Entry #11 -- Democracy -- How can we change it, if we don't use it?

Voices of Dissent


“A movement of an energized public to make elites responsible… the taking back of one’s powers in the face of the misuse of elite power (West, 68).”

While doing the presentation, I started thinking more about how much of an impact censorship has on democracy. When we added a few of West's characteristics of democratic citizens (slide 5), I really started to think about censorship as more than just the banning or limiting of certain words, phrases, pictures, books, etc. and how detrimental it has been to social justice. (Some who are reading this may be going, "Well, duh!" and it wasn't as though I didn't realize it before because I did -- I just hadn't really taken the time to really think about it before.) The suppression of ideas and actions has contributed to a long history of social injustices. For example, when I think back to the era of slavery and the illegality of educating slaves (and even free blacks) -- that was a form of censorship. I didn't think of it in those terms before -- I just kind of took it in terms of a demonstration of more ignorance by the oppressors. "The elite of the business community dominate the state according to their interests, while the “population observes quietly (Macedo in Chomsky, 1).” I could go on with more examples from the philosophies of Dewey and Freire here, but I know this blog is going to be way too long already so I'll leave those connections to be made to those interested in doing so.

Interestingly though, Macedo (in Chomsky, 3) also noted, “Far from creating independent thinkers, schools have always, throughout history, played an institutional role in system of control and coercion." And when you think about how a lot of this is done... it also comes down to censorship. Censorship in textbook selection, in what is taught, in what is allowed to be talked about, etc. (I think we also have a tendency to lose learning opportunities because of the overuse of "political correctness;" in a way, it can be a very strong form of censorship as well.) Thomas Sowell spoke out about censorship in education when he wrote, "But for anyone who is serious about wanting to see black youngsters get a better education, the story of what works and what doesn't work is more important than what is fashionable and not fashionable in the education establishment, or what is or is not considered politically correct among the intelligentsia, politicians, the education establishment or the media."

One of the questions from the presentation asked whether education can solve issues pertaining to socioeconomic status. While I think it can open the door to various opportunities, I think we also have to consider the self-determination of the student. Some people have a number of opportunities available through education but choose not to take advantage of it. I also don't think education within the schools can be the sole equalizer when there are so many inequities in our society. Instead, education will need to serve a greater role... a continuous education of all citizens that takes place everywhere. Most learning takes place outside of the classroom; we will need to engage in continual learning through our own questioning, openness, and motivation. Some people have been taught to question, but they make the decision to not do so -- oftentimes going back to what West was saying about people being too caught up in their lives anymore to really participate democratically. And, as I said in class, this extends far beyond just exercising your right to vote. As West also acknowledged, it's about activism and about speaking out about uncomfortable truths. Education can help to facilitate this, but it can't "solve" all the problems because education cannot control the free will of a person.

I think what bothers me most are the people who do not take a stand against anything. And, I don't mean in the terms of chaining yourself to a tree, etc. I just mean using your voice in whatever capacity to speak about a social injustice that you really question. Some people do it by wearing T-shirts, others by talking in class discussions (not just during one class for one semester in regards to an assignment though) and still others by posting blogs or talking with friends and strangers, etc... yet some do nothing. There are so many opportunities to make a difference. Yes, people often feel like one person can't make a difference, but what they fail to realize is that most often, they are not just one person... they are the voice of many; it just has to start somewhere. Maybe the schools are a good place for that though -- it does facilitate the possible meeting of like-minded people. "One of our challenges as educators is to discover what historically is possible in the sense of contributing toward the transformation of the world, giving rise to a world that is rounder, less angular, and more humane" (Macedo in Chomsky, 13).

Since, we asked a question in class about how to try to engage students in learning about and participating in democracy, I found some links that help provide a few suggestions on how to incorporate democratic ideals and values into educational activities and lessons that can be used in the classroom:

The Democracy Project -- Provides examples of lesson plans for K-3, 4-5, 6-8, and 9-12 grades

Representative Democracy -- I appreciated how this site tries to address some common concerns and myths about democracy (including the "where's my voice?" concerns); however I question some of the answers that were given (which is also why it's a good example/resource, I guess, since it does promote some critical thought.)

President for a Day -- A PBS site which helps to answer "How Does Government Affect Me?" and other democratic activities and information for grades 3-6 in language arts, social studies, and even MATH.



