Rhee’s New Advocacy Group

News headlines pointing out that Waiting for Superman was not nominated for one of tonight's Academy Awards combined with the media frenzy surrounding Michelle Rhee's new advocacy group have directed my attention back to the education reform debate. On Friday night, I had a few friends over for vegan chili and a discussion of Waiting for Superman and we came to the unanimous conclusion that the film unduly glorified Rhee and grossly oversimplified our nation's education dilemma.

In Waiting for Superman, Guggenheim frames the discussion on education reform around a fictional mutual exclusivity of the interests of children and adults as if changes that benefit teachers cannot also help students. Rhee's new advocacy group, Students First, also subscribes to this philosophy and seeks to limit the power of teachers unions and strip teachers of job protections like tenure. Through Students First, Rhee intends to raise a billion dollars to counter the political clout of teachers unions, which contribute heavily to the Democratic Party at the national level.

During her stint as Chancellor of DC public schools, Rhee gained notoriety for firing a record number of teachers. 75 of these 1,000 teachers have recently had their jobs reinstated and were granted back-pay following a finding that Rhee never provided a reason for their termination. Also, IMPACT, the method Rhee used to measure teacher job performance in DC, has been strongly criticized as unfair. Student test scores were one of the central components of the measure and it's not clear if standardized test scores can be directly linked teacher performance. The American Federation of Teachers recommends using a different termination process that values peer input.

As teachers and other public employees are fighting to keep their collective bargaining rights in Wisconsin and around the nation, Rhee is busy gathering the resources necessary to impede their progress. Students First is a thinly veiled vehicle designed to support right-wing education reforms that place educators under the knife on the operating table of government budget cuts.

Kinkaid School Recognized Nationally for Intolerance

On one hand, I'm sorry to see my alma mater's dirty laundry being aired in clear view of the nation via mainstream media outlets like the Houston Chronicle, Gawker and Texas Monthly; but on the other hand, I'm hoping this spotlight will prompt the school to make some changes that are long overdue. Since this topic hits so close to home for me, I'll go ahead and go old school by making the personal political in this post. As a Kinkaid School alum who attended from 1991-1998, I'll say that I was not at all surprised to read that a wealthy Kinkaid parent wrote a letter expressing concern that the school was beginning to welcome LGBT teachers and students into the community. Likewise, I wasn't shocked to learn that this parent was powerful enough to draw national attention to this matter.

In 2008 against the advice of many close friends, I attended my 10 year reunion only to experience the same ostracism that characterized the seven academic years I spent at Kinkaid. Although I tried to be social with the crowd of my classmates, only three of them were bold enough to engage in conversation with me and one was the kid-now-man who called me a n*gger in the 7^th grade. (Perhaps he felt remorse for his comments as a child and wanted to make amends.) Although the discrimination I felt in this instance was mostly related to my race, I remember experiencing similar acts of discrimination based on my sexual orientation throughout high school. Ten of my friends and I were listed on a "lesbian list" that a bully placed in all of our lockers in order to humiliate us in the 11^th grade. Formal dances had an unwritten hetero-only policy and gay slurs were not even viewed as inappropriate.

My experience was back in the 90's, but there have been some efforts made in recent years to make the school's environment more accepting for all people in the Kinkaid community. A diversity initiative and club to fight hate were begun under Principal Mickey Saltman's leadership. And more importantly, gay friendly teachers were permitted to place rainbow stickers outside their classrooms to indicate safe spaces for LGBT students as long as the sponsor's name, "Gay Lesbian and Straight Education Network", was removed.

Sadly, it appears that a lot of this progress has been lost as a result of one parent's crusade to stop the school from following a so-called "liberal agenda" that accepts all people. Principal Saltman has been forced out and so have a dozen great faculty and staff who not only excelled in their professions, but who also gave a beacon of hope to severely marginalized students like me.

Zimmerman’s "The Arabian Nights"

If you'd like a magical escape from the politics, war and social change in the news about the Arab world, Mary Zimmerman's Arabian Nights is the theatrical production for you. Set in ancient Baghdad with subplots in Cairo and around the Middle-East, Arabian Nights presents a glimpse into Islamic life that is so creatively nuanced that it couldn't be replicated in one's wildest dreams. This unique piece of art was clearly crafted by an expert director and playwright. I was fortunate enough to see this play last night courtesy of the discount ticket program at Arena stage, but Zimmerman's latest artistic masterpiece will be playing in DC through February 20^th. (I'd recommend getting tickets as soon as possible because word of mouth travels quickly about these performances and they are more likely to be sold out towards the end of the show's run.)

