Randi Weingarten’s latest pontification in the Huffington Post, “Race in America: Changing Reality by Facing It” was brought to my attention by Schools Matter blog. Her analysis of confronting white privilege is amusing at best. Unbeknownst to Weingarten, there are many white teachers who go every day to poor neighborhoods of color to teach the children. Four cities where the American Federation of Teachers predominates; New York, Chicago, Philadelphia and Newark are famous for the multitudes of school closings in those same neighborhoods.Never forget that Randi went in and worked with Christie to negotiate a Newark teacher contract. Where has that gotten them?
Weingarten claims that “As a woman, as a Jew, as a lesbian and as a labor leader in a time of great anti-union animus,” she has been subjected to bias in our society. As a member of only two of the four aforementioned groups, I would venture a guess that the societal prejudice she has confronted in her glass house pales by comparison to the unrelenting racism suffered by people of color in the United States.
My question is what is Randi Weingarten doing to protect children of color in the United States from losing their schools and their neighborhoods? What is the President of the American Federation of teachers doing to protect the public school teachers she is handsomely paid to represent?
What is Her Highness doing to support public education in these fifty states? Newark, the city of my employment, is being bombarded by charter school expansion plans as enabled by our new Superintendent in cooperation with our traveling Governor. Is Randi Weingarten doing anything to mitigate the damage to the Newark Public Schools? Other than occasionally publishing pabulum, the only entity being advanced by Randi Weingarten is Randi Weingarten.
Abigail Shure
Some Ed Notes blasts from the past.
Oct 19, 2012
“This
agreement is a win for students, a win for teachers and a win for
Newark," American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten said
in a statement Thursday. "It recognizes the quality of educators' work,
values ...
Oct 22, 2012
The
only teachers union representative present was Randi Weingarten of AFT.
Again, I have nothing but respect for Randi, who I think does a fine
job representing teacher concerns in the media. But let's be honest:
Chris ...
Dec 22, 2013
These
two have a long history together. The dynamic works like this: Randi
gives Cami whatever she wants, then complains about Cami exercising the
freedoms that Randi has given her. It's sort of like the dynamic Randi
is ...
Feb 27, 2014
...your
generosity in donating AFT funds to the Teacher Village being built to
house Teach for America novices in Newark could not have come at a
better time.... Newark teacher to AFT President Randi Weingarten (satire
alert).
Jan 29, 2014
I
asked my friend if Randi walked out with her pal Cami. I've been saving
this piece from Schools Matter for the past month that reviews Randi's
history in Newark. I'll comment separately on the impact of the NYSUT
split and ...
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