Finally, World Movement for Democracy is a good website to illustrate what is being done globally to promote democracy which pertains to the conclusion of the West chapter which talks about forging democratic identities abroad as well. Since we are a nation of so many cultures, I thought including information about what is going on with democracy in other cultures would be a good way to end the blog this week. :-D

Have a great weekend!

"When the government fears the people, you have liberty. When the people fear the government, you have tyranny." -- Thomas Jefferson

Entry #10 -- "Even these pictures are foreign to us..."

High School Students' Rights

I opened with this link because I thought it was a good supplement to the Reichman article. The article discusses the importance of establishing written guidelines to try to avoid censorship in the schools. This article supplements the reading because it provides an example of a written policy put into place to protect students from censorship. The language, as suggested by Reichman, is easy for students to understand, and it also informs students about possible courses of action if they feel they are being censored or their rights violated. This link provides an example of similar information on rights to distribute pamphlets, etc.: Information Distribution at High Schools. These examples are policies which can be used to help maintain intellectual freedom in educational settings because they inform the students of heir rights to material, however controversial, while also explaining some of the possible limitations that may be experienced.



This video relates to our readings in showing the importance of having a range of textbooks available for particular subjects -- especially textbooks that consider some of disadvantages experienced by students who are not of the culture primarily depicted in most standard textbooks. I included this video (the sound quality is poor so you'll have to probably turn your volume up all the way to hear it) because I thought it was interesting to hear the students discuss how traditional textbooks can be discriminatory in their material towards students from "under-resourced" or "under-privileged" backgrounds. "In effect, we learn that schools teach those who already know and fail those who need to be taught." I think the video made an interesting point when it showed how much better the students were able to understand the material in the textbooks about prisms after they were actually able to see one in real life. I think the point of this video is a good example of illustrating one of the dangers in textbook censorship that Ravitch discusses. This type of censorship fails to recognize the cultures and backgrounds of different students. Instead of including multiple perspectives, the type of censorship Ravitch discussed involved limiting perspectives and ideas and creating books that are very dull and often even more inaccurate in their information because so much is left out.

Ravitch explained that textbooks (below college level) are reviewed by “bias and sensitivity” panels that regularly remove words that “might offend someone.” Publishers, who want to avoid controversy and sell lots of books, “agree to everyone’s objections.” Publishers believe sales and profits are best realized by giving in to pressure groups and end up producing bland and homogeneous textbooks.

According to Ravitch, lists of words, pictures, etc. have been generated to avoid using in books and tests. She discusses implications, especially forms of censorship, involved when pressure groups have control over which textbooks are selected and even wording used on tests. For example, in some history and literature books, women are not shown in the kitchen or sewing, etc. because those kinds of pictures depict "traditional" gender roles -- even if this was a reality of the time period being presented. Ravitch wrote, “When you realize that your history books and your science books and your literature books are not the result of experts sitting down and making a wise decision, but of political pressure groups coming to the state textbook hearings, this is wrong.” What I find interesting about this approach or practice of banning/censoring the words, pictures, etc. in their entirety is that they fail to recognize how these banned items can, instead, be used as a teaching opportunity. Some of the slurs (racial, gender, whatever) can be used to teach people about social injustices or even as a means of addressing and talking about them, but so much is removed from textbooks now at the risk of offending someone. They'd rather just leave the material out all together than recognize that students can learn a lot more from discussing them than ignoring them. If they continue to add to these lists every word, etc. that might offend someone, what will students actually be able to learn? Just imagine how dry and boring those books will be to read...

By allowing censorship in the schools, we are removing learning opportunities. How can students learn about the Constitution and the Bill of Rights and how to be active in social and political change, if their learning materials and chances to act are censored? How can they learn to critically analyze and think about any situation when they are not exposed to multiple perspectives? These are skills that will help them make decisions throughout their lives, yet censorship stifles the learning of these skills. How can we teach students to avoid peer (or other forms of) pressure when schools have to bow to political pressure when it comes to censoring intellectual freedoms?

Entry # 9 -- "These questions that you're asking make me scared."

