“I want people to use my book, to think about all the craziness, the censorship, the basically erasing of history, and I want us to be clever and engaged and teacherish in terms of what we do.”
I can attest to what she’s said here about how fascists fear teachers. Yes it’s about imparting knowledge to students but fascists are also anti-multiculturalism. I started to school well after racial desegregation in the south. I went to school with black children and a scant few Asian kids as well. We all went to lunch together had recess and participated in class and school activities. We were all the better for it. We learned about other cultures and respected each other. There was very little racial tension between the different groups. Hispanic kids came a little later on the school scene but we welcomed them to our crowd as well. After I graduated from high school a few years later the school classes had become even more multicultural. Then I went to college and then work where there was even more mixed cultures than we could have imagined way back when. I believe kids who are raised in a healthy environment are more accepting of those who are different from them. Racism is something that I believe is taught to kids by observing behavior towards others who are different from them or just being blatantly taught to be a bigot. I am not saying I’m perfect but believe I’m a better person because I had the privilege of being exposed at a young age to people of different cultures and beliefs. Starting with my peers.
Randi is absolutely correct that fascists fear teachers. Kids who can think for themselves are far better off because they will not fall for the propaganda and utter nonsense that they peddle. Must read book!
Randi Weingarten's book is currently getting review bombed on Amazon by far-right trolls (57% are one-star reviews by non-readers making ad hominem attacks):
I taught high school students in Toronto. My students’ parents were immigrants from all over the world. My students within their families and communities celebrated their cultures. At school they were Canadian kids. Their friendship groups were based on their interests and personalities, not their ethnicity.
And there were different paths for students. Some were university bound. Others were headed to community colleges where they learned skills that made them employable. Often, university graduates topped up their undergraduate degrees with a practical course at community college such as Humber College https://humber.ca/ or George Brown College. https://www.georgebrown.ca/
Canada does not have a large population and has to be serious about education.
I can attest to what she’s said here about how fascists fear teachers. Yes it’s about imparting knowledge to students but fascists are also anti-multiculturalism. I started to school well after racial desegregation in the south. I went to school with black children and a scant few Asian kids as well. We all went to lunch together had recess and participated in class and school activities. We were all the better for it. We learned about other cultures and respected each other. There was very little racial tension between the different groups. Hispanic kids came a little later on the school scene but we welcomed them to our crowd as well. After I graduated from high school a few years later the school classes had become even more multicultural. Then I went to college and then work where there was even more mixed cultures than we could have imagined way back when. I believe kids who are raised in a healthy environment are more accepting of those who are different from them. Racism is something that I believe is taught to kids by observing behavior towards others who are different from them or just being blatantly taught to be a bigot. I am not saying I’m perfect but believe I’m a better person because I had the privilege of being exposed at a young age to people of different cultures and beliefs. Starting with my peers.
Randi is absolutely correct that fascists fear teachers. Kids who can think for themselves are far better off because they will not fall for the propaganda and utter nonsense that they peddle. Must read book!
It is time to listen, America. Randi is painting us a picture of the future.
I'm so encouraged by this. Going to my local bookstore tomorrow to buy the book!
Randi Weingarten's book is currently getting review bombed on Amazon by far-right trolls (57% are one-star reviews by non-readers making ad hominem attacks):
https://www.amazon.com/Why-Fascists-Fear-Teachers-Education/dp/B0DQNVM5WG/
@randiweingarten @jenrubincontrarian
I taught high school students in Toronto. My students’ parents were immigrants from all over the world. My students within their families and communities celebrated their cultures. At school they were Canadian kids. Their friendship groups were based on their interests and personalities, not their ethnicity.
Ontario provides curriculum for all the courses.
https://www.dcp.edu.gov.on.ca/en/curriculum#secondary
And there were different paths for students. Some were university bound. Others were headed to community colleges where they learned skills that made them employable. Often, university graduates topped up their undergraduate degrees with a practical course at community college such as Humber College https://humber.ca/ or George Brown College. https://www.georgebrown.ca/
Canada does not have a large population and has to be serious about education.