The plot is built around the story of a young woman who uses storytelling to escape her tragic fate. Over the course of the almost three hour long play, the desperate protagonist draws upon her superb and mesmerizing storytelling skills to captivate her would-be murder and by consequence, the audience too. Her stories are humorous, imaginative and bold. At times, the stories mirror the themes of the main plot, creating parallel representations of love, betrayal and revenge.

Despite its seemingly solemn subject matter, it is actually quite a humorous performance to watch. I laughed consistently throughout the evening as characters tried to trash-talk their way out of trouble in various scenes. The script is delightfully sprinkled with easy puns and sharp wit. Best of all, Arabian Nights provides an imaginative escape without the special effects and frills of Hollywood cinema. Viewers are encouraged to use their own minds and actively participate in forming their own visual image of the play.

DC Chinese New Year Parade

This past Sunday, a good friend alerted me about the Chinese New Year Parade that was taking place in DC's Chinatown just in time for me hop on the train and catch the parade from start to finish. It was a lovely winter day with plenty of unobstructed sunlight and highs in the upper 40's. The weather was so nice that I even took off my overcoat at one point during the parade because I was too hot! The parade spectators consisted of a diverse mix of families with small children, groups of teenagers and adults.

The parade got off to a noisy an exciting start as a group dressed in traditional Chinese garb led the parade while popping firecrackers on the street. (I'm pretty sure they had a special permit, so don't get any ideas about setting off fireworks in the city). Following the first group were a series of marchers and performers including dragon dancers, Chinese animal characters, Kung Fu artists and some seemingly unrelated groups including a high school band that lacked props or decorations related to the parade theme. 2011 is the Year of the Rabbit on the Chinese lunar-solar calendar and the New Year celebration lasts for 15 days, from new moon to full moon, beginning Feb 3, 2011.

Unfortunately, this parade, much like DC Chinatown itself, paled in comparison to parades in cities with larger and more established Asian-American populations. Don't get me wrong though, because I think the few contingents that were in the parade were well planned and neatly presented. However, I do hope to see this parade evolving into a larger, more widely-attended parade like the Capital Pride parade over time. This growth will undoubtedly happen as word of mouth about this great reason to get outdoors, absorb some Vitamin D and experience a cultural event on a winter day travels around town.

H.R. 358, The Protect Life Act

As if it weren't enough to attempt to limit women's access to abortion care in the case of rape (HR 3), House Republicans are also trying to block women from receiving abortions as treatment for life-threatening medical emergencies. HR 358, The Protect Life Act, was introduced by Rep. Joe Pitts on January 20, 2011 as an amendment to the new health care law. This bill would allow doctors and hospitals to refuse to treat pregnant women who arrive in emergency rooms with serious health concerns if such treatment involved terminating a pregnancy. And to make matters worse, hospitals would no longer be required to refer women to another hospital that offers the care needed to save their lives. Essentially, HR 358 would make it legal to leave a woman to die rather than terminate her pregnancy.

Needless to say, pregnant women and women who plan to become pregnant should be extremely concerned about this initiative since they could be denied life-saving emergency care during pregnancy. The so called "Protect Life Act" fails to do just that, protect life. The measure would neglect the lives of women who are pregnant and experiencing a serious health crisis in the interest of preserving the life of a fetus.

I wonder if Rep. Pitts were a woman would he would still support denying women abortion care in their last minutes of life or in the case of rape. It wouldn't make much sense for a woman to stand against her right to an abortion if her life were at risk, would it? Well, apparently it does for some women. These restrictions are a great idea in the minds of several Republican women, including Rep. Michelle Bachmann, who are cosponsoring both HR 3 and HR 358. Perhaps they are not concerned about the harms of these pieces of legislation because the women forced to carry their rapist's child and those left to die are likely to be poor. After all, the scope of these bills can only include hospitals and insurance plans that receive federal funding for programs like Medicaid.

Finally, I'll leave a word to those who are on the fence on this issue: making abortion illegal or cost prohibitive doesn't make it go away. Think back to the back alley abortion scene in Tyler Perry's For Colored Girls or talk to women who witnessed the nature of abortion before Roe v. Wade.