"Hope is abundant in the lens of privilege." (England, p. 36)

For a short time (about 6 months), I worked at an 18-bed residential treatment facility with children and adolescents who were described as having emotional and behavioral issues stemming mostly from abuse and neglect. At the time I was probably a bit naive in my reasons for my interest with this particular facility. I suppose I thought working with them might be my way of getting involved and trying to help inspire them... or at least empower them. After all, I had experienced situations somewhat similar to some of those experienced by the kids with whom I would be working. And since I had found a way to overcome a majority of those obstacles, to pursue a higher education, and to continue living my life on my own without placing myself in compromising situations which may have victimized me again, I had hoped that I might be a role model to a few of them as well. (Not that I planned to self-disclose my experiences, but oftentimes those who have been victims of various kinds of abuse can often sense an "understanding," so to speak, with others even when no words have been spoken. So I know, even though I was told the kids did not have the mental maturity to understand those situations, that they were intuitive enough to prove that a statement about their lack of perception was underestimated.)

While a majority of my responsibilities were dorm-related, I oftentimes helped in the school area also. The school consisted of 3 classrooms divided by age. Each class had a teacher and usually at least one, if not two, teacher's aides. The children each had IEPs and had held various (usually multiple) mental health diagnoses, such as bipolar disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, ADD/ADHD, etc. and were on various medications as a result. And, while behavioral issues did exist on dorm, I witnessed these to an even greater extent in the school and classrooms. I had witnessed a few experiences similar to the ones Kozol discussed, and I recognized quickly the the teachers did not seem prepared to teach to their students. Oftentimes, the classrooms were out of control, and the teachers seemed to try to reiterate "rules" like a broken record instead of trying to engage their students in their learning. Yes, some students had "attitude problems" -- at least that is what they were told time and time again. They were "spoiled, ungrateful brats."

This place was set up to be their "safe haven," but many of the actions I observed fell far short of that. Some of the verbal and physical interactions with the students could have been considered borderline (if not flat out) abuse. When I tried to explain this to my supervisor, I felt I may have been heard but had not been listened to, and I felt an overall sense of discouragement. I checked the handbook for guidance about what the next step should be but did not find anything. Even the lack of information in the handbook revealed the attitudes of the facility, not necessarily of the entire staff but of enough of the staff to where the others were ignored or did not seem to matter. However, still hopeful, I waited some time to see if anything would be addressed. However, after another day of watching a few of the children being pushed around by the staff and not being able to stop it, I spoke to the director of the facility about everything I had observed and handed in my resignation, refusing to be a part of the abuse from which they were supposedly taken away when removed from their homes. I still sometimes wonder whether I had made the right decision, but I thought by focusing more on my education, I might be able to help more children in the future.

Even after leaving the facility, I was concerned about what would happen to those kids... and the ones before and after them that I did not and would not meet. I was concerned about their resiliency and about what would become of them, knowing that most would continue to live in poverty and that most would never really learn how to read well or obtain knowledge that would help to empower them to improve their situations. Many of the children who left that facility in the past ended up in juvenile detention centers and in jail. Reading Kozol's chapter reminded me of all of this, of all those past feelings, but it also made me concerned for all of those other children. The reading made me think about those kids in terms of a more expansive, practically immeasurable number. I had only been exposed to 18 of those kids, yet, in reality, millions of them exist. The magnitude of all of the implications involved with this hit me so hard, as though I had observed it first-hand again... and I cried. I cried for all those children, for all their pain, for all the hopes that for the most part would not be realized. Yet, I still thought that maybe one day, I'd still be able to help, to somehow make a difference. And that thought of hope (and being able to have that hope still) reminded me again about how privileged I am because this time I was not crying for me or for my experiencing those things.

Moving on to England's passage about assessment, I still relate back to my experience at the treatment facility. One of the days I was working in the school was during scheduled state-mandated testing. Most of the kids could not complete the tests. Many often ran out of the school all together out of frustration. Most of them could barely read, yet alone understand, what they were being tested on, but most of them would be "passed on" anyway because I was told the students could not be failed anyway. The tests, of course, considered neither the learning disabilities of the students nor their mental diagnosis (especially the ADD/ADHD), and most of the kids told me they knew they were not going to pass the tests. The every-day antics and behavior problems in the classes were amplified on test days. On dorm, I helped some of these students with their homework, and I knew they understood the material because we had talked about it and they had explained the materials to me with success (and finished math homework correctly); yet they didn't pass these sections on the tests either. Obviously, these assessments were not modified (or even accommodated) for these students to perform the tests with any degree of validity. These assessments failed to provide even the "snapshot" of what the students knew or didn't know that England referred to in her book.

