The Political Ways of Embracing Poverty - Being Poor is a New Wealthy. So Much Work Needing to Be Done

Today, I had the pleasure of working with Superintendent Fran Rabinowitz and several of her teachers and administrators who she pulled together to discuss Dianne Ravitch's Reign of Error. The very fact that she's creating community dialogue about the state of affairs (testing, corporatization of public schools, etc.) as  a Superintendent is remarkable. It's been two years since she's joined the Bridgeport district as a leader and the difference she's making is tremendous. It can be felt in the room as teachers and principals acknowledge they love the direction she's taken the district, especially after the leadership of the previous man who gutted, stripped and removed everything that was successful and worked.

The educators who sat at my table discussed the need for more lobbying in state legislature for the needs to kids and teachers and how our resources do not go as deep financially as those of private firms and hedge funds. They agreed that it begins at the top and that there needs to be a trickle down dream theory where leaders can advocate for their faculty AND have resources to make positive change - an idea that is missing with limited funds for public school teachers at this time, including professional development. Families and students are struggling. This, coupled with the high stakes testing, is causing PSTD in schools. Parents need more support advocating for the children they love including breaking the school to prison pipeline, reducing class sizes, and addressing the emotional well-being of all. Currently, a culture of learned helplessness is harming many and we're in need of re-thinking the entire system.

In similar vein, it was an absolute pleasure to see Marge Hiller recognized for her outstanding community work advocating for Bridgeport youth during the Metro United Way lunch hosted on campus. I was amazed at the powerhouses that attended, including Governor Malloy - which intrigued me, because he was there with Mayor Finch. In my four years of Connecticut life, although it is claimed otherwise, I have not seen them as champions of public education. It has, alas, been the opposite (and I have to give them credit for trying to find a better solution for the academic gaps existing in the state, although I disagree with their anti-teacher stance and the solution being outside reformers coming in to "fix" the problem. The solution is working with those who work in the systems already. We need to empower them first).

Ah, but these are the bedfellows of the 21st century Metro United Way (which does remarkable work for impoverished communities). Metro United Way works to provided support systems that fight poverty. Politics, I'm afraid, get in the way.

But I will go on with my day thinking very highly of the vision of Fran Rabinowitz and the continued direction of Marge Hiller. They simply get it and I'm proud to have opportunities to collaborate with them.