October 31, 2007
The Politics Of Personal Attack [Updated]
Filed under: Education by Leo Casey @ 1:36 pm
Education policy thrives in a vigorous, dynamic public sphere where ideas and initiatives — new and old, good and bad, half-baked and well-formulated — are subjected to open, lively debate and contestation. What is essential in this sphere is that it is the policies, not the persons advocating them, which are the center of debate.
This New York Post op-ed commentary by Kathryn Wylde, President and CEO of the business roundtable Partnership for New York City, is designed not to enter this public sphere to contest ideas and policy positions, but to end debate and shut down criticism. From the headline of “Hypocritical Critic” forward, this op-ed is a transparent attempt to undermine the standing and credibility of Diane Ravitch as a public intellectual and a respected commentator on matters educational. It does not contest Ravitch’s ideas, but rather assaults her character; it does not engage her positions and argue that they are mistaken, but rather seeks to diminish her reputation and silence her voice. Wylde’s op-ed brings the politics of personal attack and personal destruction that has been so corrosive in our nation’s political culture to New York City’s educational policy circles.
The revelation in today’s New York Sun that Wylde acted as a surrogate for educational policy makers who were the subject of criticism by Ravitch, writing her op-ed based on arguments they supplied her, makes the whole episode all that more sordid. It seems that for some, markets should rule all education — except for the free marketplace of ideas. There, their monopoly must go unquestioned and uncriticized.
Like many others active in New York City educational circles, I have known and worked with Diane Ravitch for many years. For an even longer period of time, I have learned much from reading her classic histories of New York City public schools. Without question, she is one of this nation’s leading educational scholars. She and I have not always been of the same mind on particular issues, but agree or disagree, I never had the slightest doubt that she was an intellectual of immense learning and unimpeachable integrity. It is not she, but the authors of this campaign of personal vindictiveness, that are diminished by it.
Update:
Diane Ravitch responds here.
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The author, Kathryn Wilde, is not issuing a personal attack on Ravitch, unless her contentions that Ravitch, in the past, supported changes now emerging from Tweed are not true. I think that the accuracy of Wilde could be easily checked.
If Wilde’s claims that Ravitch once supported changes nearly identical to what Klein is demanding are true then Diane ought to be asked to explain her change of mind.
If Ravitch has changed her position about programs fostered by Wilde then Wilde has a legitimate gripe. Her plans are now being questioned by a one time supporter.
Of course if Wilde’s assertions that Ravitch once was a supporter of the plans of Klein et al are fabricated from whole cloth, that should be easily proved or disproved.
Comment by xkaydet65 — October 31, 2007 @ 2:16 pm
[...] to do. Perhaps they could teach school instead of engaging in these nutty hijinks. Want more? Try the UFT’s Edwize Blog . Bookmark/Search this post with: | | | | | | | | » Daniel Millstone's blog | [...]
Pingback by School-yard bullies Bloomberg & Klein | The Daily Gotham — October 31, 2007 @ 2:59 pm
[...] that Wylde is in cahoots with city officials, though what Greene lays out is hardly unusual, and Leo Casey attacks. The bigger question is when will Ravitch respond? Rumor is in the NY Post tomorrow…stay tuned. [...]
Pingback by Eduwonk.com: Ravitch Gone Wylde? — October 31, 2007 @ 9:37 pm
[...] our nation’s political culture to New York City’s educational policy circles,” wrote Leo Casey on Edwize, the teacher’s union blog. “The revelation… that Wylde acted as a surrogate for educational policy [...]
Pingback by Gotham Gazette - The Wonkster » Blog Archive » Tweed’s Ghosts — October 31, 2007 @ 10:25 pm
Kathryn Wylde, who is unanimously known to possess zero educational mastery,has the nerve to attack Diane Ravitch, who is universally recognized as being America’s top educational expert. Ravitch does not believe that testing is a substitute for learning. She feels that the operations of the Department of Education should be transparent and above board. She thinks that it is wise to retain experienced teachers. She is opposed to massive no-bid contracts. She wants a curriculum, not a scripted charade of one. She insists on checks and balances. She supports true parental engagement, impartial research, and reasonable professional independence. She doesn’t view the public schools as a corporate project manager would. Ravitch is a natural target for the nervy ignorant. Wylde’s name lends itself to its own perfect ridicule.
