This is a collection of adults and children's messages that challenge public school to become something more than it is - messages that dare public school to serve students' passions instead of politicians and vendors' coffers.
So many of the divisions and false notions of social order we cling to as adults are entrenched in the culture of public education. We want to take our next step in challenging that culture, and we ask for your help in helping us capture and share counter-narratives to today's test-addled, pop notions of schooling.

8th November 2011

Photo with 96 notes

I occupy education because: The big picture is being shattered into smaller and smaller pieces. We need less competition and more cooperation—now more than ever. The labels we assign to students (and other people) become our blinders. Learning “disabilities” may actually be wonderful gifts. We become less human the more we allow ourselves to be measured, tracked, and reduced to bits of data. Teachers and students are not robots. Imagination—not productivity—is the engine of human progress. “Normal” is a myth. Diversity is the truth. Humanity will not survive the future without demonstrating compassion, curiosity, respect, and cooperation. We can do better. We must. Read the full manifesto here: ‘Disabled’ Students and Forgotten Frontiers: A Manifesto for All of Us.

I occupy education because:

  • The big picture is being shattered into smaller and smaller pieces.
  • We need less competition and more cooperation—now more than ever.
  • The labels we assign to students (and other people) become our blinders.
  • Learning “disabilities” may actually be wonderful gifts.
  • We become less human the more we allow ourselves to be measured, tracked, and reduced to bits of data.
  • Teachers and students are not robots.
  • Imagination—not productivity—is the engine of human progress.
  • “Normal” is a myth. Diversity is the truth.
  • Humanity will not survive the future without demonstrating compassion, curiosity, respect, and cooperation.
  • We can do better. We must.

Read the full manifesto here: ‘Disabled’ Students and Forgotten Frontiers: A Manifesto for All of Us.

Tagged: EducationOccupy educommunityoccupy educationspecial educationsubmission

  1. derpella reblogged this from zwolfenstein
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  14. amandamask reblogged this from godlessgirl and added:
    As an education major, I second that!
  15. specspectacle reblogged this from super--soldier
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  23. godlessgirl reblogged this from occupyedu and added:
    Great list about why
  24. baconcheeseburgers reblogged this from adventuresinlearning and added:
    Something for all of us to think about :-)
  25. snhu-help reblogged this from adventuresinlearning and added:
    SNHUians, something for us to ponder about right?
  26. drwh0 reblogged this from occupyedu
  27. thethinkingtraveller reblogged this from adventuresinlearning
  28. esperanzatree1110 reblogged this from occupyedu and added:
    ^ Everything he said.
  29. jlopez328 reblogged this from adventuresinlearning
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