the authority to hire and fire principals.The parents, unused to having real decision-making in the school, dido' t know what toexpect.The principal suggested that discretionary

school monies be used to hire a half-timechoir director to teach gospel music and afull-time truant officer, according toFerguson."And this was in a school that had great

attendance rates, yet had maps from 1945that still had Rhodesia, and only fouroperating computers," Ferguson recalls.

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"Besides, our kids don't need to learngospel music, they get that on weekends,"Parents were upset at the principal's

suggestions and let him know it. "The dayhe passed those suggestions around and theparents said 'Oh no,' that's when I realizedthings were about to change," Fergusonsaid.The council polled the teachers on their

views and decided to spend the money inother ways, such as by hiring a new teacherfor a computer lab, and new books andmaps. They also made another crucialdecision: to hire a new principal who wouldtake charge at the end of the school year.Parents having the power to make such

decisions may seem a dream to many parentactivists who struggle to get administratorsto listen to their advice, let alone take it-seriously. But such parental power is thenorm in Chicago.While some school reforms focus on

changes in curriculum or teacher training,the Chicago effort targets what is generallycalled "governance" - the issue of whomakes the decisions in schools. Thereforms, considered the most ambitious ofany major urban school district in thecountry, were mandated by state law in1988 and were the result of widespread,long-term community organizing toimprove the Chicago public schools. Onemajor goal was to cut the powers of theCentral Office, which in Chicago hadeamed national notoriety for its entrenchedbureaucratic practices. and tum over asmuch decision-making as possible to thelocal school.The heart of the Chicago reform is the

establishment of elected Loclit ScMarCouncils in each of the city's almost 600schools. Each council has six parents, twocommunity representatives, two teachers,the principal and, in the high schools, astudent. The parents and community repsare elected by parents and communityresidents. The student and teacher represen-tatives are appointed by the Board ofEducation following advisory elections bytheir peers at each school.The verdict is still out on whether this

ambitious reform effort will succeed in itsultimate goal: improving the educationalperformance of the approximately 440,000students in Chicago's public schools,roughly 90% of whom are students of color.Yet no one denies the importance of thereform or its uniqueness - that parents arethe majority on a school-based council thatgoes beyond advising the principal and isgiven actual powers. Not only do thecouncils have the authority to hire or ftrethe principal, but they approve the school'sbudget and school-improvement plan thatoutlines changes in curriculum and teachingpractices.It would be impossible in this short

article to outline the many complexities andcontradictions involved in the Chicagoreform process, or to describe the manypolitical players and their perspectives (seeRethinking Schools Vol. 4, #s 1 & 4).Clearly, the reform process raises as manyquestion as it answers. What follows is alook at how the reform has affected oneschool, where the council appears to haveworked particularly well, and how some ofthe parents there view the reform.Hefferan, a kindergarten through eighth

grade elementary school, is located on thecity's West Side in a neighborhood whoseappearance reflects the stereotype of atroubled inner city. Boarded up apartmentbuildings are common; trash and brokenbottles litter the streets; groups of men whoin a more humane society would beemployed are huddled together at streetcomers passing the time.One indication of the neighborhood's

problems: Hefferan Principal PatriciaHarvey doesn't allow outdoor recess

All eyes are on the Chicago reform's attempts to involve parents.

because slie can ~ I

safety, given the number of drug dealers andalcoholics who hang out near the school.All but one of Hefferan's 676 students are

African American, and 90% of the studentsare eligible for the free- or reduced-pricefederal lunch program.One of the first major decisions of the

Local School Council was in the spring of1990 when it hired Harvey. A formerteacher, assistant principal, and CentralOffice administrator, Harvey has clearlyplayed a key role in changes at Hefferan.She instituted academic changes such asabolishing tracking systems, and workedwith the staff so there could be more timefor planning. For example, Harvey said thatone day a week students attend specialcourses such as art, music, and gym so thatclassroom teachers have a full day forinservice training, planning, or attendingworkshops.Perhaps most important, Harvey worked

to establish a spirit of teamwork thatemphasizes parents, community members,and school staff working together. Askedwhat she felt was the most important lessonlearned during the almost four years that theLocal School Council has been at work atHefferan, Harvey said: "You can't build ahouse of shared decision-making without afoundation of trust, acceptance, and realteamwork."Parents active at the school credit Harvey

with helping to establish a new atmosphere."No one can do everything by themselves,and the principal here decided that insteadof leadership and followers, it would beeverybody together," said parent CherylHarris, who has a third and eighth grader atthe school. "Ever since I've been here, I'venever seen her office door closed,"

Pros and ConsDenise Ferguson, who was president of

Hefferan council for three years and whonow -isa staff member working on parentinvolvement and student services, said thecouncil's main benefit was that it gaveparents a new role."Before the LSC [Local School Council],

parents had no voice," she said. "Parents

but were given very menial tasks ....l\.ttlt'treform, not only could we make decisionwe could help choose the leadership,"Ferguson said she knows from first-ha

experience, however, that many LocalSchool Councils do not run as smoothlyHefferan's. She has also served on a higschool council and said of the experienc"11 was a nightmare. It ended up holdingthat school hostage," Council membersdidn't respect each other, some were onpersonal power trips, and others hadpolitical agendas they were trying to pusShe also felt that the originallegislati

mandating the councils was flawed becafor example, it didn't mandate adequatemonies to train council members or givecouncils a specific budget, "not even forstamps," She also believes that councilmembers should be paid because of theimmense time commitment, and thatcouncils must address the larger politicissue of declining school budgets. "If yohave 500 things to do and no budget," ssaid, "it's like having a horse you shootthe starting gate and then say, 'Run!"The council at Hefferan also faces the

same nagging problem that has plaguedother less-notable councils: parent burn-and vacancies on the council. At Hefferfor example, two of the six parent seatswere unfilled in late February.Mildred Wiley, the current president

the Local School Council at Hefferan,values the councils but fears that busineand political leaders may be losing patieand may demand results faster than thecouncils can produce. The state lawmandating the reform, for example, callfor significant achievements in schoolperformance after five years - with athreat from some forces that more drastimeasures might otherwise ensue, such asinstitution of private school voucher pito replace the system of public education"I'm just scared the state will just co

in and take over," Wiley said. "This schhas undergone a distinct change, fromoutside [appearance] to the curriculum'the classroom. 1would hate to see an enall the good things that we have planned'

Spring 1993 Rethinking SchoolsPage 7

A Look at the Secretary of Education

Richard Riley and School Reformbenefits, and incentive pay programs." is key to their involvement in schools, along standardized basic skills instruction andRiley, through the EIA, granted oversight with potential profits and an often testing does not lead to an improved

of public school reforms to business. The exaggerated concern for workforce education and exacerbates educationalFormer South Carolina Governor Richard act established a Division of Public preparation. Focusing on school reform also inequity (see story on p. 20). Such standard-

Riley has received near unanimous praise Accountability in the state education takes the spotlight off corporate ized approaches stand in contrast to moresince President Clinton selected him as the department, headed by a deputy responsibility for this country's economic holistic, heterogeneous, and cooperativenew Secretary of Education. Both the superintendent selected by business leaders. problems. approaches that consider the needs, inter-American Federation of Teachers and the The legislation dictated that key business- Business solutions to school problems ests, and intellectual potential of diverseNational Education Association, for led committees were to receive an annual typically have foisted inappropriate groups of children. There is considerableexample, have celebrated him as a visionary assessment of the act, and were to approve efficiency and productivity models into consensus, too, that alternative forms ofreformer. "all products developed by the Division of schools. Much of what is wrong with assessment that evaluate actual performanceIf one were to summarize the most Public Accountability: the assessment schools today, after all, is the consequence are far more informative and educationally

common descriptions of Riley, it might read report, incentive pay programs, quality of nearly a century of such business useful than standardized tests. The standard-like this: a tenacious, political astute assessment criteria, regulations and other practices misapplied. With a few ization of education is also at odds withchampion of public schools who sincerely products." enlightened exceptions, business solutions recent democratic reforms emphasizingsupports school reform, cares about equity, school management by committees ofopposes private school voucher plans, and parents and teachers.advocates increased spending on education. Not surprisingly, a state evaluation fiveBut a look at Riley's school reforms in years after the reforms were passed found

South Carolina reveals two emphases that A look at Riley's school reforms in South that they did not produce the expectedare potential causes for concern. One is the Carolina reveals two potential reasons for results. While there were slight gains fordominating role that business interests have poor and minority students in the earlyplayed in South Carolina's school reform. concern. One is the dominating role that years, those have levelled off and begun toThe other is the reform's reliance on b· . t t • d' th h I decline. There was no change in studentuSlness In eres S p.aye In e SC 00standardized teaching and testing. dropout rate or conduct, and only slightWhen people refer to Riley's school reform. The other is the reform's reliance on increases in attendance and students'

reform efforts, they mean the Education t do ,J" h" achievement of basic skills. TeacherImprovement Act (EIA) passed by the S an arulzed teac Ing and testing. salaries were substantially raised, butSouth Carolina legislature in 1984 while provisions for merit pay proved unfeasibleRiley was governor. The legislation raised and were dropped. One clear change:teachers' salaries to regional averages, business partnerships with schools in-increased the use of standardized teaching to complex school problems have been creased 800%.materials and standardized tests, and called Business Involvement characterized by a simplistic emphasis on Two provisions of the act were neverfor uniform accountability measures There has been an unusually explicit accountability, productivity, standardized implemented due to lack of funds-throughout the state. These accountability business presence in the inception, day-to- performance, differential rewards, and improvement of facilities and reduced classmeasures, which included student test day operation, and oversight of South presumed workforce needs. size.scores and attendance rates of both students Carolina's school reform. Is this bad? Riley's ew' lion refonn in Southand teachers, were to determine "merit pay" Surely, business involvement in education Standardized Schools Carolina was perhaps an honorable attempt,for schools and teachers. The reforms were in recent years has helped highlight the need The South Carolina legislation long overdue, to improve one of the poorestfinanced by a penny sales tax. for school reform, and business has lent its established a statewide system of basic and more regressive education systems inBusiness was heavily involved both in the expertise, especially in mathematics, skills diagnosis. testing and instruction, a the country. It was also the product of

drafting and ~i~g f?ut c:f ~e le"!iSJ.a,ti.on.,•• S.Cience, and technology. Still. the.r.e~is..... s.taltewide student conduct system, an.d.a ••• c.ons.ideI:ab\~ C.O\T\'PI:~\T\;'s,,:. Thus '-t. -\..'20 ".,:ncu,."",., ..........

tmpu c s ubeyond that of measures passed in any other represent other necessary players instate, according to The Chronicle of Higher education reform, whether they be parents,Education. community groups, teachers, or schoolRiley himself wrote in 1986 that he boards. Yet in South Carolina business

considered this new, legally mandated interests alone are privileged.public/private sector partnership in the Mandated "partnerships" between schoolspublic schools to be "our major contribution and businesses also unduly privilegeto improving public education in South business expertise over that of educators.Carolina." He insisted that "educators must Yet there is little evidence that businesslearn how to work with and how to understands the complexities of educatingappreciate the private sector;' and that they children or has much to contribute to school"must begin to embrace business concepts management. Surveys of business[such as] productivity, efficiency, cost executives show clearly that public relations

By Douglas D. Noble

,requires ongoing documentation of eachstudent's progress along a continuum ofrigid skill requirements for each grade level.To ease the tremendous paperwork thiscauses, the state has piloted a computerized"classroom management system" thatmonitors student progress and coordinatesstudent skill levels with preselected lessonsand curricular materials. By one account,South Carolina is the first state tostandardize and coordinate a managementsystem for all teachers within the state.Research has shown that emphasizing

Carolina reforms.What is clear, however, is that Riley has

shown himself willing to rely heavily onbusiness and standardized approaches toeducation. The public will need to pay closeattention to the role of business in federalpolicy and will also need to educate the newsecretary about more progressiveapproaches to educational equity and schoolreform. 0

Douglas D. Noble teaches education atNational-Louis University.

A Parent's Perspective

Bonding Parents and SchoolsSome teachers and administrators force

parents to make an appointment Yetparents usually come to the school only ifsomething is urgent. They need to talk tosomeone right away, not be told, "Comeback in a week."It's an attitude problem. And the attitude

is basically that parents are worthless,parents are of no value. It's an attitude thatsays, "Just give us your kids, we'll try toremediate the damage you have done so far,and hopefully your kids will be able tograduate from school in spite of yourinterference."There are other ways that teachers make

parents feel unwelcome. For example,teachers usually only communicate with aparent directly when that parent's child hasbroken a rule or misbehaved. It's always anegative call. Rarely do teachers call upparents to say how well their child has done.If teachers were to do more of that, therewould be better communication going on.Teachers also need to let parents know

By Lilly Lopez

Schools have to become open placeswhere parents can feel that they arerespected, welcome, and valued. For themost part, schools don't give that message.When a parent goes to a school, it's

usually because of something that hashappened with their child. And whathappens when they show up? Often, there'sa sign that says visitors are only allowedduring particular hours, and all visitors mustreport first to the principal's office. It's likeyou're being summoned by the principal.Many parents have really negativememories about public schools, and goingback into the school makes them relivethose memories.It's more than just signs. Most important,

it's how parents are treated. Often, theyaren't spoken to in a respectful manner. Orthey are greeted by a nasty secretary or anasty administrator. Or they are ignored.

that parents can come talk to them, whetherit's before school starts or during prep time.Parents don't know these things, becauseschools don't tell them.The easiest way to get parents into a

school is through a social event. I encourageall schools to have a welcome-back-to-school activity at the beginning of theschool year. A social event gives themessage to parents that we welcome you,we want you here, we want you to be a partof your child's education. And it tells theteachers that parents are a big part of theirchildren's lives and you can't separateschool and home and successfully teach achild.There has to be a collaborative

connection, a bonding, between home andschools. What seems to be a purely socialevent has the important political benefit ofestablishing open communication betweenteachers and parents, where they can meeteach other as equals, as human beings.At any activity, there should also be a

welcoming statement by the staff and theparent association. There might be adiscussion of the different committees at theschool, what they will be doing that year,and a sign-up list.It's important that schools don't treat

parents as mere fundraisers. Parents havebeen abused over and over again by beingforced to do candy sales, bake sales, flowerday sales, and picture sales. Many parentorganizations aren't advocacy groupsbecause the message that they get from theschools is, "We need money, and you're theparents, so go out and make some moneyfor us." Parents need to be involved indecision-making and advocacy, not justbake sales. 0

Lilly Lopez is a parent in Brooklyn, N.Y.A member of the District IS School Board,she is also on the steering committee of theNational Coalition of Education Activists.

Page 8 Rethinking Schools Spring 1993

Controversy Engulfs NYC's Multicultural Curriculum

Trouble Over the RainbowBy Stan Karp

In a sudden end to his three years as headof the nation's largest school system, NewYork City School's Chancellor JosephFernandez found a pink slip instead of a potof gold at the end of the rainbow. Followinga powerful and at times ugly mobilizationagainst the multicultural guide Children ofthe Rainbow, which urged "respect for thediversity of families" including gay andlesbian parents, the Central Board voted 4-3in February not to renew Fernandez'scontract when it expires in June.While the dismissal threw the city's

schools into further turmoil, its implicationsextend beyond New York. The controversyover the Rainbow curriculum raised crucialquestions about the meaning of"multicultural education" and about howschools should address explosive issues ofprejudice in an increasingly diverse anddivided society. It also posed questionsabout what role parents will play in effortsto remake a public school system thatremains in crisis in many parts of thecountry.The fierce fight over Children of the

Rainbow took many by surprise. The guidewas compiled to implement mandates fromthe Central Board, which in 1989 had calledfor measures to counteract discriminationagainst students, parents, or schoolpersonnel on the basis of race, color,religion, national origin, gender, age, sexualorientation and/or handicapping condition.An Office of Multicultural Education wascreated, reflecting a national trend towardmulticultural reform.In general, this trend has been more a

delayed reaction to events than a radicalinnovation. Demographic changes in publicschool populations, which will raise thenumber of minority students to 40% by theend of the 1990s, are pushing schools tomore accurately reflect in their curriculumsthe changes in their classrooms. The trend isalso an aftershock of the civil rights andsocial struggles of the 1960s and 1970s.Social movements for the rights of AfricanAmericans, women, disabled people, gays

Just as civil rightslaws ran into "state'srights" bigotry tingedwith populistresentment, so tooprogressive educationpolicies endorsed atthe top may run intoresistance tromconservative parentsand localcommunities.

and lesbians, and others have already forcedchanges in cultural sensibilities and federaland state law. Several decades of academicscholarship have revised traditionallynarrow versions of literature and history.Lumbering SChool bureaucracies, whichhave rarely been on the cutting edge ofchange, are simply trying to catch up bytaking a closer look at their textbooks,course outlines, and bulletin boards.At another level, however, multicultural

education is a potentially explosive issue.Racial tensions increased in the 1980s withthe administrations of Reagan, Bush, and, inNew York, Mayor Ed Koch all contributing.Police murders of young black men andother racially charged confrontations are

familiar features of the nightly news. Blacksand Jews continue to clash on severalfronts. While the gay community hasattained new visibility and politicalinfluence, religious institutions and sizableportions of popular opinion remainstubbornly resistant to their inclusion. NYCpolice record 500 bias incidents a year, withthousands of others unreported.Against this background, a broad, if

superficial, consensus developed thatpromoting harmony among the city's nearly1,000 schools and I million students wascrucial.Children of the Rainbow was an attempt

to address this issue in a comprehensive andsomewhat bureaucratic fashion. Conceivedmore as a resource guide for teachers than aformal curriculum for students, it wasproduced by central office personnel withreview by a 25-member advisory board. Thebook is filled mostly with strategies fordeveloping academic and social skillsappropriate for first graders. There's anemphasis on celebrating diversity, buildingself-esteem, and encouraging constructivegroup interaction. The 440 pages that havebeen largely ignored during the heatedcontroversy are typically devoted tomethods for setting up classroom learningcenters, instructions for making ChineseNew Year's scrolls, and the words andmusic to the Animal Nonsense Song.One section on "societal concerns" speaks

directly to the pressures growing numbersof kids face early on. This section givesteachers suggestions for dealing withhomeless students, "latch-key" children,physically or emotionally abused kids, kidstouched by the mY/AIDS epidemic, etc.It's here that three pages on "Understandingfamily structures to meet children's needs"mention the special circumstances ofstudents with gay/lesbian parents. Thesection was drafted by a lesbian first gradeteacher who was added to the curriculum-writing project after gay rights advocates,with the help of the Mayor's office,succeeded in getting access to Fernandezand raising their concerns about the climateof hate and gay-bashing in the city.In the fall of 1991, the curriculum guide

was adopted by the Chancellor's office withlittle notice. Even most gay right'sadvocates, parent's groups, and educationactivists had their attention focusedelsewhere, including a contentious debateover the Chancellor's mY/AIDScurriculum and condom distribution policiesfor the high schools. (Fernandez'sopponents wanted an AIDS curriculum thatpreached abstinence instead of safe sex, andwanted condoms made available only withparental consent. Fernandez prevailed afterbitter battles, although the mv /AIDScurriculum was weakened by a centralboard resolution requiring all consultantshired from outside the SChool system toemphasize abstinence.) Like the city's racialclimate, debate over school policy wasbecoming highly polarized.

Bigotry ExplodesChildren of the Rainbow was sent to the

district boards for use in the schools. Likeothers before it which had embodied goodintentions, the thick manual mightordinarily have collected dust on the shelfwhile teachers coped with the daily crisis ofsurvival in NYC public schools. Theextensive program of staff training,resources, and administrative supportnecessary to put the curriculum guide intopractice was not in place. Most schools andteachers never heard about Children of theRainbow until Community School Board(CSB) #24 in Queens used it to light a firelast spring.District 24 is routinely described as

"conservative, heavily Catholic, and middleclass." But over 70% of the 28,000 studentsin the district's public schools are childrenof color. The area bas the fastest-growing

Critics ofChildren afihe Rainbow massed demonstrations against onesmall part of the curriculum, tolerance of lesbians and gays.

immigrant population in the city and someof the most overcrowded schools. The nine-member community school board, however,is all white. One member is a priest. Sixhave sent their children to private schools.Mary Cummins, the board president who

became the symbol of resistance toChildren of the Rainbow, was elected with346 votes in local board elections that drewabout 7% of eligible voters. Cummins ranthe board in authoritarian fashion and wasno champion of grassroots parentalinvolvement. District 24 was the only localboard to file suit against new regulationsthat sought to expand parental participationin the selection of principals andadministrators. Parent groups inside thedistrict publicly complained about the localboard's high-handed ways.Cummins and her board were already

angry at the Chancellor over his AIDS andcondom policies, though there was littlethey could do directly to block them, sincehigh schools fall under the jurisdiction ofthe central rather than district board. Churchleaders, including Cardinal John O'Connor,encouraged District 24's opposition,eventually providing legal and otherassistance. When Cummins received theRainbow curriculum, she reportedlyconsulted with Howard Hurwitz of theright-wing Family Defense Council, who"immediately recognized it as part of thehomosexual movement. It was gay andlesbian propaganda."CSB #24 rejected Children of the

Rainbow out of hand. Using at least $7,000in public funds, Cummins began acampaign of letters and mailings attackingthe guide, contending it contained"dangerous misinformation about sodomy.""We will not accept two people of the

same sex engaged in deviant sex practicesas 'family'," she wrote. Tapping into thefuror over the AIDS curriculum, she added,"The victims of this AIDS scourge arehomosexuals, bisexuals. intravenous users

of illicit drugs and the innocent people theyinfect by exposing them to their taintedblood and other bodily fluids ... [Fernandez]would teach our kids that sodomy isacceptable but virginity is somethingweird."For many people inside and outside the

schools, news reports of District 24'ssnarling response to Children of theRainbow was the first they heard of thecurriculum. This insured that a complicateddebate about how schools should handlesensitive, controversial issues would takeplace under the glare of sensational mediaattention against a backdrop of foaminganti-gay bigotry.The central office process that produced

Children of the Rainbow had excluded mostdistrict board members, parents, andteachers. Chancellor Fernandez's 25-member advisory board and the reviewprocess at the Board's Brooklynheadquarters were no substitute for aninclusive debate that might have createdsupport for the curriculum before it arrivedin the mail from I IO Livingston St. (At thevery least, as one district board memberpointed out, more local input would have letFernandez know what he was in for.) Evengay activists later acknowledged that theyhad relied too heavily on lobbying CentralBoard personnel while Catholic, Pentecos-tal, and other church groups were mobiliz-ing anti-gay sentiment in the boroughs.When he returned to his native New York

in 1990, Fernandez had brought with him asomewhat heavy-handed reputation fromMiami. Though he won support fromprogressives for his AIDS and condompolicies, for initiatives to create new,smaller high schools, and for being aneffective advocate for public education, hewas still, in the eyes of some critics, "a manwith a plan and a two-by-four."As a matter of principle, the Chancellor

deserved support for insisting that "at somecontinued on page 9

Spring 1993 Rethinking Schools Page 9

By Leon Lynn he said. and Satanism among children. Sometime in the elementary school grades," Christians must unite to force public chapters have resorted to suing their localschools must deal "proactively with the schools to return to teaching basics like school districts, seeking seven-figureissue of same sex families." But when it Robert Simonds is trying to portray Bill math, reading, and history, as well as "a judgements.comes to public schools, support for Clinton's election as a godsend for right- solid moral base," he says. His agenda also .• In Texas, CEE activists have labeled theteaching progressive views on sexual, wing activists trying to gain control over includes promoting a voucher system of teaching of evolution, without mention ofracial, or similar issues needs to be what's taught _ and what's censored _ school choice. so-called creation science, as "biasedcarefully mobilized as part of a democratic in U.S. public schools. However outlandish Simonds may sound, evolutionary indoctrination."debate. Public schools almost by definition Clinton's victory has "set off a tidal and however far he may appear to stray • In Galveston, Texas, CEE and otherare obligated to act as mediators and wave of awareness among the conserva- from the views of most U.S. citizens who conservative groups tried to yank a self-conciliators in the face of controversy. tives," says Simonds, the president of a call themselves Christians, he can't be esteem program from elementarySchools are highly vulnerable to emotional grassroots, ultra-conservative political dismissed as a voice in the wilderness. classrooms on the grounds that it promotedposturing, particularly when it comes from group called Citizens for Excellence in Founded in 1983 as an offshoot of a group "New Age" thinking and a "way of lifeparents or "taxpayers," and they can easily Education. Following Clinton's presiden- called the National Association of Christian contrary to Judeo-Christian principles." Thebe immobilized by polarizing crises. Where tial victory, the first by a Democrat in 12 Educators, CEE now claims 1,250 chapters school board refused.prejudice or bigotry exists, it absolutely years, conservatives have been spured into nationwide with a membership of 175,000. • In Escondido, Calif., a school board thatneeds to be challenged and exposed and, if increased political action, Simonds says. In 1992 alone, Simonds says, CEE helped included two CEE-backed membersnecessary, restrained by central authorities It's too soon to know whether Simonds 3,600 conservatives get elected to school adopted a sex-education policy that reliedfrom depriving minorities of their right to is correct. But it does seem likely that boards. totally on abstinence.be represented and protected in public life. Clinton's victory will tum up the heat on Critics often accuse CEE candidates of • In Spring Valley, Calif., a suburb of SanBut top-down administrative measures, no the stroggle for the hearts and minds of waging "stealth campaigns" for office that Diego, two conservative Christian schoolmatter how well-intentioned, have decid- public-school students. downplay their religious convictions and board members tried to block an elementaryedly limited and mixed impact. Citizens for Excellence in Education is connections to the group. Voters will be school from starting a free breakfastProgressive curriculum policies the largest and loudest of the right-wing more likely to support a candidate stumping program, saying that the school was

emanating from the top of large public groups that call parents to arms in the for "back to basics education" than one usurping the proper role of the family. Theschool systems may be likened to federal name of quality education while pushing connected to censorship campaigns and majority of the five-member board OK'dcivil rights laws passed in the 60s. After censorship and intolerance. People for the sometimes wild rhetoric. Simonds claims the program, however.much grassroots struggle, federal laws American Way, a liberal watchdog group, CEE members are just keeping low profiles • In Meridian, Ohio, local CEE membersattempted to codify democratic impulses has labeled Simonds' group as "easily the to avoid religious persecution. claimed a nurse demonstrated condom useand transform deeply-rooted practices like most destructive censorship organization Simonds' claims of support and success to a sixth-grade class, and Simondssegregation. Yet just as civil rights laws ran active in the schools today." are difficult to substantiate, in part because, threatened a lawsuit. District officialsinto "state's rights" bigotry tinged with Simonds blames so-called liberal as a nonprofit organization, CEE is responded by temporarily banning teacherspopulist resentment, so too progressive educators for a long _ and sometimes prohibited from openly aiding political from discussing sex education, AIDS, oreducation policies endorsed at the top may astounding -list of social ills. In candidates. But there's no doubt that any sexually transmitted disease.run into righteous resistance from particular, he says educators promote censorship-minded political activists have On the other side of the politicalconservative parents and local witchcraft, hypnotism, Satanism, and scored a string of school-based victories in spectrum, educators are organizing too. Incommunities. In the final analysis, the disobedience to parents while claiming to recent years. Among their crusades: Vista, Calif., for example, teachers last yearadded rounds of education, organizing, and teach higher order thinking skills. Under • In 1990, 24 of 46 school board won the right to have an "academicpolitical struggle it takes to tum the guise of conducting lessons about candidates endorsed by anti-abortion freedom" clause inserted into their contractsprogressive policy into actual practice must AIDS and cultural diversity, he says, activists in San Diego County - who to prevent zealots from censoring othecwiseoccur at the school and community level. they're opening the classroom door to distributed their names among churches - lawful classroom materials and lessonAdministrative support for such campaigns "every homosexual recruitment plan of were elected. cont~t.'t.And across San Diego County. a~ be cIm;ial.to ~eir success: But thiella.c.o.m.m.unilll·,· ~ ••• iiil ~1I.1III.1l1ll1ll1lll... .,, __ili__

get e JO stronger role in referring people to social elementary-school students after two CEE- inroads to academic freedom, vowing toIn the case of Children of the Rainbow, service agencies, an idea that many affiliated trustees lobbied against it. The fight Simonds and those like him by