Comment by redhog — November 1, 2007 @ 6:02 am
[...] Opinion from Edwize blogOpinion from Education Notes OnlineRavitch & Meier debate from Education Week online [...]
Pingback by 2nd Opinion — November 1, 2007 @ 7:04 am
It appears that Wylde was quoting quotes, no? The DoE furnished her with a report, which included a collection of Ravitch quotes, taken out of context. Wylde quoted these in turn, again out of context.
Irresponsible citation is a form of slander. Many of the terms and concepts in question have multiple meanings; one would have to go to the original to determine what Ravitch meant. Wylde should have included footnotes at the very least. At this point I believe she owes Diane Ravitch and the Post readership an apology.
Comment by rainyvines — November 1, 2007 @ 7:10 am
[...] Opinion from Edwize blogOpinion from Education Notes OnlineRavitch & Meier debate from Education Week online [...]
Pingback by Opinion | Editorials | Op-Ed Articles — November 1, 2007 @ 10:08 am
Chester Finn, in the Education Gadfly (www.edexcellence.netfoundation/gadfly/issue.cfm?id=314), just zinged DOE with a defense of Ravitch. Here’s an excerpt:
“Ravitch has forgotten more about education than Wylde ever knew–and Wylde (and the mayor and schools chancellor) should be grateful that Ravitch cares enough about public education in Gotham to follow and comment on it as closely as she has. Rather than attack Ravitch’s integrity and motives (with, it seems, much help from Big Brother at City Hall), why not address some of her more potent criticisms? Yes, Mayor Bloomberg and Schools Chancellor Klein have initiated some worthy changes. But some of their policies–loopy reading and math curricula, loopy mini-schools, etc.–deserve the kind of critical exposure that Ravitch (and a handful of other robust free thinkers) have given them. Some of their claims of victory rest on ‘creative’ statistical applications. Ravitch ought to receive from Klein and his troops a rigorous intellectual debate. Instead, she receives ad feminem treatment on the op-ed page. The Tweed team may end up wishing they hadn’t launched this fusillade.”
Delicious. And this from a former high-level federal education official.
Comment by Maisie — November 1, 2007 @ 2:16 pm
[...] to trash Ravitch in a NY Post op ed piece . The response has been fast and vigorous, from the UFT Edwize blog, to the Manhattan Instituter Sol Stern to Ravitch’s own [...]
Pingback by “Have You No Sense of Decency,” Klein Picks a Role Model « Ed In The Apple — November 1, 2007 @ 7:57 pm
[...] DoE sources, and Ravitch’s principled response. It has already been blogged here at EdWize. For me, Wylde’s letter offers an important lesson about the dangers of the [...]
Pingback by Gotcha Gone Wylde | Edwize — November 2, 2007 @ 7:10 pm
[...] Leo Casey writes in Edwize: “It seems that for some, markets should rule all education — except for the free [...]
Pingback by NYC Public School Parents: Diane Ravitch emerges victorious against the billionaire bully — November 6, 2007 @ 11:10 am
[...] — for making too much noise. The NY Post article by Katherine Wylde (with help from the DoE) attacking Diane Ravitch brought out the DoE’s hostility to the most intelligent criticism. In the absence of open [...]
Pingback by The Fear of Speaking Out | Edwize — November 21, 2007 @ 12:33 pm
[...] That’s not exactly in line with Partnership for New York City head Kathryn Wylde’s relationship with Mayor Bloomberg’s DOE, which has been more BFF (some would say partner in crime). [...]
Pingback by Which Business Community? « Schooling — May 16, 2008 @ 12:28 pm