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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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<h1 style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;page-break-after:avoid;background:
green'><b style='mso-ansi-font-weight:normal;mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'><font
size=4 color=white face=Arial><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:white;font-weight:normal'>Say YES to public education. Say NO to
privatization.<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></h1>
<h3 style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;page-break-after:avoid;page-break-before:
avoid'><b style='mso-ansi-font-weight:normal;mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'><font
size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:
normal'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></b></h3>
<h3 style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;page-break-after:avoid;page-break-before:
avoid'><b style='mso-ansi-font-weight:normal;mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'><font
size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:
normal'>Dear supporters of public education,<br>
Many of you have by now heard the rumors of Obama's potential appointees to the
position of Secretary of Education. <a
href="http://chronicle.com/free/2008/11/6631n.htm" moz-do-not-send=true>This
list</a> includes several people whose records show a history of
dismantling democratic public education in the name of private interests. As
people committed to public education, this strikes a hard and fast blow in the
euphoria that we have felt since Tuesday, November 4th. But it's not too late
to make our voices heard once again. Let's build on the sense of representation
and democracy we have just experienced to send a clear message to the Obama
Administration.<i><span style='font-style:italic'><br>
<br>
</span></i></span></font></b><strong><b><i><font size=2 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Arial;font-style:italic'>Please visit <a
href="http://www.teacheractivistgroups.org/" moz-do-not-send=true>http://www.teacheractivistgroups.org</a> in
order to sign the following statement that voices our concerns about the kind of
Education Secretary that we want. Additionally, please FORWARD this message to
your friends and colleagues who are also concerned about the future of public
education.</span></font></i></b></strong><i><font size=2 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic'> <br>
<br>
Thank you!<br>
The National Network of Teacher Activist Groups</span></font></i><font size=2
face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:normal'><o:p></o:p></span></font></h3>
<h3 style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;page-break-after:avoid;page-break-before:
avoid'><b style='mso-ansi-font-weight:normal;mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'><i><font
size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:
normal;font-style:italic'><a href="http://www.teacheractivistgroups.org/"
moz-do-not-send=true>www.teacheractivistgroups.org</a></span></font></i></b><font
size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:
normal'><o:p></o:p></span></font></h3>
<h3 style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;page-break-after:avoid;page-break-before:
avoid'><b style='mso-ansi-font-weight:normal;mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'><font
size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:
normal'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></b></h3>
<h3 style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;page-break-after:avoid;page-break-before:
avoid'><b style='mso-ansi-font-weight:normal;mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'><font
size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:
normal'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></b></h3>
<h1 style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;page-break-after:avoid;background:
green;page-break-before:avoid'><b style='mso-ansi-font-weight:normal;
mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'><font size=4 color=white face=Arial><span
style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:white;font-weight:normal'>Statement
on the selection of the U.S. Secretary of Education<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></h1>
<h3 style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;page-break-after:avoid;page-break-before:
avoid'><b style='mso-ansi-font-weight:normal;mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'><font
size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:
normal'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></b></h3>
<h3 style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;page-break-after:avoid;page-break-before:
avoid'><b style='mso-ansi-font-weight:normal;mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'><i><font
size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:
normal;font-style:italic'>Today, we celebrate Barack Obama’s momentous
election as President of the </span></font></i></b><st1:country-region><st1:place><i><font
size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:
normal;font-style:italic'>United States</span></font></i></st1:place></st1:country-region><i><font
size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:
normal;font-style:italic'>. We recognize it as a historic culmination of the
centuries-long effort for dignity and justice, human and civil rights, and
enfranchisement of the </span></font></i><st1:country-region><st1:place><i><font
size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:
normal;font-style:italic'>U.S.</span></font></i></st1:place></st1:country-region><i><font
size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:
normal;font-style:italic'> people, and we pay particular tribute to the African
American freedom struggle, which played a decisive role in bringing the first
Black man to the presidency. <br>
<br>
We look forward, as educators, parents and students, to participating in the
opportunities for change afforded by this moment. We are excited about the
possibilities for improving educational opportunities for all students. Our
vision of educational justice, access, opportunity, and equity includes having
a Department of Education whose officials embrace the idea of a quality
education as part of the common good. We wish to turn away from a corporate
model of education that claims that teaching and learning can only improve by
imposing market perspectives and processes onto our public education system.
Education should be a fundamental human right, not subject to privatization by
firms whose primary concern is a profit motive and the bottom line. We have all
witnessed the failures of this free market system in recent months and do not
support this model for our public schools. <br>
<br>
Toward these ends, we urge President-elect Obama and his transition team to
choose a Secretary of Education who is committed to the full development of
human beings who are prepared to actively participate in civil society. </span></font></i><strong><b><i><font
size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Arial;font-style:
italic'>We strongly encourage the selection of someone dedicated to equity and
the education of all children with a proven track record in these areas, such
as Linda Darling-Hammond, a key member of Mr. Obama’s education team.</span></font></i></b></strong><i><font
size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:
normal;font-style:italic'> We want a person who is a professional,
experienced, and knowledgeable educator, </span></font></i><strong><b><i><font
size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Arial;font-style:
italic'>not a corporate executive such as New York City’s Education
Chancellor Joel Klein or Chicago CEO Arne Duncan, who have demonstrated their
vision of privatized, corporatized, and anti-democratic schools.</span></font></i></b></strong><i><font
size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:
normal;font-style:italic'> <br>
<br>
Over the last 20 years in the </span></font></i><st1:country-region><st1:place><i><font
size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:
normal;font-style:italic'>U.S.</span></font></i></st1:place></st1:country-region><i><font
size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:
normal;font-style:italic'>, education is becoming the business of education,
and we emphatically reject that model. We call upon the President-elect to
choose someone who will embrace the ideas of civic involvement and public
participation. We look forward to collaborating with that person, as well as
with students, parents, and the broader public, in developing a truly
meaningful and just education for all students in the U.S.</span></font></i><font
size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:
normal'><o:p></o:p></span></font></h3>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><span class=apple-style-span><font
size=3 face=Times><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Times'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></span></p>
<h2 align=center style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:center;
page-break-after:avoid;page-break-before:avoid'><strong><b><i><font size=3
face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;font-style:italic'><a
href="http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?key=p5wazL0esvdgiK9PDl-4NTw&hl=en"
target="_blank" moz-do-not-send=true>Endorse this statement</a> by
visiting <a href="http://www.teacheractivistgroups.org/"
moz-do-not-send=true>www.teacheractivistgroups.org</a></span></font></i></b></strong><font
size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:
normal'><o:p></o:p></span></font></h2>
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