CSB #24's defiance touched a chord of applaud as helping students and families Dayton Daily News quoted one CEE- organizing similarly fervent campaigns. Forpopulist resentment against a traditionally overcome roadblocks to academic connected trustee as saying the program example, the group has asked school-boardheavy-handed educational bureaucracy. success. Inviting people to school-based "gives children the idea they have power candidates to agree publicly to a set of anti-This helped lift it above the realm of social service fairs would mean that over their parents," and was of little use to censorship statements, in hopes of exposingCummins' crackpot bigotry and tum it into "derelicts, homosexuals with AIDS, students anyway because "there is no any so-called "stealth candidates" from thean angry cry that resonated in many parts people with sexual diseases, rapists and correlation whatsoever between self-esteem far right who are soft-pedaling their viewsof the city. When the Chancellor suspended child molesting pedophiles could all flood and moral behavior." in hopes of winning an election.the District 24 local board after its our campuses," he wrote last October. • In Holly, Colo., CEE parents took credit Simonds, meanwhile, shows no signs ofdeliberately provocative rejection of the During a recent interview, he even for convincing school officials to require letting up, urging his followers to continueRainbow curriculum, he reinforced asserted that liberal educators were to parents to sign permission slips before their fighting what he sees as the most criticaldictatorial impressions - so much so that blame for the riots that swept Los Angeles children could take part in a self-esteem battle of our age. "Let them call youthe Central Board ultimately reversed the after the infamous Rodney King beating program called "Positive Action." censors," he wrote to his supporters lastsuspension and undercut the Chancellor's trial verdict last year. That's because • CEE activists have repeatedly targeted November. "Words won't hun us. Losingposition. teachers claiming to teach the popular "Impressions" reading series, our children will!" 0But a populist rallying cry against the multiculturalism have instead led minority saying that exercises in imagination (such

central administration wasn't the only students to think they've been abused by as pretending to be magicians creatingweapon Fernandez's opponents had. There society "and that the whites owe them," magic spells) build support for witchcraftwere some dubious aspects of thecurriculum itself. Children of the Rainbowwas unusual in explicitly suggesting thatteachers initiate discussion of gay/lesbianissues with first graders. The guide urgedteachers to "include references to lesbians/gay people in all curricular areas" andpromote "actual experiences via creativeplay, books, visitors, etc. in order for themto view lesbians/gays as real people to berespected and appreciated." Exactly whatthis means for 5- and 6-year olds with noclear notions of adult sexuality isproblematic.Certain sections also provided

unnecessary ammunition to critics intent onalarmist distortion. While the guide's aimwas clearly to promote tolerance andrespect for same sex families, thecontroversial section that discusses gayhouseholds is titled "Fostering positiveattitudes toward sexuality." Howeverrelated, positive attitudes toward sexualityand tolerance of gay and lesbian familiesare different issues. Similarly, even somewho worked on the curriculum lateracknowledged that it was a mistake toinclude books like Heather Has TwoMommies or Gloria Goes to Gay Pride in alist for first graders. The books are too hard

continued on page 10

Fundamentalists Take Aim at SchoolsReading, Writing, and Censorship

Leon Lynn is a journalist based in EIPaso, Texas.

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education is to win broad support it has tobe integrated at the school level in theoverall context of effective educationalprograms, rather than introduced as isolatedstatements of political policy.Even in District 15, which had pioneered

several anti-bias initiatives and hadsignificant progressive leadership, reasoneddebate was overwhelmed by the passionsunleashed by the organized campaignagainst the Children of the Rainbow. Agroup called Concerned Parents forEducational Accountability circulatedvideotapes linking the curriculum to "thehomosexual conspiracy." Lillian Lopez,another parent and district board member,recalls parents "in different neighborhoodssaying the same thing," as if they'd beencoached. Heather Lewis says "it becamealmost like a witch-hunt." Parents wouldmake wild claims about what might happenand declare, "1 can't rest at home if I knowthat one teacher in the district may do this."

Rethinking Schools Spring 1993

Trouble Over the Rainbowcontinued from page 9

for first graders to read, and they raiseissues more appropriate for older kids.Instead of clarifying the intent of thecurriculum, the books became red flags foropponents eager to appeal to the worst fearsof straight parents.Gays and lesbians understandably view

AIDS education, homophobia, and thebigotry which drives disproportionatenumbers of gay youth to suicide as mattersof survival. But first grade classrooms arenot necessarily the place to address theseissues except in the most general ways.Collapsing issues of sexual orientation withissues of tolerance for all people includinggays and lesbians can even reinforce whatVillage Voice writer Donna Minkowitzdescribed as "the tendency ...to think of gaysand lesbians in sexualterms-not in termsof culture, history, romances and families."The few debatable features of the

curriculum in no way justified the hystericaldistortions Cummins and company raisedabout "teaching sodomy" or "recruitingchildren to the homosexual life-style."Nevertheless, they did put Rainbowsupporters on the defensive, and they standas a caution to progressives elsewhere aboutthe care necessary to unite the broadestpossible consensus around progressiveapproaches to teaching about topics likesexual or cultural identity. Democraticprocess and clear guidelines are essential.

If the response to Children of theRainbow showed how complicated it is toput multicultural education into classroompractice, it also showed what a reservoir ofbigotry and hatred its opponents have todraw on. "A curriculum that was designedto promote tolerance has instead revealed anastonishing level of homophobia," notedRon Madison, a member of the Gay andLesbian Teachers Associalion. As J;>islrict24's campaign continued into the fall, itspread to other districts, leading to at leasttwo threats on Fernandez's life, policeprotection for several local school boards,and outbreaks of violence at several publicmeetings.Subsidized busloads of parents and angry

residents descended on community schoolboard meetings to condemn the curriculum.Conservative whites who had opposed civilrights, afflrmative action, and bilingualeducation made common cause withreligious Latino communities. Gay rightsadvocates were baited as the representativesof an elite, white agenda which had neverbeen concerned about other racial or ethnicminorities. Sharp class divisions surfacedbetween gay professionals and black,Latino, and white working classconstituencies.Brooklyn's District 15, a Latino, African

American, white working class, andCatholic area which also has a sizable gayand lesbian community, reflected all thesetensions. Norm Fruchter, CSB #15 presidentand a long-time parent advocate andeducation activist, recalls, "From the firstmeeting in September, it was very clear thatthere was a very large, incrediblyaggravated, almost panic-stricken group ofpeople, predominantly Latino, who weremobilized around the curriculum issue."Progressive members on the local boardwanted to counter distortions of thecurriculum and limit the extent of thegrowing polarization. Working with themore conservative members, they settled ona series of meetings that would give thecommunity the sort of input they hadn't hadearlier.

It seemed like a good place to start.Heather Lewis, a parent activist and District15 board member, remembers theNovember hearing as "a model of whatdemocracy should be. Itwas difficultbecause there were very strong feelings onboth sides, but democracy is messy." Over90 people spoke and many were "incrediblymoving." But while this was exactly the sortof process needed to create a constituencyfor tolerance, it also exposed the depth andcomplexity of the tensions involved.Most of those who spoke in support of the

curriculum were white and, in many cases,professional or middle class. "I'm gay andI'm a homeowner," some speakers assertedin the course of impassioned pleas for theirrights, as if their mortgages somehow lentlegitimacy to their status. (Conversely, thenewspapers rarely failed to call Rainbowsupporters "activists" while its opponentswere usually "parents.") Still, as Fruchtersaw it, many gay advocates, given their ownanger and pain, found ildicr":,ult lDrecognize the fears and resentments of thegroups which had been maneuvered intoopposition against them: "I'm not sure howmany people saw the class aspects of it atall. I think what many people saw wereopponents, and sometimes they saw peopleacting only out of ignorance. Thoseperceptions didn't help."Most of those who spoke against the

curriculum were Latino, along with black orwhite working-class parents. While theiropposition to the curriculum wasundoubtedly heavily motivated by religiousviews. there were other concerns at work aswell. "The schools aren't teaching kids toread and write," some complained. "Whydon't schools leave this personal stuff to thefamilies and concentrate on the basics?"Such arguments, even if disingenuous, alsostruck a chord. School failure is a desperateissue in many communities. If anti-bias

One of the demonstrations against New York's Rainbow curriculum.

reading list. But CSB #24 remainedcompletely hostile to the curriculum andrefused repeated invitations to submit analternative. To die-hard opponents, thewording and the details were almost besidethe point. They were looking for ways tosharpen the confrontation, not defuse it.

The Opt-out OptionA number of people, including writer and

gay advocate Richard Goldstein, supportedproposals 10 let parents "opt-out" ofcurriculum units they deemed inappropriateby pulling their kids out of class. When"two powerful commitments -like gayrights and parental rights - collide,"Goldstein argued, opt-outs make sense."What is at stake here has less to do withdiscrimination than with the power ofcentral authorities to determine educationalstandards without parental consent. That's abattle progressi ves have been waging fordecades against these same authorities."But while it may sometimes make tactical

Things Turn Ugly sense to propose such provisions as a wayWhen it came time to make a decision to limit resistance to teaching about

things turned ugly. Lopez recalls the session homosexuality and other topics likeat which District 15 adopted its compromise abortion, opt-outs really beg the issue. Forresolution: "It wasn't a discussion; it was one thing, the anti-bias intentions of thethe most horrible display of human Rainbow curriculum are not confined tointolerance and bad behavior and the ugly particular units that parents could exemptside of people. Anybody that got up to their kids from. The point is to promote aspeak for the curriculum was told to shut pervasive and systematic approach to'up, sit down, go home. There were more reducing prejudice in all areas. The methodsthan enough obscenities yelled out. By the proposed by the Rainbow curriculum applytime it came down to vote, people were on as much to everyday classroom practice andtheir feet yelling at us, and all we could do unanticipated situations as they do to awas yell out our vote. The only one who particular set of lessons.had any chance to say anything was the one More fundamentally, the issue is one ofboard member who voted against it. The how to make and carry out democraticpolice had to escort us out. Itwas education policy. Every parent should haveparticularly humiliating, one of the most a right to participate in the making of publichnmiljatjQj 'biAS' I vee a P..l!!lr:.>.'I'f...........__ ~~~~.~~. ~-!l!lea~n~in~f~~~~""'_ ..could not reason. at no rnornen ."" indivi U paren 0 v ng tDistrict IS's resolution called for using unilaterally impose their own version of it

Children of the Rainbow to support first on teachers and schools. Should prejudicedgrade teachers in their efforts to promote parents, as matter of school policy, be ablemulticulturalism and reduce bias. It also to pull their kids out of black historyreaffirmed the board's "belief that the most programs? Should anti-Semitic parents beeffective curricula are developed at the able to avoid lessons on the Holocaust?district and school levels rather than at the Parents have a right to teach their beliefs toCentral Board" and called for meetings at their children, but public school is whereevery school to discuss how "the district's kids are taught what society thinks of itself.goals of respect for family and cultural What that vision should be continues to be adiversity, tolerance, bias awareness and matter of sharp struggle, but it shouldconflict resolution" were being addressed. remain a collective, rather than anIn response to critics' claims and parents' individual process. Students should befears, the resolution stated that "there will exposed to values and norms of behaviorbe no specific references to sexuality in first that presumably give everyone a stake ingrade" and that schools should disregard making social institutions workany "specific reference to teaching about democratically. In the process, hopefullysexual orientation." Some gay and lesbian they willieam mutual respect and theactivists complained that this retreated too critical skills needed to make their ownfar, but since the real intent of the Rainbow judgments about what hoth their schoolscurriculum was to teach tolerance, not and their parents tell them.sexuality, CSB #15 members argued that There's also another issue: "choice."the resolution effectively 'undercut the Extending the logic of opt-outs, some haveopposition while preserving the goal of seized on the Rainbow controversy as yetpromoting respect for all groups including another argument for a system of publicgays and lesbians. The resolution passed 7 school "choice." The Wall Street Journalto 1. asserted that the entire Rainbow controversyProgressives responded in several other "all adds up to more fuel for the burgeoning

ways. People About Changing Education school-choice movement." In the New York(PACE), a multiracial activist group that Times, Richard Vigilante of the Center forpublishes a citywide paper on school issues Social Thought wrote that "choice" is "acalled School Voices, initiated a broadly- successful and honorable way to avoid thebased Campaign for Inclusive Multicultural culture wars that threaten our schools ...!n aEducation. The Campaign enlisted hundreds true school choice program Heather hasof individuals and organizations in support Two Mommies ...would be read by childrenof the Rainbow curriculum. Through news whose parents chose the schools thatreleases, press conferences and public accepted the textbook. Overnight, the fightforums, the Campaign helped raise the over the Rainbow Curriculum, like all suchprofile of progressive Latino, African fights for control over 'the system' wouldAmerican, and Jewish groups which spoke become moot." -up for multicultural inclusion in the very The choice scenario, here applied tocommunities that the right had mobilized curriculum issues, envisions an educationalagainst it. market system that would remain "public"More than half of the local boards only in its provision of public funds to

responded to protests by delaying mention individual schools. Such a system could beof gays and lesbians to 5th or 6th grade or quite friendly to pockets of educationalotherwise modifying the guide. Fernandez privilege and prejudice. Allowing parents orreadily accepted Ihese changes and also students to escape any contact withordered several of the most controversial democratically achieved guidelines onpassages in the guide rewritten. "Heather" social policy or racial and culturaland ber two moms were taken off the continued on page 11

Spring 1993 Rethinking Sctioots Page 11

Aghast over AladdinA Parent Grapples with Stereotypes in Disney's Latest Hit

By Barbara Miner

It was to be one of the high points of ourChristmas vacation: a family trip to seeAladdin. The movie had been a hotplayground topic for weeks, and some kidshad already seen it two or three times.

We set the date, got to the movie theatreon time (no small feat), bought the requisitelarge popcorn with butter, and settled in fora good time. My six- and eight-year-olddaughters could barely sit still. I didn'tshare their manic anticipation, but wasnonetheless curious. Aladdin had beenbilled as the first animated Disney film tofeature non-white heroes, an example of anew, multiculturally sensitive Disney.

But my high expectations sank with theopening scene. As a Bedouin rides hiscamel through the desert, the followinglyrics are blasted to impressionable kids aspart of the song "Arabian Nights":I come from a landFrom a faraway place,Where the caravan camels roam.Where they cUioff your earIf they don't /ike your face.It's barbaric, but hey, it's home."If this is the new, multiculturally sensitive

Disney, I thought, please bring back Goofy.Unfortunately, the stereotypes continued.

Arabs with sinister eyes, big noses, beardsand turbans filled the screen, almost all ofthem brandishing swords. Evil charactersspoke with Arabic or non-discernableforeign "accents." Good characters talkedlike Americans or, in the case of the "royal"characters, like the British. The fictitioustown- of Agrabah. w e - h tic

the almost perfect stereotype of third worldcities in general and Middle Eastern cities inparticular.

It's little wonder that top-40 disc jockeyCasey Kasem, a Lebanese-American, hascalled Aladdin "gratuitous Arab-bashing."

In one especially offensive scene, amarketplace vendor wants to cut off thehand of Princess Jasmine because she tookan apple to feed a hungry child - a not -so-subtle attack on Islam, a religion embracedby more than I billion people worldwide.

What about our non-white hero andheroine, Aladdin and Princess Jasmine?Amazingly, they had been transformed intoalmost perfect Europeans, a cartoonequivalent of Barbie and Ken. No beard,turban, big nose, sword or "accent" forAJaddin - in fact, the character was

modeled in part after all-American moviestar Tom Cruise.

So, I realized, that's how Disney makesmulticultural characters palatable: he turnsthem into honorary whites.

Despite my criticisms, I found myselfseduced by the film. As critics have noted,it is one of the most beautiful animatedfilms to ever whiz across a movie screen.And Robin Williams transforms the genieinto one of the zaniest, funniest, mostlovable Disney characters yet. By themovie's end, one tends to forget thestereotypes that dominate in the beginning.Further, there are clearly positive values inthe film: AJaddin uses his wits rather thanhis brawn to defeat Jafar, for example, andJasmine shows some welcomeindependence - a far cry from manyHollywood female characters ..

After we left the theater, I had to decide.Should I let the stereotypes slide or try totalk to my kids about them? It's a decisionthat confronts many parents almost daily,whether it's Aladdin, Nancy Drew books, orTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Parents and StereotypesAJthough fighting racist and sexist

stereotypes is rarely brought up whenteachers talk about parental involvement intheir child's education, it's a key area.Sadly, there is almost nothing available tohelp parents do so. Further, parents needmore than tips on what to tell their kids.They need advice on how. Classroomlessons usually aren't easily transferable tothe home. Many kids will listen respectfullyto teachers and accept their lessons as thetruth but Iook.at their arents like

the same issues.Not wanting to admit defeat without even

trying, later that night I asked my eight-year-old, Caitlin, what she thought ofAladdin. Her predictable response: sheloved it. I then asked her if she thoughtthere were any stereotypes. She's been inenough discussions about stereotypes, bothat home and in school, so that even bringingup the subject puts her on guard. I could seethe anguish on her face: here goes momagain, spoiling something fun by bringingup stereotypes.

"Didn't it seem odd to you that all the badpeople had big noses and carried swords?" Iasked. (I admit I'm not very skilled at suchdiscussions, but figured I had to startsomewhere.)

"But mom," Caitlin responded, "all

Aladdin, billed as an example of Disney's multicultural sensitivity,is light-skinned and speaks teenage American English.

cartoon characters have big noses." values. Such tensions, I think, are an"But not all Arabs have big noses and inherent part of parenting. The problem for

carry swords, and the movie made it seem me isn't discussing stereotypes, but how tolike they did," I countered. do so in a way that helps the kids develop

"Well, I'm not sure what an Arab is," she their own critiques rather than having momanswered. dish out the correct line.

I suddenly realized the truly insidious So I stumble ahead. Encouragingly, I alsonature of Aladdin. Unlike stereotypes of know that at least some of my admonitionsNative Americans or African-Americans. are sinking in, albeit in a contradictory way.

r m h ililinlil.•• Iii~·~'inii . estereotypes, Arabs are open game becausekids rarely know anything about them.

I've mentioned the film's stereotypes acouple of other times to Caitlin, but I haveno clue whether any of it has sunk in. Oneproblem is my own lack of knowledgeabout Arabs and Islam. But I figure thatdoing something, even if it is bumblinglyinadequate, is better than nothing. I've alsotalked over the problem with other parents,one of whom approaches the issue byasking her kids what Disney characters theylike and why, trying to help the kids figureout for themselves the subtleties ofstereotypes.

While my kids often groan, tap their feetand look away when I start talking aboutstereotypes, I remember how much Iresisted my mother's attempts to instill her

school because "they are sexist.""Aha!" I thought. "Victory on at least one

front."Two days later, however, I realized my

victory was limited."Mom, can you buy me one of those

Barbies with long hair?" Caitlin asked. "Ionly have the Barbies with the short hair."o

The American-Arab Anti-DiscriminationCommittee in Washington, D.C. haslaunched a campaign, asking Disney toreplace the opening lyrics before the film isreleased in video. Letters should be sent toJeffrey Katzenberg, Chairman, Walt DisneyStudios, 500 South Buena Vista St.,Burbank, CA 91521-1070.

continued from page 10differences is, in fact, not democratic at all.Such proposals reinforce suspicions that thereal goal of "choice" plans is to underminepublic education as a democratic socialinstitution and to preserve class and racialinequalities.

In this connection, it's worth noting thatthe focus on same sex families in thecampaign against Children of the Rainbowmasks a deeper resistance to other forms ofmulticulturalism. While progressiveeducators are trying to expand multiculturaleducation to include real recognition ofdiversity and programs that actively fightbias, others want to keep it confined tosuperficial versions of melting pot mythsand exclude whole categories of people."Multiculturalism does not include life-styles," said one district board member, as ifit applied only to those willing to adoptconventional modes of behavior and belief.Similarly, Michael Petrides, a member ofthe Central Board from Staten Island,complained that "educators are now pickingoff voting blocs like politicians, to make

_ sure voting blocs are represented in the

curriculum. We are dissecting everythinginto what is special and different, ratherthan what we have in common."

Such claims - which are wildly exagger-ated - reflect the discomfort historicallyprivileged groups feel in the face ofdemands for inclusion and more democraticversions of curriculum. In most schools,multiculturalism hasn't even begnn to gobeyond food festivals and superficialcelebrations of holidays. It hasn't begun toexplain why some "differences" translateinto access to wealth and power, whileothers become a source of discriminationand injustice. Opponents want to limitmulticultural initiatives before they developinto more substantive pluralist and anti-racist efforts. Attacking tolerance for gayfamilies is a way of attacking multiculturaleducation at its perceived weakest link.

What role for parents?With the Board and much of the city

deeply divided following Fernandez'souster, the search for a replacement is likelyto be long and difficult. In fact, the one

point of broad agreement seems to be thatthe current structure is unworkable. As itnow stands, the Mayor appoints two of theseven Central Board members, and the fiveborough presidents each appoint one. Thisarrangement produces a body with littlecoherence or accountability.

Norm Fruchter argnes, "Long term,there's a major problem with governance inNYC schools. And it's not only governance,but bureaucratic layers that impede anythingreal happening at the school level."

In the short run, however, the next battlewill focus on local school board electionsset for this spring. Churches andconservative groups are expected to run anunprecedented number of candidates usingthe AIDS, condom, and curriculumcontroversies as the basis of theircampaigns. PACE, along with other groups,is trying to organize slates of progressivecandidates that respond not only withforthright support for multiculturalinclusion, but also with a comprehensiveprogram for school change.

Yet while the elections may be hotly

contested, they're not likely to resolvemuch. In the final analysis, the deeper issueraised by the struggle over Children if theRainbow is what role the majority of publicschool parents will play in efforts to remakean educational system that is failing theirchildren.

In last fall's general elections, there was aconcerted national campaign by far-rightgroups to target parents and win schoolboard seats (see story page 9). Aided byhomophobia and racial tension, the forces ofthe right are trying to mobilize parents,including large numbers of Latinos, Asians,and African Americans, behindconservative "family values" and racial-cultural backlash. How to counter thisconservative campaign and enlist parents incampaigns for more democratic schoolingremains the unfinished lesson of theRainbow curriculum. 0Stan Karp, a Rethinking Schools editorial

associate, teaches English and Journalismat J.F.K. High School in Paterson, NJ. Anexpanded version of this article appeared inthe March 1993 Z magazine.

Page 12 Rethinking Schools-------------....,;,.---RETHINKING THE CLASSROOM

Spring 1993

There's More to Heroes than He-ManBy Marcie Osinsky

In Rethinking the Classroom, we hope to collect stories ofteaching and learning that illustrate basic features of acritical pedagogy. In the following, Marcie Osinskyunderscores the importance of chipping away at thetraditional split between classroom and community. Sheemphasizes the need to build a curriculum characterized by"listening, telling, and questioning."

