The 2002 EIA Public Education Quotes of the Year

Of the millions of quotes spoken and written about public education each year, only a few dozen are provocative or revealing enough to merit inclusion as Education Intelligence Agency "Quotes of the Week." Of these chosen few, only the most provocative or revealing rise to the level of "Quotes of the Year." With that as a criterion, EIA is proud to present the 2002 Public Education Quotes of the Year, in countdown order. Enjoy!

10) "They keep trying to make us look like Jimmy Hoffa and company. We are just a bunch of middle-aged women." -- Florida Education Association President Maureen Dinnen. (October 4 Orlando Sentinel)

9) "We hired so many people this year. It was like we had money to burn. Then all of a sudden we're in a holeâ€¦ you know, there's just something that's not right." -- Sheila Dickman, president of the Mat-Su Classified Employees Association in Alaska, after learning 48 district employees had been laid off. The district has a $3 million deficit, blaming it on the costs of new teacher and support personnel contracts. (December 19 Anchorage Daily News)

8) "I've never seen two more arrogant people. Their attitude was, 'We call our own shots and you're powerless against us and you'd better not take us on because we're the 800-pound gorilla.'" -- Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura, discussing a meeting he had last year with the then-co-presidents of Education Minnesota, Judy Schaubach and Sandra Peterson. (Minneapolis Star Tribune, February 8)

7) "I am a public school teacher. I made what was a very difficult decision last year -- to send my child to a private school.... The public school where I work is full of hard working, dedicated teachers, who are stretched to their limits. They are aware of many children whose needs they cannot meet. We have tried many extra groups, team teaching, etc., to attempt to meet those needs in a better way. It is not nearly enough. We need massive change in the system. I don't see this happening soon. I welcome vouchers. I deserve to have more choices for my child. The children and families I work with deserve more choices." -- Ellen Davis of Elk River, Minnesota, in a letter to the editor of the Minnesota Educator, August 22.

6) "Unfortunately we live in a society where those who 'have' seek other types of education and those who 'have not' are stuck. White students are not attending schools in the public system because of the quality of the schools. They turn to other types of schools because they can afford to." -- Leonard Atkins, president of the Boston chapter of the NAACP. (Boston Globe, January 25)

5) "If they don't agree to everything I want, we will be in impasse." -- United Teachers of Dade President Pat Tornillo, describing his approach to emergency labor negotiations with the Miami-Dade County School Board. (Miami Herald, January 16)

4) "We educate some students for $2,500 a year and some for $50,000 a year. The average pupil expenditure does not mean a lot." -- Tennessee Education Association Executive Director Al Mance. (Nashville Tennessean, April 14)

3) "The biggest thugs in the Capitol these days are not the tobacco lobbyists, Teamster bosses or Texas gougers. The biggest thugs seem to be schoolteachers. At least, the leaders of the 300,000-member California Teachers Association, who have been talking like they're running loan shark or extortion rackets. That's the logical interpretation of their warnings that, in effect, politicians they buy better stay bought. Better deliver. Or else. Especially the governor." -- Los Angeles Times columnist George Skelton. (Los Angeles Times, May 23)

2) "[P]ublic schools are not some sort of buffet where you can choose the things you like." -- from the January 23 edition of South Dakota Education Association legislative newsletter, explaining the union's opposition to a bill that would allow home-schooled students to participate in public school extracurricular activities. The bill was defeated in the South Dakota House.

1) "If you're looking at test scores on standardized tests, the higher the test score, the worse the teaching because it means that they have narrowed their focus." -- Janice Auld, president of the North Sacramento Education Association, in the June 13 issue of the Sacramento News & Review.

No review of 2002 would be complete without a bow to California Teachers Association President Wayne Johnson, a man of castor oil in a world of sugar-coating. Including Johnson's quotes in the Quote of the Year competition would crowd out many other worthy participants. So, in the spirit of inclusion, EIA dedicates this special Wayne Johnson Wing:

1) "The National Education Association, our national affiliate with a rich heritage of fighting for and improving public schools, has become almost apologetic as it pursues a strategy of what appears to me as appeasement when they deal with those that attack public schools. The NEA must develop a national strategy to aggressively protect and defend America's public schools. The National AFT is no better! I saw Sandra Feldman, the AFT president, recently with President Bush, groveling saying how she wants to work with him! Doesn't she get it? Bush's core constituency is anti-public schools and pro-voucher. She wants to help him do that? NEA's new unionism, as I see it, was little more than an attempt to appease those that are dedicated to destroying public education." (April 20 speech to the CTA State Council)

2) "School board members are probably the least qualified people in the state to make curriculum and textbook decisions." (June 12 Education Week)

3) "What have we got, an educational Taliban here? Are they gonna require burqas soon?" -- reacting to a Southern California middle school's dress code for teachers: slacks and ties or polo shirts for men, and no bare legs, pierced tongues, jeans or sneakers. (May 12 Associated Press)

4) "Teachers won't walk for anything except money." -- expressing his belief that teachers would not go on strike over curricular or textbook issues. (April 15 Los Angeles Times)

5) "The AB 2160 debate has been very revealing. No one is fooling anyone anymore. We now know who is with us and we now know who is against us. No more games. CTA must now deal with the real world.... CTA is a very sophisticated political organization. Maybe we have been too trusting, however. CTA has been the gentle giant in Sacramento. We have been very kind to our friends, maybe too kind." (June 8 speech to the CTA State Council)

The Education Intelligence Agency conducts public education research, analysis and investigations. Director: Mike Antonucci. PO Box 580007, Elk Grove, CA 95758. Ph: 916-422-4373. Fax: 916-392-1482. E-Mail: EducationIntel@aol.com

"If they don't agree to everything I want, we will be in impasse." -- United Teachers of Dade President Pat Tornillo.

Oh man...am I glad I went to school in the 50's, and my daughters are out of that hell-hole.

BTW, I think this one should have been #1.

FMCDH

If you're looking at test scores on standardized tests, the higher the test score, the worse the teaching because it means that they have narrowed their focus." -- Janice Auld, president of the North Sacramento Education Association

Translations, anyone? :-)

Yep, that was my assumption as well, but do you think Auld really believes that?

From what (little) I remember of the PSAT and the SAT, they tested fundamentals students were generally supposed to be learning in school on a daily basis.

I did have the opportunity to be in an after-school "PSAT/SAT Prep Class" (which probably did produce benefits because it forced me to memorize more vocabulary words), but in no way were my teachers allowing me to shirk other subjects.

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