Teach for America and the Transformation of the US into a Low Wage Nation

Here is another piece written by Professor Mark Naison related to education in the United States. Do programs like "Teach for America" do more harm than good? I think he brings up some valid points.

Gregory
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More and more, Teach for America seems to be an instrument for union busting by local school districts. Here's the scenario: A local school district is having budget problems. They lay off, or fire veteran teachers, then bring in Teach for America to replace them. The school districts saves millions of dollars in labor costs, short run, and even more money in the long because of reduced pension costs. The students lose because teachers who devoted their lives to their profession, and live in the community, are replaced by sojourners trained for five weeks who rarely stay beyond their two year commitment. But the community also loses because a sector of the local labor force which has decent pay and benefits is destroyed, thereby making it easier for employers in the private sector to keep wages low. Make no mistake about it, union busting, though it may reduce the tax burden on residents of municipalities and states, accelerates the transition of the United States as a low wage nation ruled by a wealthy elite of CEO's and managers. Teach for America, by actively accelerating this transition, is doing deadly damage to the young people it is trying to help by insuring they graduate into a labor force where work opportunities, for all but a small minority, are low paying and insecure. Those young people who seek to become part of this once admirable organization need to very carefully examine what its role in the United States social and economic system is TODAY.

Frank Zappa on Education: Was he Right?

Here is a clip of Frank Zappa on his views on American education. Is it possible that the man who gave us hits like "Why Does it Hurt When I Pee" and "Don't Eat the Yellow Snow" had it right decades ago?



For those who don't know who Frank Zappa is, here is a YouTube Clip someone made to one of his songs.

Enjoy

Fordham Professor Mark Naison to Speak at Lecture on the Occupy Movement at Hollis Presbyterian Church

A vocal voice in the Occupy Movement is our very own Fordham University Professor, Mark Naison. As the movement continues to metamorphose, it's good to know that genuine forces continue to be part of the movement. I posted information related to the lecture he will participate in on December 11, and a video clip taken from a past interview he participated in on ABC. If interested in learning more about the man or the movement, please read and click on!

Gregory
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Lecture on the Occupy Movement at Hollis Presbyterian Church

Dec 11, 2011 at the Hollis Presbyterian Church
100-50 196th Street
Hollis, NY 11423
(718-776-4646)

Please spread the word and join us for a stimulating conversation! Next Sunday, Dec 11, 2011 at 1:00 pm immediately following the worship service, we will have a special presentation about the Occupy Movement by Dr. Mark Naison, Professor of African and African American Studies and History at Fordham University for the past 41 years. Dr. Naison has been interviewed by ABC News and other news outlets about the 99% Movement that is sweeping the nation. Please prepare to remain after service for this very important discussion in Lorne Brown Hall.


ABC News Interviews Professor Mark Naison about Occupy Wall Street

Professor Mark Naison: What Occupy Wall Street Has Accomplished in Two Short Months

Mark Naison of Fordham University recently forwarded the following about the accomplishments of the Occupy Wall Street movement to date. With all the misinformation and propaganda against the movement I consider it a must read.

Gregory

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What Occupy Wall Street Has Accomplished in Two Short Months

Mark Naison
Fordham University

Many people in the media, as well as many citizens, complain that Occupy Wall Street has no leaders and no goals. While Occupy Wall Street and its spinoffs around the nation have certainly not developed “leaders” who articulate its goals to the media or negotiate with public officials, it has already registered a formidable list of accomplishments for a movement this young

Here is my list of some of the important things this movement has done, with more to come as it grows and matures

1 Put the question of economic inequality in the center of national discourse for the first time since the 1960’s, even though such inequality has been growing dramatically for the last 20 years. The vocabulary the movement has developed to describe this inequality “ the 1 % and the 99%” have become a permanent part of our political discourse and has focused great attention on how the mal distribution of wealth has undermined democracy and eroded the living standards of the great majority of Americans

2 Called attention to the stifling impact of student loan debt on young college, professional and trade school graduates who face the double whammy of a stagnant job market and crippling debt. The attention given this issue inspired President Obama to marginally ease the loan burden of current recipients. In the future, it might well prompt a radical reconfiguration of the debt or a major program of loan forgiveness

3. Created political pressures that prompted the postponement of a decision by President Obama to begin construction of the controversial Keystone XL natural gas pipeline

4 Inspired a wide variety of actions to prevent foreclosures and evictions and to bring relief to beleaguered home owners and tenants


5. Put the undemocratic character of many education reform policies, particularly school closings, under much greater scrutiny, creating pressures on policy makers that will make these closings much more difficult to implement them without more consultation and input from parents, students, teachers and community members

6. Given the labor movement a new vocabulary to challenge attacks on collective bargaining and union recognition, providing added ammunition to the successful campaign to defeat an anti-collective bargaining bill in the state of Ohio.

7 Focused attention on the issue of police brutality and the militarization of urban police forces in ways that reinforces longstanding complaints of police misconduct and abuse in Black and Latino communities

This would be an impressive list of accomplishment for a movement that has lasted two years. But Occupy Wall Street has only been with us for two months!