The unit Osinsky describes shows that the classroom canbe a place to challenge commercially produced icons andvalues. Students learn that we can create our own"heroes," our own "models of strength," throughclassroom dialogue and drawing on community traditions.

While Osinky's article describes working with first andsecond graders, there are ideas here for teachers of allages.

Bill Bigelow and Linda Christensen

As part of a year-long folktale curriculum, last winter Ibegan a study of heroes and heroines with my first andsecond grade class. First the kids and Ibrainstormed aboutheroic characters. The Ninja Turtles and He-Man topped thelist. The children's concept of heroism did not includepeople in their own lives.As a result, Idecided to use oral history and storytelling

techniques to highlight the heroism of people close to them.Children need to see models of strength and courage withintheir own families and communities in order to identifysuch qualities in themselves. I have also found that oralhistory and storytelling are wonderful ways to includeparents in building a classroom community which respectsdiffering perspectives and voices.After making our own definitions of heroism using

storybooks and folktales, we invited parents to a "story-sharing breakfast" to talk to us about people who wereheroic in their lives. In phone conversations and informalchats, parents and I spoke about heroic people and roleIIllldeb inour lives.To prepare the children, I modeled an interview where I

made a lot of mistakes. I interrupted and asked questionsout of the blue. The kids told me what I did wrong. We thendid mini-interviews where I interviewed another adult abouthis/her heroic person.Then we had our "story-sharing breakfast." The parents

sat in small groups with the children and told stories andanswered questions. The images of all the characters in thestories filled the room. One grandmother talked of how shestowed away on a ship to Europe in World War IIin orderto be a foreign correspondent. One man told how hedelivered eggs early each day in order to put himselfthrough college while raising his family. As the storiesprogressed, the atmosphere became one of listening, telling,and questioning.Kids were involved in the conversation and learned what

was dear to their parents. They learned the importance oflistening, and realized how experiences and values passdown through generations.Soon after the story-sharing breakfast, for example,

Gabriel and Brent were chopping onions in class to makesoup. Gabriel was having difficulty and Brent showed himhis techniques to cut onions, explaining: "This is how Ichop onions. This is how my mom chops onions and mynana chops onions. This is how my whole family chopsonions. We've been chopping onions like this since - sincethe cavemen."The stories also connected the kids to another time in

history when people also faced everyday hardships, some ofwhich these kids may be facing now. They had manyquestions about life "back then."While quite a few parents told dramatic stories about war

and conflicts from their home countries, others told storiesthat showed the heroism of difficult decisions and everydaystruggles.One parent, Lynne, told how she wanted to be a dancer

and moved from the West Coast to Boston. She explainedhow hard it was to be alone in a strange city and to try tomake it in a career such as dancing. She told of anotherdancer who encouraged her and gave her confidence. "I willalways remember her," Lynn said of the dancer, "becausesbo pvo..me sucb strenad'.Jo 89 af&cI' what I WW1*W tg dg .,

One student said of Lynne's story, "She was her own

hero." When I asked why, the child said, "because it was ascary thing to move from California and to become a dancerand live here and she did it."One parent told of a man saving her mother's life when

she was hit by a car in Haiti. The accident occurred duringcurfew at a time of political unrest, and the driver did notstop. An ambulance was called but did not come. Peoplewere afraid the woman might die. ''Then a man walked toher [my mother], grabbed her and put her on his shoulder,"the parent said. "He carried her to the hospital. If he had notcarried my mother, I would not have a mother right now.That man was not afraid to get killed on the street."The kids were upset after hearing the story. They asked

questions like, "Why couldn't you go out in the street? Whowould shoot you? Why would you get shot by police if youhad not done anything wrong?"Kids then made connections to stories they had heard

about events in Boston or Los Angeles. I felt it wasimportant to give the children a forum to raise theirconcerns and know that there are adults who share thoseconcerns. The story-telling became a sophisticateddiscussion of attitudes toward solving conflicts.As we continued this work, I began to see how stories

help connect the listener to a different time, place andcultural context, giving the children a sense of belonging toa larger history. After learning that she had family roots inAfrica and after hearing more stories about the continent,Darlene said, "Oh yeab, I been to Africa, with myancestors."Through the project, I discovered the power of

storytelling, not only to create a curriculum respectingdiverse perspectives but to allow parents and children tohelp shape that curriculum so that it reflects their realities.The stories from our breakfast became an important part

of life at our school. We illustrated and transcribed themand made a book. Throughout the year, the book was readover and over again by the kids and parents. 0

Marcie Osinsky teaches first and second grade at MartinLuther King Jr. school in Cambridge, MA.

A Parent's PerspectiveThe Community's Role in School ReformBy Herbert Kohl

Being both a parent and an educator hasgiven me some uneasy moments. Our threechildren went to public elementary and highschools. In high school, they all rebelledagainst the sexist and racist practices thatwere (and still are) normal operatingprocedure at the school.My daughter Erica, for example,

mobilized a boycott of slave day, when first-and second-year students were auctioned offto seniors and became their slave for a day. Isuggested that parents become involved, too,but Erica and her friends told us to let themtake care of it themselves. Which I did. Thestudents didn't want parent involvement, acommon phenomenon among high schoolstudents. The boycott succeeded - slaveday was canceled for the year. But Erica andher friends graduated, and the next year thestaff and principal reinstituted that ceremonyof humiliation.A similar dilemma exist for parents.My wife Judy and I agitated to improve

the schools in our communities for the IIyears our children attended them. I eventaught electives when they were allowed,and served a 2-year term on the elementaryschool board.Over time, I learned that each time a group

of parents began to effectively change theschool, their ranks were decimated by acombination of intimidation by schoolofficials, parents sending their children toalternative schools.or parents dropping outbecause their children had graduated. Thestaff and administration - almost all ofwhom had been at the school at least IO

years - were able to subvert the changeswe parents had forced them to make.After our third child graduated from high

school, Judy and I also dropped out fromthe struggle. Since we were no longerparents, our role was often questioned. Andwe were tired.However, hope springs eternal, I guess. I

am now re-involved as an educator andcommunity member. I also believe I'mmore effective now.As a parent, I responded, as most parents

do, to a particular injury or problem facingmy child. I didn't take the time to analyzethe system itself. Looking back, one of thethings that kept our parent group from beingmore effective is that we didn't focus onimportant or broad enough issues - issuesthat would affect incoming parents just asthey affected us.However, the results of my experiences

weren't all negative. Many of the parentscurrently at our schools trust us to helpthem. To lose is not everything if you arewilling to keep on fighting,These days I am involved in fighting the

stigmatizing system of classifying studentsas educationally handicapped or disabled.The system is used to punish andmarginalize youngsters who resistconformity and, in our community, tends tobe applied to entire groups of students suchas Native Americans. We have had somewonderful success with children whoflowered when protected from suchcategorizing and were instead giveneducational resources that speakrespectfully to their culture and community.I have also learned that as a community

member and an educator (but not an

Community activists, reporters, and police gather in front of I.S. 201in Harlem, NY,during the community takeover of the school in fall,1966.Herb Kohl was active in the takeover.

employee of the school district), I have beenable to develop effective ways to supportparents' struggles and help nurture a long-term movement to reform schools.Parents have to be in the forefront of

change. But it is probably best for them toally themselves with community peoplewho are willing to continue the strugglewhen the parents' own children leave theschools. Better yet, it would be wonderful ifparents conceive of their roles as more thanstruggling over their own children'seducation, and view involvement as anobligation undertaken as a member of the

community for the benefit of all children.Even the most recalcitrant of teachers and

administrators might be unable to resistsustained community-based opposition.Further, those teachers and administratorstempted to join with the community mighttake that bold step if they feel that parentsupport will not disappear under pressure ordissipate through attrition. 0

Herbert Kohl is author of36 Childrenand, most recently, From Archetype toZeitgeist. r

Spring 1993 Rethinking Schools Page 13

Boston Project Trains Parents

Ask the Right QuestionBy Steven Backman

BOSTON - At 6:30 p.rn., after aparticularly cold winter day, about 25 publicschool parents gathered in a semi-circle.They sat nervously, awaiting the start of aschool-related conference. The two womenwho called the meeting passed out formsshowing basic arithmetic problems given tofirst graders. Then they passed out examplesof work given to children in 12th grade.Much to everyone's surprise, both times

the parents were given the same basicarithmetic problems.The group buzzed with questions. Why

were their children in 12th grade given suchbasic problems? Could they talk to theteacher? Could they look at the curriculum?What is going on? Why weren't they toldthat their children were doing so poorly inmath? A lively discussion ensued.The gathering was not a "real" school

conference. Rather, the "conference" was arole-playing workshop organized by aparent training group called The RightQuestion. Interestingly, however, none ofthe parents at the workshop said the mathproblem was extreme and could neverhappen.A two-year-old project started in nearby

Somerville and Lawrence among Latinoparents, The Right Question gives work-shops that teach parents how to deal with In Boston, the Right Question Project has hold public institutions accountable? strategy, using everyday settings outside theschool officials and ask questions that can joined with the Parents' Institute for Quality The Right Question's organizing strategy schools like living rooms, churchhelp them advocate for their children. It was Urban Education - a citywide coalition of is based on community workshops by basements, English as a second languageformed on the premise that democracy community and school groups -to form a trained facilitators. The facilitators try to classes, and adult literacy classes. It plans toneeds citizens who can ask questions. Parents Organizing Project that makes use give parents the self-esteem and self- expand its scope in the corning year byThe privately funded project targets low- of The Right Question'S workshop strategy. confidence needed to take part in school training new parents to offer similar

income parents, who often have the least The strategy encourages parents to ask issues, using role-plays of everyday school workshops around the city.connection to parent-~~o~nm~omu;;s~.Erve~n:.._.u~e~s~ti~o.ns.aib~oiu!lt~h~o.wlldliec!iisiiiiojnls~arieiiimiia!ld..e ..... sliiltuiia.ti~Oiinsli·iI.n.thiiie~w.olirk.s~ho•• I ~at.te.n.d~ed.th.i.S.. ~.PlartiiOjflth.e.viial.u.e.oif.th.e.r~oili·eiclt·~s.alill.o.ac.h__ IlM!III!Iii~il: \heir children do ootbav ,school, many poor or minority parents avoid how those decisions will affect them. It curriculum issues such as the math problem materials or high-paid consultants. Rather, itschool conferences or don't have the self- focuses on four issues: to wider issues such as discipline and is part of an education reform strategy thatconfidence to ask questions of school staff. • How can low-income parents become an demands for multicultural curricula. is linked to community-based efforts. ItsAs a The Right Question leaflet explains, active constituency for educational reform? Since mid-I990, The Right Question has methods apply not only to education, but

"Parents do not need to be experts to • How can family literacy programs led more than 24 workshops involving 400 other situations where low-incomeadvocate for their children, but they do need prepare parents to be effective monitors and predominantly Latino parents. communities must deal with publiclyto be able to ask questions of the experts. advocates throughout their children's Educator Dan Rothstein started the funded bureaucracies.We have learned from many parents that schooling? project, whose board of directors includeswhen they acquire self-advocacy skills, they • How can one further develop critical- both parents and well-known academicsare more able and more likely to support, thinking and advocacy skills among such as child psychologist Robert Colesmonitor, and advocate for their children's disenfranchised citizens? from Harvard University.education and for education reform." • How can one enable ordinary citizens to The project has honed its workshop

o

~~"'-o=r

"..o'!.3"-g!?<r!!.....L ..

The Right Question Project helps parents become stronger advocates for their children.

Helping Parents to Ask TheRight Questions About TrackingBy Anne Wheelock

Whereas upper-income parents frequentlyunderstand the implications of placementdecisions and also bave the skills to negoti-ate about situations that may be detrimentalto their children, low-income parents maynot bave these advantages.Dan Rothstein, director of The Right

Question Project, describes how a workshopon tracking focuses on the impact ofgrouping on children:We give each participant two sheets of

paper stapled together. On the first page wewrite: "What Your Child Should Learn: TheCurriculum for All the District'sSchoolchildren." Underneath is a drawing(an original by a six-year-old) of a boy and agirl sharing a book, standing under a smilingsun.On the second page we write: "The full

curriculum is 100 pages long." On half ofthe papers we hand out a second page thatreads: "Your child will be taught the full 100pages." The other half of the papers state:"Your child will be taught only the first 50

pages."We then ask parents what they received.

0Ne ask for volunteers because if someparents cannot read, they will still be able toparticipate fully.) When the parents whoreceived a curriculum that states that theirchild will be taught only the first 50 pageshear that others are being taught the full 100pages, they ask:Why is my child only being taught 50

pages?What does it mean that he's only taught

50 pages?Who made that decision?When was it made?Why is this important?If I want to know, is this something I have

a right to know?Am I supposed to be involved? Can I be?On a few of the papers we put down some

grades in English and math. The gradeswere all "A"s. We ask what kinds ofquestions the parents have about the grades.Here are some:What does the "A" mean?Does it mean the same for the I00- and

50-page curriculum?

Do they tell us somehow on the reportcard to which curriculum it belongs?We then ask them to reflect on the

significance of the grades. One father said:"If I didn't know that there are differentprograms, then I'd be happy if my sonbrought home 'A's. But I'd be pretty upsetif I knew there was a 25-page curriculum, a50-page curriculum, and a loo-pagecurriculum."Parents' newfound awareness of the

consequences of placement decisions anddifferential curriculum for their childrenleads to further questions. Frequently,African-American, Latino, and low-incomeparents may begin to wonder about thelikelihood of their children being assignedto the "low" classes, and decide to takeaction to cbange that placement. Under-standing the implications of tracking canalso become the basis for a parent-initiatedreview ofsystem-wide placement practicesand collective action for change. 0Anne Wheelock is an educational writer

and consultant. The above is condensedfrom her book, Crossing the Tracks (NY:New Press, 1992).

The Project's ApproachFor school activists, The Right Question

Project suggests a different way to thinkabout school reform. Generally, publicschool reform efforts are built around thosewho are already involved, especiallyteachers and professional educators. Parentsand students who want to assert their rightsoften face a bewildering landscape of pre-existing programmatic conflicts,philosophical debate, and budget issues. Asgroups try to become more sophisticated inorder to take on city and school authorities,it can become even more difficult for newparents to join in.Realistically, only a relative handful of

parents can or will learn the language ofteachers, administrators, and educators. Thislimits the ability of most parents to advocatefor their children. It also limits all parentsand community members who want to buildeffective movements involving both schoolsand the communities they serve.Ultimately, any citywide or broader

coalition has to address these issues. TheRight Question Project's approach is apotentially tremendous resource, especiallywhen it can be used in conjunction withspecific organizing by other groups aroundissues such as tracking.The parents of students in our urban

schools must be brought into the process ofreform, not as add-ons but as essentialplayers. The Right Question Project seemsto be on the right track to help accomplishthis. 0Steven Backman has two children in the

Boston public schools and has been activein the Parents Agenda Project sponsored byBoston's Citywide Parent's Council. Forthe address of The Right Question see p. 29.

Spring 1993 Rethinking Schools Page 13

Boston Project Trains Parents

Ask the Right QuestionBy Steven Backman

BOSTON - At 6:30 p.m., after aparticularly cold winter day, about 25 publicschool parents gathered in a semi-circle.They sat nervously, awaiting the start of aschool-related conference. The two womenwho called the meeting passed out formsshowing basic arithmetic problems given tofirst graders. Then they passed out examplesof work given to children in 12th grade.Much to everyone's surprise, both times

the parents were given the same basicarithmetic problems.The group buzzed with questions. Why

were their children in 12th grade given suchbasic problems? Could they talk to theteacher? Could they look at the curriculum?What is going on? Why weren't they toldthat their children were doing so poorly inmath? A lively discussion ensued.The gathering was not a "real" school

conference. Rather, the "conference" was arole-playing workshop organized by aparent training group called The RightQuestion. Interestingly, however, none ofthe parents at the workshop said the mathproblem was extreme and could neverhappen.A two-year-old project started in nearby

Somerville and Lawrence among Latinoparents, The Right Question gives work-shops that teach parents how to deal with In Boston, the Right Question Project has hold public institutions accountable? strategy, using everyday settings outside theschool officials and ask questions that can joined with the Parents' Institute for Quality The Right Question's organizing strategy schools like living rooms, churchhelp them advocate for their children. It was Urban Education - a citywide coalition of is based on community workshops by basements, English as a second languageformed on the premise that democracy community and school groups - to form a trained facilitators. The facilitators try to classes, and adult literacy classes. It plans toneeds citizens who can ask questions. Parents Organizing Project that makes use give parents the self-esteem and self- expand its scope in the coming year byThe privately funded project targets low- of The Right Question's workshop strategy. confidence needed to take part in school training new parents to offer similar

income parents, who often have the least The strategy encourages parents to ask issues, using role-plays of everyday school workshops around the city.connection to parent-supp~,o~rt~~~OmUte~s.~E~v~e::.:n,-....;q~uiies;u~·olinislia,b"oiu~tp'hO~WliMdfec"l"'slio~nisijar~e!imliad!ilef!llllll'lIIIIisjiliuiaitio,niiisii'IIn.thiie~Wlo~r,kish~o.I.aiii'ii,einiid.edi-iithiiiis_..... Piarii'loilflthiie.v,aliiiue.o,fiiilhieiir,oJi·eiiict.·is~a,p'"oiiac.h__ II!J.";if their children do not have trou es a , •school, many poor or minority parents avoid how those decisions will affect them. It curriculum issues such as the math problemschool conferences or don't have the self- focuses on four issues: to wider issues such as discipline andconfidence to ask questions of school staff. • How can low-income parents become an demands for multicultural curricula.As a The Right Question leaflet explains, active constituency for educational reform? Since mid-I990, The Right Question has

"Parents do not need to be experts to • How can family literacy programs led more than 24 workshops involving 400advocate for their children, but they do need prepare parents to be effective monitors and predominantly Latino parents.to be able to ask questions of the experts. advocates throughout their children's Educator Dan Rothstein started theWe have learned from many parents that schooling? project, whose board of directors includeswhen they acquire self-advocacy skills, they • How can one further develop critical- both parents and well-known academicsare more able and more likely to support, thinking and advocacy skills among such as child psychologist Robert Colesmonitor, and advocate for their children's disenfranchised citizens? from Harvard University.education and for education reform." • How can one enable ordinary citizens to The project has honed its workshop

