[Peace-discuss] Fwd: Fwd: Fwd: I just told Time to apologize to teachers--join me!

Fri Oct 24 06:00:09 EDT 2014

Time magazine is about to use its cover to blame teachers for the 
problems in America's schools. On Monday, Nov. 3, this cover will be in 
every supermarket checkout line and newsstand across the country---and 
it's already online.

I just signed this petition demanding Time apologize to teachers. Will 
you join me? 
http://action.aft.org/c/44/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=9270&sp_ref=69232191.191.9876.e.38283.2&tag=email

/Time/ magazine is about to use its cover to blame teachers for every 
problem in America's schools. On Monday, Nov. 3, this cover will be in 
every supermarket checkout line and newsstand across the country---and 
it's already online.
Time cover 
<http://afl.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=c%2FNsYHmSveILu7CeodwuAeXyZuvlgJqv>
When I saw this today, I felt sick. This /Time /cover isn't trying to 
foster a serious dialogue about solutions our schools need---it's 
intentionally creating controversy to sell more copies.
*Tell /Time/'s editors to apologize for this outrageous attack on 
America's teachers*. 
<http://afl.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=DPYaUUckbcTDrw4IR8Dj6rckduorScaH>
The millionaires and billionaires sponsoring these attacks on teacher 
tenure claim they want to get great teachers into the schools that serve 
high-need kids. It's a noble goal, but stripping teachers of their 
protections won't help.
In fact, this blame-and-shame approach only leads to low morale and high 
turnover, making it even harder to get great teachers into classrooms. 
Just today, constitutional scholar Erwin Chemerinsky wrote a fact-based 
argument ^1 that tenure protections help recruit and retain high-quality 
teachers! In fact, there is a strong correlation between states with 
strong teacher tenure and high student performance.
And /Time/'s cover doesn't even reflect its own reporting. The /Time/ 
article itself looks at the wealthy sponsors of these efforts. And while 
it looks critically at tenure, it also questions the testing industry's 
connections to Silicon Valley and the motives of these players.
But rather than use the cover to put the spotlight on the people using 
their wealth to change education policy, /Time/'s editors decided to 
sensationalize the topic and blame the educators who dedicate their 
lives to serving students. The cover is particularly disappointing 
because the articles inside the magazine present a much more balanced 
view of the issue. But for millions of Americans, all they'll see is the 
cover and its misleading attack on teachers.
*There are serious challenges facing our schools---tell /Time/ that 
blaming teachers won't solve anything*. 
<http://afl.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=zUyTSMk50eXYQAchZMucCrckduorScaH>
When we work together instead of pointing fingers, we know we can help 
students succeed.
In places like New Haven, Conn., Lawrence, Mass., Los Angeles' ABC 
school district and many others, union-district collaboration is leading 
to real change^2 .
Instead of pitting students and teachers against each other, these 
districts are showing how we can build welcoming, engaging schools by 
working together to give kids the education they deserve. As a result of 
this collaborative approach, once-struggling schools all over America 
are turning around.
When we collaborate, we're able to recruit AND retain high-quality 
teachers, and reclaim the promise of a high-quality education for every 
student.
And when we work together, we can also change tenure to make it what it 
was supposed to be---a fair shake before you are fired, not a job for 
life, an excuse for administrators not to manage or a cloak for 
incompetence.
But instead of a real debate, /Time/ is using the cover to 
sensationalize the issue so it can sell magazines.
*Tell /Time/ magazine to apologize for blaming teachers in order to sell 
magazines*. 
<http://afl.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=RQtI3UwztA4BvgqXyCVCfeXyZuvlgJqv>
We need to have a substantive, facts-based conversation about the 
challenges our schools face and the real solutions that will help 
educators and kids succeed.
Help us tell /Time/ that blaming teachers isn't the way to help 
struggling schools.
In unity,
Randi Weingarten
AFT President
^1   "Teacher Tenure: Wrong Target 
<http://afl.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=J69CfFW7WKedH8QFhaYkT7ckduorScaH>"
^2 "Four Solutions to Public School Problems 
<http://afl.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=ZjFtm8K9Gn%2BqyUU%2BT5c2SOXyZuvlgJqv>"

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