This document provides the Fall 2010 newsletter for Division B of an organization. It includes the following high-level summaries: 1) The vice president's note discusses how art can urge voyages toward imagining alternative worlds and critiques how current education focuses on conformity rather than creativity. 2) A poem by a student honors the late poet Gwendolyn Brooks and discusses the challenges of teaching from multiple perspectives including those facing poverty and discrimination. 3) The vice president argues that education should focus on developing students' humanity, imagination, and ability to question rather than on obedience. Schools should engage students in improving their communities.

1. The Well-Spring
Division B Newsletter Fall, 2010

2. Contents:
3
VP Note
William Ayers
7
New & Noteworthy!
Website Announcement
7
Waiting for Superman:
Approach it with a Critical Eye
Rick Ayers
13
Book Review:
Flaunt It! Queers Organizing for Public Education & Justice
Therese Quinn & Erica R. Meiners
Reviewed by: Bill Schubert
15
AERA Resolutions:
Honoring the Late Howard Zinn’s Moving Train
Joel Westheimer
17
Annual Report
William Ayers
19
Awards
Outstanding Dissertation Award
Outstanding Book Award
Human Rights Award
Lifetime Achievement Award
21
Membership & Recruitment Update
Fran Huckaby and Brian Schultz
22
Announcements
Old/New Division Officers
Nomination Committee Members
Human Rights Award Selection Committee
Pre-Conference Seminars
2

3. Message from the Vice President
William Ayers
Art, Democracy, and Education responsibility to engage and participate
with others in the on-going challenge to
construct a democratic world, then the arts
High School Haiku
are our strongest ally. It depends.
school—
take out the “sh” Perhaps that’s what Lawrence Ferlinghetti
and it’s cool was thinking when he published a slim
volume with the provocative title Poetry as
Listening to Grace Lee Boogs, Vincent Insurgent Art, or what Picasso had in
Harding, Tom Barone, and Patti Lather at mind when he said, “Art is not chaste.
our meeting in Denver talk about art and Those ill-prepared should be allowed no
education, identity and memory, life’s contact with art. Art is dangerous. If it is
struggles and democracy’s dreams is to chaste it is not art.” Add to that Einstein’s
hear the music that both soothes and famous observation that “Imagination is
energizes. The voices, by turns harsh and more important than knowledge. For
exciting, honest and unruly, wild and knowledge is limited to all we now know
straight-forward, are powered by love and and understand, while imagination
joy and justice, forever overflowing with embraces the entire world, and all there
life. I want to hear more. I want to play ever will be to know and understand.”
back-up to those voices. Wow! The poet in dialogue with the most
famous painter and the most renowned
I’m reminded of the great Gwendolyn scientist of the century, and think about it:
Brooks, winner of the Pulitzer Prize for they are on the move and on the make,
poetry in the early 1950’s and Poet propulsive, dynamic, unsettled and alive—
Laureate of Illinois for many years, who of course.
asked in her “Dedication to Picasso,” “Does
man love art?” Her answer: “Man visits art Gwendolyn Brooks was a public intellectual
but cringes. Art hurts. Art urges voyages.” and a well-known, fully-engaged resident of
Chicago’s storied south side, and she was a
Exactly. Art often begins in pain and teacher, as well, with a huge following of
horror, and when it’s good, ends in the both students and admirers. Her notable
imaginable; art embraces the entire and most widely-anthologized poem is, “The
territory of possibility. Art stands next to Pool Players Seven at the Golden Shovel” or
the world as such, the given or the received more commonly, “We Real Cool”:
world, waving a colorful flag gesturing
toward a world that should be, or a world We real cool. We
that could be but is not yet. So if we believe Left school. We
that the world is perfect and in need of no Lurk late. We
improvement, or that the world is none of Strike straight. We
our business, or that we are at the end of Sing sin. We
history and that this is as good as it gets Thin gin. We
and that no repair is possible, then we must
Jazz June. We
banish the arts, cuff and gag the artists—
Die soon.
remember, they urge voyages. If, on the
other hand, we see ourselves as works-in-
Has it ever been said more clearly or with
progress, catapulting through a vibrant
such compressed precision?
history-in-the-making, and if we feel a

4. When Gwendolyn Brooks passed away, an and the entire enterprise of education,
all-day memorial was held to celebrate her from several different angles of regard:
life and her huge contribution to literature • From the angle of the four or five
and to humanity. On that day Anthony year old boy, coatless and
Walton, one of her students, read a poem wandering…
he’d written for the occasion called simply • From the perspective of that ten or
“Gwendolyn Brooks (1917-2000)”: fifteen year old on the corner…
• From the standpoint of the human
Sometimes I see in my cargo on a train destined for the
mind’s eye a four- or five- cage…
year-old boy, coatless and wandering • From the point of view of an adult
a windblown and vacant lot or street in world caught up in other matters,
Chicago indifferent in part, and in other
on the windblown South Side. He places guided by its theories and its
disappears standards, pursuing its well-
intentioned, perhaps, but
but stays with me, staring and
nonetheless blinding case studies—
pronouncing
“condescension as self-pity”…
me guilty of an indifference more callous • And, suddenly, from that surprising
than neglect, condescension as self-pity. and hopeful coda: “a young boy she
did not have to know to love”…
Then I see him again, at ten or fifteen, on
the corner, Much of what we call schooling blinds us to
say, 47th and Martin Luther King, or in a perspective and process and point-of-view,
group locks us into well-lit prisons of linear ideas,
of men surrounding a burning barrel off forecloses or shuts down or walls us off
Lawndale, from options and alternatives, and from
everything surrounding vacant or for anything resembling meaningful choice-
sale. making. Much of schooling enacts a
Sometimes I trace him on the train to hollowed out ethics and presents an
Joliet unlovely aesthetic. When schooling is based
or Menard, such towns quickly becoming on obedience and conformity it reminds us
that these qualities and dispositions are the
native
hallmarks of every authoritarian regime
ground to these boys who seem to be
throughout history. When schooling
nobody’s suppresses the imagination, it becomes
sons, these boys who are so hard to love, cowardly, dishonest and immoral. When
so hard schooling segregates and excludes and
to see, except as case studies. isolates—whether along racial and ethnic
Poverty, pain, shame, one and a half lines or class backgrounds or ability—it
million fails as the deeply humanizing enterprise it
dreams deemed fit only for the most might yet become. We lose, then, our
internal capacity for skepticism, irreverence, doubt,
of exiles. That four-year-old wandering and imagination. When schooling is simply
the wind tunnels of Robert training, all the ingredients for forward
Taylor, of Cabrini motion are quashed and sacrificed.
Green, wind chill of an as
yet unplumbed degree— While many teachers and students long for
a young boy she did not have schooling as something transcendent and
powerful, we find ourselves too-often
to know to love.
locked in institutions that reduce learning
to a mindless and irrelevant routine of drill
Here we see some of the less visible and yet
and skill, and teaching to a kind of glorified
somehow central dimensions of teaching,
clerking, passing along a curriculum of
3