o[?'

~~~~..~3-gg<ii"c..l...._.......... ...._.~ii'

The Right Question Project helps parents become stronger advocates for their children.

Helping Parents to Ask TheRight Questions About TrackingBy Anne Wheelock

Whereas upper-income parents frequentlyunderstand the implications of placementdecisions and also have the skills to negoti-ate about situations that may be detrimentalto their children, low-income parents maynot have these advantages.Dan Rothstein, director of The Right

Question Project, describes how a workshopon tracking focuses on the impact ofgrouping on children:We give each participant two sheets of

paper stapled together. On the ftrst page wewrite: "What Your Child Should Learn: TheCurriculum for All the District'sSchoolchildren." Underneath is a drawing(an original by a six-year-old) of a boy and agirl sharing a book, standing under a smilingsun.On the second page we write: "The full

curriculum is 100 pages long." On half ofthe papers we hand out a second page thatreads: "Your child will be taught the full 100pages." The other half of the papers state:"Your child will be taught only the ftrst 50

pages."We then ask parents what they received.

(yte ask for volunteers because if someparents cannot read, they will still be able toparticipate fully.) When the parents whoreceived a curriculum that states that theirchild will be taught only the first 50 pageshear that others are being taught the full 100pages, they ask:Why is my child only being taught 50

pages?What does it mean that he's only taught

50 pages?Who made that decision?When was it made?Why is this important?If I want to know, is this something I have

a right to know?Am I supposed to be involved? Can I be?On a few of the papers we put down some

grades in English and math. The gradeswere all "A"s. We ask what kinds ofquestions the parents have about the grades.Here are some:What does the "A" mean?Does it mean the same for the I00- and

50-page curriculum?

Do they tell us somehow on the reportcard to which curriculum it belongs?We then ask them to reflect on the

significance of the grades. One father said:"If I didn't know that there are differentprograms, then I'd be happy if my sonbrought home 'A's. But I'd be pretty upsetif I knew there was a 25-page curriculum, a50-page curriculum, and a 100-pagecurriculum."Parents' newfound awareness of the

consequences of placement decisions anddifferential curriculum for their childrenleads to further questions. Frequently,African-American, Latino, and low-incomeparents may begin to wonder about thelikelihood of their children being assignedto the "low" classes, and decide to takeaction to change that placement. Under-standing the implications of tracking canalso become the basis for a parent-initiatedreview of system-wide placement practicesand collective action for change. 0Anne Wheelock is an educational writer

and consultant. The above is condensedfrom her book, Crossing the Tracks (NY:New Press, 1992).

materials or high-paid consultants. Rather, itis part of an education reform strategy thatis linked to community-based efforts. Itsmethods apply not only to education, butother situations where low-incomecommunities must deal with publiclyfunded bureaucracies.

The Project's ApproachFor school activists, The Right Question

Project suggests a different way to thinkabout school reform. Generally, publicschool reform efforts are built around thosewho are already involved, especiallyteachers and professional educators. Parentsand students who want to assert their rightsoften face a bewildering landscape of pre-existing programmatic conflicts,philosophical debate, and budget issues. Asgroups try to become more sophisticated inorder to take on city and school authorities,it can become even more difficult for newparents to join in.Realistically, only a relative handful of

parents can or will learn the language ofteachers, administrators, and educators. Thislimits the ability of most parents to advocatefor their children. It also limits all parentsand community members who want to buildeffective movements involving both schoolsand the communities they serve.Ultimately, any citywide or broader

coalition has to address these issues. TheRight Question Project's approach is apotentially tremendous resource, especiallywhen it can be used in conjunction withspecific organizing by other groups aroundissues such as tracking.The parents of students in our urhan

schools must be brought into the process ofreform, not as add-ens but as essentialplayers. The Right Question Project seemsto be on the right track to help accomplishthis. 0Steven Backman has two children in the

Boston public schools and has been activein the Parents Agenda Project sponsored byBoston's Citywide Parent's Council. Forthe address of The Right Question see p. 29.

Page 14 Rethinking Schools Spring 1993

What to Do If Your Child is on the Track to Nowhere

Why is Tracking Harmful?The following is adapted from an article

by the National Coalition of EducationActivists. The article is part of a packet ontracking entitled, "Maintaining Inequality."

Tracking is a way of sorting students.Sorting determines the kinds of skills,knowledge and resources available tostudents. Although it is often known asability grouping, tracking has very little todo with ability.

Rather, tracking is usually based onachievement as measured by standardizedtests or estimates of a child's ability. Evenwhen tracking is based on the judgement ofteachers, students, and/or parents, it rarelyaccounts for differences in family educationor circumstances, past school experiences,and other factors. It fails to fully considereach student's strengths, weaknesses, andpotential.

Tracking duplicates inequalities of race,class, and sex that exist throughout oursociety. In doing so it undermines the mostbasic goal of public education: to help allstudents reach their potential and preparethem for life as citizens in a democracy.

Tracking assumes students come withfixed academic abilities that don't change.Most research, however, supports the ideathat academic ability develops and isshaped by expectations and communitystandards.

Tracking does not raise students' orparents' expectations. It does not encourageeffort. It is not designed to help studentsprogress. Tracking does, however,pigeonhole students, without developing apIan for moving them forward.

Tracking results in labeling that also hasnegative effects. As many have observed,there is hardly anyone who isn't brightenough to understand they aren't consideredvery bright. For students in lower tracks,these labels become a self-fulfIllingprophecy. -

Tracking's advocates say groupingpenn its teachers to give more attention toindividual students' needs, allowing "high"achievers to progress more quickly and"low" achievers to set and meet reasonablegoals. However, most studies suggest thatwhen tracked classes do provide moreindividual attention,it is because classes aresmaller and teachers are using a widervariety of strategies, not because thestudents are at similar "levels."

There is little proof that tracking benefitsstudents. There is much evidence thatstudents in higher tracks receive certainadvantages that should be available to allstudents, including:

• Highly qualified, experienced teachers.• Additional resources.• Access to higher-level skills such as

critical thinking, and more intensive writingassignments.

• Exposure to a wider variety of teachingstrategies such as cooperative learning andlively discussions.

• Constructive, personal criticism asopposed to harsher correction in front ofother students.

• Access to specialized knowledge suchas higher mathematics and sciences.

• Active support from parent groups.Tracking creates classes teachers don't

want to teach and tends to segregatestudents based on race and class.

Common Tracking MethodsTeachers and parents sometimes believe

tracking is beneficial because it seems torespect differences among students.However, in the long run tracking isharmful - once a child is in a low track itis almost impossible to get out. Every daychildren spend in the low track they loseground to students in more advancedgroups.

Every school tracks differently. Thisarticle presents the most common forms of

Tracking often segregates studeDWalong liDes of_-a class.

tracking with the technical name and anexplanation of how it works. Since thesepractices can be hard to spot and someschools will deny using them, the explana-tions are followed by a list of questions tohelp you decide if negative forms of trackingare being used.

Elementary SchoolsAbility Grouping:

• Within grade level. Some schoolsdeliberately - through the use of test scores- or through carelessness create trackedclasses within grades. For instance, insteadof mixing all children in three second gradeclasses, the better prepared students end uptogether.

If your child seems to he with the samechildren year after year, or if the classesseem to be segregated by race, neighbor-hood, or the parents' background, you maywant to ask questions. (For ideas, see the liston page 15.)

• Within classes. Especially in readingand' math, students may be divided intogroups. Often the groups have names like"tigers." "panthers," and "bluebirds" insteadof "high," "middle," or "low:' Materials areusually different for each group, and whileadvanced groups get whole books, the lowergroups may get worksheets.

Action:If your child is in a lower-level group,

insist that there be a plan and a target datefor moving him or her into a higher level.Find out what you can do at home to helpimprove your child's skills and speed up theprocess.

Question tracking at PTA and other parentmeetings. Even though you may be able toprotect your child, others will he harmed ifthe practices continue. If you are able toconvince other parents that tracking isharmful, work together to get your school orthe entire system to adopt a plan to endtracking. Contact NCEA for organizingideas.

Pull-Out Programs:Many students are taken out of class for

special help as part of Chapter I, specialeducation, or some other program. Studentsin pull-outs are often labeled in negativeways. If the program's benefits trulyoutweigh this risk, parents and teachersshould try to make sure the students do notsee pull-outs as negative.

Students should be evaluated before theyare placedin pull-outs and clear, short-termgoals should be set. At the end of an agreed-upon period, the program should be evalu-ated to see if the child's needs are being metand progress is being made.

Action:Encourage the school to use Chapter 1

funds in such a way that extra help is .provided within the classroom. Fight forlower class sizes so teachers have time towork with every student.

Middle and High SchoolsAbility Grouping:

Tracking that began in elementary schoolis often continued in middle and highschools. Many schools use test scores andteacher recommendations to place studentsin classes or sections of classes.

Even if your school does not automaticallygroup students by "ability," you may want towatch out for the following tracking meth-ods:

• Class names. "General," "Developmen-tal," "Basic," and "Beginning" in coursetitles often mean lower track. Other times aclass will have sections A, B, and C, withthe letters standing for the level of difficulty.Section A may be the only one that preparesstudents to take later classes needed forcollege.

Some classes are known as "gatekeepers"or "prerequisites." They may be requiredbefore a student is permitted to take someother class. For instance, a student whowants to take geometry may need to takealgebra first, Occasionally schools will offer

certain gatekeepers only in the summer orwill charge a fee; this is probably illegal andyou should complain loudly.

• Electives. Once a student has signed upfor required courses, he or she can usuallychoose two or three more classes known as"electives." Sometimes students choosetheir own electives; other times they areadvised by counselors.

Foreign languages, journalism, photogra-phy, music performance, and similar classesare more likely to encourage criticalthinking and other higher-level skills thanwood shop, basic/general music, or intro-ductory art. The first group of classes arealso more likely to be filled with enthusias-tic students who may encourage others toraise their expectations.

Action:See action item under "Steering" below.

Steering:Counselors or other school staff may

discourage students from taking the mostchallenging courses. Sometimes they willsay the student is not prepared or will notbenefit from the class because they are notgoing to college.

Action:If the school has a list or catalogue of

classes, look it over with your child. Talkwith your child about what he or she wouldlike to take and what recommendations, ifany, the school counselor has made.

Make sure your child is not heing kept outof certain classes because of test scores orrecommendations. If you are told he or sheis not prepared for a certain class, find outhow to get prepared. If necessary, especiallyif the course is a "gatekeeper," insist thatthe school provide extra help.

Demand that your child get a strongbackground in English and math; that meansclasses that prepare them for college even ifthey're not sure they want to go. Don'taccept excuses about scheduling problems,from school staff. 0 '

1

Spring 1993 Rethinking Schools Page 15

Albany Project Advocates Alternatives

Parents Challenge TrackingBy Anne Wheelock

0

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! i!.

"1~- I "1 zl

1 ci!., ;;;l '"., m-e-em"

NCEALinks Parents, TeachersThe National Coalition of Education

Activists is a multiracial organization ofparents, teachers, union and communityactivists working to promote equity andfundamental education reform in localschool districts throughout the UnitedStates.Founded six years ago, NCEA acts as a

national network providing information andhelping activists from around the countrystay in touch. Based on a grass-rootsphilosophy that the communities in whichschools are located must be mobilizied forchange, NCEA bas a special focus onhelping parents and teachers work togetherfor change.Two NCEA events this summer may be

_of special interest to parents.• The NCEA and the National Coalition

, of Advocates for Students (NCAS) will co-

sponsor an institute for parents July 25-29,1993, in Washington, D.C., immediatelyprior to NCEA's annual conference (seebelow). Parent activists from around thecountry will have a chance to meet theirpeers, talk about their work, and improvetheir skills.Topics to be covered will include:

parents' vision of good schooling, gettingthe facts about your children's schools,parent empowerment vs. parent involve-ment, defining and addressing problems,and getting other parents involved.Registration fees are based on family

income.• The Sixth Annual Conference of the

National Coalition of Education Activistswill be held in Washington, D.C., Thurs-day, July 29 through Sunday, Aug. I.Theconference is titled "Building Bridges" and

will focus on parent-teacher relationships,creating anti-racist schools, educationreform under the Clinton Administration,and new ideas in teaching. Possibleworkshops include: "Beyond Bake Sales:Remaking the Relationship BetweenParents and Schools," "White Teachers/Students of Color," "Right-Wing Activismand Education," and "Teachers and ParentsTogether in the Classroom."A special effort is being made to balance

teacher and parent representation at theconference by giving preference inregistration to activists who sign up as partof a parent-teacher partnership. Fees arebased on family income. For moreinformation, call NCEA at 914-658-8115or write P.O. Box 405, Rosendale, NY12472.

stop there. As Joan Ekengren, a parentmember of ACE, reports, "We just have tokeep persevering and hammering away atthe issue, it seems. We hope that people willrealize we're not going to drop this. It's tooimportant!" 0

Anne Wheelock is an educational writerand consultant. The above is condensedfrom Anne Wheelock's book, Crossing theTracks (NY: New Press, 1992).

Is YourChildTracked?

,.

Page 16 Rethinking Schools Spring 1993

::II

~~"::ra.__ ':-" __ ...J

The cultural diversity of students in America's schools demands a curriculum that represents all.

Multicultural DemocraciesBy Theresa Perryand James W. Fraser

From the beginning of this nation's history the linkbetween democracy and education has been central todiscussions of schooling. While some Americans, for manydifferent reasons, have historically supported publicschooling, others have opposed or undermined it. Yetothers-s-from slaves who taught each other to read andwrite and as freed men and women established "native"schools, to nineteenth-century Roman Catholics whofounded parochial schools-have sought alternative meansof education. Despite differences, however, theseproponents of various options all have linked education tothe building of differing visions of democracy.

Today this nation's people are more diverse than ever. Ifthere is to be democracy in the twenty-first century, it mustbe a multiracial/multicultural democracy. Unless democracyis conceptualized such that all groups are included,democracy loses its meaning. And if a democracy whichincludes all of America's people is to be fostered in thisnation's educational system, then multicultural educationmust be at the heart, and not on the margins, of alldiscussions about education. Multicultural education is nota matter of simply adding new material to the schoolcurriculum, but of fundamentally re-visioning therelationship of schooling to a democratic society. Indeed,we believe multicultural education is the central issue ineducation in the decades ahead.

The debate over multiculturalism is not, at its core, aboutEurope and its relevance for America. It is not even aboutuniversal values and whether America can appeal to themany more. The debate is about the United States of America,and what its definitive values and identity will be in thenext century'!

In this nation, individuals and groups are in the midst of anational debate, an open conversation, not always carefullyorchestrated or well-reasoned. This conversation is notconfined to a particular place, or restricted in participation.It is occurring on urban street comers, in the feature articlesand on the editorial pages of our daily newspapers, inschool board meetings and faculty curriculum discussions,and, also, at some of our most prestigious universities.s A

struggle is occurring over appropriate mythologies andnarratives, about what this country can and will become.

The current "political correctness" debate is a small partof this larger conversation, this broad political struggle toredefine American life and culture.' The "political correct-ness" debate has been socially and politically constructed

We believe multiculturaleducation is the central issue ineducation in the decades ahead.

by neo-conservatives who understand that the politicalactivity of the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s and changingdemographics have created the conditions for a newdefinition of the democracy, one that is anti-racist, anti-sexist, anti-homophobic.

Redefining AmericaIn the midst of this broad-based struggle over the nature

and shape of our social and cultural institutions, the role ofadvocates for multicultural education is to re-visionAmerica, to redefine American life and culture, and todevelop metaphors, narratives, practices, and social andpower relations consonant with this new definition. Thequestion that must take center stage is, "Can we imagineand build a nation, as well as social, cultural, andeducational institutions, predicated on a diversity of racialand ethnic identities?" We assume that it is not onlypossible, but also very desirable, to build such a nation, andthat the outcome of the struggle will be a richer curriculum,more equitable and humane schools, and a more worthysociety for all of the nation's peoples. It is also predicatedon the belief that our educational institutions can and shouldbe places where we both struggle for and prefigure this newvision of society.

It is not simply the demographic shifts, but thecontradictions they raise, that have,' in part, precipitatedAmerica's struggle for redefinition. Demographic shifts areforcing us to reexamine our definition of social and cultural

institutions as white mainstream. The story of this country,its mythology as an open, democratic society, is dailyexperienced as unbelievable in our city schools wherestudents of color sometimes constitute up to 80 percent ofthe student population of a district and 90 to 100 percent ofmany individual classrooms, and where their lives, cultures,and traditions are at best marginalized and at worst ignoredor denigrated.

Whether these thoughts are consciously articulated or leftsimmering, these children want to know why all or most ofthe people in charge of their schools don't look, talk, walk,or move like they do. They want to know why the teachersdon't come from their communities, and why thecurriculum provides them little clue about themselves andtheir history. Sometimes the contradictions prove too much,even for the young, prompting a Black first-grade girl in aMilwaukee city school to ask her White student teacher,"Why are all the student teachers they send us White?"

Perhaps more telling is a conversation between a studentand a teacher in a first-grade classroom where the teacherwas exploring an ill-conceived, developmentallyinappropriate notion of multicultural education. The teacherasked her first-grade students: "Why should children ofdifferent races work together?" When silence followed thisquery, the teacher began prodding the students. She wantedan answer. When the answer was not forlhcoming, sheannounced, "Because all children are the same, becausecolor doesn't matter,"

A little Black boy in the back of the room raised his handand said, "What about Rodney King?" He paused andcontinued, "The police beat him because he was Black," Itis important to note that this incident occurred two monthsbefore the LA riots. As students get older the questions, andthe failure of schools to provide meaningful answers, tuminto a rage that can barely be contained.

Of course, the questions, and the rage, are not new.Catholic and Jewish immigrants from Europe were met byschools and teachers who held little respect for theirreligions or their cultures. Chinese immigrants in Californiaa hundred years ago were met with outright hostility in theschools while generations of Latinos in the Southwest havebeen met with contempt. Every generation of AfricanAmerican students who attended White schools has metcultural barriers.

Spring 1993 Rethinking Schools Page 17

ResistanceThroughout History

Throughout history there have been examples ofresistance to the cultural imperialism of schools. In 1859,hundreds of Catholic students at Boston's Eliot Schoolrefused to recite the Protestant versions of the Lord's Prayerand the Ten Commandments after one of them, ThomasWall, insisted, "I wasn't again going to repeat those damnedYankee prayers."! While African-Americans in segregatedschools struggled for access to a liberal arts curriculum,African-American autobiographies record numerousinstances where Black teachers attempted to accordAfrican-American culture and traditions equal stature withthe mainstream culture. The Negro National Anthem wasoften sung along with the National Anthem, Countee Cullenand Langston Hughes were studied along with Shakespeare.As M. Carl Holman notes, "Mr. Watts, Miss Armstrong,Mr. Blanton and Miss Lewis taught us from the 'Iilywhite'textbooks prescribed by the St. Louis school system, butthey also mounted on their bulletin boards the works andpictures of Langston Hughes, James Weldon Johnson,Claude McKay, Sterling Brown, Countee Cullen and JeanToomer.">Clearly, challenging the status quo is not new in the

nation's schools. What is different today is the attitude withwhich these challenges are raised, these contradictionsexperienced. While previous generations of thedisempowered and historically oppressed wanted theircultures to be respected and in such cases as that of AfricanAmericans and Polish Catholics, for their cultures to beincorporated in segregated and Catholic schools,respectively, they did not call for a redefinition of the rulingculture. This generation has a rage, born of a sense ofunrealized possibilities, not seen before.The perennial question for the children of color in urban

schools in this country is whether the rhetoric of democracymakes sense if schools are organized around the principle ofWhite political and cultural hegemony. For all who believein an open democratic society, the growing diversity of thecitizens of this nation gives a new urgency to the questionof whether it is possible at the same time to maintain andpromote democratic ideals and schools which are organized

consequences for a nation when the story it tells aboutitself, its origins and identity, becomes unbelievable orbankrupt for a significant portion of the population.It is important to remember that the United States has

never been a White nation, although White institutions andcultural norms have certainly held sway throughout most ofthe nation's history. Over the last three hundred years, thepercentages of Whites, African-Americans, Native-Americans, and Latinos have shifted radically. A hundredand fifty years ago, several of the southern states had Blackmajorities, while large areas of the Southwest wereoverwhelmingly Latino and the majority population ofsome future states was still Native-American. It was onlywith the massive immigration from Europe in the lastcentury, led by immigrants from southern and easternEurope, paralleled by the virtual genocide of the NativeAmericans, that the huge White majorities came to be seenin the demography of the United States. But thisdemography is now changing again.In Los Angeles there has been a growing realization that

the city is quickly approaching the status of a majorityLatino city, the same majority which had been dominantthere when California was admitted to the Union in 1850.The changes in Los Angeles are symbolic of changesoccurring to a greater or lesser degree throughout thenation. Through a combination of new levels ofimmigration, especially from Central and South Americaand Southeast Asia, and of differential birthrates amongWhites and people of color, the non-White population of thecountry is mushrooming.s

The Impact of theCivil Rights Movement

Had the current demographic shifts occurred before theCivil Rights movement, they would not have had the sameimpact. Though poverty, political disenfranchisement,repression and racism continue to characterize the lives ofthe historically oppressed peoples, the Civil Rightsmovement and the resultant legislation changed theoperative definition of equal opportunity. The Civil Rightsmovement dramatically altered patterns of access as well asthe nation's consciousness of what were democraticrights-and whose rights they were anyway. All of us-notable and ordinary people who participated in the CivilRights movement-pushed the boundaries of democracyfurther outward, prompting its redefinition. Changingdemographics, the possibility that our social and culturalinstitutions could be open, the belief that they should be,and the greater numbers of people of color participating inthese institutions, have created the conditions for us tocontest the definition of our social and cultural institutionsas White mainstream.

The debate overmulticulturalism is, at its core,a debate about the UnitedStates of America and what itsdefinitive values and identitywill be in the next cent~ry.

The Historical Struggle for InclusionThe current generation is not the first to grapple with

questions of how to build the good society and the role ofschools in that process. As the late Lawrence Cremin nevertired of noting, it was Aristotle in the Politics who insistedthat "it is impossible to talk about education apart fromsome conception of the good life." Cremin went on to saythat "people will inevitably differ in their conceptions of thegood life, and hence they will inevitably disagree on mattersof education; therefore the discussion of education fallssquarely within the domain of politics.'>? If participation ina democratic society is essential to the good life, then itfollows that education must foster democracy, but it alsofollows that just as people disagree about the nature ofdemocracy, they will disagree about education.Two hundred years ago, Thomas Jefferson gave early

voice to the link between education and democracy, even ashe failed to include either the slaves that he and the othersheld or White women as participants in that democracy.Notwithstanding, in the midst of the American Revolution,Jefferson proposed a new system of public schools forVirginia, reminding the Virginia legislators:"That experience hath shown, that even under the best

forms of government those trusted with power have in time,and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny; and it isbelieved that the most effectual means of preventing thiswould be to illuminate, as far as practicable, the minds of

The contradiction of Jefferson, the slave owner, givingvoice to the proposition of education for a democraticsociety has not been lost on subsequent generations. But atthe same time the voice itself has remained powerful. AsLangston Hughes knew:His name was Jefferson. There were slaves then,But in their hearts the slaves believed him, too,And silently took for grantedThat what he said was also meant for them.9As the historian James Anderson has noted, the history of

education in this country is a story of two competing andcontradictory traditions-education for full citizenship andeducation for second-class citizenship. Extending back toslavery, against the backdrop of laws that made it a crimefor slaves to learn to read and write, historians havedocumented the slaves' tenacious pursuit of literacy,sometimes at risk of death. 10Furthermore, given this experience of literacy, slaves

emerged from slavery with not only an insatiable desire tolearn to read and write, but also with the belief that literacywas a negation of the status of slave and was, in fact; ameans to full citizenship.Out of an educational tradition that saw the emancipatory

possibilities of schooling, from slavery to the present, .African Americans have conceptualized school as a contextfor the social reconstruction of society and engaged inactivities aimed at subverting the oppressive intent of muchof mainstream schooling. In the late nineteenth and earlytwentieth centuries, W.E.B. DuBois, Anna Julia Cooper,and other African American educators, in opposition to thephilosophy of northern industrialist/philanthropists,engaged in counter-hegemonic activities and argued thatAfrican-Americans should have access to the broadestpossible education, that they should be educated for first-and not second-class citizenship.Although it is important to know that we are heirs to a

