A PRO-voucher, Philly reporter saw her article on FR; enjoyed your posts; and is now on FR!

Columbia School of Journalism Review; FReepmail ^ | June 27, 2002 | summer; Journalist turned FR poster: "clasquith"

[summer]

Ms. Asquith's 6th Grade Class, Philadelphia, PA.

The above photo is from this article:

FIRST PERSON - A REAL EDUCATION: When a Reporter Becomes a Teacher, She Learns Something

--------------------------------------------

Note to FR, from summer:

Earlier this month I received a freepmail from someone claiming to be a journalist, thanking me for posting her article, above, here on Free Republic.

I have never met this person, nor spoken to her, but in this instance I will take it on faith that she is who she claims because: her article was very unique, and the response from FR posters was overwhelmingly positive.

You may recall reading it, as she is the journalist who left reporting for a year and taught in the worst inner city public middle school in Philadelphia. She then wrote about her experience and the article was published in the Columbia School of Journalism Review. I posted the article here on FR, and suggested to all FLORIDA REPORTERS that they follow her example, and go out there and teach in FL public schools. Then, maybe, they will see firsthand the positive changes happening under Gov Bush.

After she freepmailed me, I invited her to start a new thread. She would like to introduce herself to all of you. So, below is a letter from her to you.

And, yes, she is now on FR and freepmailed to me that she intends to join this thread. Her FR poster name is: clasquith

PS It's not often that a journalist writes to THANK me for posting his or her article, as sometimes I take these journalists to task for failing to report the facts with respect to FL and education.

Consequently, Christina, Thank you. I have really enjoyed chatting with you on freepmail this month as we set this up! -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Letter To FR, From Philadelphia Reporter/ Teacher, Christina Asquith

Hello FreeRepublic,

I was very flattered to find my article on your website here and greatly enjoyed reading the posts.

As summer mentioned above, I then registered on FR and freepmailed summer, thanking her for posting my article. I also mentioned how much I appreciated all your feedback.

She then suggested this new thread, in case anyone else had anything to say to me about their views on education, or my article.

FYI: I'm freelance writing now from New York about education. I have a pieces in The Economist, Teacher Magazine and School Boards Journal.I also have a book coming out next year about my year teaching in the city schools, tentatively called "Failure is not an Option".

Most reporters are happy enough just to make people think about something, so it will be especially nice for me to actually be involved with you in a dialogue here -- even if we don't always agree. However, I did notice the response you had to my article posted by summer was overwhelmingly favorable.

The reality of inner city schools vs. what's portrayed by the media and politicians is a subject worth a deeper discussion.

I was just in Philadelphia where, as I'm sure everyone's aware, the state is privatizing/reconstituting 72 schools. The media portrays this as an earthshattering breakthrough in education, but it's not. The teachers' opposition is so (depressingly) strong it will most likely derail any real change.

I don't think many reporters support vouchers, but I do now that I've seen what's really happening in the schools.

The other issue I care a lot about is Special Education. The IDEA legislation is being reauthorized this summer in Congress.

From my article posted here on FR, I'm sure you know that I was disgusted by the federal government's blase "audit" of our special education program. They are a bunch of "i" dotters and "t" crossers at the expense of the most desperate kids.

Now that I'm out of the classroom and writing full time about education, I have to make a real effort to stay on top of what's really happening in the schools.

I saw some teachers on the web posts on the other thread, and I hope they'll join FR parents and others in the in this discussion here.

Sincerely,

Christina

[summer]

Thank you, isthisnickcool! clasquith, see post #36, as I think it was meant for you. :)

[summer]

FYI. :)

[Abundy]

Welcome to FR. Much like a classroom/school, this place is a unique collection of wingnuts - 99% of whom are good-hearted people who love their country and want to see everyone succeed.

Enjoy your stay.

[summer]

FYI. :)

[EternalVigilance]

Welcome to FR, clasquith!

I remember your article as well (thanks for the ping, summer! :-).