5. received wisdom and predigested (and discontents, we must re-articulate and re-
mostly false) bits of information. This is ignite—and try to live out in our daily
unlovely in practice, and it is unworthy of lives—the basic proposition that all human
our deepest dreams. beings are of incalculable value, and that
life in a just and democratic society is
The dominant metaphor in education today geared toward and powered by a
posits schools as businesses, teachers as profoundly radical idea: the fullest
workers, students as products and development of all human beings—
commodities, and it leads rather simply to regardless of race or ethnicity, origin or
thinking that school closings and background, ability or disability—is the
privatizing the public space are natural necessary condition for the full
events, relentless standardized test-and- development of each person; and,
punish regimes sensible, zero tolerance a conversely, the fullest development of each
reasonable proxy for justice—this is what is necessary for the full development of all.
the true-believers call “reform.”
This core value and first principle has huge
In this metaphoric straight-jacket, school implications, of course, for educational
learning is a lot like boots or hammers; policy: racial segregation is wrong, class
unlike boots and hammers, the value of separation unjust, disparate funding
which is inherently satisfying and directly immoral. But this principle has equally
understood, the value of school learning is strong meaning for curriculum and
elusive and indirect. Its value, we’re teaching, for what is taught and how. It
assured, has been calculated elsewhere by points in the first place to the importance
wise and accomplished people, and these of opposing the hidden curriculum of
masters know better than anyone what’s obedience and conformity in favor of
best for the kids and for the world. “Take foregrounding and teaching initiative,
this medicine,” students are told questioning, doubt, skepticism, courage,
repeatedly, day after tedious day; “It’s good imagination, invention, and creativity—
for you.” Refuse the bitter pill, and go stand These are central and not peripheral to an
in the corner—where all the other losers adequate 21st Century education. These are
are assembled. the qualities we must find ways to model
and nourish, encourage and defend in our
Schools for obedience and conformity are communities and our classrooms. And
characterized by passivity and fatalism these qualities are the precincts of the arts
and infused with anti-intellectualism and in their many incarnations.
irrelevance. They turn on the little
technologies for control and In a just and free society teachers want
normalization—the elaborate schemes for students to be able to think for themselves
managing the mob, the knotted system of and develop minds of their own, to make
rules and discipline, the exhaustive judgments based on evidence and
machinery of schedules and clocks, the argument, and to build capacities for
laborious programs of sorting the crowd imagination and exploration and invention.
into winners and losers through testing and Youth tend to ask the most fundamental
punishing, grading, assessing, and judging, and essential questions which are, like the
all of it adding up to a familiar cave, an young themselves, always in-motion,
intricately constructed hierarchy— dynamic, and never twice the same: Who in
everyone in a designated place and a place the world am I? How did I get here and
for every one. In the schools as they are, where am I going? What in the world are
knowing and accepting one’s pigeonhole on my choices and my chances? What did I
the towering and barren cliff becomes the learn that the teacher didn’t know? What’s
only lesson one really needs. my story, and how is it like or unlike the
stories of others? What is my responsibility
If we hope to contribute to rescuing to those others? In many ways these kinds
education from the tangle of its of questions are themselves the answers,
4

6. the very frame of a forward-looking when their hearts, heads and hands are
curriculum; keeping these questions vital, engaged in improving their daily lives and
alive, and fresh is a huge challenge as we their surroundings.
search for ways to live within and beyond
the contingent and partial answers, as well Imagine how much safer and livelier and
as the setbacks, discovered and more peaceful our neighborhoods and
encountered along the way. If we cannot communities would become if we
reasonably ask these kinds of questions, reorganized education in a fundamental
and then notice or invent alternatives, we way—instead of trying to keep children
are not free; if we cannot dwell in isolated in classrooms, envision engaging
possibility, we are not fully alive. them in community-building activities with
the same audacity and vision with which
Educators who are today oriented toward the Black Freedom Movement engaged
justice and liberation and enlightenment as them in desegregation work 45 years ago:
living forces and powerful aspirations focus planting community gardens, recycling
their efforts not on the production of waste, creating alternative transportation
things, but on the production of fully and work sites, naming and protesting
developed human beings who are capable of injustices around them, organizing
controlling and transforming their own neighborhood arts and health festivals,
lives, citizens and residents who can broadcasting a radio show, researching the
participate actively in public life, people local waste system, rehabbing houses,
who can open their eyes and awaken painting public murals. By giving children
themselves and others as they think and and young people a reason to learn beyond
act ethically in a complex and ever- the individualistic goal of getting a job and
changing world. This kind of teaching making more money, by encouraging them
encourages students to develop initiative to exercise their minds and their hearts
and imagination, the capacity to name and and their soul power, we would tap into the
constantly interrogate the world, the deep well of human values that gives life a
wisdom to identify the obstacles to their richer shape and meaning.
full humanity and to the humanity of
others, and the courage to act upon Instead of trying to bully young people to
whatever the known demands. Education, remain in classrooms isolated from the
then, is transformed from rote boredom community and structured only to prepare
and endlessly alienating routines into them for a distant and quickly disappearing
something that is eye-popping and mind- and hostile job market, we might recognize
blowing—always opening doors and opening that the reason so many young people drop
minds as students forge their own out from schools is because they are voting
pathways into a wider world. with their feet against an educational
system that sorts, tracks, tests, and rejects
All children need to develop a sense of the or certifies them like products in a factory.
unique capacity of human beings to shape They are crying out for an experience that
and create reality in concert with conscious values them as human beings.
purposes and plans. This means that our
schools—both within and way beyond the We are mindful of the plea in Gwendolyn
existing institutional spaces called Brooks’ “Boy Breaking Glass”: “I shall
“school”—need to be transformed to provide create! /If not a note/a hole. If not an
children ongoing opportunities to exercise overture/a desecration.” But I shall
their resourcefulness, to solve the real create—the fundamental and primal cry of
problems of their communities, to imagine the young, and of every human being.
and invent. Like all human beings,
children and young people need to be of A basic challenge to teachers is to stay
use—they cannot productively be treated as wide-awake to the world, to the concentric
“objects” to be taught “subjects.” Their circles of context in which we live and
cognitive juices will begin to flow if and work. Teachers must know and care about
5

7. some aspect of our shared life—our calling their limitations as they stride into
after all, is to shepherd and enable the adulthood. Emblematic adolescents in
callings of others. Teachers, then, invite literature and popular culture are deeply
students to become somehow more capable, good, acting always with the best of
more thoughtful and powerful in their intentions and even heroically, but they are
choices, more engaged. More free. More typically uncomfortable with their
creative. More ethical. transformations and surprised by their
powers—Spiderman, for example—and
Toward the end of Amir Maalouf’s dazzling society inevitably misunderstands them—
Samarkand, a historical novel of the life of Edward Scissorshands comes to mind. The
Omar Khayam and the journey of the adults feel the implied or explicit criticism
Rubiayat, Howard Baskerville, a British of our failures, the gaps and deficiencies in
school teacher in the city of Tabriz in old the world we’ve left to them. “You’re
Persia at the time of the first democratic hypocrites and liars,” they shout, and we
revolution, explains an incident in which can’t stand the sound of it. “We can do it
he was observed weeping in the better,” they insist, and we assume a
marketplace: defensive crouch. In The Winter’s Tale
Shakespeare wrote: “I would that there
“Crying is not a recipe for anything,” he were no age between ten and three and
begins, “Nor is it a skill. It is simply a twenty, or that boys would simply sleep out
naked, naïve and pathetic gesture.” But, he the rest, for there is nothing in between but
goes on, crying is nonetheless important. getting wenches with child, wronging the
When the people saw him crying they ancestry, stealing and fighting.”
figured that he “had thrown off the
sovereign indifference of a foreigner,” and Knowing what the game is, we can surely
at that moment they could come to do better. Education is in part a matter of
Baskerville “to tell me confidentially that opening the creative vent, the inventive
crying serves no purpose and that Persia and the productive option, so that
does not need any extra mourners and that alternatives can be seen and chosen, so
the best I could do would be to provide the that the destructive can be challenged and
children of Tabriz with an adequate even closed.
education.” “If they had not seen me
crying,” Baskerville concludes, “they would Haki Madhubuti, Gwendolyn Brooks’
never have let me tell the pupils that this publisher as well as her artistic son, claims
Shah was rotten and that the religious that art is a “prodigious and primary
chiefs of Tabriz were hardly any better.” energy source,” and then turns to the
connection of art to education: “Children’s
Teaching occurs in context, and pedagogy active participation …is what makes them
and technique are not the well-springs of whole, significantly human, secure in their
moral choice. Teaching becomes the own skin…” His poem then becomes a
practice of freedom when it is guided by an chant, each line ending with the words
unshakable commitment to working with “with art” or “through art.” Every teacher
human beings to reach the full measure of or student, parent or community member
their humanity, and a willingness to reach can play along and add on:
toward a future fit for all, a world we can
only imagine. The fundamental message of Magnify your children’s mind with art,
the teacher is: You can change your life! A jumpstart their questions…
necessary corollary is this: You must keep their young minds running, jumping
change the world! and excited…
In reality the coming of age of the young is Keep them off drugs, respecting themselves
always a little scary—the kids are and others, away from war…with art!
overwhelmed with the changes going on
inside themselves and painfully aware of Your turn.
6