tradition that has grasped the emancipatory possibilities ofschooling, it is equally important to remember that thislegacy extends to the present. Indeed, many of us havewitnessed and participated in educational strugglespredicated on the belief that school is a legitimate place tostruggle for freedom and the expansion of the democracy.

Reconceptualized SchoolsWe are taking the risk of being dreamers in raising these

issues. We believe that our goal as educators is to followW.E.B. DuBois in his plea for education that would produce"young women and men of devotion to lift again the bannerof humanity and to walk toward a civilization which will befree and intelligent, which will be healthy and unafraid.r"!Indeed, until we ourselves are unafraid of being brandedromantics for using such language, the essential vision

which will guide all of our work will remain unattainable.To say that we need to hold this utopian vision is not,

however, to say that its implementation will be easy. Itwon't. There is a long, hard struggle involved in beginningto build a new world, and there will be opposition.Diversity can lead to clashes. When we bring people

together in school from different races and cultures andfrom differing positions of power and privilege, it isinevitable that there will be misunderstanding, fear, tensemoments. That is part of the process of learning about andfrom each other. A homogeneous school may be quieterand simpler, but it will not help us in the process ofbuilding a better society.Even more important, if the youth we educate view and

experience our democracy as including all of the people,they will inevitably ask all sorts of questions about socialand political life outside of the school:-about the distribution of goods and services in this

society;-about racism, class ism, sexism, and homophobia;-about the concrete manifestation of rights and

privileges in the democracy.(Questioning by children and youth makes people

nervous). Thirty years ago, James Baldwin, in a talk toteachers, said:

"The purpose of education, finally, is to create in aperson the ability to look at the world for him orherself, to make his or her own decisions, to saythis is black or this is white, to decide whetherthere is a God in heaven or not. To ask questionsof the universe, and then to learn to live with thosequestions, is the way a person achieves identity.But no society is really anxious to have that kindof person around. What societies really, ideall ywant is a citizen,')' which will simply obey therules of society. 12

If educators begin to truly embrace the multiculturalfuture and use that embrace to build a new multicultural,democratic present, there are going to be students asking allsorts of embarrassing, uncomfortable questions of thesociety. And while people of goodwill will welcome thesequestions, even when they get uncomfortable, the society

societies are uncomfortable with dissent, and as Americansociety moved from the 19808 into the 1990s, it grew muchmore uncomfortable. The conservative reaction in thissociety is alive and well, and it must be reckoned with.An education for a new public culture of differencel-

must be one which leads students and educators to rejectreaction in any form, to demand-for teachers and forstudents-the alert, critical, engaged consciousness that canoptimally come from thinking minds in dialogue with-andultimately in community with-e-each other. It is only when

continued on page 31

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Schools must teach diverse groups ofchildren to.work together.

--

-

Page 18 Rethinking Schools Spring 1993

Answers to Common Questions

The School Choice DebateFollowing are answers to some of the

most common questions about school"choice." The article is based ondiscussion among members of theRethinking Schools editorial board andoriginally appeared in the specialedition of Rethinking Schools calledFalse Choices: How Private SchoolVouchers Threaten our Children'sFuture.

When people talk about school"choice" what do they mean?At this point, people generally are talking

about voucher plans that funnel publicdollars into non-public schools, eitherthrough direct payments or tax credits. Atissue is the attempt to siphon dollars awayfrom public schools and privatize education.Interestingly, the word "choice" wasn't

used in connection with schools until thecontroversy over desegregation. Throughoutthe South, so-called Freedom of Choiceplans limited desegregation by putting theburden on African-American students toprovide transportation for themselves, totransfer to schools that were majority white,to figure out when to apply, and so forth. Inessence, these public school "choice" planswere outlawed by the U.S. Supreme Courtin 1968.In recent years, private school "choice"

has become explicitly linked to an assaulton schools as public institutions. Someadvocates of private "choice," likeMilwankee Mayor John Norquist, havecalled for scrapping the entire public schoolsystem.

...-

What about plans that aUow parents tochoose among public schools?A lot depends on the program. If

protections aren't built in, public school"choice" has some of the same problems asprivate school "choice." Some plans, forexample, set up specialty or "magnet"schools that become havens for middle-class students. These schools often get moreresources, or have entrance criteria, orattract parents who know how to work thesystem.It's important to look at what parents

really want in a school. Above all, theywant a quality school with a safeenvironment that encourages learning.Magnet or specialty schools tend to offersuch an environment. They also show thatpublic schools can work if they are givensufficient resources and are properlystructured.At the same time, children learn in

different ways and school communities canbe built around a certain philosophy oremphasis- such as schools that emphasizemusic, or math, or a Montessori or wholelanguage teaching philosophy.Even under a well-structured public

school plan, however, "choice" is not apanacea. It must be part of a broader reformstrategy that includes such changes as betterteacher training, a multicultural, anti-racistcurriculum, and more resources. The key isensuring standards and equity for allschools and all children.

Because public schools are a monopoly,they don't have to worry aboutcompetition. Wouldn't "choice" forcepublic schools to be more innovative?The notion that competition will engender

quality ignores that there are deep race andclass divisions in society. The reality is,there are different markets for differentpeople based on how much money theyhave.Even though Cadillac and Mercedes Benz

dealers may compete against each other,they don't compete with Ford Festiva orYugo dealers. The quality of the car youbuy depends on how much money youhave, not on the inherent benefits of

competition. You also see any number oflow quality products that stay on the market- from plastic tennis shoes to pre-fab,cardboard homes - because they are allthat some people can afford.It's also important to remember that

competition in business depends heavily onadvertising and cutting costs. Do we reallywant our schools to follow the lead ofbusiness and cut costs to the bone, perhapsby getting rid of "extras" such as libraries ormusic and art rooms? Or mimic corporateadvertising, by spending precious dollars onpublic relations efforts?Most important, talking about public

schools as a monopoly misses the point.The reason we have public schools isbecause education is a public responsibilitythat is essential to building a democraticsociety. People need to develop skills andcommon democratic values in order toparticipate reasonably and critically in civiclife. Our schools are forging the future ofour democracy, not just the future ofindividual doctors and scientists.

Unions are some of the strongestopponents of private school "choice," andthey are opposed because they fear losingtheir power and membership. Isn't theunion position self-serving?It's easy for proponents of "choice" to

continually claim that teachers and unionsare only interested in themselves. It's moredifficult to answer their criticisms.Trade unions do have the right to oppose

attempts to tum services over to non-unionworkers. And given the attacks on unions inrecent years, both by the government and by~, teacher UJIillQ$ hlw: le,gilimoUl:fears.In Milwaukee, for example, the teachers

in the community-based and religiousschools are paid a lot less and have fewerbenefits than public school teachers. If youhad a significant expansion of voucherschools, you would see a lot more small,non-union shops. You would see less well-trained teachers and there would be a higherturnover. And that would influence thequality of education.Undoubtedly, some union officials and

teachers are motivated by self-interest. Andit is incumbent upon progressive teachers towork within their unions and to push thembeyond narrow trade union concerns.

But many teachers honestly questionwhether the marketplace will magically leadto quality. Among them are educators whocontinuously work passionately to improveschools and advance the opportunities oftheir students. They worry what will happenwhen the seats are filled up in the privateschools and there are still millions ofchildren left to attend a public schoolsystem depleted of resources.

Don't parents have a right to choose aschool that they feel coincides with theirvalue system?Parents have the right to choose any

school they want - but they don't have theright to expect that the taxpayer willnecessarily pay for that school.The more important issue is that parents

- and taxpayers - have not only the rightbut the responsibility to become involved inthe public schools. And this needs to takeplace in the broader context of fighting for abetter education for all kids. Are we goingto continue the individualistic self-centeredness of the 1980s and allow a fewparents to make individual choices withlittle regard for the public good? Or are wegoing to fight collectively, as parents andtaxpayers, for a better educational systemfor all?We must balance the rights of parents

against the rights of society as a whole.Parental rights, for example, do not meanthat schools with discriminatory policiesshould receive public funds. Or that publicmoney should go to religious schools.

Many religious schools have a strong

"choice" become so popular in recentyears?First, there is legitimate dissatisfaction

with the failures of the public schools. Inurban areas, in particular, far too manyschools are failing the needs of our children.Second, there has been a conservative

counterrevolution against public servicesgenerally. The solution to society'sproblems is posed in terms of themarketplace, and privatization plans arecropping up allover the place. On anindividual level, this counter- revolution hasencouraged people to look out forthemselves with little regard for others.Third, we have to consider whether there

is a relationship between the government'swillingness to abandon urban schools andthe fact that urban schools are increasinglypopulated by African-Americans, Latinos,and Asian-Americans.Fourth, it's important to look at how

businesses and wealthier individuals candirectly profit from privatizing education.Since most voucher plans pay far less thanthe per pupil cost of schools, taxes mightdecrease in some districts. At the same time,middle-class parents who are alreadysending their children to private schoolswill get government aid to help pay thetuition. Finally, some businesses hope tomake money by setting up private schoolsor getting contracts for different educationalservices. Schools are one place wherebusinesses aren't making as much money asthey might want.

Doesn't private school "choice" allowlower-income families to send their kids, .

so bad about opening up the voucherprogram to religious schools?The most fundamental reason is that our

Constitution, for very good reasons,mandates a separation between church andstate. If you're a Christian, it's easy toforget that there are many other faiths inthis country.The core issue is that individuals would

be paying tax money to support schoolswith religious values that might beantagonistic to their own religious values.Religion is a profoundly private matter andshould remain that way.

Why has the idea of private school

a move toward. more equality'?In the long run, abandoning public

education will only increase inequalities ineducation. A select few low-incomefamilies might benefit from voucher plans,but most poor people would still go topublic schools - and these schools wouldhave fewer resources because taxpayers'money would be going into private schools.If voucher supporters really wanted to

promote equity, then they would give$10,000 to each child to attend the school oftheir choice. And they would force privateschools to accept all students who apply,based on a lottery system. But there's no"choice" plan anywhere in the country that

Parents and teachers must work together to promote investment in public schools.

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Page 20 Rethinking Schools Spring 1993

IsMelodeon to Organist as Crescendo is to Pianist?

Why Standardized TestsAre BadBy Terry Meier

No phenomenon poses a greater threat toeducational equity, and ultimately to thequality of education in this country, than theescalating use of standardized achievementtests.

Fueled by public concern that schools areless rigorous than they used to be,standardized tests are increasinglyprescribed as the "get tough" medicineneeded to return excellence to ourclassrooms. Across the country,standardized tests are now routinely used todetermine how and when students advance,from first grade through graduate school.

Standardized tests, which are notoriousfor their discriminatory effect on students ofcolor, clearly threaten whatever smallmeasures of educational equity have beenwon in recent decades. What is less obviousis that standardized tests threaten theeducational experience of all children. Thethreat is so great, in fact, that standardizedtesting should be abolished.It is estimated that a student will take

more than 30 standardized tests by the timehe or she graduates from high school.Because standardized tests are a constantreality in students' lives, it is essential thatparents understand the biases andlimitations of such tests. Yet, as in so manyother educational areas, parents are oftenexcluded from the debate because they aredeemed unable to understand the issue'scomplexity.

Tests are called "standardized" when thesame test is given under similar conditionsto large groups of students, whether district-wide statewide, or nationwide. Moststandardized tests ask multiple-choicequestions and are corrected by a computerwhich recognizes only one "right" answer.

Decades of research have documented thebiases in standardized tests, with students ofcolor bearing the brunt of thatdiscrimination. Across age groups,standardized tests discriminate against low-

Standardized teststhreaten the educationalexperience of all children.The threat is so greatthat all standardizedtests should be abolished.

income students and students of color.While girls tend to do better on standardizedtests at an early age, by high school andcollege their scores are on average belowthose of males, according to FairTest, anational group based in Cambridge, Mass.,that lobbies against the growing use ofstandardized tests.

Advocates of testing argue thatstandardized achievement tests do not createinequities within schools, they merelyreflect pre-existing inequities. According tothis argument, children of color and low-income students tend to perform less wellon standardized tests because they receivean inferior education.

Two false assumptions support this view.One is that standardized tests are a validmeasure of excellence. The second is thatstandardized tests can be used to improveeducation, especially for low-incomestudents and students of color.

No Real Connectionto Excellence

Standardized achievement tests tend tofocus on mechanical, lower-order skills andto reward students' rapid recognition offactual information. For example,

standardized reading tests for youngchildren stress phonics and the recognitionof individual words. Research on learning toread, however, has shown the importance ofintegrating oral language, writing, reading,and spelling in a meaningful context thatemphasizes children understanding whatthey read, not merely sounding out words.Similarly, research on teaching mathstresses the importance of young childrenlearning concepts through first-handexperience, while achievement tests foryoung children define math as knowingone's numbers.

Thus teachers face the dilemma ofproviding instruction that they know fostersa student's understanding, versus drillingstudents in isolated skills and facts that willhelp them do well on standardized tests.

It's not that students don't need to workon isolated skills sometimes, especiallywhen they're first learning to read andwrite. But such work is only a means to thelarger end of applying those skills in ameaningful context. Removed from contextas they are on standardized tests, such skillsare meaningless. Held up as a measure ofachievement, they become mistaken forwhat is most important instead of what isultimately trivial.

There is little, if any, connection betweenquality instruction and standardized testperformance. Consider, for example, asuccessful high school English class inwhich students learn to write thoughtful,original essays in clear, concise languageabout topics they genuinely care about andthat draw on their experiences. Assume thatthe teacher taught students to edit their workso that grammatical errors were rare.

Yet what does theAm~~~~!tII' ....Testing (ACT) Program test? ether astudent knows if the word "pioneered" ispreferable to "started up by," or if "prove tobe" is preferable to "come to be," or if"reach my destination" is preferable to "getthere."

On one recent ACT test - which alongwith the SAT is a key determinant of whoattends college - students were askedwhether the italicized selection in "mythoughts were irresistibly sucked towardthe moment when ..." should be replaced bypulled helplessly, uncontrollably drawn, orpropelled mercilessly. (These examples aretaken from a study by researcher MaryHoover.)

How could anyone argue that suchquestions test effective writing skills oranalytical thinking? In fact, one could wellargue that a student who preferred "startedup by" to "pioneered" might be a betterwriter than the student who chose the"correct" answer because she chose theclearest, most easily understood words tocommunicate her ideas.

The point is that the choice is stylistic,dependent upon what one is trying to sayand to whom. Removed from real life, thechoice is meaningless. It reveals nothingabout a student's competence in reading andwriting.

Consider another example, from astandardized reading achievement testwhere the child was asked to determine the"right" answer in the following selection:

Father said: Once there was aland where boys and girls nevergrew up. They were alwaysgrowing. What was Fathertelling?The truth_ A lie_ Astory_

Any of these could be the "right" answer.If the father were speaking metaphorically,referring to mental and not physical growth,he could be telling the truth. It could also bea lie, for in blackspeech the word "lie" canalso mean a joke or a story. And, of course,its initial "once" signals the conventions offiction/fairy tales. (Hoover, Politzer, andTaylor, 1987, p. 91)

Standardized tests also ignore the skills

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992, with figures declining for each incomegroup to an average score of 781 forstudents with annual family income under$10,000. Further, upper-income students arealso more likely to afford the $600"coaching" courses that can raise studentscores by as much as 100 points.

Tests Won'tImprove Education

It is inarguably true that students of colorare often ill-served in our schools. But

iven that standardized tests bear little ifany, re a ions rp U S IV earnm,lmakes no sense to assume that improvingthe educational experience of students ofcolor will necessarily affect their test scores.What is clear is that in many schools, theopposite tends to occur. As teachers havecome under increasing pressure to raise testscores, the quality of education the studentsreceive has declined. In too manyclassrooms, test content dictates curriculum.

In some cases, abilities and skills notmeasured on achievement tests have beenremoved from the curriculum all together.According to FairTest, when Virginia'sstate minimum competency tests decided toinclude only the multiplication and divisionof fractions several years ago, someteachers in the state stopped teachingstudents how to add and subtract fractions.Similarly, Deborah Meier, a public schoolprincipal in Manhattan, reports that whenone New York City test eliminated items onsynonyms and antonyms, these were alsoeliminated from the curriculum.

In some states, matching curriculum withthe content of standardized achievementtests has become a system-wide mandate.FairTest reports that school systems in atleast 13 states have attempted to "align"their curriculum with standardized tests sothat students do not spend hours studyingmaterials upon which they will never betested, regardless of the value or benefitswhich could be derived from that effort.

Pressure on teachers and administrators tostandardize curriculum in order to raise testscores can be intense. One 1987 report byresearcher John Weiss, for instance, foundthat in 1985 the superintendent of schools inSt. Louis fired 60 teachers and principalsbecause their students didn't improve theirscores sufficiently on standardized multiple-choice tests.

Tests as a Sorting SystemClearly, standardized tests neither

measure excellence nor foster it in ourschools. So why the emphasis on such tests?

The fundamental reason is that the testsprovide a seemingly objective basis uponwhich to allocate limited educationalresources - to decide who gets into the

and abilities needed to function in acomplex, pluralistic society - such as theability to work collectively in various social-and cultural contexts, to adjust to change, tounderstand the perspectives of others, topersevere, to motivate, to solve problems ina real-life context, to lead, to value moralintegrity and social commitment. AsHarvard psychologist Howard Gardnerpoints out, "there are hundreds andhundreds of ways to succeed, and manydifferent abilities that will help you getthe"r .

t is tragic t atat e nne w en m ydevelopmental psychologists stress a broadand complex conception of intelligence andability, and when one needs multiple talentsto function effectively in the world, we havecome to define excellence in our schoolswithin the narrow parameters of what canbe measured by standardized tests. Whenwe use standardized tests to decide who getsto go to the "best" high school or college,we may actually be discriminating againstthose students with the greatest potential tocontribute to society.

Excluding DiversityIt is naive to assume that we can solve the

problems confronting society withoutembracing the perspectives and diverseskills and abilities represented in ourmulticultural population. Yet the continuedreliance on standardized testing perpetuatesa narrow defmition of excellence thatexcludes diversity.

Standardized achievement tests thuspotentially sound the death knell ofdiversity in our schools. They silence across-cultural dialogue that has barelybegun, not only in the field of education,but in every area of academic, professionaland political life.

This article focuses on theoverwhelmingly discriminatory effects ofstandardized tests on students of color. It isalso well-documented that tests such as theSAT and the ACT discriminate againstwomen and working-class students.

In every ethnic and racial group, femalesscore much lower on the SAT than males.African-American and Latina women face adouble jeopardy due to the test's racial andgender discrimination. On the 1988 SAT,for example, African-American womenscored on average 724 points compared toan average of 965 for white males, accord-ing to FairTest. At the same time, whitewomen score higher on average than malestudents of color, with the exception ofAsian- and Pacific-American students.

Similarly, there is a direct relationshipbetween family income and SAT scores. In1988, students whose annual family incomewas more than $70,000 scored an average

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Page 22 Rethinking Schools Spring 1993

r

How to Protect YourRights

Parents,' the LaW'and SchoolsBy David Schimmel

You want to see your child's schoolrecords, but you're told they're private.What can you do?Your child's locker is searched for no

apparent reason. Is that legal?Your child doesn't want to say the Pledge

of Allegiance. Can he or she be forced to doso?Your child is suspended, you think

unfairly. What are your rights?Questions such as these routinely

confront parents. Unfortunately, parents arerarely informed of their legal rights and sooften they don't realize that they canchallenge many decisions by schoolofficials.Parents of children in kindergarten

through high school have two basic kinds ofrights, both equally important First, theyhave rights as parents. Second, theirchildren have rights and parents canadvocate to protect their children's rights.The first right was established by the U.S.

Supreme Court in 1924, when it ruled thatparents have the right to direct the educationof their children. The second wasestablished in 1969 when the Court heldthat students do not shed their constitutionalrights "to freedom of speech or expressionat the schoolhouse gate." It was expanded in1975 to include due process rights when astudent faces suspension or expulsion.These rights are guaranteed by the U.S.

Constitution. In addition, parents andstudents have been granted a wide range ofspecific rights under state and federal laws.Briefly, these. rights are:• The right to a free public ed~n• The right to inspect student recor s.• The right to a special education for

students with special needs.• The right to due process of law before

suspension or expulsion.• The right to freedom from unreasonable

search and seizure.• The right to freedom of expression.• The right to freedom of religion and

conscience.Although some administrators may

deliberately break the law, most unlawfulschool practices are the result of legaliguorance or misunderstanding. Mostadministrators are anxious to avoidlawsuits. When parents are able to showthat school policies are unlawful, mostadministrators would rather change themvoluntarily than as a result of a court order.Many educators are poorly informed

about the rights of parents and studentsbecause most of these rights did not existwhen the educators were students. Further,educators are rarely taught these rights aspart of their training.I would briefly like to look at two areas of

education law, freedom of expression anddue process. The purpose is not to develop alegal primer, but to give a taste of some ofthe rights that parents and students haveunder the U.S. Constitution.

The Tinker DecisionDuring the first half of this century, the

Bill of Rights rarely helped parents andstudents who challenged theconstitutionality of school rules. But a 1969U.S. Supreme Court ruling Tinker v.DesMoines, known as the Tinker decision, set anew course in students' rights.The case dates back to 1965, when a

group of students in Des Moines, Iowadecided to wear black armbands topublicize their opposition to the VietnamWar. Upon learning of the plan, Des Moinesprinc~alssetapol~yprohibitingthearmbands in order to prevent any possibledisturbance. Several students wore thearmbands nonetheless and refused toremove them. They were suspended.Their parents challenged the school

policy in court. They lost their case, but

--

appealed. The case ultimately was heard bythe U.S. Supreme Court.While the Court recoguized that school

officials must have the authority to controlstudent conduct, it held that neither studentsnor teachers "shed their constitutional rightsto freedom of speech or expression at theschoolhouse gate." The First Amendmentprotects symbolic as well as pure speech,the Court said, and wearing an armband is atype of symbolic speech.The Court further ruled that in this case

there was "no evidence whatsoever" thatwearing armbands interfered "with theschool's work or with the rights of otherstudents to be secure or to be left alone."

Many educators arepoorly informed aboutthe rights of parents andstudents because mostof these rights did notexist when the educatorswere students.

School officials might have feared thearmbands would lead to a disturbance, butthat fear was not sufficient reason to violatestudent rights, the Court said."In our system," the opinion said,

"undifferentiated fear or apprehension ofdisturbance is not enough to overcome the. t to Ir f ession."n a provocative comme a ou a-

tion and freedom, the Court wrote: "In oursystem, state-operated schools may not beenclaves of totalitarianism .... Students inschools as well as out of school are pos-sessed of fundamental rights which theState must respect, just as they themselvesmust respect their obligations to the State.In our system, students may not be regardedas closed-circuit recipients of only thatwhich the State chooses to communicate."Since the Tinker case, all courts recoguize

that the Bill of Rights applies to students inthe public schools. Individual rights,

however, are not absolute. When a student'srights come in conflict with the rights ofother students or with the obligation of theschool to keep order, judges weigh thesecompeting interests in light of thecircumstances of each case",Nor does it mean that the constitutional

rights of students are always the same asthose of adults. Because there must be orderas well as freedom of expression in theschools, authorities can impose reasonablerestraints on the time, place and manner inwhich student publications are distributed.Nor does the First Amendment protectstudents who are abusive and seriouslydisrespectful to school officials, or thosewho distribute materials that causedisruption, or are legally obscene orlibelous.

Due ProcessFollowing the 1975 U.S. Supreme Court

decision in Goss v. Lopez. due process hasbecome an increasingly important area ofeducation law. (Due process simply meansfair procedure.)The 1975 ruling involved a case in which

nine high school students in Columbus,Ohio were suspended for 10 days without ahearing. Under then Ohio law, officials hadthe right to do so provided parents werenotified of the suspension within 24 hoursand given the reasons.The students and their parents claimed the

law denied them the right of due processand was therefore unconstitutional. The .Supreme Court agreed. Asserting that"education is perhaps the most importantfunction of state and local governments,"the Court ruled that although someunisbments mi ht be trivial, the power to

important to the student and cannot beexercised arbitrarily.A minimum of due process is required

