I left a comment on the “Education Nation Blog” post written by John Deasy, the superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District. Just thought I’d post it here tonight as well:
Supt. Deasy – Nice job tonight, don’t agree with you on everything, but appreciate your “can do” attitude. I would just like to ask if you find it telling that the conversation you participated in tonight about education included no actual educators or stakeholders that are in your schools doing the real work of teaching and learning every day. No teachers, parents, students that might broaden the discussion and share points-of-view about education that would be important to the discussion? Only business people and politicians with little to no actual classroom education experience.
Yes, there were a few comments from the audience … where they could be looked down on by those of you on stage. I wonder if NBC had a show where actual classroom teachers, students and parents, you know, the actual stakeholders in this discussion were on stage and you and the others there tonight were spread out through the audience and only referred to as, “the administration guy in the 4th seat in the third row”, by Brian Williams and you weren’t allowed to rebut the comments made after your point was made – and some of the speakers said things in their rebuttals to your point like, “Because to me that child in the classroom is what is most important …”, which purposely or not assumes that YOU don’t see children as important (cheap shot).
Does it bother you AT ALL that last year NBC did the same in panel after panel of “EXPERTS” on their Education Nation broadcasts? They gave rich people, business people and politicians the strongest voice, and gave only a very, very minor role to actual educators and then billed it as a broad ranging discussion? Would appreciate your comments.
Brian Crosby
Elementary Teacher
I found your post to be very true. I read the post on the “Education Nation Blog” written by John Deasy. He has a great positive attitude about improving California schools, but doesn’t seem to have a plan to do it. I did not see the show you are commenting on, but I do understand the way you feel. When you read articles about education and how to improve our schools and our student’s progress, you never seem to find any input from an actual educator. Why doesn’t anyone ask the teachers or even the students, in some cases, what we can do to improve our schools and help our students? Surely if the teacher is the one in the classroom they should know what does and does not work. I’m sure you yourself as an elementary school teacher have inputs that you would love for someone to hear and take into consideration.
I agree with your comment. Students and Teachers are the ones who know what problems they face better than other one else. Others should only be allowed to give suggestions and everything should strengthen education only.