Nicki Minaj’s Rise to Fame

I would like to begin this post by commending Nicki Minaj for successfully climbing to the top of the success ladder in a male dominated industry. Female rappers have always been few and far between, but the void has been even greater in recent years. Minaj is the first female hip-hop artist to top the industry charts since 2002 and she's reached this point entirely through her own merit. Born in Trinidad and moving to Queens with her family as a child, Minaj faced numerous obstacles growing up but still managed to graduate from a high school specializing in performing and visual arts. Not afraid to compete with male emcees, Minaj released a series of mix-tapes proving her lyrical rhyming expertise and was soon discovered and signed to Young Money Entertainment and then Cash Money Records. Her first major album, Pink Friday, debuted at number two on the charts and went platinum within a month of its release in 2010. As the only female rapper in mainstream media, Minaj's conspicuous position has made her a target for both praise and criticism.

Many argue that Minaj's lyrics and image do not make her a positive role model for young girls. Like a majority of top record-selling male artists, Minaj's lyrics involve sexually and otherwise explicit language and themes. It seems to me that Minaj has been placed in a hot seat simply for being a woman. Yes, I am aware that some critics are consistent in their critiques of the corruption rampant in mainstream hip-hop, however Minaj is getting an undue amount of attention for talking openly about sex while male artists with similarly offensive lyrics are not held to the same standard. Also, Minaj has come under fire for challenging the heteronormativity that characterizes hip-hop and even once suggesting that there will be a widely revered openly gay male emcee in the near future. Reporters have interrogated Minaj about her own sexual orientation because of LGBT storylines that appear in her rhymes, but she does not allow herself to be boxed in and proudly rejects applying labels to her sexual identity.

At my age, I realize I'm a little detached from the pulse of popular culture, but I do find her music as good as, if not better than that of her peers. However, I must add that I think hip-hop could do better and the industry would benefit from a toppling of its upside-down reward structure that places the most positive and creative artists at the bottom while highlighting offensive artists with trite lyrics at the top. I'm happy to see Minaj paving the way for women in rap, but I can't help but feel nostalgic for the music of great pioneers like Mc Lyte, Queen Latifah, Lauryn Hill and even Lil Kim. (The only reason I mention the Queen Bee here is because she was unique for her time and created the "Black Barbie Multicolored Hair" image that Minaj prouldy promotes.)

Applying lessons from Cuba’s 1959 Revolution to the Mid-East 2011 Revolution

Cuba's revolution of 1959 was similar to the budding revolutions that are now taking place in the Middle East in that ordinary citizens were fed up with an unfair regime. Cuban people once viewed Fulgencio Batista as Egyptians now see Mubarak. Although the Cuban Revolution was successful in ending Batista's reign, the manner in which this goal was achieved resulted in grave consequences, including tremendous bloodshed and a loss of civil liberties.

The leaders of the Cuban Revolution, including Castro and Guevara, used violence rather than peaceful civil disobedience to win their struggle and their new government ended up adopting a restrictive style of government rather than a democracy. (I realize that there are many complexities to these movements that won't be addressed in this post, however I just wanted to draw the historical link in light of the present situation.) The political unrest that many Mid-East nations are experiencing as a result of revolutionary-style protests has placed the citizens of these nations in a vulnerable position.

In addition to being fed-up with autocratic rule, demonstrators in Jordan are motivated by rising food and fuel prices, and poor living conditions; all of which many blame on market-liberalizing economic decisions implemented in the 2000's. Revolutionaries in Cuba were led by similar concerns and once their revolutionary war was over, Cuba's new government mistakenly aligned itself with the international Communist Party while implementing social justice reforms to benefit its formerly oppressed citizenry. Hopefully, this scenario won't play out in the Mid-East with new governments siding with terrorist groups or extremist elements of more pluralistic groups. Yemen is the home to Al-Qaeda on the Arabian Peninsula and the Muslim Brotherhood, which has some questionable elements among its ranks, has taken a leadership role in speaking for protestors in Jordan.

History in the making is always fascinating to watch and I really hope that the United States and other nations continue to weigh-in on the Mid-East protests in the interest of peaceful democratic social change in whatever ways they can.

Power to the People of Tunisia, Egypt, Jordan and Yemen!