even in cases involving short-termsuspensions. In such cases, however, it mayconsist merely of rudimentary elements offairness such as an informal notice andhearing. This generally means that thestudent must be told orally or in writingwhat the alleged wrongdoing was. If thestudent denies the wrongdoing, he or she isentitled to an explanation of the evidencethat the authorities have, and a chance to tell

his or her side of the story.In cases of long-term suspension or

expulsion, the courts require more completeprocedures. In such situations, parents mayinsist on a written notice and a hearing, theright to present evidence, to be representedby a lawyer, to cross-examine witnesses,and to be given a record of the proceedings.Parents and students also have the right toappeal, usually to higher school authoritiesand to the school board.Constitutional rights to due process and

equal protection can also be used tochallenge discriminatory testing andtracking policies. While tracking andgrouping of students is not inherentlyillegal, parents have the right to object totracking systems if they can show that thetracking is based on socioeconomic or racialdiscrimination.Curriculum and textbooks are another key

area of controversy. In general, judges havebeen unwilling to force schools to complywith demands that courses be prohibited onfamily life and sex education, or that textsbe removed if they offend someone's moralvalues. Since school officials have beendelegated the responsibility for makingeducational decisions, courts are unwillingto substitute their judgement for that ofprofessional educators in such matters -except where a valid constitutionalobjection is made.If school officials violate the

constitutional rights of students or parents,the courts will act to protect those rights.But if parents disagree with the educationaldecisions that administrators make, judgesurge them to use school board procedures orpolitical and legislative action rather thanthe courts to create chan e. Since no two

constantly changing, this article is not asubstitute for legal advice. Any parent whocontemplates legal action should firslconsult a knowledgeable lawyer or a legalservice office. 0

David Schimmel is co-author of Parents,Schools, and the Law. available from theNational Committee for Citizens inEducation, 900 Znd Street, NE, Suite 8.Washington. DC, 20002,for $10.95 plus

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Spring 1993 Rethinking Schools Page 23

KnowYourRights!Following are 24 rights you may have as a

parent of a child in a public school. Therights listed are granted by federal or statelaws, regulations and court decisions, as ofOct. 1991. District of Columbia andDepartment of Defense Dependent Schools(DODDS) are included. It's also possiblethat a right may not apply throughout yourstate but still be granted by your local schoolboard. Thus it is always important to askabout local policies.Decisions by school officials may be

appealed to the local school board. The nextstep is either to the state education depart-ment or to court. • Indicates local policiesmay prevail.

DisciplineYou have the right as a parent in any of

the states listed ...• To take legal action against a school

official if your child has been disciplinedwith "excessive or unreasonable" physicalforce. All states and DODDS.• To appeal the suspension of your child.

All states and OOODS except KS, UT and WI.• To appeal an administrator's decision to

place your child in a class for studentslabeled "disruptive." No placement can bemade in an emotionally disturbed classwithout obtaining parental permission. All_s exceptDODDSGA,KY. MI,MO, NO,SC.UT.VT, WA and WI.

your chird because it 1S prolit15tt y stalelaw. AK.CA.CT,DC,nr, KY, MA, ME,MI,MN,~J'ID,NE, NH,NJ.NY,OR.RI.SD.VA.VTandWI.

InstructionYou have the right as parent in any of the

states listed ...• To see instructional materials used in

research programs funded by the Depart-ment of Education and National ScienceFoundation. All states except DODDS.• To have your handicapped child placed

in an "appropriate" public school program.Parents also must give written consent forthe placement of their handicapped child. Allstates and DODDS.

• To appeal an administrator's decisionprohibiting your daughter from trying outfor and playing in male-dominated sports.All states and DODDS except ARt CO, IL. IN, KS,KY.MN,MO, NO,TN,WIandWY.• To visit your child's classroom(s) at any

time during the day, providing you firstnotify the school office. At., AK.AZ.DC,DODDS,Ft.,IN,lA, LA*,MD,ME,NC,NO,NH,NM, NV. NY"'. OH, OK, SC ... TXt UT* and VA"'.• To attend a minimum number of

conferences with your child's teacher(s). At.,AK.AZ,DC,DODDS,FL,LA.MD, MS, MT,NC,NH,NV,OH,OKandTN.• To educate your child at home, provid-

ing you meet conditions and standards set byyour state. All states and DODDS.• To request that your child be excused

from studying subjects you object to onreligious, moral, or other reasonablegrounds. AK,AZ,CA,CT,DC,DODDS.FL,lA, ill,IL, IN,LA,MD,ME,MI,NC,NH.NV.OH.PA,SC,UT, VA"', WA and WV.

Please HelpRethinking Schools Is lookingfor volunteers to help with any

of the following:proof reading, typing,and distribution.

If you would like to volunteer,call Mike Trokan at 964-9646

l.n a: roWl1, aug roe pmnorpa 'prsrrn 1- In rown v, oar,the most important educational court decision of the century.

• To request that your child be excusedfrom reading assigned books you object toon religious, moral or other reasonablegrounds. AI.,AK,AZ,CA,CT,DC,DODDS,FL,ill, IL, IN.LA.MD, ME.NC,NH,NV.NY,OH,SD,UT, VA·, WA and WV.• To request that your child be excused

from school activities you object to onreligious, moral or other reasonablegrounds. AI.,AK,CA,CT.DC,DODDS,FL,ill,IL, IN,KS.LA.MD,ME,MI,MS,NC,NO,NH.NV,NY,OH,OK,PA,RI,SD.UT.VA', VT,WAandWV.

RecordsYou have the right as a parent in any of

the states listed ...• To look at all your child's school

records. You may chaUenge any record youbelieve is untrue or unfair. School officialsmust respond to your challenge within a"reasonable time." If still dissatisfied, youmay request a hearing. All states and DODDS.

• To look at all official school policies. Allstales and OODDS.• To look at other official school records,

such as research and planning reports (butnot personnel records). AI.,AK,AR.CA.CO.CT,FL,HI,ill, IN,KS,KY,LA.MD,MO'. ND,NH,NM,NV,NY.OR.SC,SD, TX,UT,VA.VT.WAandWI.

Other RightsYou have the right as a parent in any of

the states listed ...• To appeal a school policy or decision

that prevents your child from expressingcontroversial views, so long as they are notobscene, slanderous, or libelous, and do notcause serious disruption. All states and OODDSexcept AR,CO,KY,MI,MN,MO,NM,TN,VTandWI.• To speak at all public meetings of the

local school board. CA,in, IL, MI,MT.NO.UT,VTandWV.In other states, many local schoolboards make provision for parents to speakat all public meetings.• To attend all meetings of the school

board (except for executive sessions on

personnel and property issues) and bepresent at the voting on all school boarddecisions affecting the school district. Allstales.• To appeal some local board decisions

to a higher state authority (other than acourt). AI.,AZ,CO,CT,DE,DODDS**,FL,GA,IL, IN,lA, LA,MA,MD,ME, MS,MT.NE,NH,NJ.NM*,NV,OH,OK,RI,SC,TX, VT,WA,WIand WV."Via the school principal through

higher echelons to the Secretary ofDefense.• To appeal a policy or decision that

prevents your child from joining a club oractivity that is controversial but otherwiselawful. AI..CA.CT,DC,DE,DODDS,FL,GA.HI,lA, !D. LA.MD,ME.MO,MS,MT,NC,NE.NH,NJ,NV,NY,OH,OK,OR.RI,SC,SD,TX,WA,WVandWY.• To be a member of any parent/citizen

group and have your group recognized andheard by school officials. AI.,AK,AZ,CA,CT,DC,DODDS,FL,HI,ill, IN,KY,LA,ME.MN,MS,MT.NC,NE,NH,NV,NY,OH,RI'. SC,VT, WA and WY.• To appeal an action, policy or decision

permitting an unreasonable search of yourchild or his/her property by schoolemployees. According to the SupremeCourt Decision of January, 1985 (NewJersey v,T.L.O.) school officials musthave reasonable suspicion to believe that aschool rule or a law has been violatedbefore searching your child, and that themanner of conducting a search must bereasonably related to its valid objectiveand circumstances. All states and OODDS.• To challenge the removal of books

from a school library based on schoolofficials' personal dislike of ideas theycontain. All states and OODDS. 0

The above is reprinted from a wallet-sized card available in either English orSpanishfrom the National Committee forCitizens in Education, 900 2nd Street, NE,Suite 8, Washington, DC, 20002. Formore information call: 202-408-0447.

A Parent Perspective

AQuestionof PowerBy Earlean Suitte

Parents need to be a part of theeveryday policy-making. They may bepart of the PTA, but they generally don'thelp make decisions for the school,whether it's around curriculum or otherpolicies.For parents who want to get involved,

the first thing 1suggest is that you knowyour rights as a parent, because you dohave rights. You also need to organize asa group, and you need to know whomakes the decisions about education.On a school level, you need to

empower yourself. By that 1mean beinga part of the curriculum-making process,being a part of the decisions. Know whoyour PTA president is. Understand termslike LD and ED. Understand tracking andwhat it means. Understand the Chapter 1program.Once you know what some of these

programs and terms mean, you candecide; do we really need theseprograms? Axe these programs helpingour children or are they just another wayof putting a child somewhere where theywon't be a bother? If you're told thatyour child is LD, for example, they maytell you that your child has a problem butthey won't tell you that your child isheaded to a place where he might not geta good education.On a broader level, you have to look at

who makes the decisions abouteducation. Start with your localgovernment and your local school board.Know who your local officials are and

. t edoeation,and go to them.Before you go to your officials, you

need to have an organized parent's group.If you go by yourself, you may not knowthe education terminology that they use.And if you don't, one way or anotherthey will get you every time.When you don't know all the terminol-

ogy and the language, you can get upsetand nervous, and be afraid that you saidthe wrong thing. If you say, for example,that you think there should be moreculturally diverse classes, and they say,"Well what do you mean by that, wealready do that," and they throw somefancy language at you, they're going towin the battle. You have to have yourducks in a row and know what it isyou're talking about.Also, if you go as a group, they see it's

more than one person. It makes youstronger. They take one parent and say,"She just wants this for her specialchild." If you go as a group, they thinkyou want it for every child, Which is whatyou do want.As for administrators and teachers,

they need to go beyond making parentsfeel welcome in the school and asvolunteers in the classroom. They need toencourage and allow their input in realdecisions. If teachers and administratorsare serious about parent involvement,they will let parents be involved incurriculum, on hiring committees.Even though teachers and administra-

tors say they think parents should beinvolved in decisions, it's written ineverything they say, and in everyunspoken word, that they don't wantparents with that kind of involvement.The administrators and the teachers

have to give up some of their power.That's an issue. How much of theirpower are they willing to give up? 0

Earlean Suitte is the mother of a 13-year-old seventh grader. She is activewith the Legal Aid Task Force of NorthCarolina, working on issues such asChapter 1, tracking, and diversity.

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Page 24 Rethinking Schools Spring 1993_r------....,;""..--------~.;::..;,;;,,;,;SHORTSChannel One Injunction

A judge in Santa Clara, Calif., issued apenn anent injunction in Novemberprohibiting a local school district fromforcing students to watch Channel Onenews and advertisements broadcasts inschool.The order by the superior court was

issued against Whittle Communications, theproducers of Channel One, and the EastSide Union High School District. It requiresthat the school district provide a structured,supervised alternative to viewing ChannelOne's daily I2-minute current affairsprogram, which includes two minutes ofcommercials. Parents must be notified inwriting that viewing Channel One isvoluntary and teachers will be remindedeach semester of the provisions of the courtorder.

Chapter 1 ReformThree recent reports have called for

reform of Chapter I, the $6 billion-a-yearfederal funding program designed toimprove the basic skills of low-incomechildren. Chapter 1 was created in 1965 bythe Elementary and Secondary EducationAct and is up for reauthorization byCongress this year, as it is every five years.The first report, drawn up by an

independent, 28-member commission,advocates threats of federal funding cuts toforce states to equalize funding amongschool districts. States which do not complywould lose all funds allocated by the 1965education act, including Chapter 1. Thereport also urges the elimination of manyrestrictions on the use of Chapter 1 moniesbut adds a strict accountability systemwhich would demand student achievementimprovements within five years. Penaltiesfor school districts which repeatedly failedto show improvement could include schoolclosures, staff or administration firings, orstate-level governance of the district'sschools.The two other reports were released in

February by the National Assessment ofChapter I,created by Congress two yearsago. The reports recommend that moreChapter I funds go to secondary schoolsand that services be extended to LimitedEnglish Proficiency students and thechildren of migrant workers. They alsosuggest more and earlier parentalinvolvement in schools, a greater emphasison teaching critical thinking and analysis,better student assessment methods, andimproved coordination of health and socialservices with Chapter 1 programs.

wrote, "but instead are associated with localproperty wealth or are simply irrational."North Dakota's plan, also largely

dependent on local property taxes, wasfound unconstitutional by a district judge inFebruary because it "arbitrarily andirrationally denies equal educationalopportunities to children in low-wealthdistricts." The ruling requires legislators tocome up with a more equitable fundingformula within six months. State officials inNorth Dakota plan to appeal the decision tothe state supreme court.

OutlawingCorporal Punishment

A bill to eliminate corporal punishmentin Texas public schools was introduced inFebruary by state Sen. Rodney Ellis. Publicschool employees would be forbidden bythe law to hit, spank, or slap students withhands or objects. School employees wouldbe permitted to use "reasonable andnecessary" restraining methods to prevent astudent from injuring a person or property,in self-defense, or to take away drugs,weapons, or other "dangerous objects."Passage of the bill would make Texas the

23rd state to outlaw corporal punishment inpublic schools. Peace Education Conference Joan Janus at (414) 476-3606 or Juli

Wisconsin Educators for Social Responsi- Bussiere at (414) 476-4140.Labor History Course bility will be hosting a one-day conference

Teachers who want to learn how to teach entitled "Peace Education Yesterday, Today Malcolm X Poster Availablelabor history are invited to a 5-day course and Tomorrow" on Saturday, March 27 at The Bread and Roses Cultural Project hasthis July at the University of Wisconsin- Marquette University in Milwaukee. produced an 18x24 inch poster featuringMadison. Workshops feature peace education ideas Malcolm X speaking at a rally in support ofThe course, "Teaching Labor Studies in for teachers of students from kindergarten a 1962 strike by hospital workers in New

the Schools," is designed for teachers at all through adult and will be led by teachers York. The rally for Health Care Workersgrade levels. Teachers who complete the and activists from around the state. Work- Union 1199 was the first and only timecourse will also be eligible for two graduate shops include: "Taking a Step Back; Malcolm X participated in a mass campaigncredits. Running a Democratic Classroom;" "Do together with whites. The back of the posterThe course will run from July 11-16, and You Know Enough to Enlist?" and "Non- outlines the historical context of the rally.

is sponsored by the Wisconsin School for verbal Exercises in Conflict and Reconcilia- Copies are available for $5.00 from BreadWorkers, UW-Extension, the Wisconsin tion.' and Roses, 330 W. 42nd St., New YOi'Ir,H,vState AFL-CIO, and other labor and --e~R~eiogi..str..a..ti.ooo;n..fee.. is...$.. 1,!,5•.00.. (",$I"l!0".OO.~"or~__ I_00.,3",6... ~ ::::"education grou s mttffW!II'l!'''Cl'I!m!lllllnl"'-and Instruction Department, UW -Madison.The program costs $791 per participant,including housing and all meals. Scholar-ships are available.For more information, write School for

Workers Registration, 422 Lowell Hall, 610Langdon St., Madison, WI 53703.

Leadership- Campfor High Schoolers

Applications are being accepted for the1993 Encampment for Citizenship July 5 -Aug. 15 in the San Francisco Bay Area. TheEncampment, founded in 1946, is a six-week camp for high school students whosepurpose is to foster social activism andawareness in a multicultural setting."Encampers" explore issues of race,

gender, health, environment, poverty,politics, and the arts through workshops, artactivities, camping trips, and communityservice. Service projects have included low-income housing renovation and working athealth clinics and child care centers.Applicants must be 15 years old and have

completed the first year of high school byJuly 5, 1993. For an application, contactEFC at 2530 San Pablo Ave., Suite B,Berkeley, CA, 94702, or call (510) 548-8908.

~ THE GODDARD INSTITUTE....r:....ON TEACHING AND LEARNING-SI.~...... "" ..~~~'15f:i1IiI1::Il::11iliI SUMMER 1993- June 25 to July 23

COURSESJUNE 27 - JULY 1

Theme: EDUCATION, DEMOCRACY, AND COMMUNITYo THE FOXFIRE ApPROACH TO TEACHING ANO lEARNINGo CONFLICT RESOLUTION AND THE DEMOCRATIC CLASSROOMo THE TAO OF EDUCATIONAL TRANSFORMATIONo EDUCATING FOR AN ECOLOGICALLY SUSTAINABLE CULTURE

CONFERENCESJUNE 25 - 27THE 5TH ANNUAL

PITKIN CONFERENCEEDUCATION, DEMOCRACY,

AND DIVERSITY:PROGRESSIVE EDUCATIONFOR THE 21ST CENTURYA series of dialogues and

workshops wtth:-MARY BELENKY

-SHELLY BERMAN-CHET BOWERS

-MAXINE GREENE-SONIA NIETO

-IRA SHOR

Finance PlansUnconstitutional

Judges in Missouri and North Dakotahave ruled that their states' school financingsystems are irrational and unfair. InJanuary, Circuit Judge Byron L. Kindergave Missouri state legislators 90 days fromthe end of the current legislative session todevise a replacement for the slate'sproperty-lax-based system. The presentsystem has produced widely disparatefunding, with a range of per-pupil spendingof $2,653 to $9,750.''Those disparities are not because of

differing student needs," Judge Kinder

JULY 4 - 8Theme: TEACHING FOR DIVERSITY

o MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES: IMPLICATIONS FOR THE CLASSROOMo FEMINIST PEDAGOGY AND DIFFERENCEo TEACHING FOR RACIAL AWARENESSo CONFRONTING HOMOPHOBIA: APPRECIATING DIVERSITY

JULY 9 - 16Theme: CHANGING EDUCATION: AN INTEGRATED

APPROACHo HOLISTIC lEARNING THROUGH INTEGRATED CURRICULUMo DANCING THROUGH WALLS: INTEGRATED CURRICULUM IN THE

MIDDLE GRADESo DEVELOPING A HOLISTIC INTEGRATED CURRICULUMo THE MYSTERIES: A HOLISTIC HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

CURRICULUM FOR ADOLESCENTSo COMMON ROOTS: INTEGRATING K-6 CURRICULUM AROUND THE

THEMES OF FOOD, ECOLOGY, AND COMMUNITYo EXPRESSIVE ARTS EDUCATION

JULY 9 - 10EDUCATIONAL lEADER-

SHIP FOR DEMOCRATIC,LEARNER-CENTERED

SCHOOLSA series of dialogues and

workshops with:-CARL GLICKMAN-ANN LIEBERMAN

One copy $4.00 + $2 postage10 - 49 $2 each + shipping50 - 199 $1.50 each + shipping200 - 499 $1.00 each + shipping500 - 999 75¢ each + shipping1000+ SO¢each + shipping

Shipping costs are $8 for 4 to100; add $6 per 100 thereafter.Bulk orders are for schools andschool districts, or for internal useby organizations. They are not tobe sold publicly or resold forprofit. Book stores anddistributors please contact us forpricing information.

Over 200,000 copies sold!

Rethinking ColumbusEssays and resources for teaching

about the SOOth anniversary ofColumbus's arrival in the Americas.

Rethinking Columbus is a special 96-page edition ofRethinking Schools. It is published in collaboration withthe Network of Educators on Central America.

JULY 19-26o TEACHER lORE: FINDING OUR DWN WAYo TEACHER AS RESEARCHER

Contact: Steve Schapiro,ITl Director, GoddardCollege, Plainfield, VT05667. 802-454-8311, FAX802-454-8017.

Mail to: Rethinking Schools1001 E. Keefe Ave., Milw., WI 53212 (414) 964-9646 1-800 468-4888

Spring 1993 Rethinking Schools Page 25

Children's Books About the ElderlyBy Pat Rigg, Francis E. Kazemekand Sarah Hudelson

As the fourth-graders walked down thestreet from their school to the old persons'"nursing home" I had arranged for them tovisit, I overheard one boy say to another,"I've got elephants in my stomach.""I know," replied his friend, "I've got

lizards in mine."Elephants and lizards in their stomachs?

What on earth were these boys afraid of? Ithought I had carefully prepared them forthis trip; I had read them Mem Fox'sWilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge. inwhich a small boy who lives next to an oldfolks home befriends many of the residentsthere. I had brought some of theoctogenarians from the neighborhood"home" into the class, and had listened tothem entertain the boys and girls withstories of classrooms, playgrounds, andgames they remembered. It had neveroccurred to me that these kids could bescared of visiting a place right in theirneighborhood, one many of them passeddaily.But they were scared. Unfortunately, for

many of them their ideas of old age did notcome from long-term, loving relationshipswith several elderly people. Instead, theirideas seemed to be based on ignorance andhalf-remembered fairy tales in which oldwomen figured prominently as child-eaters.These children live in modem times. And

in modem times, many families don'troutinely eat Sunday dinner at Grandma'sanymore. Some grandchildren see theirgrandparents only two or three times a year,and may not know any other people 60 andct.Children need to learn that there is as

younger people. But they won't learn that~~ set, which has an enormousin . fixing children's views aboutthe world. Television sitcoms still tend toportray old people as white-haired, frailpeople who spend a great deal of timesitting, often in a rocking chair. And even ifchildren have grandparents who defy thatstereotype, they may tend to think it'sbecause their grandparents are an exception,not that the television stereotype ismisleading.Since many schoolchildren lack personal

contact with old people, we need to findways for them to meet and know a varietyof old people through their reading. Ideally,books can enable youngsters to know,respect, and even love old people from avariety of ethnic cultures and social classes.It is hard to hold a stereotype of

grandmothers as frail, white-haired cookie-bakers after reading My Grandma HasBlack Hair, in which the girl's grandmotherneither knits nor bakes, or Tales of aGambling Grandma, in which anothergrandmother plays cards for hergranddaughter's allowance and regales herwith stories of the old woman's youth, orChicken Sunday, in which Eula Mae Walkerleads her church choir in gospel singing, orAbuela, in which the grandmother flies overNew York City with her granddaughter, herskirts sweeping the Statue of Liberty as thetwo sail across the sky. It is hard to fitunwed elderly women into the stereotype of"old maid" after reading Do Not Open, inwhich Miss Moody through wit and courageovercomes an evil genie, or Miss Rumphius,in which a world traveler retires to hergirlhood home and there finds a way tomake the world more beautiful, or MyGreat-Aunt Arizona, about a school teacherwhose love of travel and adventure inspiredher students.

Stereotyping in TextbooksBut are these the stories the children find

in school? Not if they are reading only basalreaders, those standardized readingtextbooks. Even though basal publishershave increasingly incorporated the elderlyin a non-stereotypical manner into their

readers in recent years, the portrait of theelderly presented in basals is inadequate inimportant areas.• First, elders tend to be underrepresented

in basal readers; there simply are notenough stories about them (Serra and Lamb,1984; Meadows and Fillmer, 1987).• Second, minority elders continue to be

underrepresented. One study reports that ofthe elders in basal readers, fewer than 10%are African-American; fewer than 5% areHispanic (Fillmer and Meadows, 1986).• Third, a sex bias in favor of men still

exists. As Fillmer and Meadows (1986)discovered, 64% of the elderly charactersfound in basal readers are men, while 36%are women. This ratio does not reflect socialreality; in fact, it is almost opposite of thepresent ratio of men to women over 65.• Lastly, while old people are generally

portrayed favorably, they continue to bepresented in restricted roles. One finds, forexample, few single elderly in basal readers,whether never married or widows,widowers, or divorced old people (Fillmerand Meadows, 1986).Thus, there still need to be more stories

which present the elderly in "non-traditional" roles and settings, stories thatdeal "with elderly people who participate insocial activities outside the home, breakingmale/ female stereotypes," as researchersJudith Serra and Pose Lamb (1984, p. 281)have noted. We also need stories which dealwith death in a sensitive, open way. Sincebasals are not filling these needs, we look totrade books. Trade books, or books writtenfor the general public, offer the variety ofexcellent children's literature that is missingfrom the basals (Goodman, 1988).Some trade books offer stories that show

old people respected for their greaterexperience and their wisdom. (Lawrence

is a reality for many children. EloiseGreenfield's Grandmammas Joy is one thatdoes, as is Amy Hest's The Go-BetweenThe Go-Between is also notable forshowing romantic possibilities betweenpeople over 60.

Vuong's The Brocaded Slipper and OtherVietnamese Tales introduces children toVietnamese folktales; Frances Carpenter'sTales of a Chinese Grandmother is a finecollection of Chinese tales; and CoyoteTales by Hettie Jones introduces children toCoyote, the mythic and mischievoustrickster of many Native Americans.There is a great deal of good children's

literature that portrays the diversity, thestrengths, and the richness of the elderly.Reading that literature can help our studentsbetter understand a group of people that hasbeen under-represented and stereotypicallyrepresented - the aged.

Beyond ReadingTeachers and parents can also use trade

books to start activities that can build bondsbetween different generations and furtherbreak down stereotypes. Sharon BellMathis' The Hundred Penny Box and EthClifford's The Remembering Box, forexample, both suggest ways ofremembering that can lead to sharedstorytelling between young and old. Manypeople have a special coin, maybe a luckycoin, with at least one story about it. Manypeople have a box of trinkets kept for theirsentimental value and will tell the storybehind the trinket to an eager younglistener. Journals, pen pal letters, and otherinter-generational writing activities in theclassroom can also serve as opportunitiesfor youngsters and elders to sharememories.As the Foxfire (Wigginton, 1972) oral

history books have demonstrated, asking theelders in one's community to talk abouttheir lives, especially their youth, givesyoung students a first-hand look at a timethey cannot otherwise know; it is afascinating and rewarding way to leam localhistory. Aunt Arie: A Foxfire Portrait, forinstance, provides a fine example of howstudents are able to enter into the life of astrong old person and share that life throughstories and reminiscences.In some families and schools,

conversational story-telling seems almost alost art. Many old people, however, stillknow how to tell a tale, and can sometimes

REFERENCESFUlmer, H. Thompson, and Meadows, Ruth.

"The portrayal of older characters in five sets ofbasal readers." The Elementary School Journal,86 (May, 1986),651-62.

Freeman, Yvonne and Carolina Cervantes.Literature Books en Espaiiol for Whole Lan-guage. Tucson, AZ: University of Arizona,Program in Language& Literacy (1990).

Goodman, Kenneth S. et al. Report Card onthe Basal. New York: Richard C. Owen, 1988.

Kazemek, Francis E. "Stories of our lives:Interviews and oral histories for languagedevelopment." Journal of Reading 29 (Dec.1985.),211-18.Marks, Ronald; Newman, Sally; Onawola,

Roland. "Latency-aged children's view of aging."Educational Gerontology, 11 (1985), 89-99.

Meadows, Rita E., and Fillmer, H. Thompson."Depictions of aging in basal readers of the 19605and 1980s."Educational Gerontology, 13 (1987),85-100.

Schon, Isabel. Books in Spanish for Child.renand Young Adults: An annotated guide, series 3.Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow Press (1985).Serra, Judith K., and Lamb, Pose. ''The elderly

in basal readers." The Reading Teacher, 38 (Dec.1984),277-81.Steitz, Jean A., and Verner, Betty S. "What

• It •

And Now Miguel)Others show how one can deal with

infirmities. (Tomie de Paola's Now OneFoot, Now the Other; PatriciaMacLachlan's Through Grandpa's Eyes;Vera B.Williams' Music, MusicforEveryone; Wittman's A Special Trade.)Some also deal with the death of a belovedelder. (Charlotte Zolotow's My GrandsonLew; de Paola's Nana Upstairs, NanaDowns/airs; Karen Taha's A Giftfor TiaRosa).A few recent trade books show old and

young connecting with each other acrosscultures. (patricia Polacco's ChickenSunday and Mrs. Katz and Tush; AlfredSlote's Finding Buck M cHenry ..MichaelRosen's Elijah's Angel.)Unfortunately, few books portray

grandparents acting as parents, although this

'Geroruology, 13 (1987), 357-68.Weitzman, David. My Backyard History Book.

Boston: Little, Brown & Co.1975.Wigginton. Eliot, Ed. The Foxfire Book.

Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1972.A good source of pictures and slides for young

and old to look at together is BiFokal Produc-tions, 911Williamson Sr,MadisonWI 53703.The local library should have some of theBiFolkal materials, BiFolkal Kits and Slides.

with family stories or folktales. CarmenLomas Garza's bilingual (Spanish-English)Family Pictures, in which the activities ofan Hispanic community in South Texas arepictured and described, is a good model forchildren and grandparents to start goingthrough their own photo albums.In addition to family stories, traditional

