(NAME-MCE) Barack for Education

Fri Oct 17 16:49:26 EDT 2008

Dear Colleagues,

Below is some information about the Obama campaign's commitment to  
education.  I think it is decent, but, of course, I think that it is  
important for us to continue to push the campaign to be even better on  
this.  In response to the request from Jonathan Klein (his contact  
information is below) to send this information out to progressive  
educators, I asked the following:

1) Can the campaign say more about the 10 Education Principles (listed  
below)?

As an educator, I have questions about these Principles (particularly  
because they are so brief) and the links on the campaign website do  
not provide easy access to more robust information, rather they just  
send you to e-mail to join the listserv related to each Principle--I  
sent a copy of Gloria Ladson-Billings' 2006 AERA Presidential Address  
to Jonathan for the campaign to consider in augmenting these Principles.

Just from my lens...

a) the "achievement gap," "school choice," and "standards and  
assessment" buzzwords are so contested these days by educators that I  
think more needs to be said about what this means to the Obama campaign;

b) teacher professionalism does not really address teacher preparation  
which is really the bigger issue--they are related, but the emphasis  
in this point seems off to me;

c) student physical health AND mental health needs to be addressed;

Of course I am, and many of you are, going to be more sensitive to  
these things than a non-multicultural educator will be, but I think  
that most educators will want to see more.

2) How does one sign the letter of support for Barack and the  
Education Principles?

I surfed around and can not seem to find the link to this--only links  
to donate.  Still waiting to hear back on the URL to the place where  
one signs in support of the letter without having to donate--if anyone  
else finds that, let me know.  It is important that folks are able to  
show support who are not in the position to make a financial  
contribution.

All this said, I picked Obama for President in November of 2006 (!)  
and while I have raised substantive, reasoned critiques of his  
platform from time-to-time, I have also found him to be remarkably  
responsive to those critiques--he listens, he truly cares, and he has  
broadened and deepened his campaign in response to critiques.  This is  
why my support for him remains teflon-coated!  Barack the Vote!

Best,

Christine

_________________

Barack for Education

We are so excited about Barack Obama's commitment to providing a world- 
class education for all children, regardless of their background. In  
order to lead us in closing the achievement gap, Barack first needs  
our help in closing the gap of a different kind: that on the electoral  
map. In 2004, George W. Bush beat John Kerry by a total of just over  
two million votes in the battleground states of Florida, Indiana,  
Ohio, Colorado, New Mexico, Virginia, Missouri and Nevada. In order  
for Barack to be successful on November 4th, it is critical that he  
close that two million vote gap in this crucial group of states.

We have set the ambitious goal of, through our various networks,  
reaching out to 500,000 battleground state voters in the next four  
weeks. If we are to do so, this could potentially mean reaching one  
fourth of 2004's two million vote gap. Contact with 500,000 potential  
voters means 10,000 volunteers reaching out to 50 individuals each.

Additionally, in order to help the campaign effectively distribute  
their resources where they are needed most, we are also committed to  
raising at least $500,000 in donations.

With this in mind, we're excited to announce the launch of our very  
own website around these simultaneous efforts to close the Bush-Kerry  
voting gap in the short-term and the achievement gap for the long- 
term. Please visit this site at:

http://www.closingthegaps.us

On this site, in addition to finding information on our work and  
Barack's critical education principles, you'll find out about the  
following ways to get further involved between now and November 4th:

• Get out the vote! Help from inside or outside these key battleground  
states by:

A. Joining on as a Barack for Education regional coordinator to engage  
and energize voters by either moving to a swing state for the final 25  
days or participating in organized weekend trips.

B. Placing calls to voters in key states and canvassing in important  
swing precincts.

C. Hosting a Barack for Education event at your home or work or  
organizing a Barack for Education happy hour.

D. Supporting Barack's media presence by writing a Letter to the  
Editor or Op-Ed in your local newspaper. You can also post comments in  
response to education- and/or Obama-related articles on your local  
paper's website.

2. Donate whatever amount you can to Barack's campaign, through our  
Barack for Education MyBO group:

<http://my.barackobama.com/page/outreach/view/maingroup/ChampionsforEducation 
 >.

Donations can be made at any time and will be tracked collectively to  
demonstrate the impact of educators in these closing weeks!

3. Sign our Letter of Support for Senator Obama and his education  
principles.

Thanks so much for your support. We truly believe that if we can help  
close this two million vote gap between now and November 4th, it will  
go a long way toward one day soon closing the achievement gap for our  
children!

10 Principles to Drive Educational Excellence and Equity

1. Invest in early childhood education by ensuring that every child  
has access to affordable quality preschool and early childhood  
education.

2. Bring both excellence and professionalism to the education  
profession by focusing on results and offering meaningful  
opportunities for increased responsibility and increased pay in  
exchange for teaching excellence, gains in student learning, and  
leadership in improving the profession.

3. Turn around our lowest performing schools and ensure equity in our  
investments by offering incentives for our most effective teachers and  
principals to move to and stay in schools that need them most. This  
includes offering resources for extended school days and school years,  
investments in middle school and high school reform and dropout  
prevention, and time for teachers to analyze student data and modify  
practices to increase student achievement.

4. Support public school choice for all students including access to  
quality public charter schools as well as school choices within public  
school districts that ensure full and open access.

5. Close the achievement gap and remain committed to preserving and  
improving the measures of accountability that keep us focused on that  
goal.

6. Ensure high quality standards and assessment systems that measure  
growth, critical thinking skills, college readiness, and give real  
time feedback.

7. Reignite the American commitment to service by inspiring Americans  
of all ages to serve in schools and other institutions, and recognize  
the transformative power of social entrepreneurs by establishing a  
Social Entrepreneurship Agency and Fund that will support and  
replicate outstanding social ventures.

8. Attend to the development of childrens' physical health as well as  
the development of their intellect by ensuring all children have  
health care coverage.

9. Access to college should be a birthright and not a privilege; every  
American should be able to afford college in exchange for service to  
their community or country.

10. Parents must be partners in helping make our young people  
disciplined students and committed citizens.

Contact Jonathan Klein, Western Regional Director, Barack for  
Education @ jonklein at gmail.com for more info.
———
Christine Clark, Ed.D.
chriseclark at mac.com
702.896.1527 Telephone
702.896.4529 Facsimile
702.985.6979 Cellular

"What are the standards that we have?  If we're concerned about  
unarmed truth--understanding this condition of truth is allowing  
suffering to speak--and unconditional love--understanding justice is  
what love looks like in public--then the question is, what suffering  
voices do we hear...and what kinds of concerns about justice are made  
manifest...?

                                                                                                                                                 —Cornell 
  West