8. New & Noteworthy!
ANNOUNCING http://www.curriculumstudies.net
Thanks to Brian Schultz ("Brian Schultz" <schultz.brian@gmail.com>) Division B now has its
own clearinghouse of information for all things curriculum studies.
Here is a place where you can find pertinent, timely announcements and newsletters about
the field, both specific to AERA and well beyond.
We will keep it current and relevant: a place where you can find calls for job postings, writing
opportunities, upcoming conferences, seminars, awards and other important matters; a
resource and archive for historical information about the field, including past leaders and
awardees with links to their websites and publications.
We hope this space will prompt wide-ranging discussions, spotlighting media about curriculum
and education, directing readers to recent blogs and articles that might be of interest, and we
hope you will help make it a go-to place for learning about and interacting within the field.
Please visit at: http://www.curriculumstudies.net
Waiting for Superman:
Approach it with a Critical Eye
Rick Ayers
Some of the evidence, some of the common • WFS says that lack of money is not
sense that the film left out. the problem in education. Yet the
exclusive charter schools featured
While Waiting for Superman (WFS) has in the film receive large private
moving profiles of students struggling to subsidies. Two-thirds of Geoffrey
succeed under difficult circumstances, it Canada’s Harlem Children’s Zone
puts forward a sometimes misleading and funding comes from private sources,
other times dishonest account of the roots effectively making it a highly
of the problem and possible solutions. The resourced private school. Promise
amped up rhetoric of crisis and failure Academy, the Harlem Children’s
everywhere is being used to promote Zone charter school, is in many
business model reforms that are ways an excellent school, but it is
destabilizing even successful schools and dishonest for the filmmakers to say
districts. A panel at NBC’s Education nothing about the funds it took to
Nation event was titled “Does Education create it and the extensive social
Need a Katrina?” Such disgraceful rhetoric supports including free medical care
undermines reasonable debate. and counseling provided by the
Harlem Children’s Zone. In New
Let’s examine these issues. Jersey, where court decisions
7

9. mandated similar programs, such as huge social inequities in housing,
high quality pre-Kindergarten health care, and income. Income
classes and extended school days disparities between the richest and
and social services in the poorest poorest in US society have reached
urban districts, achievement and record levels between 1970 and
graduation rates increased while today. Poor communities suffer
gaps started to close. But public extensive traumas and dislocations.
funding for those programs is now Homelessness, the exploitation of
being cut and progress is being immigrants, and the closing of
eroded. Money matters! Of course, community health and counseling
money will not solve all problems clinics, are all factors that penetrate
(because the problems are more our school communities. Solutions
systemic than the resources of any that punish schools without
given school) – but the off-handed addressing these conditions only
rejection of a discussion of resources increase the marginalization of poor
is misleading. children.
• WFS implies that testing is a • WFS says teachers’ unions are the
reasonable way to assess student problem. Of course unions need to
progress. The debate of “how to be improved – more transparent,
raise test scores” strangles and more accountable, more democratic
distorts strong education. Most test and participatory – but before
score differences stubbornly teachers unionized, the disparity in
continue to reflect parental income pay between men and women was
and neighborhood/zip codes, not disgraceful and the arbitrary power
what schools do. As opportunity, of school boards to dismiss teachers
health and family wealth increase, or raise class size without any
so do test scores. This is not the resistance was endemic. Unions
fault of schools but the inaccuracy, have historically played leading
and the internal bias, in the tests roles in improving public education,
themselves. Moreover, the tests are and most nations with strong public
too narrow (on only certain subjects educational systems have strong
with only certain measurement teacher unions. In the Finnish
tools). When schools focus education system, much cited in the
exclusively on boosting scores on film as the best in the world,
standardized tests, they reduce teachers are – gasp! – unionized and
teachers to test-prep clerks, ignore granted tenure, and families benefit
important subject areas and critical from a cradle-to-grave social welfare
thinking skills, dumb down the system that includes universal
curriculum and leave children less daycare, preschool and healthcare,
prepared for the future. We need all of which are proven to help
much more authentic assessment to children achieve better results in
know if schools are doing well and to school. In fact, even student
help them improve. (see teachers have a union in Finland
www.fairtest.org). and, overall, nearly 90% of the
Finnish labor force is unionized.
• WFS ignores overall problems of http://www.thenation.com/article/1
poverty. Schools must be made into 54986/grading-waiting-superman
sites of opportunity, not places for The demonization of unions ignores
the rejection and failure of millions the real evidence.
of African American, Chicano
Latino, Native American, and • WFS says teacher education is
immigrant students. But schools useless. The movie touts the
and teachers take the blame for benefits of fast track and direct
8

10. entry to teaching programs like While teacher unions are vilified in
Teach for America, but the country the film, there is no mention of
with the highest achieving students, charter corruption or profiteering. A
Finland, also has highly educated recent national study by CREDO,
teachers. A 1970 reform of Finland’s The Center for Research on
education system mandated that all Education Outcomes at Stanford,
teachers above the kindergarten concludes that only 17% of charter
level have at least a master’s degree. schools have better test scores than
Today that country’s students have traditional public schools, 46% had
the highest math and science gains that were no different than
literacy, as measured by the their public counterparts, and 37%
Program for International Student were significantly worse. While a
Assessment (PISA), of all better measure of school success is
the Organization for Economic needed, even by their own measure,
Cooperation and Development the project has not succeeded. The
(OECD) member countries. recent Mathematica Policy Research
http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsi study comes to similar conclusions.
nfo.asp?pubid=2008016 http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Edu
cation/2010/0629/Study-On-
• WFS decries tenure as a drag on average-charter-schools-do-no-
teacher improvement. Tenured better-than-public-schools The
teachers cannot be fired without due Institute of Education Sciences - The
process and a good reason: they Evaluation of Charter School
can’t be fired because the boss wants Impacts
to hire his cousin, or because the (http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/pubs/20104
teacher is gay (or black or…), or 029/pdf/20104029.pdf) concludes,
because they take an unpopular “On average, charter middle schools
position on a public issue outside of that hold lotteries are neither more
school. A recent survey found that nor less successful than traditional
most principals agreed that they had public schools in improving student
the authority to fire a teacher if they achievement, behavior, and school
needed to. It is interesting to note progress.” Some fantastic education
that when teachers are evaluated is happening in charter schools,
through a union-sanctioned peer especially those initiated by
process, more teachers are put into communities and led by teachers
retraining programs and dismissed and community members. But the
than through administration-only use of charters as a battering ram
review programs. Overwhelmingly for those who would outsource and
teachers want students to have privatize education in the name of
outstanding and positive “reform” is sheer political
experiences in schools. opportunism.
• WFS says charter schools allow • WFS glorifies lotteries for
choice and better educational admission to highly selective and
innovation. Charters were first subsidized charter schools as
proposed by the teachers’ unions to evidence of the need for more of
allow committed parents and them. If we understand education
teachers to create schools that were as a civil right, even a human right
free of administrative bureaucracy as defined by the UN
and open to experimentation and Convention on the Rights of the
innovation, and some excellent Child, we know it can’t be
charters have set examples. But distributed by a lottery. We must
thousands of hustlers and snake oil guarantee all students access to high
salesmen have also jumped in. quality early education, highly
9