folktales or legends can also provide a linkbetween generations. Every ethnic grouphas its own collection, and students canenjoy reading stories drawn from their owntradition as well as stories from othertraditions. Virginia Hamilton's The PeopleCould Fly is a collection of Black Americanfolktales; Joe Hayes' The Day It SnowedTortillas has stories drawn fromSouthwestern Spanish speakers; YoshikoUchida's The Dancing Kettle is a collectionof Japanese folktales; Lynette Dyer

Pat Rigg is a consultant in Tucson, Ariz., whohas worked with and written about children andadults who are learning English as a secondlanguage.Francis E. Kazemek is an associate professor

in Education at Eastern Washington University inCheney, Wash., where he teaches multiculturalchildren's literature.Sarah Hudelson is an associate professor in

Multicultural Education at Arizona StateUniversity in Tempe, Ariz., where she teachesbilingual education.

Today's children need more opportunities to meet and learn about the elderly.

Page 26 Rethinking Schools

---~ ._--- --- ._------...,

Spring 1993

ABibliography of Books withNon-steretoypical Views of the ElderlyBy Pat Rigg, Francis E. Kazemekand Sarah Hudelson

An asterisk (*) indicates that the book is apicture book.

Ackerman, Karen. "Just like Max. 1990,Knopf, New York. Aaron shows his bed-riddengreat-uncle Max that his lessons have not beenforgotten. Illus. George Sclunidt.

Ackerman, Karen. "The song and dance man.1988, Scholastic, New York. Grandpa entertainsthe kids with his old vaudeville routines. lllus.Stephen Gammell.

Alexander, Martha. *Where does the sky end,Grandpa? 1992, Harcourt Brace jovanovich,New York. Young girl and grandfather spend aday together, she asking all sorts of questionsand making wishes, he doing his best with both.Illus. M Alexander.

Aliki. "The two of them. 1979, Greenwillow,New York. Grandfather and granddaughter sharegood times until his stroke and death. Illus. Aliki.

Andrews. Jan. The auction. 1991, MacMillan,NY. A boy and his grandfather prepare the homefarm for an auction.

Ballard, Robin. "Granny and me. 1992,Greenwillow, New York. A young girl enjoyssharing daily activities with her grandmother.mus. Ballard.Barber, Aotonia. »Mousehole cat. 1992. Ao

old sailor and his Mowzer brave ocean storms tohelp their village.

Beil, Karen Magnuson. *Grandma accordingto me. 1992, Doubleday, New York. Thestereotypical grandmother-white hair, rocker,cookie-baker-comes alive. Illus. Ted Rand.BIos, Joan W. Brothers of the heart: A story of

the o/dNorthwest. 1985, Aladdin, New York. Aoold Indian healer helps a 14-year-old boy surviveand mature. Native American.

Bond, Ruskin. "Cherry tree. 1992, Boyds MillPress, Honesdale, PA. A Himalayan girl'sgYandfather h.. ber lJIont.a "'-Y """"".. _two watch the tree grow as she matures. Illus.Allan Eitzen.Bonners, Susan. "The wooden doll. 1991,

Lothrop, Lee, & Sheperd, New York. Young girlwants her grandfather's wooden nesting-doll,which he brought from Poland. Cltild learnsabout him and her heritage. lllus. Bonners.Booth, Barbara D. "Mandy. 1991, Lothrop,

Lee, & Sheperd, New York. Deaf girl andgrandma bake cookies, dance, walk, and lose abrooch. Mandy goes out alone and finds it. lllus.Jim LaMarche.Bomstein, Ruth L. A beasuiful seashell. 1990,

Harper Collins, New York. Rosie's great-grandmother tells about her childhood immigra-tion to the USA and gives Rosie a seashell fromthat time. Hispanic American.

Bryan, Ashley. "Turtle knows your name.1979, Atheneum, New York. Grandma helpsyoung boy cope with the difficulty of a longname. West Indies.

Bunting, Eve. *The Wednesday surprise.1990, Clarion, Scholastic, New York. Grandmaand Anna work each Wednesday evening on abirthday surprise for Anna's father. Adultliteracy. Illus. Donald Carrick.

Burningham, John. »Granpa. 1984, Crown,New York. Simple, tender story of girl andgrandfather playing together; he enters herpretend world. Illus. J Burningham.

Carlstrom, Nancy White. "Grandpappy. 1990,Little, Brown, Boston. Nate visits Grandpappyon the Maine coast and they spend their days insimple, everyday pleasures.lllus. Laurel Molk.

Caseley, Judith. When Grandpa came to stay.1986, Greenwillow, New York. Realisticportrayal of how a family attempts to help adepressed grandfather after his wife dies.

Cech, John. "My grandmother's journey.1991, Bradbury, New York. Grandmother whoescaped Russia after World War n tells hergranddaughter Korie all about it. lllus. SharonMcGinley-Nally.

Clifford, Eth. "The remembering box. 1985,Houghton Mifflin, Boston. Joshua visitsGrandma each Sabbos, eats her wonderful foodand listens to her memories.

Coman, Carolyn. *Losing things at Mr.Mudd's. 1992, Farrar, Strauss, Giroux, NewYork. Six-year-old Lucy visits her relative whohas priceless antiques. Both learn somethingabout value.lllus. Lance Hidy.

Conrad, Pam. My Daniel. 1989, Harper &Row, New York. 80-year.old grandmother tells

her grandchildren about her brother, a dinosaur"hunter".

Cooney, Barbara. *Miss Rumphius. 1982,Viking, New York. Miss R. travels when young,returns home when she is old and devises a wayto make the world more beautiful.

Coutant, Helen. The gift. 1973, Knopf, NewYork. Girl is stunned when her beloved elderlyfriend loses her sight, then thinks of a gift thatonly she can give. Vietnamese American.

Cross, Verda. *Great-Grandma tells ofthreshing day. 1992, Whitman, Morton Grove,IL. Ms. Cross relates childhood memories ofharvest. lUus. Gail Owens.

de Paola, Tomie. Nana upstairs, Nanadownstairs. 1973, Puffm. A young boy's grief athis great-grandmother's death is eased when hismother tells him that Nana has become ashooting star.

de Paola, Tomie. Now onefoot, now the other.1981, Putnam, New York. Available in Spanishas Un pasito y otro pasito. Boy helps hisgrandfather recover from a stroke.

DeFelice, Cynthia. *When grampa kissed hiselbow. 1992, Macmillan, New York. Maggiespends the sununer with Grampa, and each dayof their shared activities shimmers with hismagic. Illus, Karl Swanson.

Diller, Harriet. "Grandaddy's highway. 1993,Caroline House, Honesdale, PA. Girl andgrandfather imagine they are driving a big truck

.,r··· -¥.

gifts to Jessie - new school clothes - patternedlike The House that JackBuilt.lllus. PatriciaMullins.

Franklin, Kristine L. The old, old man and thevery little boy. 1992, Atheneum, New York. Inan African village, an old man shares hismemories and wisdom. Illus. T. Shaffer.

Garcia, Richard & Harriet Rohmer. "Losespiritus de mi tia OtiliaJ The spirits of my AuntOtilia. 1989. Children's Book Press, SanFrancisco. Aunt Otilia comes to visit from PuertoRico and brings her noisy spirits with-her.Bilingual. Illus. Robin Cherin and Roger Reyes.

Geras, Adele. My grandmother's stories.1990, Knopf, New York. Young girl loves tovisit her grandmother's kitchen, help with thedaily tasks, and listen to stories. Illus. JaelJordan.

Gilman. Phoebe. *Grandma and the pirates.1990, Scholastic, New York. Pirates kidnapGrandma so she'll cook them noodles, but sheand her granddaughter outwit them.

Goble, Paul. "Beyond the ridge. 1989,Bradbury, New York. Death as transformation.American Plains Indian.

Graham, Bob. *Rose meets Mr. Wimergard.1992, Candlewick Press, Cambridge, MA. A girlkicks a ball into the yard of an elderly recluse.I1lus. Graham.

Gray, Nigel. A balloon for Grandad. 1988,Orchard, New York. Boy loses a helium balloon,imagines it is floating across oceans to hisgrandfather Abdullah in North Africa lllus. JaneRay.

\.1:,.,'~~ Greenfield. Eloise. *Grandmamma'sjoy.~ 1980, Putnam, New York. Grandmamma is'iA' distraught because she and her granddaughter{: must move. The child helps her recall what it is

she values most. African-American.

Greenfield, Eloise. *Grandpa'sface. 1988,Philomel, New York. Young girl tests hergrandfather's love in an extended African-American family. Illus. Floyd Cooper. African-American.

1992, Holiday House, New York. Modem youngCochiti girl describes activities with grandpar-ents. Photos: Lawrence Migdale.

Johnson, Angela. *When [ am old. with you.1990, Orchard, New York. Grandson plansactivities he and his grandfather will share whenthe boy is old. lllus. David Seman. African-American.

Johnson, Herschel. A visit to the country,1989, Harper & Row, New York. Young boyspends summer at his grandparents' farm in theSouth. Illus. Romare Berarden. African-American.

Johnston, Tony. Grandpa's song. 1991, Dial,New York. Grandpa loves to sing and the kidslove to listen and sing along. When he startsforgetting the words, they help. Illus. BradSneed.

Jukes, Mavis. Blackberries in the dark. 1985,Knopf, New York. A nine-year-old boy and hisgrandmother face their first summer togetherwithout the grandfather.Khalsa, Dayal K. "Tales of a gambling

grandma. 1986, Clarkson N. Potter, New York.This grandma plays poker for hergranddaughter's allowance, tells outrageousstories. Russian American.

Kimmelman, Leslie. Me and Nana. 1990,Harper Collins, New York. Natalie loves tospend a day with Nana and Viola, two very up-to-date women. Illus. Marilee R Burton

Krumgold, Joseph .... and now Miguel. 1953,Crowell. An Hispanic family in New Mexico isled by the grandfather, whose years of experi-ence have given him a wisdom the familyrespects.

Lee, Jeanne. "Ba Nam. 1987, Henry Holt,New York. Young girl at cemetery is scared ofBa Nam, the old, bent woman who cares for thegraves. Vietnamese.

Levinson, Riki. *!go with my family toGrandma's. 1986, Bantam Doubl ewYork. Five girls, their parents, and siblIngto Grandma's inManhattan at the tum of the

G d

From Tomie de Paola's Now OneFoot, Now the Other.

across the USA. Illus. Henri Sorensen.Donato, Magda. £1 n1iio de mazaptin y la

mariposa de cristal. 1990, Consejo Nacionalpara la Cultura y las Artes, Mexico, OF Spanish.A widow makes a candy son and a crystalbutterfly and gives it life. Illus. Jose ChavezMorado.

Douglas, Barbara. Good as new. Scholastic,New York. Grandpa helps Grady repair hisbattered teddy bear. lUus. Patience Brewster.

Drucker, Maika. "Grandma's latkes.1992,Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, New York. Mollylearns about Hannukah as she helps grandmotherprepare traditional pancakes. Illus. Eve Chwast.

Dugan, Barbara. "Loop the wop. 1992,Greenwillow, New York. A girl's grandmother isin a wheelchair, but she can make her yoyoperform great tricks. Illus. James Stevenson.

Engel, Diane. *Eleanor, Arthur, and Claire.1992, Macmillan, New York. A story about amouse family in which the granddaughter Clairegoes to visit her grandparents in the summer.Grandfather dies. mus. Engel.

Farber, Norma. How does itfeelto be old?1981, Creative Arts, Berkeley. A very readablepoem in which the author shares with surprisingfrankness and good humor how old age hasaffected her. mus. Trina Schwart Hyman.

Flournoy, Valerie. *The patchwork quilt.1985, Dutton, New York. Grandmother andgranddaughter create a work of art and warmthfrom scraps of family fabric. African American.

Fox, Mem. *Night noises. 1989, HarcourtBrace/Trumpet, New York. A very old womanand her dog snooze by the fire and are fmallyawakened by a surprise birthday party. mus.Terry Denton.

Fox, Mem. "Shoes from Grandpa. 1989,Orchard, New York. A joyous rhyming book of

.. Greenwillow, New York. A girl visits her.' grandfather; the two garden, listen to insects,

and play the harmonica. When he has a stroke,she helps him hear Georgia music again. Illus.James Stevenson.

Halak, Glenn. "A grand=ther's story. 1992,Green Tiger Press, New York. An old womanrows out to sea, then to an island, and is there tosave her shipwrecked grandson, whom she rowsback home.

Haskins, Francine. Things [like aboutGrandma. 1992, Cltildren' s Book Press, SanFrancisco. A granddaughter lists all of the thingsshe likes about her grandmother. Illus. F.Haskins. African-American.

Hedderwick, Mairi. Katie Morag and the twograndmothers. 1986, Little, Brown, Boston.Granma Mainland's secret hair care helpsGranma Island's sheep win the prize. Illus.Hedderwick.

Hershey, Kathleen Scots. »Cotton milltown.1993, Dutton, NY. A young girl loves to staywith her grandmother in a cotton mill town. Illus.Jeannette Winter.

Hest, Amy. The ring and the window seat.1990, Scholastic, New York. Aunt Stella'sbirthday gift of a ring connects a young girl toher great-aunt and her Jewish heritage. Illus.Deborah Haeffele.

Hest, Amy. The go-between: 1992, FourWinds Press, New York. A girl nurtures romancebet~een her grandmother and Murray, the newsvendor.mus. DyAnne DiSalvo·Ryan.

Hilton, Nene. "The long red scarf 1987/90,Omnibus! Carolrhoda, Adelaide! Minneapclis.Grandpa wants someone to knit him a long redscarf. mus. Margaret Power.

Hines, Anna Grossnickle. Grandma getsgrumpy. 1988, Clarion, New York. When all fivegrandkids come to visit, Grandma has to get alittle grumpy to get some cooperation.

Hoffman, Mary. *Amnzing Grace. 1991, Dial,New York. Grace's Nana convinces her she cando anything. lllus. Caroline Binch. African-British.

Hoffman, Mary. My grandmo has black hair.1988, Dial, New York. Sylvia's grandmotherdoesn't have white hair, bake cookies, or knit,and she doesn't plan to. Dlus. Joanna Burroughs.

Houston, Gloria. *My great-aunt Arizona.1992, Harper Collins, New York. 93-year·oldwoman recalls her life in the Blue RidgeMountains, her work as a school teacher, and herdreams of travel.Hoyt-Goldsntith, Diane. Puebw storyteller.

.~

Lindberg, Reeve. Grandfather' s Icvescng .1993, Viking, New York. Grandfath~r andgrandchild walk through New England land- .scape, while in verse he assures the· slove. Illus. Rachel Isadora.

Linden, Ann Marie. *One smiling grandma.1992, Dial, New York. A Caribbean countingbook. Illus. Lynne Russell.

MacLachlan. Patricia. Journey. 1992,Delacorte Press, New York. ll-year-old boystruggles to cope with abandorunent by mother,and to accept his grandparents .

MacLachlan, Patricia. Through grandpa'seyes. 1980, Harper & Row, New York. Youngboy learns new ways of seeing from blindgrandpa.Tllus. Deborah K. Ray.

Mathis, Sharon. Hundred penny box. 1983,Penguin, New York. Michael's great-great aunt;who is 100 years old. has a penny and a story foreach year.

McDonald, Megan. Thepotatomnn.1991,Orchard, New York. Grandpa tells grandsons thestory of his childhood. Illus. Ted Lewin.

Mora, Pat. "A birthday present for Tia. 1992,Macmillan, New York. Cecilia makes a birthdaybasket for her 90-year-old great-aunt. Illus.Ceci1y Lang.

Nobisso, Josephine. Grandma's scrapbook.1990, Green Tiger Press, San Diego. A youngwoman leafs through a photo album recallinggood times with her grandmother.lllus. MaureenHyde.

Nobisso, Josephine. Grandpa loved. 1989,Green Tiger Press, San Diego. Boy remembersall the wonderful things he and his grandfatherloved to do together. Illus. Maureen Hyde.

Nodar, C.S. Abuelita's paradiselEI Paraiso deAbuelita. 1992, Albert Whitman & Co., MortonGrove, IL. With dead grandmother's chair andshawl, girl remembers stories of grandmother'slife in Puerto Rico. Bilingual.

Passen, Lisa. Grommy & Sammy. 1990, HenryHolt & Co, New York. When Grarruny comes tolive with the family and share hergranddaughter's room, the cat Sammy has tomove outdoors. mus. L Passen.

Patrick, Denise Lewis. *Red dancing shoes.1993, Tambourine. Grandma returns from a tripwith a pair of red dancing shoes for little sister.Little sister dances through the neighborhood.African-American. lllus. James E. Ransome.

Paulsen, Gary. Dogsong. 1985, Bradbury,New York. Inuit boy discovers himself and hisheritage when an elder offers advice and a

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Page 28-NO COMMENT

Rethinking Schools Spring 1993

George Was Extreme, TooDeciding he had had enough of criticisms

of the proposal to rename Fulton MiddleSchool after Malcolm X, Milwaukee SchoolBoard member Jared Johnson took on boardmember Lawrence O'Neill's view thatschools should not be named after"extremist or aggressive" people.. "George Washington was a slave owner,"Johnson said. "I thiuk that's prettyextreme."To which we might add that George was

a pretty aggressive guy, what with being ageneral and helping to start a revolution.The proposal to rename the school passed

4-3 - a bit too close for comfort but avictory nonetheless.

reimbursement for a child, expectingpayment for full-time care when their owndocumentation showed the child had notbeen there full time."

White Flight in IowaSchool "choice" plans are often proposed

as a way to give poor and minority studentsthe same opportunities as middle-classwhite kids. But an analysis of the publicschool choice plan in Iowa showed that 401ofthe 413 students who left the district inthe first two years to attend suburbanschools were white. About 20% of the city'sstudent are from minority groups.As The New York Times reported last

December, "The case shows how socialforces can make it tough for urban schoolsto compete in an educational free market -Multiculturalism

Out of Greenfield!More than 70 parents met at Greenfield

Middle School in mid-February to discusscharges that students of color weremistreated at the Greenfield, WI school byteachers and administrators. White andAfrican-American parents shouted at eachother several times during the meeting, withwhite parents strongly supporting the schoolstaff in the controversy, according to newsreports.In the midst of such tensions, parent Bill

Lang got up to say he had had enough ofschools teaching multiculturalism. Hisseventh grade son, he said, was in school"to learn to read and write and doarithmetic. He's not here to leam aboutother cultures."

The Tax Man ComethLearning Enterprise of Wisconsin, a

private, non-profit corporation that operatesthe Safe House, a daycare center and analternative high school under contract with

S, owes more Iblln·$1;l5.ooo..iI· .... -<the city, state, and federal governments,according to a report in the Feb. 20Milwaukee Sentinel. (Learning Enterprisehas also advocated that MPS contract outkindergarten and early childhood slots tocommunity organizations, like itself).Jeff Aikin, spokesman for the MiJwaukee

County Department of Human Services,said that Learning Enterprise providesquality daycare services, but that theirbookkeeping system seems to be "over-whelmed."Aikin also said that Learning Enterprise

"would sometimes resubmit bills that hadalready been paid or they would bill us forclients who had not been authorized toreceive daycare funding. We wouldconsistently find that they had been paid but[the children] had not been documented intheir own bookkeeping system or theirclients hadn't been authorized to receivedaycare. Sometimes they would bill us for

forces like urban crime and blight, middle-class infatuation with suburbs, a lowthreshold among some people for highlevels of integration, and the challenges ofeducating an increasingly poor studentpopulation with dwindling tax dollars."

Historical DistortionsOnly two of eight history textbooks

recently adopted in the state of Arizonamention indigenous peoples in describingthe origins of what is now the United States,according to an article in the Journal ofNavajo Education (Fall 1992).

NikeMathHow's this for a math question for your

middle-schoolers:If a pair of Nike Air Jordan shoes costs

"WAITA MINUTE-IF TtfESE PEOPLE ARE SOPOWERFUL, HOW<'OME TKi'f Pt'~'TWI"

THE ElE<'nO~r\l

Subscribe to stay informed aboutcrucial educational issues. Tolearn what other teachers aredoing in their classrooms. Andto make sure you get each issuein a timely way.

But there is another reason.Rethinking Schools survives onsmall donations and sub-scriptions.

Support the effort to rethink oureducational system.

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$80, takes five hours to make, and Nikeworkers get paid 14 cents an hour, whatpercentage of the price goes to the workerswho actually make the shoe?(According to the AFL-CIO, the Nike

Corporation pays its workers as little as 14cents per hour in Indonesia, China, Malay-sia, and Thailand. )

Wanted: SuperintendentWhen the New York City board of

education voted not to renew the contract ofchancellor Joseph Fernandez, it meant thatthe three largest school districts in thecountry were looking for a newsuperintendent. Los Angeles SuperintendentWilliam Anton retired last fall, and inChicago, General Superintendent TedKimbrough was ousted in January.

Prohibited:Children WhoThink

Right-wing gadfly Phyllis Schlafly (no,she didn't retire after helping to defeat theEqual Rights Amendment) wrote an opinionpiece in The Wall Street Journal Jan. 19condemning public school curricula that"attack family faith, morals, discipline andautbority."Referring to a health education

curriculum in Michigan, Schlafly wrote:"Parents object to the way the curriculumteaches children to decide for themselves(instead of consulting their parents) what isright and wrong in all kinds of risk-takingsituations, especially those involving sexand substance abuse."

Million·dollar ParachuteFormer school superintendent Edward

Murphy in Long Island says he has nointention of giving up a $963,883 severancepayment. The New York Attorney,e contract t

package.Murphy retired as superintendent 0

Board of Cooperative Edu ervicesin Suffolk County in OCtober. Theseverance pay was based on a contract that,among other things, gave Murphy up to 90paid vacation days a year and allowed himto carry over unused vacation days until hisretirement.The severance pay was in addition to

Murphy's total compensation of about$220,000 a year, according to The New YorkTimes. Under usual retirement rules,Murphy would have also received an annualpension of about $150,000. If the severancepay is counted toward his retirement, hispension could double to about $300,000 ayear.

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Spring 1993 Rethinking Schools Page 29

PARENT RESOURCESBooks and BrochuresGuide to Parent Involvement Resources. National

Committee for Citizens in Education, 900 2nd Street,N.E., Suite 8, Washington, DC 20<X>2-3557,202-408-0447. A production of the Council of Chief StateSchool Officers and the National Coalition for ParentInvolvement in Education, the guide outlines theactivities and publications of over 30 nationalorganizations working for parent involvement inschools.

First Teachers: Parental Involvement in the PublicSchools. National School Boards Association, P.O.Box 63422, Baltimore, MD 21263-0422. $15.00 plus$3.75 shipping and handling, pre-paid. Designed tohelp school board members understand the issuessurrounding parental involvement, including thebenefits of involvement, the educational, societal, anddemographic barriers that can discourage participation,JlIld policy implications for school boards. The bookletalso includes descriptions of model programs fromaround the country.

Beyond the Bake Sale: An Educators' Guide toWorking with Parents, by Anne T. Henderson, Carl L.Marburger, and Theodora Ooms. National Committeefor Citizens in Education, 900 2nd Street, N.E., Suite 8,Washington, DC 20002-3557, 202-408-0447. $10.95plus $2.50 postage and handling. Encourages teachersand administrators to look critically at their beliefs andfeelings about parental involvement. Practical adviceon how to make parents feel more welcome and fostera collaborative atmosphere among parents and schoolstaff.

The Little Things Make a Big Difference: How toHelp Your Children Succeed in School. NationalAssociation of Elementary School Principals. Send aself-addressed, stamped business-sized envelope toStation 9/NAESP, 101 Northwest Point Boulevard, ElkGrove Village, IL 60007 -1019. A free 17-page bookletfor parents based on suggestions from a survey of10,000 elementary and middle school principals.Outlines concrete steps parents can take to help ensuretheir children's enjoyment and success in learning.

101 Ways Parents Can Help Students Achieve.American Association of School Administrators, 1801N. Moore Street, Arlington, VA 22209-9988, 703-528-0700. $6.00 pre-paid; bulk prices available. Specificideas to enrich c:hiJdbood education every day. Topics

~

. cl g at home, using the newspaper,ing self -esteen, parent involvement in the school,

and others.

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Provides information to parents and Parent andTeacher Associations on building home-schoolrelationships, developing parenting skills, improvinglearning at home, and promoting parent-childcommunication. Single copies of many resources arefree and some are available in Spanish.

The Parent Institute, P.O. Box 7474, Fairfax Station,VA 22039, 800-756-5525. Produces two newslettersfor school staff and parents which are published duringthe school year. Also offers inexpensive booklets forparents on how they can help their children learn toread, build self-esteem, encourage responsible behaviorand motivation, and improve communication.

The Right Question Project, 167 Holland St.,Somerville, MA 02144, 617-628-4070. A trainingprogram that teaches parents to advocate on behalf oftheir children and schools. Using role play anddiscussion, teaches parents to ask questions of schooland public officials, to think critically about theirchildren's schooling, and to hold public institutionsaccountable.

Multicultural Education Training and Advocacy(META, Inc.), 524 Union Street, San Francisco, CA94133, 415-398~1997. An advocacy organizationwhich works for the full participation of poor childrenin education. Focusing on immigrant and linguisticminority students, META provides counseling andtraining to parents and activists, organizes parents intomultiethnic coalitions for change, and litigates onbehalf of poor and minority students' rights.

Oearinghouse for Immigrant Education (CHIME),1-800-441-7192, c/o National Coalition of Advocatesfor Students, 100 Boylston Street, Suite 737, Boston,MA 02116. Offers parents, teachers, and studentsinformation on legal rights, bilingual education, studentsupport services, multicultural education, and othertopics. Some material is available in foreign languageeditions.

ASPIRA Association, Inc., 1112 16th St., N.W.,#340, Washington, DC 20036, 202~835~3600. AidsLatino youth and their families in decreasing dropoutrates, developing mentoring programs, and increasingHispanic parent involvement in schools. Publishes aquarterly newsletter and other materials.

National Urban League, Inc., 500 E. 62nd St., NewYork, NY 10021,212-310-9214. Through its networkof 113 affiliates around the country, provides parentswith training to help parents assist their children withhomework and math and science activities, andprovides counseling about college admissions and-

and Louis Fischer. National Comrinee for Citizens inEducation, 900 2nd Street, N.B., Suite 8, Washington,

;:!~-3;5~57~,~2~02~-408-0447. $10.95 plus $2.50shipping . . A guide for parents that is freeof unnecessary lega and offers vital informationon the law as it concerns schools and discrimination,freedom of religion, discipline, freedom of expression,testing, and other topics. The appendices summarizerelevant court decisions and constitutionalamendments.

Beyond the Open Door, by Nancy Berla and SusanHlesciak Hall. National Committee for Citizens inEducation, 900 2nd Street, N.E., Suite 8, Washington,DC 20002-3557, 202-408-0447. $10.00 plus $2.50postage and handling. Reference guide to regulationsregarding school board meetings in the 50 states andD.C. Useful for parents and citizens interested inincreasing public access to local school board meetingsand school board accountability.

Informasionfor Parents. National Committee forCitizens in Education, 900 2nd Street, N.E., Suite 8,Washington, DC 20002-3557,202-408..0447. $4.95 forthe set, plus $2.50 shipping and handling. A series oftwelve brochures for parents. Each brochure containsconcise infonnation on a single topic including parentorganizing, student discipline, access to records,student rights, and drop out prevention. Also availablein Spanish.

A Handbookfor Immigrant Parents: Protect theEducational RighJs of Your Children. META, Inc., 524Union Street, San Francisco, CA 94133, 415-398-1997.$2.00. A guide to help foreign-born parents understandtheir rights regarding their children's education in theU.S. The handbook, which is available in Spanish andEnglish, gives special consideration to parents'concerns about immigration authorities' access to thefamily's school records and related information.

Together Is Beller: Building Strong PartnershipsBetween Schools and Hispanic Parents. HispanicPolicy Development Project, 1001 Connecticut Ave.,N.W., Suite 538, Washington, DC 20036, 202-822-8414. $9.00 (including UPS fee). Strategies andtechniques for teachers, principals, and school districts,derived from 42 HPDP-funded parent/schoolpartnership projects designed to encourage cooperationbetween Hispanic parents and their children's schools.

You're a Parent...You're a Teacher Too andQueridos Padres: En los Estados Uniaos la escuela esnuestra tambien. Hispanic Policy DevelopmentProject, 1001 Connecticut Ave., N.W., Suite 538,Washington, DC 20036, 202-822-8414. $.50 each(including postage and handling); ask about bulk.prices. Separate English and Spanish versions of amessage to U.S. Hispanic parents explaining whyparents are important in the education of their childrenand how they can work with the schools their childrenattend.

Helping Dreams SUTVive: The Story ofa Project11Ivolving African-American. Families in the Education

of Their Children, by Jocelyn A. Garlington. NationalCommittee for Citizens in Education, 900 2nd Street,N.E., Suite 8, Washington, DC 20002~3557, 202-408-0447. $24.95 plus $2.50 shipping and handling. Bookdocumenting the "With and For Parents" project inBaltimore, Md., provides an inspiring yet realistic lookat an urban parent and family involvement effort. Theprogram, which ran from 1987 to 1990, was designedto help low-income rninority parents encourage theirchildren to stay in school and graduate.

What the Outgoing PA President Should Have Toldthe Incoming PA President. Community ResourceExchange, 17 Murray Street, 5th Floor, New York, NY10007,212-349-8155. $10.00 for parents ($25.00 forothers). A useful resource for new PA or PTAleadership on fund raising, membership development,by-laws, negotiations, and relationships with teachersand administrators. Loose-leaf for easy photocopying.A glossary is included.

The Evidence Continues to Grow: ParentInvolvement Improves Student Achievement, edited byAnne T. Henderson. National Committee for Citizensin Education, 900 2nd Street, N.E., Suite 8,Washington, DC 20002-3557, 202-408-0447. $10.00plus $2.50 shipping and handling. A detailed annotatedbibliography of 49 studies showing how parents'involvement improves their children's performance inschool, from pre-school to high school. The studiesdescribed build an excellent case for increased parentalinvolvement.

Organizing for Belter ScJwol Food. Center forScience in the Public Interest, 1875 ConnecticutAvenue, N.W., Suite 300, Washington, D.C. 20009-5728. $7.00. A 42-page booklet which is an excellentplace to start a school food improvement effort.Encourages activists to review school food as criticallyas we do other "educational support materials."Provides clear methods for action, including coalitionbuilding, media techniques, and background on federallaw and food service contracts. Includes a collection ofsuccess stories with activists to contact and a list ofresources.

