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Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Shaun Johnson: Educators Testing Their Courage After Newtown

Shaun Johnson: Educators Testing Their Courage After Newtown:


Educators Testing Their Courage After Newtown

Posted: 01/02/2013 11:10 am

Swimming midstream between holiday reflections and New Year's resolutions, there will be a lot more time, attention, and line space devoted to the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School.
A mild kerfuffle erupted in the last couple of weeks over who in the education community could claim ownership of some of the selfless heroism displayed by Sandy Hook staff. Notable reform opponent Diane Ravitch, in a blog post paying tribute to these educators, happened to mention that they belonged to their professional union.
Much "pearl clutching" ensued from the strictly "reformist" crowd that the event was being politicized to make pro-union, and anti-reform, arguments. Now, most sensible individuals, myself included, completely understand the point Ravitch, and subsequently Chicago Teacher's Union President Karen Lewis, was trying to make. That is, don't be so quick to cast aspersions at the