11. effective teachers, college and work- district produced no difference even
preparatory curricula and equitable according to their measure, test
instructional resources like good outcomes for students.
school libraries and small classes. A
right without a clear map of what • WFS says good teachers are key to
that right protects is an empty successful education. We agree.
statement. It is not a sustainable But Waiting for Superman only
public policy to allow more and more contributes to the teacher-bashing
public school funding to be diverted culture which discourages talented
to privately subsidized charters college graduates from considering
while public schools become the teaching and drives people out of the
schools of last resort for children profession, According to the United
with the greatest educational needs. States Department of Education, the
In WFS, families are cruelly paraded country will need 1.6 million new
in front of the cameras as they wait teachers in the next five years.
for an admission lottery in an Retention of talented teachers is one
auditorium where the winners’ key. Good teaching is about making
names are pulled from a hat and connections to students, about
read aloud, while the losing families connecting what they learn to the
trudge out in tears with cameras world in which they live, and this
looming in their faces – in what only happens if teachers have
amounts to family and child abuse. history and roots in the
communities where they teach. But
• WFS says competition is the best a recent report by the nonprofit
way to improve learning. Too National Commission on Teaching
many people involved in education and America’s Future says that
policy are dazzled by the idea of “approximately a third of America’s
“market forces” improving schools. new teachers leave teaching
By setting up systems of sometime during their first three
competition, Social Darwinist years of teaching; almost half leave
struggles between students, between during the first five years. In many
teachers, and between schools, these cases, keeping our schools supplied
education policy wonks are with qualified teachers is
distorting the educational process. comparable to trying to fill a bucket
Teachers will be motivated to gather with a huge hole in the bottom.”
the most promising students, to hide Check out the reasons teachers are
curriculum strategies from peers, being driven out in Katy Farber’s
and to cheat; principals have book Why Great Teachers Quit: And
already been caught cheating in a How We Might Stop the Exodus
desperate attempt to boost test (Corwin Press).
scores. And children are worn out in
a sink-or-swim atmosphere that • WFS says “we’re not producing
threatens them with dire life large numbers of scientists and
outcomes if they are not climbing to doctors in this country anymore. .
the top of the heap. In spite of the . This means we are not only less
many millions poured into educated, but also less
expounding the theory of paying economically competitive.” But
teachers for higher student test Business Week (10/28/09) reports
scores (sometimes mislabeled as “U.S. colleges and universities are
‘merit pay’), a recent study by graduating as many scientists and
Vanderbilt University’s National engineers as ever,” yet “the highest
Center on Performance Incentives performing students are choosing
found that the use of merit pay for careers in other fields.” In
teachers in the Nashville school particular, the study found, “many
10

12. of the top students have been lured officer in this war? And when did
to careers in finance and that 4th grade girl become a soldier
consulting.” It’s the market, and the in it? Instead of this new
disproportionately high salaries educational Cold War, perhaps we
paid to finance specialists, that is should be helping kids imagine a
misdirecting human resources, not world of global cooperation,
schools. sustainable economies, and equity.
• WFS promotes a nutty theory of • WFS says federal “Race to the
learning: that teaching is a matter Top” education funds are being
of pouring information into focused to support students who
children’s heads. In one of its are not being served in other ways.
many little cartoon segments, WFS According to a study by Lawyers
purports to show how kids learn. Committee for Civil Rights under
The top of a child’s head is cut open Law, NAACP Legal Defense and
and a jumble of factoids is poured in. Educational Fund, Inc., and others,
Ouch! Oh, and then the evil teacher Race to the Top funds are benefiting
union and regulations stop this affluent or well-to-do, white, and
productive pouring project. The “abled” students.
film-makers betray no http://www.tcrecord.org/Content.as
understanding of how people p?ContentID=16149 So the outcome
actually learn, the active and of No Child Left Behind and Race to
engaged participation of students in the Top has been more funding for
the learning process. They ignore schools that are doing well and more
the social construction of knowledge, discipline and narrow test-
the difference between deep learning preparation for the poorest schools.
and rote memorization. The movie
would have done a service by • WFS suggests that teacher
showing us what excellent teaching improvement is a matter of
looks like, and addressing the increased control and discipline
valuable role that teacher education over teachers. Dan Brown, a
plays in preparing educators to teacher in the SEED charter school
practice the kind of targeted featured in the film, points out that
teaching that reaches all students. successful schools involve teachers
It should have let teachers’ voices be in strong collegial conversations.
heard. Teachers need to be accountable to a
strong educational plan, without
• WFS promotes the idea that we are being terrorized. Good teachers,
in a dire war for US dominance in which is the vast majority of them,
the world. The poster advertising are seeking this kind of support
the film shows a nightmarish from their administration.
battlefield in stark grey, with a little http://teacherleaders.typepad.com/g
white girl sitting at a desk in the et_in_the_fracas/2010/09/waitingfo
midst of it. The text: “The fate of rsuperman.html
our country won’t be decided on a
battlefield. It will be determined in a • WFS proposes a reform “solution”
classroom.” This is a common theme that exploits the feminization of
of the so-called reformers: we are at the field of teaching; it proposes
war with India and China and we that teachers just need a few good
have to out-math them and crush men with hedge funds (plus
them so that we can remain rich and Michelle Rhee with a broom) to
they can stay in the sweatshops. come to the rescue. Teaching has
But really, who declared this war?
been historically devalued –
When did I as a teacher sign up as an
11

13. teachers are less well compensated community empowerment and strong
and have less control of their evidence, not by ideological warriors or
working conditions than other romanticized images of leaders acting like
professionals – because of its they’re doing something, anything. WFS
associations with women. For has ignored deep historical and systemic
example, 97% of pre-school and problems in education such as segregation,
kindergarten teachers are women, property-tax based funding formulas,
and this is also the least well- centralized textbook production, lack of
compensated sector of teaching – in local autonomy and shared governance,
2009, the lowest 10% earned deprofessionalization, inadequate special
$30,970 to $34,280; the top 10% education supports, differential discipline
earned $75,190 to $80,970. patterns, and the list goes on and on.
(http://www.bls.gov/cps/cpsaat11.p People seeing Waiting for Superman should
df) By comparison the top 25 hedge be mobilized to improve education. They
fund managers took in $25 billion in just need to be willing to think outside of
2009, enough to hire 658,000 new the narrow box the film-makers have
teachers. constructed to define what needs to be
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/les- done.
leopold/why-do-we-save-
billionair_b_558213.html Thanks for ideas and some content from
many teacher publications, and especially
Waiting for Superman could and should from Monty Neill, Jim Horn Lisa Guisbond,
have been an inspiring call for Stan Karp, Erica Meiners, Kevin
improvement in education, a call we Kumashiro, Ilene Abrams, Bill Ayers, and
desperately need to mobilize behind. That’s Therese Quinn.
why it is so shocking that the message was
hijacked by a narrow agenda that Rick Ayers is a former high school teacher,
undermines strong education. It is stuck in founder of Communication Arts and
a framework that says that reform and Sciences small school at Berkeley High
leadership means doing things, like firing a School, and currently Adjunct Professor in
bunch of people (Michelle Rhee) or Teacher Education at the University of San
“turning around” schools (Arne Duncan) Francisco. He is author, with his brother
despite the fact that there’s no research to William Ayers, of the soon-to-be-released
suggest that these would have worked, and Teaching the Taboo from Teachers College
there’s now evidence to show that they Press. rayers@berkeley.edu
haven’t. Reform must be guided by
12

