CETF releases premier issue of Why Students Can’t Wait – a monthly newsletter

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From The Editor

Greetings!  Thank you for checking out the very first issue ofWhy Students Can’t Wait, the Community Education Task Force Newsletter.  This monthly publication stands to engage the Rochester community on all aspects of the Rochester City School District (RCSD) and how parents, students, educators, and engaged community members are working to build a movement for educational change and improvement.

THIS ISSUE of Why Students Can’t Wait introduces some of the systemic problems within the district, and offers various ways in which we can work together to bring about authentic education reform.  Mark Friedman starts us off with some critical questions and reflections on his experiences both as a teacher in the classroom and a grassroots activist in the comm-unity (p. 3).  In his view, if we are going to be effective at “reclaiming reform” and lever-aging power, it is critical that we connect our professional lives to our organizing efforts.

Next, CETF parent-member Phyllis Anita Moss breaks down the history of what has been done to people of African descent in this country, and how this history continues to impact all of us in so many ways—from the physical to the psychological (p. 4).  Racist attitudes and behaviors, as well as policies permeate every aspect of our society, and our schools are no exception.  But it didn’t “just happen” this way, and it surely won’t “just happen” to stop—unless we work consistently to eradicate it through effective anti-racist organizing.

Criticism of high-stakes standardized testing has become widespread in the media and with-in education circles in recent years—and rightfully so. However, the reasons and motiva-tions behind such criticism often vary. We would be hard-pressed to find a person more qualified to comment on this phenomenon than someone whose job it was to administer the tests for decades—and bear witness to their damaging impact on students. Howard J. Eagle, a retired social studies teacher and CETF parent-member breaks down standardized testing in part I of a longer essay (p. 5), the remainder of which will appear in next month’s issue.

Finally, RCSD teacher Nancy Cuminale briefly describes a phenomenon that’s sweeping the nation at an alarming pace—privatization (p. 7).  With over 600 billion dollars of public money being spent on education annually, it is no surprise that the ultra-rich—wolves in sheep’s clothing—are trying to get their greedy paws on it under the guise of so-called “philanthropy”.   The buying and selling of education is a subject that is just beginning to work its way into the mainstream dialogue, and it’s one that we will continue to fight against as we organize.  Please watch for a more elaborate critique of privatization in future issues of Why Student’s Can’t Wait.

We want to be crystal clear in stating that the problems within the RCSD do not exist in a bubble—that is, there is a larger context within which the RCSD is only one element.  Education, however, is central to our struggle because we have seen what its failure has done (and is doing) to our young people—our future.  If we are going to act, we must do it with the utmost speed and sincerity, because if we continue down the current path, we will lose another generation of young people to the streets and prisons.  Our young people can’t wait, and neither can we.

We are an action-oriented organization, but we also know that one of the most important aspects of our work is keeping the Rochester community informed, for history has demonstrated time and again the “power of the pen” in liberation struggle.  So please look for new editions of this newsletter in the same place you found this one; we will have them available and distributed every month.  If you can’t find a copy, just let us know, and we will get one to you.  We are 100% committed to this struggle, and can only hope that through our words and actions, we will move you to get involved in whatever capacity you are able.

The struggle continues…

Leadership Team

Community Education Task Force

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