A Teacher Speaks Listen carefully to her words Robert Reich Sep 5 Friends, As you know, I care a great deal about teaching and teachers. As I emphasize in our new film, The Last Class — now showing in movie houses across America — education is intimately connected to democracy. Today I’d like to share with you a Substack column written by Kathleen West, titled “I’m Having Some Thoughts About Teaching.” West’s teaching career started 24 years ago. She has taught elementary, middle, and high school grades in a public school, a Catholic school, and independent schools. Currently she is teaching at an inner-city public middle school in Minneapolis. *** I start school tomorrow with 150 new students. Although I don’t know them yet, I’ll protect them with my life if/when a shooter decides we’re the target. I decided to be an English teacher when I was in seventh grade. I’ve never really wavered in my vocation. I started volunteering in schools as a seventeen-year-old college freshman. I student-taught at twenty-one, the same semester in which I graduated Phi Beta Kappa from my liberal arts college. (There were only four of us teachers in my class at Macalester, and the school has since stopped offering teacher training because no one wants to do this job anymore.) In my career, I’ve switched positions more than teachers usually do, I think because I keep hoping that there’s a utopian school community that embodies what I feel is possible in K-12 education. Maybe I can find the right grade level, I tell myself, the right school policies, the right leaders, that will make me feel at home. A parent of a student once told me I was born to be a teacher. It was a compliment — I’d done well for her kids. I do think I’m born for it, but I don’t really want to do it this year. It’s my twenty-fourth year. Because I’ve taken three years off along the way, the math works out like this: The Columbine shooting happened while I was student- teaching at Tartan High School in 1999. The school had been designed in the 1960s progressive era, and the classrooms were situated in circles with a common space in the middle of each loop. The classrooms didn’t have doors. The teachers sat in the auditorium on the afternoon of the first school massacre. Was it even safe to go to the auditorium, all together like sitting ducks? We teachers wondered this that day. We discussed how shooters in our school could just stand in the middle of our department areas and hit people in each room around the circle without even moving their feet. The very next year, or soon after that, I started practicing active shooter drills with students. In the beginning, we all did the same things — turn off the lights, pull the shades, hide in the corner. At one school, they wouldn’t tell us if the drill was a drill because they didn’t think we’d try hard enough to enact the protocols if we knew we weren’t actually going to get shot. Kids would always ask, “Is this real?” “Probably not,” I told them. “Listen for the sirens. If we don’t hear them, it’s not real.” And then, we’d go back to talking about characters or commas, or whatever we were doing before the alarm sounded. There was a big kerfuffle the year I was teaching third grade (I had decided maybe elementary was the utopia I sought) because the school moved to a run-hide-fight model where you trained children to throw scissors and staplers at the shooters who came to their classroom doors. Some of us thought that it was inappropriate to teach them to expect to be shot. At my next school, we started table-top drills during which we discussed shooting scenarios. It was a Catholic high school (also not the utopia I imagined), and the kids were empowered to make their own decisions during attacks. I imagine this is because of liability? Like, if I, the teacher, decided to go out the window, and we all got obliterated that way, then at least the girls had had the choice to run down the hallway instead? Anyway, you get the idea. My new school does the I Love U Guys model. We teach with our doors locked and closed all the time. We stay and barricade. We practice the system a bunch of times per year and assure the children that we’ll protect them with our lives if necessary. Last week, my brother’s and my sister’s kids’ school was the latest site of a school shooting [The Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis]. My brother was there, as was my sister’s husband. They all saw it. They were all there at Mass, not a location we normally practice in, by the way. We don’t practice escaping shooters at lunch or recess or in the auditorium because it’s super logistically hard to do. I think today’s shooters know that. All of today’s madmen and women have been through the same drills I just described for the last twenty-six years themselves. So… in addition to being in a job where, despite my talents and qualifications and dedication to the craft, my earnings are capped in the five figures… … in addition to being in a job where all/most/some parents think they know more than I do about how to teach… …in addition to being in a job that suffers the whims of public opinion about our lack of quality and suitability as professionals… …in addition to being in a job where successfully writing and publishing four novels makes me LESS employable (thanks to the snobbery of high school English departments??)… I also have to be ready to die at work. I already thought about it a lot, and now that six of my family members have actually been shot at in school, I’ll think about it more. I’ll go back tomorrow because I have to (I need a full-time income, I have a life and family), and also because it’s my vocation. I’ve always wanted to be a teacher. But I don’t want to do it tomorrow. *** My thanks to Kathleen West for her teaching, her courage, and her conscience. One thing all of us can do: Support March For Our Lives, the youth anti-gun-violence group founded after the 2018 Parkland shooting.