14. Flaunt It!
Queers Organizing for Public Education
and Justice
Therese Quinn & Erica R. Meiners
Reviewed by: Bill Schubert
In the Foreword of Flaunt It! Catherine of protest, resistance, and contestation –
Lugg urges the reader to “sit down, settle saying: “We need schools that link us to
in, and remember why you became an each other and to the most riotous and
educator” (p. 1). So, that’s just what I did. loving manifestations of our creative
Even though I thought I acted on that selves, through art, craft, and science that
admonition continuously, Therese Quinn develop learners and creators, not child
and Erica Meiners helped me to more fully soldiers” (p. 28).
imagine this and its activist implications.
In Chapter 2, we encounter public
I recalled an article I wrote early in my educational policies in what Quinn and
career in academe, when advocacy and Meiners call “the shadow state, and
scholarship were separated by a much wherein they show that fairness is not
wider chasm than they are today equal to justice via moves to oppose and
(Schubert, 1980). In it I argued that overcome an ethos of “your comfort, my
professors should advocate, charging that silence” vis-à-vis LGBTQ issues in NCATE
if we spend immense amounts of time and and AERA. They recount experiences
energy trying to understand something, (curricula of activist life) that “clarified for
then they should be in a position to say us the conviction that it is seriously
what is worth doing, being, and professional and educational to act:
overcoming. Recently, when I addressed resisting trivialization and dehumanization
the relation among love, justice, and and erasure builds communities many
education in the spirit of John Dewey ways and this may be the most important
(Schubert, 2009), I may have come closer reason of all to challenge persistent
to realms of resistance and change. oppression in bureaucracies” (p. 41).
Nevertheless I always want to learn and Expanding this impetus in Chapter 3,
grow, and toward that end Quinn and Quinn and Meiners provide vivid
Meiners help me move closer to reform on illustration of challenge to oppression from
the ground in the face of opposition. Their covenants, privatopias, and other forms of
vibrant call to (and examples of) restricting undesirables – under the title of
thoughtful activism as research for social Redlining for the Lavender Menace. In
justice are alive on every page of Flaunt It! solidarity to queerness (p. 58) the authors
reiterate their evolving theme of love, not
In their Introduction, Quinn and Meiners condemnation.
let the readers know, “…Our accounts are of
struggles” (p. 12). The book is an antidote Chapter 4 begins with a powerful quote
to theorizing without example. Beginning from Virginia Woolf’s (1938) Three
in Chapter 1, they portray work to Guineas: “Professionals are very queer
challenge the militarization of school things. It by no means follows that a clever
through stories, letters, and other artifacts man gets to the top or that a stupid man
13

15. stays at the bottom.” Quinn and Meiners Recently, I had occasion to reflect again on
continue with narratives that amplify it: the literature of curriculum studies – this
“Frustrated by the frames of time in the context of remembering the
professionalism, we elected to study up” (p. journal Curriculum Inquiry for its 40th
73). Studying Up, the title of Chapter 5, is a anniversary issue (Schubert, 2010), and
basis for policy activism that extrapolates thus reconsidering the literature of the
the maxim to accredit love not past forty years of curriculum studies. I
condemnation. Their cogent examples noted that books have tended to fall toward
clearly sustain the caveat: “The push to not one of two ends of a continuum – those that
collect data, and to refuse to name and to are synoptic and those that are expansive.
see policy injustices, actively reproduces a At first glance I see Flaunt It! as expansive
willful, systemic ignorance” (p. 94). To pushing the boundaries of inquiry farther
counter this pathogen, they continue, into the public sphere of social justice.
“Rather, we should claim the opportunity However, I now see it as also synoptic –
to name which research (policy, law, and so summarizing a host of activist practices
on) is moving toward social justice and the that queerly challenge the complacency of
creation of a more democratic, humane, privatization and professionalization in
generous society, and which is not” (p. 94). education.
In their conclusion, Quinn and Meiners call Therese Quinn and Erica Meiners show
for volatile affect – resisting shame and that education can become more fully a
stigma in the profession (p. 95). Realizing source of flaunting challenges to
the absurdity of concluding a book that is oppression, a contemporary instantiation
still in process, they articulate their of the work of Jane Addams as Lisa Yun
commitment that “flaunting it is keeping Lee (Director, Jane Addams Hull House
the issues, struggles, and feelings – even Museum) brings to reflection in her
the angry love – public” (p.100). Yet, their Afterword, reminding us that “resistance to
continued work extends the book into life. oppression is what makes the world
They powerfully reiterate their position habitable for all….to be more human and to
that public education is deeply flawed in its make the world more humane” (p. 105).
practices that “sort and sift youth, to create Those who read this book doubtless will be
populations that are disposable, inspired to study up, go forth, and flaunt it!
superfluous, and designated for low-wage
employment” making “all that is public, References
including schools…under attack” (p. 102). Schubert, W. H. (1980). Professors
They recommend concrete strategies to should advocate. Journal of Teacher
overcome these flaws that move from both Education, 31 (3), 63.
the inside out and the outside in. Students,
faculty, communities, interest groups, and Schubert, W.H. (2009). Love, justice,
the general public would benefit from and education: John Dewey and the
enacting such strategies within the utopians. Greenwich, CT: Information
terrains of policy and practice, as well as in Age Publishing
theory and research. Words ring poetic in
the concluding paragraph: flaunting by Schubert, W. H. (2010). Journeys of
speaking back; organizing against injustice expansion and synopsis: Tensions in
and inequity; naming the professing of books that shaped curriculum inquiry,
ignorance and the silencing of justice; 1968-present. Curriculum Inquiry
archiving activist accomplishment; 40(1), 17-94.
responding to privatization of public
policies and the public itself; overcoming Woolf, V. (1938). Three guineas.
professionalism that perpetuates silence Retrieved April 24, 2009, from
and silencing. http//ebooks.adelaide,edu.au/w/woolf/V
irginia/w91tg/chapter2.html
14

