Why I'll be wearing red Tuesday

[Bill Ivey]

Some of you may have seen Fred Bartels's posting on ISED, or any number of Twitterers, on the campaign  to wear red on Tuesday, Jan. 4 in support of public education. Under normal circumstances, I am generally skeptical of these kinds of gestures. First, only those who know of the campaign would even understand  the meaning of what I was wearing, and even then they couldn't be certain that I didn't randomly happen to choose red clothing that morning. Second, the very ease of making the gesture can also accentuate the likelihood of its having minimal and short term effect.

 

However, I know that the people behind this campaign, including Anthony Cody, the SOS Million Teachers March and the Facebook group "Teachers' Letters to Obama," not only have the best of intentions but also see this as just one step in a long, hard campaign to raise awareness of the insidious effects of education "reform" as defined by Secretary Arne Duncan and the Department of Education and to promote positive alternatives.

 

With that in mind, and given my long-standing belief in the importance of public education in this country, I will not only be wearing red tomorrow but will be working actively to support Anthony and these groups. I hope many of you will be joining Fred and me.

[David Withrow]

Amen