One of the Biden admin’s biggest accomplishments…

 

In 2020, President Biden campaigned on taking real action to address the nation’s gun violence epidemic.

Since then, we’ve seen the passage of the most comprehensive gun safety bill passed in three decades AND the creation of the first-ever, White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention.

Over the past year, the office has been instrumental in driving real progress toward realizing an America free from gun violence. The creation of this office has marshaled federal resources toward tackling the issue of gun violence prevention head on.

But this office is under threat. If Donald Trump wins in November, we can expect to not only see this vital office disbanded, but a full reversal of the hard-fought progress we've made in reducing gun violence in these last few years.

That is unacceptable to us and that’s why we’re fighting in tandem with our allies to ensure that the OGVP will continue serving the American people.

But we need your support in this fight right now. Can you donate $10 to be split among these incredible organizations pushing for a future free from gun violence?

Your contributions will be split between the following organizations: March For Our Lives Action Fund, Giffords, and Everytown for Gun Safety.

DONATE

By bringing together different stakeholders in communities across the country, the OGVP has created tools and strategies to assist communities when gun violence happens.

The OGVP has also brought needed attention to the lack of red-flag laws — laws that permit state courts to temporarily seize firearms from those deemed to be danger to themselves and others.

In just over a year since the office was first created, we’ve gone from 5 states with red flags to 15 thanks to the important work of the OGVP.

This isn't about politics — it's about saving lives.

But even with a Harris/Walz victory this November, we know we’re still going to have a long way to go!

Historically, the federal government hasn’t done nearly enough to protect us from the threat of gun violence, but the progress that the OGVP has made in just over a year gives us hope for the road ahead.

Help us turn that hope into action by splitting a donation of $10 or any amount you can between March For Our Lives Action Fund, Giffords, Everytown for Gun Safety, and Moms Demand Action today.

DONATE

In solidarity,

LeftNet

LeftNet is an online political network fighting for progressive causes and candidates focused on social, racial, economic, and environmental justice.

'Our leaders are failing us': Parkland survivor reacts to Georgia school shooting

 

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Multiple people were killed in a school shooting today at a Georgia high school. Parkland shooting survivor and March For Our Lives co-founder David Hogg joins Katy Tur to react to the fatal shooting and discuss what Americans need to do to make a change. » Subscribe to MSNBC:    / msnbc   Download our new MSNBC app for the latest breaking news and daily headlines at a glance: https://www.msnbc.com/information/dow... Follow MSNBC Show Blogs MaddowBlog: https://www.msnbc.com/maddowblog ReidOut Blog: https://www.msnbc.com/reidoutblog MSNBC delivers breaking news, in-depth analysis of politics headlines, as well as commentary and informed perspectives. Find video clips and segments from The Rachel Maddow Show, Morning Joe, The Beat with Ari Melber, Deadline: White House, The ReidOut, All In, Last Word, 11th Hour, and Alex Wagner who brings her breadth of reporting experience to MSNBC primetime. Watch “Alex Wagner Tonight” Tuesday through Friday at 9pm Eastern. Connect with MSNBC Online Visit msnbc.com: https://www.msnbc.com/ Subscribe to the MSNBC Daily Newsletter: https://link.msnbc.com/join/5ck/msnbc... Find MSNBC on Facebook:   / msnbc   Follow MSNBC on Twitter:   / msnbc   Follow MSNBC on Instagram:   / msnbc   #school #shooting #breakingnews