Recent pro-democracy uprisings in the Middle East have effectively challenged the legitimacy of autocratic rule across the region. Rulers in Tunisia, Egypt, Jordan and Yemen have agreed to make varying degrees of concessions to protesters, but these limited changes fail to meet the core demands of demonstrators in all nations except Tunisia. In Tunisia, the people's voices were finally heard and President Ben Ali left office and fled the country in what is now referred to as the Jasmine Revolution. Unfortunately, this revolution also resulted in the loss of 78 lives and even more injuries among demonstrators.

Autocratic leadership in Egypt, Jordan and Yemen has yet to completely cede power to the discontent protesters, and in Egypt, demonstrations have been infiltrated with violence. Coming days and weeks will reveal whether leaders in the other nations will acquiesce to the people's demands in the interest of peace or stay in power and risk an unknown degree of violence.

In Egypt, Mubarak has agreed not to run again in the September presidential elections, but has refused to give up power until his term is up. In Jordan, King Abdullah II replaced Prime Minister Samir Rafai with Maruf al-Bakit, who has held this office before and is known for cracking down on freedoms during periods of social upheaval. In Yemen, President Ali Abdullah Saleh followed Mubarak's lead and announced his retirement at the end of his term in 2013. Despite these political changes, demonstrations are unlikely to stop until autocratic leaders have given up their power to the people.

For a number of reasons including the sheer size of the movement in Egypt, Mubarak's actions will likely set the tone for what happens in Jordan, Yemen and beyond. Unfortunately, recent reports indicate that Mubarak has hired thugs to conduct an orchestrated violent attack on peaceful demonstrators as a possible precursor to using military-level violence to silence the opposition.

Hopefully, Mubarak will step down very soon causing a ripple effect throughout the region before it's too late and violence has reached unconscionable levels.

High School Graduation Rate

I know that this blog space is entirely too small to properly address this issue, so I'll just give my two cents in a few paragraphs realizing that I'm not going to get past the tip of the iceberg. The issue of the extraordinarily high rate of high school drop-outs is concerning because it means that new generations of Americans aren't even finishing high school in shocking numbers. And while I understand that college may not be for everyone, I definitely believe that high school should be, especially in such a developed nation with comparatively high standards of living to most of the world. The education reform debate, like many other policy debates, is split between progressives and hard-liners. Education progressives are more likely to support increased funding for schools and community improvement initiatives, while hard-liners favor Rhee-style measures that fire ineffective teachers and close down underperforming schools.

Not surprisingly, I happen to side more with the liberals on this issue. Part of the reason is because I have enough hard-working teacher friends who are clearly undervalued and underpaid. Firing them based on performance measures would be unjust and more of a reflection of the conditions in the communities in which their schools are located than on their own effectiveness as instructors. Unfortunately, real life is not a Hollywood studio and replacing a principal in an actual low-performing school will never have the same consequence-free wide ranging success that Mr. Clark achieved in Lean on Me. Teachers are real people who work hard to earn a living.

I do, however, think it's important to provide teachers with incentives to continue their education and learn strategies that can help promote student engagement. Teachers with advanced degrees have mastered proven teaching techniques that can help even the most challenged students. Academic concepts like accountable talk, which helps to develop students' reasonable discourse skills while simultaneously keeping them engaged in their studies, are central to improving the quality of education in our country's schools.

In the end, however, education reform in itself may not be enough to reform education. This sounds counter-intuitive, but we all know that there are pervasive systemic problems in society that lie at the root of the drop-out crisis that cannot be solved by replacing faculty or even closing schools.

Birthers

After several hours of studying the website Birthers.org, I’ve come to the difficult conclusion that they are in fact correct. There is no way that Barak Hussein Obama could have been born in America! His mother likely gave birth to him in Kenya or Canada and then slipped him across the border as a knowingly willing complicit illegal alien baby. It’s clear that he doesn’t even have a birth certificate and if he does have one, it was forged by a sophisticated network of organized thugs. Besides, what true American mother would give her son such a Muslim African name?

On a more serious note, I think that most conspiracy theorists are paranoid and/or ignorant. As described in the DSM IV (psychology Bible), Paranoid Personality Disorder is one of the ten personality disorders commonly present in adult humans. People with this condition may have unwarranted and widespread suspicions that other people present a threat to their existence. Ignorance, as defined by yours truly, indicates a genuine lack of education and information making it impossible for one to make clear arguments based on logic and facts.