16. Congratulations!
Congratulations to Erica Meiners (Northeastern Illinois University) and Therese Quinn
(School of the Art Institute of Chicago)! Their co-authored book, Flaunt It! Queers Organizing
for Public Education and Justice (Peter Lang, 2009) has been named to the list of books for
the 2010 Critics Choice Book Award of the American Educational Studies Association (AESA).
The book was reviewed by a committee of AESA members for consideration of the award, and
they wrote: "In the committee's judgment, your work makes an outstanding contribution to
scholarship in the Foundations of Education."
AERA Resolutions
Joel Westheimer
Honoring the Late Howard Zinn’s to follow suit. The American Psychiatric
Moving Train Association (May 2005) issued a statement
supporting same-sex marriage “in the
AERA has a shameful record of silence on a interest of maintaining and promoting
great number of issues that demand its mental health." The American
membership’s collective attention and Psychoanalytic Association (2008)
conviction. Not so for our sister declared that “homosexuality is a normal
institutions in other disciplines. As far variant of adult sexuality” and that “same-
back as August 1985, our colleagues in sex couples and their children are
Sociology departments through their adversely affected by these discriminatory
representative body, the American marriage laws.” In August 2009, the
Sociological Association (ASA), reacted American Psychological Association passed
strongly to misrepresentations of a resolution to oppose so-called “reparative
sociological research on sexuality, therapies” noting explicitly that
homosexuality, and lesbianism, by passing professional psychologists should not tell
a resolution that flatly declared their gay clients that they can become straight
“opposition to efforts to undermine the civil through therapy. They were joined by the
rights of lesbians and gay men through the American Counseling Association, the
distortion of sociological concepts and the National Association of Social Workers, the
falsifying of sociological research.” In National Association of Secondary School
2004, the ASA opposed the constitutional Principals, the National Association of
amendment banning gay marriage stating School Psychologists, and the National
that “the proposed constitutional Education Association.
amendment is based on prejudice rather
than empirical research.” The resolution AERA? As far as I know, we remained
notes that “research has repeatedly shown silent.
that systems of inequality are detrimental
to the public good” and, therefore resolves Even the resolutely cautious American
that the ASA “strongly opposes the Medical Association recently (November
proposed constitutional amendment 2009) adopted one resolution saying that
defining marriage as between a man and a bans on same-sex marriage contribute to
woman.” health care disparities and another calling
on the U.S. military to abandon its “don't
The various psychiatric and ask, don't tell” policy because the policy is
psychotherapeutic associations were quick
15

17. detrimental to the health of gay and lesbian around us are being deprived of part
individuals in the service. of their intellectual heritage. They
may also be at a competitive
Beyond GLBT issues, we find the American disadvantage in a world where
Historical Association taking a firm stand scientific and technological literacy
against the Iraq War and, in particular is becoming more and more
ongoing torture at Guantanamo, urging its important economically and
members to “do whatever they can to bring culturally.
the Iraq war to a speedy conclusion”
(January 2008). They were preceded by AERA resolution 6-2-4.5? Nope, that text
the ASA which, in August 2003, called for is from the radical American Astronomical
an “immediate end to the war against Iraq” Society’s January 2000 resolution. And,
stating the association’s belief that “foreign actually, close to 30 years ago, the AAS had
interventions that do not have the support already issued a statement (January 1982)
of the world community create more observing that “religious fundamentalists
problems than solutions [and] will bring have intensified their effort to force public
more harm than good to the Iraqi people.” school science classes to include
The American Anthropological Association instruction in ‘creationism.’” The Society
(AAA) publicly and collectively denounced decided to “deplore” this attempt to “force
human rights violations in Honduras after creationism into public schools and urge[d]
the June 2009 coup d’état in that country Congress, all state legislatures, local school
boards and textbook publishers to resist
How about the Patriot Act? Some AERA such attempts."
members still use libraries, but apparently
as an organization of researchers, we left it As far as frequenting non-unionized hotels,
to the American Library Association to members of the ASA, AHA, and the Modern
condemn the act as a “danger to the Language Association (MLA) issued
constitutional rights and privacy rights of resolutions forcing their respective
library users” (January 2003). The ALA organizations to do everything possible to
was joined by the Modern Language ensure that annual meetings are not held in
Association (MLA, December 2003) which non-unionized hotels in which labor
felt an obligation to “support the right of its disputes are present. ASA’s February
members to conduct critical analysis of war 2005 resolution states that ASA will
talk in public forums and, as appropriate, “[t]ake active measures to support workers
in classrooms.” They therefore resolved in any labor disputes arising at a
that the MLA urge the repeal of the USA contracted hotel, such that meeting
PATRIOT Act because it infringes on the attendees will not be compelled to cross
rights of members of the academic picket lines or violate a boycott.”
community and those whom they serve.”
The fight being waged right now to pass the
Religious fundamentalism run amok in the Employee Free Choice Act is recognized by
schools we are committed to improving? any number of professional associations as
Surely AERA can take a stand against inextricably linked to their core missions
creationism being taught in publicly-funded because ameliorating the adverse effects of
schools. Here’s some text addressing that poverty – as in education – are so often
issue: prerequisite to subsequent work. The
American Library Association, the
[S]cientific evidence clearly American Public Health Association, the
indicates that the Universe is 10 to ASA, and the National Lawyers Guild have
15 billion years old, and began in a all made that publicly clear.
hot, dense state we call the Big
Bang….Children whose education is I am reminded of the oft-quoted dictum by
denied the benefits of this expansion Paulo Freire: “Washing one’s hands of the
of our understanding of the world conflict between the powerful and the
16

18. powerless means to side with the powerful,
not to be neutral.” Our Association’s WHEREAS NOT WITHSTANDING
silence on matters of social importance THE FOREGOING, the Association
begs a different kind of resolution which we does not want to alienate any
might consider putting forward at the next member of society, politician, or
business meeting: bigoted member of the association;
RESOLUTION ON TAKING A STAND THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED
(The “We Sit Down” Resolution”) THAT, when injustices take place
under our collective professional
WHEREAS the American watch, we shall do nothing.
Educational Research Association is
opposed to all forms of injustice, jw, Ottawa, May 2010
especially those that adversely
affect its educational mission;
Division B: Annual Report
William Ayers
The Division B Annual Report to AERA giants of the Black Freedom Movement, the
will appear in up-coming Education founding mother and
Researcher. inspiration behind the Student Nonviolent
Coordinating Committee, and the education
Picture this: a Division Business Meeting at director of the Highlander Folk School. The
the Annual Meeting, a space set for 200 annual award, which includes a $1000
with standing room only and a crowd stipend and an invited lecture, honors a
spilling out the doors, the requisite cheap scholar whose work embodies the
wine and hotel finger foods languishing at connection between curriculum studies and
the back of the room, a wide range of lively human rights. Grace, 94-years-old, was a
graduate students from all over the world dazzling inaugural recipient, for she
making noise and connecting up. Pretty perfectly embodies and exemplifies the
typical. But then something extraordinary spirit of the award, from her vision of
happened: these hundreds of scholars and human rights uniting multiple dimensions
teachers, writers and students, of diversity and a wide range of social
experienced and novice researchers lifted issues, to her commitment to community
their voices in song, suddenly a room full of education, grassroots organizing, and
brothers and sisters joined together in full institutional change at all levels. (Google
voice singing “We Who Believe in Freedom,” her, or read her lovely memoir, Living for
that amazing anthem of the Civil Rights Change). Accompanying Grace was her
Movement created by Sweet Honey in the friend and colleague, Vincent Harding, a
Rock. That was an unprecedented scene for close advisor to Martin Luther King and
AERA, and a special moment for the himself a giant of the Black Freedom
Curriculum Studies Division this year. Movement. Vincent said he doesn’t much
appreciate a meeting without singing, and
The singing came on the evening of May 1, so he concluded the evening with a tribute
at the conclusion of the celebration of our to his two good friends, Ella and Septima,
first Ella Baker/Septima Clark Human and a singing lesson. A tradition begins!
Rights Award winner, Dr. Grace Lee Boggs.
This award honors the memory of two
17