Five Questions with David Hogg March for Our Lives gun violence activist who has turned to electing young progressives through Leaders We Deserve Joyce Vance Aug 16 ∙ Preview David Hogg survived the tragic 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. He went on to become one of a generation of student activists who had enough and decided to fight for gun reform instead of just waiting for the next shooting. Hogg was one of the main organizers of the March for Our Lives, the largest single day of protest against gun violence in our country. He has turned his sights to the importance of voting and focused on registering new voters in truly impressive numbers. I thought we’d check in with David tonight, to learn about the work he is continuing to do, focused on young voters and their impact on the political process. What makes young people take an interest in government? How do we get more of them there? David’s answers are both enlightening and encouraging as we get closer to the 2024 election. “Five Questions” is a feature for paid subscribers of Civil Discourse, my way of thanking people who are able to support this work financially so I can devote the necessary time and resources to it. I value having all of you here—free subscriptions will always be available. I’m grateful to everyone who reads the newsletter and engages in the hard but essential work of civil discourse. Unlock this post for free, courtesy of Joyce Vance.

Unless we band together and fight back, nothing is going to change

 

Hey  — it’s David Hogg, gun safety advocate and co-founder of March For Our Lives. The GOP and conservative special interest groups have been playing a 50-year chess game to elect far-right extremists to every level of government to manipulate our country and attack our rights and freedoms. They are willing to let children be slaughtered at school and watch our planet burn for personal gain. But badass young people have a habit of being underestimated, from March For Our Lives to the Sunrise Movement to the Movement for Black Lives. And when we demonstrate our collective power, we scare the shit out of Republicans. That’s why with an incredible team, we launched Leaders We Deserve — a grassroots organization dedicated to electing young leaders to Congress, and especially our State Legislatures, across the country to help defeat the far-right’s agenda and advance a progressive vision for the future. We can’t do this without you by our side. Will you become a Founding Donor by splitting a donation between Leaders We Deserve and Anna Kaplan today? I’ll be blunt: There is no shortage of people who want us to fail. And unless we band together and fight back, nothing is going to change. It’s part of why despite making up 45% of the electorate, Gen Z and Millennials only hold 21% of State Legislature seats. Special interest groups, far-right extremists, and those hoarding the power are so determined to maintain the status quo that they will spend millions to keep Gen Z candidates from winning. They think that they can continue to manipulate the system to keep us out of elected office. Let’s prove them wrong. That’s why I’m personally asking: Will you become a Founding Donor to Leaders We Deserve by splitting a donation with Anna Kaplan today? Let’s do this, David Hogg Co-founder, Leaders We Deserve   Anna Kaplan is running to unseat George Santos in New York's 3rd District.  Anna Kaplan for New York--Launch  VV

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Anna Kaplan for New York 130 Shore Road P.O. Box 116 Port Washington, NY 11050 United States

Paid for by Anna Kaplan for New York

defying the odds

 