Crossing the Tracks: How "Untracking" Can SaveAmerica's Schools, by Anne Wheelock. The NewPress, 450 W. 41st St., 6th Floor, New York, NY10036. $19.95. A critical look at tracking with anemphasis on groups around the country that aresuccessfully organizing against tracking in their areaschools. Includes a state-by-state list of schools that areeliminating ability grouping.

Maintaining Inequality: A Background Packet onTracking and Ability Grouping. National Coalition ofEducation Activists, P.O. Box 405, Rosendale, NY12472, 914-658~8115. $3.00; bulk prices available.Includes basic information on what tracking is and howits use affects children, articles by parents and anti-tracking activists, sample resolutions, and more.

Keeping Track: How Schools Structure Inequality,by Jeannie Oakes. Yale University Press, New Haven,

cr, 1985. A classic work on how tracking hurts slowerand average students and fails to significantly benefitadvanced students, and how the practice influencesevery aspect of school experience.

Standardized Tests and Our Children: A Guide toTesting Reform. FairTest, 342 Broadway, Cambridge,MA 02139, 617-864-4810. $4.00; ask about bulkprices. A 32-page booklet explaining whatstandardized tests are, how they are used and misused,and why their use is a detriment to education. Givesrecommendations on strategy for testing reformactivists. Also available in Spanish.

Standing Up to 1M SAT. FairTest, 342 Broadway,Cambridge, MA 02139, 617-864-4810. $6.95. Forbighschool students taking the SAT, this book can be auseful tool for improving scores. It also looks at themany ways the SAT and other standard admission testsdiscriminate against students on the basis of race,ethniciry, language, sex, and income, and offers waysto fight the overuse and misuse of the tests.

None of the Above: Behind the Myth of ScholasticAptitude, by David Owen. A highly recommended butout-of-print book which exposes the SAT for theunreliable, big-business enterprise that it is. Checklocal libraries for copies.

False Choices: Why School Vouchers Threaten OurChildren's Future. A special issue of RethinkingSchools, 1001 E. Keefe Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53212,414-964-9646. $3.00 plus $2.00 shipping and handling.A unique resource examining the danger school choiceand voucher plans pose to public schools andAmerica's democratic vision. Includes articles byJonathan Kozol, Deborah Meier, Herb Kohl, andMaxine Waters.

OrganizationsNational Committee for Citizens in Education, 900

2nd St., N.E., Suite 8, Washington, DC 20oo2~3557,202-408-0447. National organization to expandparents' and other citizens' access to public schoolsand build coalitions for public school reform. Publishesnumerous high-quality resources, including anewsletter, pocket guides, brochures, and books onparents' rights, school-based reform. and parentinvolvement. Also runs two hotlines for questionsconcerning citizen involvement in schools: 1~8oo·NETWORK (English) aud 1-800-LE-A YUDA(Spanish).

National Association for the Education of YoungChildren, 1834 Connecticut Avenue, N.W.,Washington, D.C., 20009-5786, 800-424-2460.Catalogue offers books, videos, brochures, posters, andtapes for teachers and parents of children from birth toeight years old. Topics covered include achievementtesting, safety, media violence, discipline, schoolreadiness, and many others.

National Parent and Teacher Association, 700 N.Rush St., Chicagn, IL 60611-2571, 312-787-0977.

Coalition for Quality Education, 1702 Upton Ave.,Toledo, OH 43607,419-537-9246. Fonntled in 1978,this grass-roots organization conducts workshops andtraining for parents, monitors policies and practices ofthe Toledo Public Schools, takes legal action whennecessary, and works with elected officials on reform.Has brochures on standardized testing and schooldiscipline issues.

Books Project, c/o Network of Educators on theAmericas, 1118 22nd St., N.W., Washington, DC20037, 202-429~0137. Coordinates the FamilyInvolvement Project, a parent and student writingprogram in which participants write brief stories oressays about their lives and share them with each other.The project is designed to increase parents' comfort inthe school environment, promote literacy, and fosterunderstanding between parents and school staff.

League of Schools Reaching Out, a project of theInstitute for Responsive Education, 605Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA 02215, 617-353-3309. Works with member schools to get parents andfamilies involved in identifying and addressingproblems that face schools and the children they serve.The League has 75 member schools around the countryworking on a wide variety of projects.

The Center for Law and Education, 955Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA, 02139, 617-876-6611. Assists parents in advocating on behalf of theircommunities for quality public education. Providesreferrals to local legal services and education advocacygroups. Most publications are intended for legaladvocates, but some materials might be useful toparents. Write or call for publications list.

People for the American Way, 2000 M St.,N.W.,Suite 400, Washington, DC 20036, 202-467-4999.Promotes anti-censorship efforts. Publishes Attacks 011

the Freedom to Learn, a yearly state-by-state survey ofcensorship attempts in the schools.

FairTest (National Center for Fair and OpenTesting), 342 Broadway, Cambridge, MA 02139, 617-864-4810. Campaigns for elimination or refonn ofstandardized testing at all levels of education. Providesactivists with materials for organizing testing reformefforts in their communities and publishes severalresources on standardized testing and its detrimentaleffects on education and students.

Parents and Teachers Against Violence in Education(PTAVE), P.O. Box 1033, Alamo, CA 94507-7033,510-831 ~1661. Publishes materials against corporalpunishment in schools c"me materials are available inSpanish.

People Opposed to Paddling Students (POPS), P.O.Box 19045, Houston, TX 77224, 713-493-6232.Activist organization which works for the abolition ofcorporal punishment in schools. Publishes a quarterlynewsletter for members and school and electedofficials.

...

Page 30 Rethinking Schools Spring 1993

Race and Property Taxes Deliver Knock-Out PunchThe Feb. 16MPS RefereridumThe defeat of the Milwaukee Public

Schools referendum can be summed up infour words: race and property taxes.No one was afraid to focus on property

taxes when criticizing the Feb. 16 referen-dum to build and improve public schoolfacilities. That side of the story is wellknown.But, as is Milwaukee's style, race was

never openly discussed - even thougheveryone knew that questions of black andwhite surrounded every aspect of the vote.

A RethinkingSchools Analysis

African-American 17thDistrict, forexample, was only 16%(the lowest of anydistrict), compared to over 50% in thepredominantly White 11thand 13thDistricts.At the same time, there were clear gains

in improving African-American turnout fora February election. It's just that the gainswere not enough to offset White opposition.The 30,000 "yes" votes on the referendumwere more than the highest total vote in anodd-numbered year spring primary since1983. In February 1991, for example, thetotal Milwaukee turnout was 15,962 voters.In February 1989, the figure was 21,708.When the final vote was tallied, there

were 30,894 people who voted yes and93,948 who voted no.

The Proposed ReferendumThe referendum asked voters to approve

"You hardly needed to raise the race issue a $366 million bond to help finance 12 newat all,"Milwaukee Journal columnist Joel elementary schools and 2 middle schools inMcNallywrote after the vote. 'That's the neighborhoods where there are not enoughbeauty of having a Black superintendent schools, a new vocational technical highadvocating nice, new schools for the Black school, and repairs and renovations for acommunityjust like those that White number of other schools. The plan wassuburbankids get. No one had to mention based on reforms that would have reducedrace. It was understood." class size in kindergarten through secondWhile the referendum's defeat was a clear grade, provided computer, art and music

setback, the debate had several positive rooms in elementary schools, providedresults. More than any other issue in recent technical vocation resources for middle andyears, it raised awareness that quality public high schools, and allowed all eligibleschools are essential to Milwaukee's children to attend kindergarten.economic and social well-being. Second, it The plan would have mainly affectedexposed the severe overcrowding in MPS children of color, in particular African-and the need to begin long-delayed repairs. American children, who account for 73% of funding to pit hard-working homeowners voters - whether it was ~mentsThird, it made much clearer who are the all MPS students and who are most affected and senior citizens on fixed incomes against that the referendum would lead tofriends and who are the foes of public by the lack of schools in their children ~d schools. It is inherently unfair busing of African-American children or, as

education inMi1Waukee~;h";;;'~7rihein:"'-~~'~~~~~~'~~~'~~~--"!~~llt\!lI!~~:!~~~~~~~Iioo~!!¥'~~!i(¥~~~~1:!f.l~~~~~:::-!..-,Most important. although most ephem- students are White. however, the city s are a e to spen more on sc 00 s an yet re eren urn was ano er p an co oruze,eral, the referendum was the catalyst for the voting-age population is 68% White. tax their residents at a lower rate - while to control the Black community," and that itbroadest, most multiracial coalition to form Ultimately, the referendum came down to impoverished urban and rural school contained "shades of South Africa."around education in Milwaukee in recent the question of whether White property districts are squeezed by spiralling property As with Norquist, one c ISSmemory. The group, Our Children's Future owners were willing to pay for improved taxes." Williams' support for private schoolCoalition, began the difficult process of "choice" as a factor in her anti-referendumbuilding ties and trust between the diverse stance. Williams has built a nationalgroups that will be necessary players in No one was afraid to focus on property taxes reputation as an African-Americanfuture school reform efforts. legislator supporting Milwaukee's privateMPS cannot pill another referendum when criticizing the Feb. 16 referendum to build school "choice" plan.

before the voters until next February unless Williams' stance allowed Norquist anda special election is called. Fuller met with and improve pub'ic school facilities. But, as ;s other White politicians to claim that theirthe School Board March I and indicated Milwaukee's sty'e, race was never openly opposition was not related to race. Thethat he would like to explore the idea of same day Williams first publicly criticizedsuch a special election in Mayor in the fall. discussed - even though everyone knew that the referendum, Milwaukee CountyBefore decisions are made, Fuller plans to questions of black and white surrounded every Supervisor Mark Borkowski and Milwau-meet with a range of organized constituen- kee Ald. Annette Scherbert announced thecies and get their input. Fuller has said that aspect of the vote. formation of Taxpayers Opposed toone idea is to approach the question of Referendum Alliance (TORA). Thefacilities in stages and more closely tie each referendum, which had previously receivedstage to academic and fiscal accountability. public education for African-American and near unanimous public support, faced an"I think the important thing to layout to Latino children. The answer was a resound- Lest WeForget uphill battle from that day on.

people is that opponents of the referendum ing "no." In analyzing the "no" vote, the roles of TaRA, assisted by conservative publiccan gloat and all of that, but the problems "There's no question that the call to fear, two public officials deserve special atten- relations executive Todd Robert Murphy,are still there," Fuller told Rethinking prejudice, and distrust worked once again in tion. Most important is Mayor John built a strong base of opposition-Schools. "And the longer it takes for us to Milwaukee," a key player in the referendum Norquist. particularly on the city's South, Southwest,address them, the more difficult and the said after the vote. "From the very start, we Norquist worked both publicly and and Northwest sides. Using television ads,more expensive the solution." knew that if the scare tactics and hate behind the scenes to equate the referendum mailings, leafletting, and phone banks,

mongering successfully invaded this debate, with a death sentence for the city, claiming TaRA whipped up a climate of hysteriathe whole referendum was in jeopardy." that it would force property owners and against the referendum. One anti-Acknowledging the predominance of businesses to flee to the suburbs. Norquist referendum lealIet, for example, claimed

race, however, cannot be used to downplay has argued in the past that poor schools are that the referendum would raise propertythe importance of property taxes as an issue. forcing good (i.e. White) residents out of taxes by 90%. Such lies spread faster thanMany property owners who rejected the Milwaukee. He conveniently changed his the truth, in this case helped by thecovert appeals to racism couldn't bring tune when something concrete was incessant anti-referendum ranting of WISNthemselves to support the referendum proposed to improve public schools. His radio talk-show host and right-wingbecause of its effect on property taxes. The anti-referendum position only bolstered the personality Mark Belling.referendum became a chance for financially suspicion that there is no way of pleasing The pandering to fear and misinformationsqueezed property owners to say "no more the mayor when it comes to MPS, because by certain public officials stands in contrasttaxes," a chance they never get on city and of his oft-stated belief that our system of to the campaign waged by Howard Fuller.county projects such as the $106 million good public schools should be replaced with While Rethinking Schools has had itsCounty Jail, the $35 million O'Donnell Park a combination of private, religious, and differences with Fuller, Fuller deservesfiasco or the proposed $375 million light- public schools supported by public praise for his leadership in bringing therail system, to say nothing of federal vouchers. (As Norquist said in a Nov. 12, referendum before the voters, for beinginitiatives such as the multibillion-dollar 1990, speech and has since reiterated: "I upfront about the plan's costs, and forbailout of the savings and loan industry. doubt whether the current system of urban working nonstop to try to ensure theClearly, the referendum underscored the education can be reformed. I think it should referendum's victory.

need to replace property tax funding of ultimately be scrapped and replaced with apublic schools with a more equitable new system - essentially a voucher ormethod. As Our Children's Future Coalition choice system.")noted in a statement after the vote: "We can State Rep. Annette "Polly" Williams (D-no longer allow our system of school Milwaukee) also did her best to mislead

Race Milwaukee-StyleWhile one can marshall numerous

arguments to highlight the racial politicsbehind the vote's outcome, one set ofstatistics tells all.The referendum passed in every city ward

that is predominantly Black, according tothe Milwaukee Election Commission. Infact, the only aldermanic districts where thereferendum received a "yes" majority werethose with a majority African-Americanpopulation. By contrast, the higher thepercentage of White voters, the higher thenumber of "no" votes. In the overwhelm-ingly White 11th and 13th districts on thesouth side, voters cast a 92% and 93% "no"vote, respectively.Largely due to the historic disenfranchise-

ment of Milwaukee's African-Americanpopulation - itself a result of decades ofunremitting racism - African-Americansdid not vote in anywhere near the propor-tion of White residents. Voter turnout in the

MPS 3rd-grader Amada Zamudio gets a little help while testifying insupport of the referendum at a hearing at Riverside High School.

Secondary FactorsBesides race and property taxes, the

referendum was hobbled by secondaryfactors, including:

Spring 1993 Rethinking Schools Page 31

o Most important, a belief among manyresidents that MPS is an inflexible bureau-cracy impervious to change. This fed intoaccusations that the facilities plan was asubstitute for comprehensive reform.

o Lukewarm support from the businesscommunity. While publicly in support ofthe referendum, groups such as the Milwau-kee Area Chamber of Commerce and theGreater Milwaukee Education Trust didlittle to help ensure its passage, eitherfinancially or organizationally.• A short campaign, which hampered

fund-raising and organizing efforts. Thecampaign's brevity, for example, didn'tallow enough time to counter theopposition's distorted yet appealinglysimple message that the referendum wasnothing more than a bricks-and-mortar planthat gave MPS a blank check to spend hard-earned taxpayers' money.

o Mistrust between the MPS admini-stration and its own employees, who wereexpected to be a strong base of support. Oneproblem is that MPS does not have con-tracts with any of its 13 bargaining units.Some units such as teacher assistants havebeen without a contract for almost threeyears.

o Legal restrictions that prevented Fullerand MPS from advocating a "yes" vote andthat forced them to merely present "infor-mation." .• An inability to translate organizational

support from key players in Our Children's

Future Coalition into strong support fromtheir members - whether it was theMilwaukee Teachers' Education Associa-tion or the Milwaukee County LaborCouncil AFL-CIO.• The about-face by two school board

members, Jared Johnson and LawrenceO'Neill, who mid-way through thecampaign withdrew their support. Further,board member David Lucey withheld hisendorsement until the day before thevote.(Conversely, Sandra Small andChristine Sinicki deserve commendation fortheir support of the referendum despitestrong pressure from constituents, includingphysical threats.)

o The failure of some African-Americanleaders and politicians to strongly unitebehind the referendum.• The opposition from 10 of the 12 White

members of the Milwaukee CommonCouncil, who publicly signed a statementopposing the referendum. (None of the fiveAfrican-American members signed thestatement, nor did Larraine McNamara-McGraw or Don Richards.)

o The wide gnlf between the educationalexperience of many senior citizens and thereality facing today's students. Graduates ofMPS from previous decades, in particularWhite residents, couldn't understand howissues such as smaller classes and 4-year-old kindergarten were linked to schoolrefoon.• A perception that the reforms that were

Lakeside bus driver Angelynn Gordon with some of the children onher route.

MPS School BusDrivers OrganizeDrivers with Lakeside Buses of Wise on-

sin. the major bus company used by MPS,have decided that they would like the basicsof a good job.More than 90% of the 325 drivers and

mechanics have signed cards saying theywould like to be represented by theAmalgamated Transit Union Local 998,which represents Milwaukee County TransitSystem Workers.Drivers at Lakeside currently start at

between $6.50 and $6.65 an hour. There isno overtime, or health or vacation benefits,or sick pay. Drivers are also asking for saferand cleaner buses and fair treatment fromthe company, which is notorious for racialand sexual harassment of its workers.Lakeside runs about 300 of the 1,600

buses used by MPS to carry roughly 53,000students every day. None of the buscompanies is unionized.The Amalgamated Transit Union

petitioned the National Labor RelationsBoard in January to order an election forunion representation. No decision had beenmade by early March. Lakeside, meanwhile,

has hired a well-known union-busting firm,Krukowski and Costello, to represent itbefore the NLRB. The Mil waukee firmrepresented management in the PatrickCudahy and Hormel strikes.At this point, the transit union is merely

asking that the Lakeside workers be allowedto form a union. No contract demands areyet on the table.The transit union is asking the Milwaukee

School Board, which has a $7 millionannual contract with Lakeside, to pressurethe company to recognize the union. If allelse fails, Lakeside workers may go onstrike to force union representation,according to John Goldstein, president ofthe transit union.''The thing that really gets me about this

issue is not only that the working conditionsat Lakeside are abominable, but themanagement's attinide is worse thanabominable," said Goldstein. "The ownersat Lakeside will stop at nothing to make abuck, and don't care how they treat theworkers in the process." 0

part of the facilities plan were not commen-surate with the plan's price tag.

o A tendency by some voters to blameparents for the problems facing the schools,arguing that if parents did a better job theschools wouldn't have so many problems.This was just one of several arguments thattended to carry implicitly racist messages,for the implied view was that African-American parents were at fault for theschools' problems.

o Failure by the alumni of MilwaukeeTechnical High School- who pressuredMPS to include a new $68.8 million techhigh in the referendum package - to buildsupport for the referendum.

Where Now?In a meeting shortly after the vote,

members of Our Children's FutureCoalition assessed the campaign andmapped out tentative future plans. Inaddition to addressing the question offacilities, the coalition outlined severalother issues. First, the coalition is workingwith others from around the state on legaland legislative ways to ensure moreequitable funding of public schools and todecrease reliance on property taxes. Second,it is looking at how it can best pressure thelegislature and Gov. Tommy Thompson,whose proposed state budget calls for a 3%school aid increase, the smallest in sevenyears. Because education costs are increas-ing about 8% a year, the proposals wouldlikely mean a dramatic reduction in per-pupil spending. Further, Thompson hasproposed a freeze on property tax rates,which could lead to severe cuts in localschool budgets.Perhaps most important, the coalition is

hoping to work with the MPS administra-tion to avoid the bruising battles that

characterized last year's budget struggle inMPS. The coalition and Fuller have set up ameeting for March 22 to discuss this andrelated issues.One fear among coalition members is that

in the face of the referendum's defeat, theMPS administration and school board mightbe increasingly-receptive to privatizationschemes such as charter schools as ways tomove ahead on education reform ."These charter schools and privatization

schemes all look good on paper, supposedlybecause you're getting rid of bureaucracy,"said Kathleen Hart, a former School Boardmember and member of Our Children'sFuture Coalition. "But there are so manyholes in it all. I don't see how a privatecompany can make money off the schools.Unless of course you fire people and rehirethem at lower wages."While MPS will continue current

initiatives to improve academicachievement-such as the K-12 curriculumreform and steps to require Algebra for all9th grade students - it is not yet clear howthe school board will decide to move aheadon issues such as building new schools,reducing class size. and improvingcomputer, art, and music instruction in theearly grades.

"I've talked to superintendents inChicago, Cleveland, and Detroit," Fullertold Rethinking Schools, "and they havegiven up on addressing the question offacilities because it's so far out of hand.What we are trying to do in Milwaukee isnot get ourselves into that predicament. Thequestion is, have we reached a situationwhere a significant number of people, forwhatever reasons, don't care whether weaddress them or not? I don't want to thinkthat's the case." 0

U ICUSchoolscontinued from page 17

representatives of all races, classes, andcultures, women and men, bring theirdifferent stories that a new public culturecan emerge.Educational dialogue needs to be

practical. But it is also true that the desire tobe immediately practical, to be immediatelyrelevant, has impoverished the dialogueabout education in this country and kept usfrom larger goals and larger visions. Therehas been too much hiding of largerquestions, too much reluctance to discussthe meaning and purpose of education forfear of being impractical. It is time for thatlarger discussion.In that discussion, we want to come down

on the side of efforts that lead to a largersociety quite different from the one we havenow: One that is not greedy and mean-spirited; one built on the energies anddiversity of all its peoples; one that does notview diversity as a problem to be solved,but an opportunity to be grasped.

It is to building an ever-expandingdemocracy that a multicultural educationworthy of the name must be dedicated. 0

Theresa Perry is AssociaJe Professor ofEducation and Undergraduate Dean atWheelock College. James W. Fraser is Professorof Education and Dean of Educational Studiesand Public Policy at Lesley College.This article is adapted from Freedom's Plow:

Teaching in thMulticultural Classroom, acollection of essays edited by Theresa Perry andJames W. Fraser and published by Routledge,Inc. in April 1993. The book is available bycontacting the publisher at 29 West 35th Street,New York, NY 10001 or (212) 244-6412.

Notes1. James Woods, "America in the Grip of a

Cultural Centrifuge," Sydney, Australia,Morning Herald, Jan. 5, 1991;p. 15.

ura

2. Institutions as diverse as the University ofCalifornia at Berkeley or Stanford Universityand the public schools of Boston, Massachusetts,Baltimore, Maryland, and other large cities haveall been involved in this debate.

3. For a fuller discussion of the issue of"political correctness" and the New Right agendain education, see Debating P.C.: The Contro-versy over Political Correctness on CollegeCampuses, Paul Berman ed. (New York: Dell,t992).4. Stanley K. Schultz, The Culture Factory:

Boston Public Schools, 1789-1860 (New York:Oxford University Press, t973), 307-308.

5. M. Carl Holman, "Anger and Beyond: TheNegro Writer in the U.S. The Afternoon of aYoung Poet," in Jay David, ed. Growing UpBlack (New York: Avon Books, 1992),44.

6. See Philip Bennett, "The Face of the Future:Welcome to L.A., .. The Boston Globe Magazine,Oct. 13, 1991: 14-16,50-54.7. Lawrence A. Cremin, Popular Education

and Its Discontents (New York: Harper & Row,1990),85.8. Thomas Jefferson, "A Bill for the More

General Diffusion of Knowledge," (1779) inGordon C. Lee, ed. Crusade Against Ignorance:Thomas Jefferson on Education (New York:Teachers College Press, t96t), 83-92.

9. Langston Hughes, "Freedom's Plow," inSelected Poems of Langston Hughes (New York:Random House, 1959),294.

10. James D. Anderson, The Education ofBlacks in the South (Chapel Hill: University ofNorth Carolina Press, 1988); see also JoelSpring, The Sorting Machine Revisited: NationalEducational Policy Since 1945 (New York:Longman, t989).

11. Cited in W.EB. Du Bois: A Reader, MeyerWeinberg, ed. (New York; Harper, t970). 153-4.

12. James Baldwin, "A Talk to Teachers,"Oct 16, 1963, reprinted inRick Simonson andScott WaIker, eds., The Graywolf Annual Five:MulticuLJural Literacy (St. Paul, Minn.:Graywolf Press, t988), 4.

13. We are indebted to Professor HemyGiroux of Pennsylvania State University for thisterm.

Page 32 Rethinking Schools Spring 1993

1 interviewed my father, Duncan Payne,who is originally from Barbados. Hecame to Cambridge when he was 43years old from a small town in Barbados.When he came to this country, he was notseparated from his family because nearlyeveryone was already here.Some things were different in

Barbados. When he was in school, girlsand boys went to different schools. Andif someone was bad in school, he was

hippedwit!¥ft..bambe&ml~~:::----t--t=f~~---~\--1n-t\---tl;:-;;dj~~~~~~:~-~-~teacher. The same children were in class grandfather. My mom went,in school and in church. The school was • too. Once when she was ~strict and there was no recess. fishing, a hU~My father also had to work very hard at hooked on her line and

home. His jobs were pretty tough. He really put up a struggle. Thehad to wash dishes, clean the house, and • fish weighed as much as my

mother did at the time. Shehelp take care of the animals. "1 used toraise fowls, chickens," he told me. So was only four years old.after going to school from 8 o'clock until PI"l';~~S""" w·,t"F~1~l'" <"</'D.$< Vi~w<t She had been taught never3 o'clock he had to do his housework and to drop, or let go of the rod.his homework and then go to sleep by 8 So, when the big fish suddenly yanked on the line, Momo'clock. at night. was pulled into the ocean and held onto the rod with both

ends. She didn't know how to swim yet; but she knew howto float. So, she just waited, floating in the water untilsomeone would help her. Fortunately, her grandfather sawwhat happened. He couldn't help but laugh. He called herbrothers to come quickly and they ran across the jetty of bigboulders to where their grandfather and sister were fishing.They saw their sister floating in the ocean, unable to swim tosafety and they dove in after her.They were very surprised when helping her up onto the

jetty of rocks, that their sister not only still held her rod in herhands but she had caught the biggest fish of the summer.

Student Page

Childhood Days in Barbados

In this issue we are pleased tohighlight children's stories from TheMango Tree: Stories Told and Retold byChildren in the Cambridge PublicSchools, published by the Oral HistoryCenter in Cambridge MA. Thiscollection shares the diversity and richexperience of the Boston community astold through the oral histories of thechildren and their families.The Oral History Center has a number

of resources for teachers as they developoral history projects for students andparents. For more information contactThe Oral History Center, 186 1/2Hampshire Street, Cambridge, MA.02139, 617-661-8288.

Ronnie Bynoe, from an interviewwith her father.

Family Fun

My grandmother thinks thatkids had more fun back thenbecause they didn't have atelevision to stay in and watch.For fun, the family would govisiting neighbors and relatives.Sometimes the men would pitchhorseshoes. The kids would playHop Scotch, Hide and Seek, andthey would jump rope. The girlswould brush leaves into a ringand pretend it was a house.They'd divide the house inrooms and use leaves to makelittle beds. Then they'd playhouse with their dolls. .'•••••Leila Carter from aninterview with hergrandmother, LeonaMadison Carter

The One ThatDidn't Get Away

When my mom was a littlegirl, she spent part of thesummer in Falmouth onCape Cod. She- 0

older brothers who loved to

Jesse Solomon, from an interview with his mother

Students! Teachers! Parents!Please send us poetry, prose, and

artwork of young people.We prefer drawings in pencil or black ink.

Enclose full name, age, school, and phone number •Send to: Student Page

Rethinking Schools, 1001 E. Keefe Ave.,Milwaukee, WI 53212