[regional_school] Celebrating Progressive Victories!

From: Dan Drmacich <dandrmacich123@xxxxxxxxx>
To: Bolgen Vargas <bolgen.vargas@xxxxxxxxxxx>, Jose Cruz <countyleg@xxxxxxxxxxx>, Malik Evans <mightymalik@xxxxxxx>, Mary B Adams <maryb_adams@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Melisza Campos <meliszacampos@xxxxxxxxxxx>, Van White <van.white@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Willa Powell <wpowell@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Anthony Bottar <RegentBottar@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Betty Rosa <RegentRosa@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Charles Bendit <RegentBendit@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Christine Cea <RegentCea@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Geraldine Chapey <RegentChapey@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Harry Phillips III <RegentPhillips@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, James Cottrell <RegentCottrell@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, James Dawson <RegentDawson@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, James Jackson <RegentJackson@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, James Tallon <RegentTallon@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Kathleen Cashin <RegentCashin@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Lester Young <RegentYoung@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Merryl Tisch <RegentTisch@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, NYS Regents Office <regentsoffice@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Regent Brown <regentbrown@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Robert Bennett <RegentBennett@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Roger Tilles <RegentTiles@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Wade Norwood <regentnorwood@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Lovely Warren <lovely.warren@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Thu, 24 Jul 2014 09:59:17 -0400

The Network for Public Education Does a Victory Dance
<http://dianeravitch.net/2014/07/24/the-network-for-public-education-does-a-victory-dance/>
By dianeravitch <http://dianeravitch.net/author/dianerav/>
July 24, 2014
<http://dianeravitch.net/2014/07/24/the-network-for-public-education-does-a-victory-dance/>
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Friends, when a small group of parents and educators formed the Network for
Public Education in 2013, we had a singular goal: to mobilize the allies of
public education against the powerful forces supporting privatization and
high-stakes testing. To advance that goal, we hoped to create a force to
counter the large amounts of money that were being dumped into state and
local school board races to undermine public education, to demoralize
teachers, and to promote an agenda of choice, testing, and sanctions.

We knew we were up against some of the wealthiest people in the nation. We
knew they included a bunch of billionaires, and we could never match their
spending.

But we put our faith in democracy. We put our faith in the simple idea that
we are many, and they are few. We believed–and continue to believe–that an
informed public will not give away its public schools to amateurs, hedge
fund managers, rock stars, for-profit corporations, athletes, fly-by-night
entrepreneurs, and religious groups. Our goal is to inform the public,
assuming that they would not willingly abandon or give away what rightfully
belongs to the entire community.

We believed that we could exert influence if we established our credibility
as genuine supporters of children, parents, teachers, administrators, and
real education, as opposed to the data-driven, high-stakes testing policies
that degrade education and to the consumer-oriented choice programs that
divide communities and harm public schools.

Our budget can’t match the budgets of those who want to turn our schools
into profit centers. But we believe in the power of our message. During our
short existence, we have proven on several occasions that our message can
beat Big Money. We have seen candidates in state and local races triumph
over well-funded adversaries. We think that our support gave them added
visibility and contributed to their astonishing victories.

We supported Sue Peters for the school board in Seattle, and she won. We
supported Monica Ratliff in a race for the Los Angeles school board, and
she won. We supported Ras Baraka in his race for Mayor of Newark, and he
won. This past week, we supported Valarie Wilson in the runoff for the
Democratic nomination for state superintendent in Georgia, and she won. All
of these candidates were outspent, sometimes by multiples of numbers.

Some candidates we endorsed lost their races. But our message has been
consistent and powerful. All credit goes to the candidates themselves, of
course, but we are proud that we gave them support and hope when they
needed it most, and that our endorsement may have helped their fundraising
and campaigning.

We urge you to join us
<http://www.networkforpubliceducation.org/about-npe/become-a-member/> as we
promote the principles that will improve our public schools and repel those
who seek to monetize them. We want our children to have a childhood. We
want our teachers and principals to be highly respected professionals. We
want parents and educators to stand together on behalf of their children
and their community.

We oppose the status quo. We seek better schools for all children. We will
work diligently with like-minded allies until we can turn the tide, turn it
away from those who seek silver bullets or profits, and turn the tide
towards those who work to restore public education as the public
institution dedicated to spreading knowledge and skills, advancing equality
of educational opportunity, and improving the lives of children and
communities, while encouraging collaboration and a commitment to democratic
values.

Join us!
<http://www.networkforpubliceducation.org/about-npe/become-a-member/> With
your help, we will build better schools and better communities for all
children.

Diane Ravitch, President, The Network for Public Education
Anthony Cody, Treasurer, The Network for Public Education
Robin Hiller, executive director, The Network for Public Education

[regional_school] Celebrating Progressive Victories!

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