A victim of the system and enmeshed in trying circumstances, my biological mother turned to drugs and crime while she was pregnant with me. She didn’t have healthcare during this time and wasn’t able to see a doctor even once. As the mother of seven, she made the difficult decision to put me up for adoption because she lacked the resources to care and raise another child. I learned all of this just two months before I announced my run for Congress. Understanding my biological mother’s story and the circumstances surrounding my birth underscored for me why politics is so important. And it further crystallized my core vision of it - that we need our elected leaders who view the world through the eyes of the most vulnerable. My community needs a leader like that in Congress and I’m running to be that person - someone that fights every day for and with the marginalized and disadvantaged. A champion for working people. This isn’t new for me though. I’ve been fighting for my community since I was 15 years old when I became an advocate for ending gun violence following the Sandy Hook shooting. After the death of George Floyd, I became one of the lead Black Lives Matters organizers in Orlando, where I went out every day to fight for justice and Black lives. I was beaten by cops, tear-gassed, and jailed for those efforts. In 2018, I helped lead the ACLU of Florida’s fight to win Amendment 4, which restored voting rights to over 1.6 million Floridians who had previous felony convictions. While at the ACLU in 2020, I worked to win Biden’s support for abolishing the Hyde Amendment, legislation that has limited abortion access for millions of people. As Organizing Director at March for Our Lives, one of the largest youth political movements in the country, I led an ambitious voter turnout program that helped drive a record number of young people to the polls, helping to hold the House, and win a Democratic Senate, and Presidency. I share all of this with you, so you understand the kind of leader I am and will be. I didn’t make it this far on my own and I’m going to need your support to continue my fight in Congress. I need to raise another $3,752 to hit my midnight goal in 10 hours. Please, if you can, chip in $31 right now >> I wouldn’t be asking for your help if there wasn’t so much at stake. Our society is structured in a way that makes life more difficult for the most vulnerable among us. A system that makes it nearly impossible to earn a living wage, obtain access to healthcare, and escape gun violence. And right now, they’re raking in millions in GOP dark money to maintain power and shut out anyone who tries to challenge their destructive policies. I’m ready to fight back in Congress, but if my campaign doesn’t have the funds to get me there, our voices will continue to be silenced. We can’t let that happen. Your help can make all the difference. I’m counting on grassroots donors to get me to the finish line. Can you chip in just $31 to my campaign before my critical midnight deadline? Thank you, Maxwell Alejandro Frost    www.FrostForCongress.com PAID FOR BY MAXWELL FROST FOR CONGRESS Maxwell Frost for Congress PO Box 772671 Orlando, FL 32877-2671 United States Maxwell is an organizer, running to represent Florida's 10th Congressional District in Congress. He isn't taking any corporate PAC, corporate lobbyist, big sugar, or fossil fuel contributions. He needs your help to win this seat for poor and working-class people. Will you become a Founding Donor of this movement today? CONTRIBUTE

My daughter was killed in Parkland. I’m asking for your help.

 

My beautiful daughter Jaime’s life was cut short by gun violence in Parkland. She was just 14 years old and at school, shot by a student with an AR 15 he never should have had access to. One of my first sources of hope, in the depths of grief that no parent should ever have to bear, was seeing young people– my daughter's classmates and a generation traumatized by gun violence– organize and found the March for Our Lives. Our elected leaders failed Jaime. Now it is my mission to elect champions like Maxwell with a proven track record of standing up to the gun lobby. I came to know Maxwell as the National Organizing Director for March for Our Lives when he fought for comprehensive gun violence prevention. I’ve also gotten to know far too well the grip the NRA has on Congress. And the millions of dollars they will spend to defeat candidates like Maxwell. So today, I’m asking for your help to send Maxwell to Congress. I know he has the experience to turn his activism into transformational policy. Can you make a donation to help us reach our $5,736 goal and to help prevent future tragedies? In the four years since Jaime’s death, there has been unprecedented support and energy for action against gun violence. Especially from young people. But far too little has been done to address the crisis. The NRA and the gun lobby continue to block any change. I know that with your support Maxwell can win and fight for long overdue policies such as universal background checks, red-flag laws, and banning assault weapons. Maxwell will also work to dismantle our gun culture problem by funding local community violence intervention programs and developing a youth and BIPOC led task force to address the systemic causes of gun violence. I’ve dedicated my life, in my daughter’s memory, to protecting our communities. I know Maxwell is the candidate FL-10 needs to deliver a safer future. Please, can you spare just $31 to join us in this fight? With hope, Fred Guttenberg    www.FrostForCongress.com PAID FOR BY MAXWELL FROST FOR CONGRESS Maxwell Frost for Congress PO Box 772671 Orlando, FL 32877-2671 United States Maxwell is an organizer, running to represent Florida's 10th Congressional District in Congress. He isn't taking any corporate PAC, corporate lobbyist, big sugar, or fossil fuel contributions. He needs your help to win this seat for poor and working-class people. Will you become a Founding Donor of this movement today? CONTRIBUTE

