CER News Alert

Rainbow Embraces Choice;
CER Reports on Lessons from the Front

        The rainbow is at work behind the scenes in education reform.  While it's not always apparent, it is people of color who are leading the charge in the states to turn reform ideas into reality.  The extraordinary efforts of these civic and political leaders - of both parties, of all colors and from all religions, is making a big difference in the lives of children.

        The Center for Education Reform was proud to host six distinguished reformers from around the country to talk about their reform efforts, the various challenges to that success, and lessons learned. CER's summer Leader's Forum: Lessons from the Front -- Triumphs in Education Reform from the Rainbow was held on July 15 in Washington, DC, just steps from the White House, and highlighted the real stories of real people involved in urgent, dramatic and passionate calls for change.


From left to right: Joe C'debaca, Rev.  Richard Bennett, Lt. Gov. Joe Rogers (CO),
CER President Jeanne Allen, Louis Vera, Jr., State Rep. Dwight Evans (PA).

        "The variety of people leading the charge is not always recognized.  Education has been the issue of the 90's and it will be the issue of the millennium," said Jeanne Allen, President of the Center for Education Reform (right).

       In an impassioned speech, Colorado Lieutenant Governor Joe Rogers (left) spoke of the need to challenge our kids. "Accepting failure is no longer acceptable - not when you see what failure breeds," he said.  Rogers voiced his support for charter schools, "now sweeping the nation.  They are public schools designed to meet the needs of a community, and they work!  They make good sense and provide choice for families and empowerment for communities."

        In an often emotional address Louis Roberto Vera spoke of the alarming failure rate of Hispanic youth in Texas inner cities.   A Texas reformer and founder of San Antonio Parents for Choice, Vera stressed the need for reform in inner cities and for Hispanics in particular.  He pleaded with those in attendance to "help him find the answer" and not let more kids fall behind and lose any chance for a real future.

            Pennsylvania State Representative Dwight Evans urged a different approach to the education reform fight. "When we're at war we don't act like Republicans and Democrats.  That is the same attitude we have to have about education."  Partisan politics is not and will not be the answer.  "Until every single child has the opportunity, we have to strip ourselves of these party labels, and recognize that we need to have all these ideas on the table and need to have a debate and a discussion of what works."

        Colorado reformer, former teacher and founder of Hispanic Education Joseph C'Debaca argued that one impediment to real reform is the teachers' unions. "Unions have gone astray," he said, "They are into political, personal and social agendas, when their original intent was to help the worker."  He went on to say that most teachers did not really embrace the agenda of the unions.  As a teacher, he "saw a lot of kids graduating that hadn't been there for half the semester or even half the year, who had maybe 5th grade reading levels."

         Rev. Richard Bennett, State Director of Floridians for School Choice and a pastor of a large African-American church said, "parents should have the right to choose their children's school whether they're rich, poor, black or white.   We must take a stand," Bennett pleaded, "and say it's not about jobs.  It's not about your position in the community.  It's about our children, and this is the most important thing there is."  Citing the urgent need for reform, Rev. Bennett said, "We can't wait another 15 years."

        Florida Lieutenant Governor Frank Brogan (left) spoke of his decades long fight for children's future, first as a teacher then as the state education superintendent in Florida.  Brogan, a long time ally of reformers and friend of the Center for Education Reform, said that Florida's A+ Education Plan serves as a money-back accountability plan for parents in Florida with one goal in mind: the children.  Brogan chided those who tolerate mediocrity.  "Children who are allowed to fail but called passers are doomed for life," he said.  On the issue of teacher tenure and teacher pay he said, "It has devolved into a system where it is protecting bad teachers from rightful termination."  And in response to opponents, Brogan said, "Those who believe that vouchers will rob the existing public school system don't get it.  Just mentioning the word that has become law is driving more change into the existing public school system than we have seen in 50 years in the state of Florida."      

        The summer Leader's Forum was considered among the best educational forums our members, social and political leaders had ever attended.  Participants were treated to a meeting with the people who are making education better - thousands of miles from the beltway and all its politics.  The education reformers CER convened are a constant reminder of what can be done and provides models for all of us.

        Leader's Forum "Speeches of the Day" will soon be available in print and on the web. Please let us know by email or phone (800) 521-2118 if you would like us to reserve you a set.

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For recent developments in the Reform Rainbow, see The Rainbow Grows, in CER's Back To School Section, as well as:

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