School Climate & Safety Blog

Democracy and Education

Greg Jobin-Leeds is Co-Founder of the Schott Foundation for Public Education and Access Strategies Fund. He writes and speaks on successful social movements, highly effective international educational practices, school leadership and political strategies. A former high school teacher and teacher trainer, he is a public school parent. This blog is no longer being updated.

Families & the Community Opinion The State of Public Education; The State of Movements for Human Rights
As I announced yesterday, we are moving this blog to a new livelier format at Participatory Democracy and Public Education.  I want to take the opportunity of this last blog to share my sense of where Public Education and the movements for human rights in general, are going.
Greg Jobin-Leeds, July 11, 2012
3 min read
School Climate & Safety Opinion Our Vision for Democracy and Education and 6 Actions to Get There
As mentioned in previous blog posts we are moving this blog today to a new home:  Participatory Democracy and Public Education.  The new blog will host an active discussion format among the four of us -- Bryant, Saulo, Patrick and I.  Please join in on our conversations there.
Greg Jobin-Leeds, July 10, 2012
3 min read
Education Opinion Still Separate, Still Unequal
In this post I wish to share an insightful Vimeo presentation on the political and ideological reasons for the onslaught against public education by Brian Jones, a teacher in NYC who has been one of the leading voices against corporate charters and the attacks on teachers and their unions. I specify "corporate charter" to differentiate from the schools in NYC, like Central Park East, which are alternative schools within the public system. N Alexander wrote the text below. -- Saulo Colon
Greg Jobin-Leeds, July 2, 2012
1 min read
Budget & Finance Opinion Kids Mean Money
A for-profit company has succeeded in maneuvering the Cabarrus County, NC school board to create an online Charter School.  This is also happening in Pennsylvania and other parts of the county where corporations are taking public dollars to make profits using unsuccessful methods. 
Greg Jobin-Leeds, June 27, 2012
2 min read
Education Opinion Saying Goodbye to Education Week (Part 1)
Dear Readers,
We will be moving this blog to a new home on July 10.  We are most likely going to move to DailyKos but, as we make this transition, I want your thoughts about:
Greg Jobin-Leeds, June 26, 2012
1 min read
Curriculum Opinion Will Common Core Standards Teach About the Struggles of Oppressed People?
Bryant Muldrew once again, asks some critical questions about what students are taught and equally important, what they are not taught in schools. As the Common Core are rolled out as the standard across the country and as teacher evaluations are being created, we need to keep Bryant's questions in mind and push back on the state that leaves out these pieces of the curriculum that are vital to the shaping of our democracy. -Greg
Greg Jobin-Leeds, June 25, 2012
3 min read
School Climate & Safety Opinion Yes, Schools Have an Alternative to Zero Tolerance
Students need to be in school to learn.  They have a right to an education--and a right to justice. 
Greg Jobin-Leeds, June 20, 2012
1 min read
School & District Management Opinion Love and Hate in Social Movements
There are two major passions that can unify individuals or groups for a common goal. Commonly, people are bound together by a uniform hate towards someone, something, a group, or an idea. Conversely, love for someone, something, a group, or an idea can be a similar bond.
Greg Jobin-Leeds, June 6, 2012
2 min read
Teaching Opinion Bottom-up Organizing: Transformative movements Can Only be Realized with Authentic Grassroots Leadership
The extensive grassroots efforts leading to women's right to vote is a compelling portrayal of the fact that social change movements are like rivers with many tributaries. A dynamic, successful social movement is really the confluence of many movements--smaller, more local, narrower or different in focus.
Greg Jobin-Leeds, May 31, 2012
5 min read
School & District Management Opinion NY Policymakers Cut High School Students' Opportunity to Go to College
Yesterday, Billy Easton wrote a great Op-ed in The New York Times discussing how Governor Cuomo and his allies are increasing the opportunity gap for many of the state's most disadvantaged students. Tragically, but unsurprisingly, brutal budget cuts have hit poor districts much worse than middle class and wealthy ones.
Greg Jobin-Leeds, May 30, 2012
1 min read
School & District Management Opinion What Is the Purpose of Public Education
The future of this country is entrusted in your ability to prepare students for life. The belief that your job is merely to help students obtain an education (signified by receiving a diploma) or get into college is clear proof of a misunderstanding. It is your duty as an educator to raise this question: what is the purpose of the public school system?
Greg Jobin-Leeds, May 30, 2012
1 min read
Families & the Community Opinion Québec's Student Strike: La Lutte Continue, but What Lessons Can We Learn?
Striking university students in Québec are well into their 15th week of continuous protests. Their strike, which began primarily in opposition to student debt and the proposed 75% tuition hike, has since expanded to encompass wider critiques of both the university system itself and larger issues of austerity and neoliberal economic reform.
Greg Jobin-Leeds, May 25, 2012
4 min read
Equity & Diversity Opinion Hypothesis #2 for Successful Social Movements: Love and Boldness
Transformative change requires self-assured, daring tactics that are, at their heart, driven by love for the community of fellow humans and rage against the denial of human rights and against the system that perpetuates exclusion.
Greg Jobin-Leeds, May 23, 2012
3 min read
Teaching Opinion Visionary Shifts in Thinking and Behavior: For Educators, Students and Movement Advocates
About this series:  This post is the 4th in a series on how activists shape history, particularly the “Art of Movement Building.” Guest Blogger Saulo Colon and I, each week, will discuss our continued lessons learned from studying successful movements over the last 100 years.  We call these lessons “hypotheses” because we know they represent only some of the lessons and we want you to test them out against your experience and knowledge.  We would love to have you as part of this conversation. 
Greg Jobin-Leeds, May 17, 2012
4 min read