WEEK IN REVIEW: By the Time These Fascists Take Over Fully It Will Be Too Late

 

The Week in Review 'This Is Terrifying': Explosion at Texas Gas Plant Spotlights Threat of LNG Industry "We shouldn't have to live in fear just so gas executives like Michael Smith can get rich," said one local resident, referring to Freeport LNG's CEO. Read more → Poland Establishes 'Terrifying' Pregnancy Register After Banning Almost All Abortions "Another violent attack on sexual and reproductive rights in Poland," said a progressive lawmaker. Read more → At March for Our Lives, A Call for a Nationwide Strike of Schools “Avoid attending school if your leaders fail to do the job” Read more → New Revelations Show Ginni Thomas 'Very Much a Part of Seditious Conspiracy' New reporting shows wife of Supreme Court Justice pushed at least 29 Arizona lawmakers to overturn 2020 election results. Read more → 'Who Were They?' Jan. 6 Panel to Name Republicans Who Sought Pardons From Trump After Rep. Liz Cheney accused Rep. Scott Perry of requesting a pardon—which he denied—one critic said the alleged move indicates he "knew that his actions ran counter to his constitutional duty." MUST READ! EXCERPT:  Rep. Mondaire Jones (D-N.Y.), who is not on the committee, declared Friday that "House Republicans lobbied for presidential pardons after January 6th because they were complicit in an attempt to violently overthrow the U.S. government." In a series of tweets late Thursday and early Friday, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) asked the House GOP—and some specific members—if they asked Trump for pardons. Ocasio-Cortez specifically took aim at GOP Reps. Lauren Boebert (Colo.), Andrew Clyde (Ga.), Matt Gaetz (Fla.), Paul Gosar (Ariz.), Marjorie Taylor Greene (Ga.), and Jim Jordan (R-Ohio). She was also among several Democrats who confirmed that they had not requested a pardon from the former Republican president. "Ok I will start. I didn't ask for a pardon," Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) tweeted late Thursday. "I am not kidding about this. Every single member should answer this simple question." Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) responded that "I'll get this ball rolling on the House side. I didn't ask for a pardon." Democrats who posted similar comments on social media in the wake of Thursday's hearing include Reps. Alma Adams (N.C.), Sean Casten (Ill.), Jesús "Chuy" García (Ill.), Barbara Lee (Calif.), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D.C.), Chellie Pingree (Maine), Mark Pocan (Wis.), Mike Quigley (Ill.), Mary Gay Scanlon (Pa.), Juan Vargas (Calif.), Bonnie Watson Coleman (N.J.), and Nikema Williams (Ga.). The committee's next two hearings are scheduled for 10:00 am ET on Monday, June 13 and Wednesday, June 15. Read more → VIEW ALL NEWS Quality journalism. Progressive values. Our new media model is simple: we rely on our readers and thousands of small donations to keep us moving forward. No ads; no paywalls: our content is free, and our readers sustain us. DONATE TODAY Opinion When the US Is Truly Run by These Fascists It Will Be Too Late We can't pretend we don't know what's happening and where it will lead if it's not stopped—the question is what we will do about it. by Thom Hartmann Read more → The US Supreme Court Has Become a Right-Wing Corporate Conspiracy A handful of aloof, unelected judges have been turning what's supposed to be a citadel of justice into an unrestrained political instrument for instituting autocratic, plutocratic, theocratic power over us. by Jim Hightower Read more → It's Time for Democrats to Stop Agreeing That the Second Amendment Protects an Individual's Right to Bear Arms It has now been turned into the rationale for a Republican Supreme Court majority to enact an extreme right-wing political agenda, often opposed by a majority of the American people. by Miles Mogulescu Read more → VIEW ALL OPINION Call 207.775.0488 to donate by phone or mail a check to: Common Dreams, PO Box 443, Portland, ME 04112, United States Common Dreams is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Your contribution is tax-deductible. EIN: 20-3368194