We conservative activists have been involved in education issues for a long time...primarily because it effects the most important thing in the world to us...our children.

But education issues also are important to us in terms of taxes, regulation, local governance, liberty etc.

Personally, I think that vouchers are just a bridge to get us back to where we should be...I call it T.L.C....True Local Control.

In other words, I think ultimately not a single dollar should leave our locality. How sensible is it for us to send our education dollar to Washington or to our state capital, have them run it through a huge bureaucracy, and then have them send 25 cents back with strings attached? (No bureaucrat has ever taught a single child a single thing!)

Also, there is not a study in existence that shows any correlation between dollars spent and results...not one! The key to education is parental involvement...and you only have that in reality if the the parents have true ownership of the school, the money and the curriculum. Human nature is such that people just won't take responsibility over something over which they have no authority!

Over the years, I have been involved in private schools (I helped start one), in homeschooling, and in the public schools...and the public schools are at the bottom of the heap acedemically, even though they have the most resources by far.

One other thing...the NEA is the largest union in the world. They are also the most powerful part of the Democrat coalition...take a look at the makeup of the Democrat's national convention and the makeup of the NEA's national convention...they are exactly the same people.

The NEA is consistently pushing an extremist liberal social agenda that is anathema to everything I believe in...the things that are the foundation for our free republic.

Sorry to rant on for so long, but I wanted to throw a few things out there for you consider...I have to go for awhile, but I will stop back in after bit to contribute more here.

Again, welcome to FR...there are a wide range of perspectives here, but 99% of FReepers love this country deeply...if you too are a patriot, you will fit in just fine.

Regards,
EV

[summer]

FYI. :)

[clasquith]

so true about low expectations!
but I disagree that unions don't help teachers. I guess it depends on how you see "helping" them. In the short term, they have locked in good hours, a decent wage, summers off and great benefits.
Unfortunately in doing so, they've contributed to the destruction of the learning environment so that teachers jobs are now often exhausting and even dangerous.

[RKM]

I was just getting in the shower and I heard about this Freeper Teacher on TV. What's up?

[Texas_Jarhead]

I remember that article. It was interesting. Welcome to FR.

[Ronin]

Welcome aboard!

[isthisnickcool]

It was meant for her. Sorry for the mistake there.

Shucks. I'm just a big dumb Texan. And I can prove it and do so here on FR all the time....

[ST.LOUIE1]

Great post, summer!

Welcome, clasquith!

[summer]

FYI. :)

[clasquith]

while not a lock-step conservative, I'm a big supporter of vouchers.

I saw lots of good parents in the inner city give up bc they know they have no power. most would love to get into a private or religious school

[McGavin999]

But that's the point clasquith. They do produce when it comes to wages and benefits because higher wages and benefits benefit the unions as much as the teachers (if not more so). Face it, you wield a lot of power when you are in charge of a pension plan that is growing constantly, you get to decide which health care plan will be used by the union, and most union officials are paid from dues. Those dues are also used to purchase political power. As to teachers having the summer off, that was not as a result of unions. It was a result of the fact that we used to be an agrarian society and children were required to work on the farms and ranches during the summer through harvest time.

[keithtoo]

The answer to why the unions resist change is simple. Please repeat after me: "Liberals.....aren't!"

Talk to a so-called liberal about a radical, or even a gradual change in an institution that the liberals currently control.....and then see who is actually 'reactionary' and 'conservative'.

Liberals are as resistant to change as are the conservative straw-men they construct to attack.

[EternalVigilance]

...while not a lock-step conservative, I'm a big supporter of vouchers.

Well, then I'm glad yer here, so we can ejakate ya! ;-)

EV (a lock-step conservative!)

[summer]

FYI. :)

[WillaJohns]

Welcome. I, too remember your article and the excellent discussion afterward.

What do you think of the discovery that the schools (in New York, I believe) have been changing authors' words on the student tests so as not to offend anyone? Have you read about that?

[summer]

Sorry for the mistake there. Shucks....

I accept your apology, but no need to apologize here! I knew what you meant. :)