19. We honored two Lifetime Achievement Dissertation Award for her study
Award winners: Patti Lather and Tom …(in)Justice for All?: Brooklyn Youth
Barone. Patti and Tom have enriched and and the Question of Social Justice. Debbie
expanded the curriculum field in draws from youth narratives to question
significant and distinct ways, and each was how conventions of schooling may need to
accompanied to the ceremony by be re-imagined in order for justice ideals to
generations of mentors and students flourish and grow in public school
vibrating with positive energy. Their talks classrooms. Based on two years of
reminded us of the rich traditions and high qualitative research at a unique, once
purpose we bring to education and inquiry. flailing Brooklyn high school, she
interrogates how modes of address; issues
The Outstanding Book Award was given to of power, authority, and control; and the
Peter Taubman for Teaching by Numbers: standardization of social justice education
Deconstructing the Discourse of turns against itself as a violation of free will
Standards and Accountability in and emotive grounding. Instead, she finds
Education, a book with an that youth are already engaged in the spirit
interdisciplinary approach to of justice work in their own particular ways
understanding the transformation in and definitions, and thus argues for a
education that’s occurring under the twin nuanced shift towards “teaching with
banners of high stakes testing and justice” rather than “for justice,” and in
accountability. Although we could only doing so embraces the complexity of justice
select one recipient, the committee elected work and its fundamental need for critique
to create six categories to help us recognize and openness.
and honor the awesome diversity of
curriculum scholarship today. The Our newsletters this year were punctuated
categories were inspired by the with graphics, comics from the brilliant
submissions themselves, and here are the artist Ryan Alexander-Tanner, and articles
honorees: spanning the wild, unruly territory that is
Curriculum Studies. We have now created a
 Expanding the Landscape of the Field— website (curriculumstudies.net) that
Erik Malewski, Curriculum Studies provides a central space/repository for
Handbook, and Bernadette Baker New historical archives, announcements about
Curriculum History. resources on conferences, writing
 Naming the Political Moment—Mike opportunities, job postings, and related
Rose, Why School? media of interest to members.
 Exploring the Aesthetics/Art of
Curriculum Inquiry—Erika Hasebe- Curriculum Studies sponsored six pre-
Ludt, Cynthia Chambers and Carl Leggo, conference seminars: the Graduate Student
Life Writing and Literary Metissage Alumni Seminar, the Graduate Student
as an Ethos for our Times. Seminar, the New Faculty Seminar, the
 Re-Defining Disciplinary Categories— Educational Research and Activism for
Claudia Eppert and Hongyu Wang, Social Justice Seminar, the EcoJustice and
Cross- Cross-cultural Studies in Environmental Educators in Conversation:
Curriculum. Exploring Intersections and Tensions
 Decolonizing the Curriculum Seminar, and the International Curriculum
Conversation—Jonathan D. Jansen), Research Graduate Student Seminar. Each
was lively, contentious, energetic,
Knowledge in the Blood
propulsive, challenging and nourishing in
 Curriculum Practice—Dipti Desai,
the same gesture. There were a total of 92
Jessica Hamlin, and Rachel Mattson
members enrolled in the seminars,
History as Art/Art as History.
including 37 graduate students who were
awarded travel stipends, attended a dinner
Debbie J. Sonu from Teachers College,
specially organized for them, and received
Columbia University won the Outstanding
autographed copies of books donated by
18

20. more senior scholars in Curriculum The Sun Never Says
Studies.
Even after all this time
On to NOLA, April 7-12, 2011, where we The sun never says to the earth,
will offer an even more exciting and "You owe me."
generous range of opportunities to lift
every voice and sing, let earth and heaven Look what happens with
ring, ring with the harmonies of liberty! A love like that.
It lights the whole sky.
-Hafiz
Awards
Outstanding Dissertation was completed by the student during the
time period specified, and that the faculty
Award: Due December 31, 2010 member nominating or endorsing the
nomination served on the dissertation
The Outstanding Dissertation Award committee. Please also include the oral
Committee is seeking nominations for defense date. This letter should include a
dissertations that make outstanding brief clarification of the purposes, scope
contributions to the field of Curriculum and quality of the student's dissertation
Studies. Curriculum research reflects a research, an explanation of how the
wide variety of perspectives and dissertation contributes to the field of
methodologies regarding the nature and curriculum studies and a discussion about
improvement of curriculum practice, why it is deserving of this award.
teaching, theory, and research at local,
state, regional, national, and international 2. A title page for the dissertation
levels. Broad areas of inquiry include: (including university/college, name of the
curriculum in classrooms; curriculum as professor chairing the dissertation
connected to democratic practice and social committee and a complete list of committee
justice; curriculum theory; curriculum members).
design, evaluation, policy, and reform; 3. The Abstract of the dissertation.
curriculum history; and educational
diversity. Students who have completed 4. The Table of Contents from the
and successfully defended their dissertation.
dissertations from 2009 and no later than 5. A brief summary of the dissertation, no
December 1, 2010 are encouraged to more than 5 pages, prepared by the
submit their work. Nominations may come student, that gives an overview of the
from either faculty or from students research project, a description of individual
themselves. If the dissertation is self- chapters, and a statement that argues for
nominated, the committee requires a letter how this research contributes to the field of
of faculty endorsement from a member of curriculum studies.
the student's dissertation committee.
The committee will review the nomination
To nominate a dissertation, the nomination packets to select the award recipient from
packet must include five (5) sets of the a list of finalists. The committee may ask
following five (5) items: finalists for further submissions from their
1. One letter of faculty endorsement from a dissertations. Please send a complete set of
member of the student's dissertation materials by December 31, 2010 to
committee attesting that the dissertation committee chair Bree Picower, Assistant
19

21. Professor, Montclair State University, Ella Baker/Septima Clark
Department of Early Childhood,
Elementary and Literacy Education, Human Rights Award: Due
University Hall, Room 3162, One Normal November 30, 2010
Avenue, Montclair, NJ 07043 Email:
breebree@mindspring.com The Human Rights Award Committee is
seeking nominations for the second annual
Outstanding Book Award: Due Ella Baker/Septima Clark Human Rights
Award. In loving memory of its namesakes,
November 30, 2010 this award honors a scholar and/or activist
whose work embodies the connection
The Outstanding Book Award Committee between curriculum studies and human
is soliciting nominations of books to rights. Such accomplishments can take a
recognize as making a vital contribution to variety of forms and emerge in diverse
Curriculum Studies. This award will feature contexts, from theoretical or conceptual
and celebrate the work of scholars and developments enhancing understanding of
educators whose contribution fits within human rights and curriculum, to
the broad framework and spirit of innovative ideas that improve the lives of
Curriculum Studies. Books must be students and communities.
published in 2010. Individuals (the author
or another scholar) and publishers wishing The honoree will receive a travel stipend
to nominate a book for this award should and a $1,000 cash award, and will be
send a letter of nomination and five copies invited to address the Division B Business
of the book to the Committee Chair, Karyn Meeting at AERA’s 2011 annual meeting in
Sandlos, Assistant Professor of Art New Orleans. Nominations should include:
Education, School of the Art Institute of (1) a 1-2 page summary of the nature and
Chicago (SAIC), 37 S. Wabash Ave. Chicago, significance of the nominee’s work; (2)
IL 60603. highlights of works that exemplify the
nominee’s contributions, and (3) two
Please note: nominated books must letters of recommendation from scholars,
ARRIVE by the due date of Nov 30th. practitioners, or policymakers. Please
Please allow plenty of time for shipping, submit nomination materials electronically
E.g., 1-2 weeks within the US; 2-4 weeks by November 30, 2010 to committee co-
outside of the US. chairs: Isabel Nuñez
(isabel.nunez@cuchicago.edu) and K.
Wayne Yang (kwayne@ucsd.edu).
Lifetime Achievement Award
2010: Due January 7, 2011
The Lifetime Achievement Award
Committee seeks nominations of
outstanding scholars/educators whose
intellectual efforts have led to a deeper and
more robust understanding of the field of
curriculum in theory and practice, and
whose strong continuous record of
accomplishments has made a visible,
substantive and critical contribution to the
broad field of Curriculum Studies. Any
AERA member may make nominations, and
self-nominations are accepted.
20