"Do not allow the will of students, or your own wills, to be damaged by a system in need of repair." (England, p. 50) With this quote as inspiration, I researched for solutions to the problems I described previously. As we discussed in class, considering the learning styles and interests of the students in lesson design is of paramount importance. And even though we had a few examples, most of us still seemed a bit stumped about alternatives to high-stakes assessments. This article provides some interesting information about high stakes assessments and alternative assessment models. The article also discusses these assessments in regards to social and political policies such as NCLB. Also, since the goal of alternative assessments is to try to provide more equality with assessments, this site lists some guidelines and suggestions to consider when designing alternative assessments.

Performance Assessment.org -- "Accountability: High Standards, Not High Stakes!" -- This organization provides information not only on performance assessment but also links to research and activism which includes information about legislation. One of the lawsuits discussed is the NY Performance Standards Consortium Lawsuit: "In detailed affidavits they [experts] have presented evidence that the Regents exams do not meet industry standards of validity and reliability." I concluded with this link because I appreciate the value in providing activism information, especially since I do still hope to do what I can to make a difference. :-D

Entry #8 -- How many choices are really needed?

During our conversation on school choice, the presenters this week had a quote from the NEA estimating that a total of approx. $268B is needed to "fix" public schools, to rebuild and modernize them. Then we discussed other options to public education such as charter schools and voucher programs which made me wonder whether these alternatives are actually better, more viable choices or whether they distract from the actual problems instead of "solving" them. As we have read and discussed in class, most of the alternatives such as charter schools, etc. are still heavily segregated. As Peter Orfield was quoted in Kozol (p. 225), "Nothing in the way of choice systems actually work favors class or racial integration. Choice has had desegregative impact in some cities only because there were strict guidelines in effect to make sure it would have this end result." Which goes back to what I've said about what is made a priority and what the attitudes of those in power are.

Yet, despite arguments against being allowed to choose schools, many are still willing to give it a shot. This Tuesday, Utah voters will decide whether to pass legislation in favor of voucher programs. Voting for School Choice -- This article lists some of the positives and negatives regarding the legislation. Some argue that the voucher programs will take money away from needy public schools, while others say that the schools may do better with less kids because the schools will be more manageable and because the schools will still receive part of the money that was spent when the students were in the school. (Yes, we can insert issues of social capital here -- about parents knowing how to research schools to make informed decisions, etc. I think adult education is a whole other area in desperate need of reform. Many of the adults were the kids who were lost in or let down by the system so this needs to be addressed as well.) However, what I think is most important about the Utah election though is not whether the legislation passes or fails but that legislation was attempted -- meaning that the population was given a chance to vote on an item that impacts their education and the education of their children. Citizens are being given the opportunity to have a direct impact on educational policy which, I think, is usually extremely rare in most cases.

I found another reform article that I thought had some good information regarding educational reform in Oakland. The article uses research and gathered data to find 10 things that were "learned" from Oakland's reform efforts. National Model or Temporary Opportunity? -- I thought it was interesting that one of the listed items contained a suggestion to decentralize the school districts which would basically take away the power of the elected school board and give more control to the schools and those who cared to be involved.

As we discussed in class, research is an extremely important part of educational reform -- however, with No Child Left Behind and other similar policies, I think public schools are limited in the choices they have so the main way to gather research about reform (for now) appears to be by continuing with the alternative programs/choices. Then, hopefully, once the limitations of NCLB, etc. are lifted, they can analyze what worked and what didn't and under what circumstances and then try to make those findings applicable to public schools under similar circumstances. The research and successes of charter schools such as KIPP can be tailored to individual public schools. (One of the questions/concerns I have about programs like KIPP though is how do they take into account the children whose parents aren't as actively involved in the education of their children -- those many students, especially in urban areas, who have parents who are alcoholics, drug addicts, etc.? Seems as though the children are penalized for something else that is beyond their control.) Again, I don't think a one-size-fits-all approach to educational reform is the key. Schools and students have different needs that need to be met which means different reform methods will be required to successfully and efficiently meet those needs.

In the meantime though, I go back to thinking about that $268B and about how much money is being put into these alternative forms of education, and I can't help but wonder if all the resources such as time, money, and parental accountability, etc. placed into these alternative programs were placed into the public school sectors, instead, would that not have provided a greater opportunity to benefit so many more schools and students?