November 16, 2011

Mark D Naison
Professor of African American Studies and History
Principal Investigator
Bronx African American History Project
640 Dealy Hall
Fordham University
Bronx, NY 10458

BoogieDowner Occupy Wall Street Notes: University Professors Conduct Education Forums While Councilman Rodriguez Plans New March

Even though the majority of the main stream media wants the rest of America and the world to believe the "Wall Street Occupiers" are a radical left wing fringe, most of the e-mails received to date at the BoogieDowner about the protests, have been from educators at prestigious U.S. universities. As various Fox News Network correspondents seeks the least informed to ask questions to and then conclude they need to be educated on the topics by their own networks, professors from universities such as Fordham, C.U.N.Y, and Columbia's Teachers College are conducting education summits at the Zuccatti Park. Another interesting point to mention is that according to the e-mail below, NYC Councilman Rodriguez is scheduling a march of his own with a connection to the “Occupy Wall Street” movement. Is this the beginning of the “Occupy Wall Street” movement’s introduction to main steam politics?

Rather than a dogmatic agenda, the protests are turning into a modern day “Agora" for Socratic thought which will hopefully have a long lasting effect on our nation. Hopefully it will infuse higher order thinking skills back into the American educational system. But then if we had a society that was aware, properly educated and had informed unbiased media, would they tolerate subsidiaries of large corpoartions like Brookfield receiving $700,0000 in small business grants or Charter schools which are for-profit institutions, some of which pay $1 a year rent the the NYC Department of Education for space. Please review the e-mail sent again by Mark Naison of Fordham University and conclude for yourself.

Gregory
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Great day at OWS. Went down for a grade in organized by Teacher Activist Groups,, but stumbled upon an great Save Our Schools Teach In organized by Celia Oyler and other faculty from Columbia Teachers College. One of the best open discussions discussion of education issues I have ever been part of with people of many ages and backgrounds taking part.

Main points, at least to me.

1. That corporations like Pearson are making tremendous profits as a result of Federal and state mandates to impose high stake tests, and have bought off many officials. 2. That the "value added" approach to rating teachers is incredible inaccurate and demoralizes teachers and magnifies the test score gap. 3. That teachers can't just fight against strategies that squeeze creativity from their classrooms, they have to fight racism and segregation in the nation's schools and the entire society. Fourth, that people in working class communities in New York are determined to make sure that OWS is expressing their interests and concerns. On Thursday, there will be a big march from Washington Heights to Wall Street let by community organizations and elected officials, including Councilman Rodriguez, who was there at the teach in. I came away from the teach in feeling excited and primed or action.


Next, I went across the street to the Grade In where there were about 30 teachers gathered. As we were taking and grading, we were approached by a theater company from Red Hook who specializes in Pedagogy of the Oppressed via Paolo Freire. They asked us to participate in a trial run of a play they were doing which simulated a classroom of eighth graders who had different feelings about "teaching to the test." Teachers joined in the play and the results were
pretty exciting, and instructive.


All in all, it was three plus hours of with educators marked by spontaneity, creativity, honesty and true comradeship. Real issues were discussed in without rancor and rage. I felt I was part of a true "Parliament of the People." If THIS is what democracy looks like, I'm down with it!

Mark Naison

Bill O'Reilly Puts his Foot in his Mouth on Letterman by Predicting End of Occupy Wall Street Rallies as Local Activists Hunker Down for a Long Winter

Did anyone witness Bill O'Reilly of the Factor put his foot in his mouth by predicting on David Letterman that the Occupy Wall Street movement would dissipate after the attempted eviction on Friday morning? Please see the e-mail sent by local Occupy Wall Street organizers Mark Naison of Fordham University and Ira Shor of CUNY advocating for the collection of winter gear to sustain the protest through the winter. Again Mr. O'Reilly proves his ability to completely miss the pulse of average Americans as protests spread thought America.

What Mr. O'Reilly should be investigating in his “no spin zone” is the follow up related to Greg B. Smiths, October 14th Daily News article entitled "Owners of Zuccotti got a lotti 9/11 money". The article alleges subsidiaries of Brookfield Properties LLC, the $8 Billion conglomerate that owns Zuccotti Park, filed and received at least three six-figure grants meant for small business hurt by the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Why is a subsidiary of a conglomerate worth an estimated $8 billion receiving small business grants from the Empire State Development Corporation???? So far $700,000 in small business grants to Brookfield LLC subsidiaries have been discovered. To review the digital article found on the Daily News site, with a slightly different title, and get the full stench here is the link:

http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/occupy_wall_street/2011/10/14/2011-10-14_zuccotti_park_owners_received_nearly_700000_in_govt_handouts_since_911_terrorist.html

It's a shame that every time the American public turns around they find a large corporation abusing their power and influence. It's no wonder the streets are flooding with irate protestors.

Gregory
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E-mail sent by Mark Naison and Ira Shore in their attempt to support Occupy Wall Street Protests:

"The Wall Street Occupation Needs Winter Gear! We the 99% have a great stake in the Wall Street Occupation. We can help the Occupation win by supplying its needs and by spreading its protest message across America. Food is already pouring in because so many oppose the 1%. Now, winter is coming! The Occupation needs warm, waterproof gear to make it to Spring: boots, socks, sleeping bags, tarps, polartec shirtsand pants, thermal underwear, gloves, scarves. Please start with others a "99% Club" where you are to protest inequality and to collect gear for the outdoor camps in NY and other cities where thousands sleep every night.

Send Gear to: OWS, c/o UPS Store, 118A Fulton Street, #205, NY, NY 10038
Checks or Money Orders to: Alliance for Global Justice, 1247 "E"Street, SE Washington, DC, 20003. Write on Ck or MO "Occupy WallStreet" or call 202-544-9355 to donate funds for winter gear. Our Winter Soldiers on Wall Street are counting on us and we are counting on them."

Mark Naison, Fordham Univerity
Ira Shor, CUNY Graduate Center