22. Nominations should be accompanied by a documents are to be sent electronically in
letter outlining the principal contributions Word (.doc) and/or PDF format to
of the nominee, a copy of the nominee’s committee co-chairs: Wayne Au
curriculum vitae, and at least two letters of (wau@uwb.edu) Leslie Bloom
support from recognized scholars who have (lbloom@roosevelt.edu) and Annette Henry
an understanding of the nominee’s body of (henryann@interchange.ubc.edu).
work. Nominations and supporting
Membership & Recruitment Update
divisional seminars and continuing
involvement from both senior and junior
Attracting and Supporting New faculty as well as graduate student
and Longtime Members: members.
· New Member/Graduate Student
Since assuming the co-chair roles for Resources: Soliciting resources (e.g. book,
Division B’s Membership & Recruitment journals, etc.) from current members to
initiatives last year, we focused on give to new members/graduate students for
developing awareness of Curriculum distribution at the business meeting and
Studies, and particularly making Division B graduate student seminars.
more visible and accessible to current and · Program Development and Offerings:
potential members. In addition, we set an Creating significant programs for the
aggressive goal for the year: to increase annual meeting that support members'
overall divisional membership by 10%. To research and attract new members via
this end we have been working with and unique sessions that work within and also
alongside the executive team and multiple challenge and encourage varying forms of
committees to continue great ongoing educational research and curriculum work.
efforts that have worked in the past as well · Website: Developing a Division B
as to generate new ideas that could assist website that provides a central
in achieving our goals: space/repository for announcements,
· Overlaps/Lapsed Membership: historical archives, resources on
Exploring membership overlaps with other conferences, writing opportunities, job
divisions, SIGs, and focusing on reaching postings, and related media of interest to
out to lapsed members by examining members. The new website has just been
membership rosters and interfacing with launched. Although some parts are still
AERA central office. under development, please go to
· Newsletter: Developing and broadly http://www.curriculumstudies.net to check
distributing a robust newsletter with it out.
graphics and engaging stories. We are pleased to report that these
· Business Meeting Celebration: consolidated efforts by various committees
Transforming the annual business meeting and individuals—along with your
into celebration that focuses on encouragement and resourcefulness in
international participants, graduate bringing colleagues and graduate students
students, and featuring outside speakers, into the fold—has paid off. Over the last
guests, and awardees. year there has been a significant increase
· Human Rights and Other Awards: in Division B-Curriculum Studies
Developing a new AERA sanctioned award membership that has exceeded 270
honoring human and civil rights to go along members (approximately a 17% increase)!
with ongoing honors for books, There is still more work to do, and
dissertations, and lifetime achievement. we eagerly await ideas and suggestions on
· Graduate Student/New other avenues to continue this momentum.
Faculty/Alumni Seminars: Maintaining
superb mentoring and support through Fran Huckaby and Brian Schultz
21

23. Announcements
Old/New Division Officers: Division B Nomination
Committee:
Here are the new/old chairs and co-chairs,
and the executive committee of Division B Ming Fang He, PhD (Committee Chair)
from now through NOLA. Francine Professor of Curriculum Studies
Peterman resigned as Secretary to Department of Curriculum, Foundations,
concentrate on her duties as the new Dean and Reading
at Queens College (thank you and best College of Education
wishes!), and Erik Malewski, who was the Georgia Southern University
runner-up in the election, has graciously Post Office Box 8144, Statesboro, GA
agreed to serve. I note with deep gratitude 30460-8144
and a little sadness that Dave Stovall,
Kevin Kumashiro, Teresa Rishel, and Janet Miller, PhD
Leslie Bloom are stepping down from their Professor of English Education
recent positions, where they each did a Teachers College, Columbia University
phenomenal job. President, American Association for the
Advancement of Curriculum Studies
Program: (2001-2004 & 2004-2007)
Isabel Nunez, Therese Quinn, Erica Meiners Vice President, AERA Division B
(Curriculum Studies)(1997-1999)
Secretary:
Erik Malewski
Nina Asher, EdD
Membership: J. Franklin Bayhi Endowed Professor of
Fran Huckaby, Brian Schultz Education
Newsletter: 204C Peabody, Dept. of Educational
Jennifer James, Omari Dyson, Debbie Sonu Theory, Policy, & Practice (ETPP)
Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge,
Affirmative Action Officer: LA 70803, USA
Lance McCready
Student Representatives: Kevin K. Kumashiro, PhD
Crystal Laura, Ronald Porter Professor, Asian American Studies and
Education
Nominations: University of Illinois at Chicago
Ming Fang He UIC Asian American Studies (MC 231)
Human Rights Award: University Hall, Room 809
Isabel Nunez, K.Wayne Yang 601 S. Morgan Street
Chicago, IL 60607
Lifetime Achievement Award:
Annette Henry, Leslie Bloom, Wayne Au Handel Kashope Wright, PhD
Book Award: Canada Research Chair- Comparative
Karyn Sandlos Cultural Studies
David Lam Chair- Multicultural Education
Dissertation Award:
(2006-2009)
Bree Picower
Director- Centre for Culture, Identity and
Education
*Wish them well, thank them often, and be
Room: Scarfe 303F, Department of
ready to answer their calls to service and
Educational Studies
solidarity.
Faculty of Education, University of British
Columbia
22

24. • Gabino Arredondo (University of
Rubén A. Gaztambide-Fernández, EdD California, Berkeley)
Assistant Professor • Sonia Nieto (University of
Department of Curriculum, Teaching and Massachusetts, Amherst)
Learning
Ontario Institute for Studies in Pre-Conference Seminars
Education/University of Toronto
April 7-8, NOLA:
252 Bloor Street West, 11th Floor
Toronto, ON, Canada M5S 1V6
Critical Race Theory, Critical Latino
Theory, and Critical Feminist
Sandy Grande, PhD
Pedagogy Graduate Student Seminar: A
Associate Professor of Education
Tripartite Dialogue
Special Adviser to the President for
Institutional Equity and Diversity Facilitators: Nathalia Jaramillo, David
Chair of Education Department Stovall, and Denise
Connecticut College Taliaferro-Baszile
Mary Hermes, PhD New Faculty Seminar:
Associate Professor of Education Finding/Creating/Engaging Spaces to
Eni-gikendaasoyang: Center for Indigenous Research/Write/Publish
Language and Culture Revitalization Facilitators: Deb Freedman and Erik
University of Minnesota Duluth Malewski
Rich Milner, PhD Graduate Student Seminar
Associate Professor of Education
Box 230, GPC, 230 Appleton Place Facilitators: Bill Ayers, Crystal Laura, and
Peabody College of Vanderbilt University Ronald Porter
Nashville, TN 37203
EcoJustice and Environmental Educators
in Conversation: Exploring
Wynnetta Scott-Simmons, EdD
Intersections and Tensions Seminar
Assistant Professor of Education
Graduate Department Education Facilitators: Rebecca Martusewicz and
Tift College of Education, Mercer University Madhu Prakash
3001 Mercer University Drive
Atlanta, GA 30342 International Curriculum Research
Graduate Student Seminar
Human Rights Award Selection Facilitators: Ming Fang He, Rowena He, and
Committee: Suniti Sharma
• Isabel Nuñez (Concordia University Educational Research and Activism for
Chicago) Social Justice Seminar
• K. Wayne Yang (University of
Facilitators: M. Francyne Huckaby and
California, San Diego)
Wynnetta Scott-Simmons
• David Stovall (University of Illinois
at Chicago)
23

25. 24