I have always loved Oprah and believed her to be a genuine supporter of education. However, it is sad that she does not yet have a have a handle on 'White Chalk Crime' which is the most serious, underlying factor contributing to the failure of public education today. What is actually going on in countless numbers of public schools, how widespread principal abuse of teachers really is, and how it is negatively affecting teachers and students, still remains far below the public's radar screen. The fact that these important issues have not yet been properly addressed on her show is very, very upsetting.
I taught 35 years in the Chicago Public School System and personally interviewed and surveyed 500 randomly selected Chicago public school teachers over the course of 5 and 1/2 years. In addition, I spoke with public school teachers who represented the ten largest school districts in the nation. All were asked to confidentially tell me some of their personal teaching experiences and they were promised total anonymity. The results revealed ninety- percent were familiar with 'principal abuse of teachers'- so much so that a) they had personally been affected by it enough to have transfered schools, or b) they personally knew other teachers who had also transferred schools or left the public school system for the suburbs, or c) they knew a good teacher who had quit the profession altogether because of administrative abuse! It was by far considered it to be the biggest problem they were facing as teachers. Wherever it was found, it hampered their best teaching efforts and affected student's progress to varying degrees. They told stories of how they had been forced to cope with: 'lack of disciplinary support- which often created chaotic classroom environments, unequal distribution of supplies, often, relentless, unbelievable harassment, being assigned to inappropriate teaching positions, sabotaging of their discipline and/or efforts to help students, were made fearful to speak to parents, and countless union violations and job inequities. etc.
This research, along with teachers' anonymous interviews, have been published in a book form entitled When Teachers Talk. The book also presents teacher's suggestions on how to easily solve this terrible problem. Their solutions are very viable, simple to implement, and do not involve spending money! But, parents who fully understand the nature of this insidious problem are needed, if this is to be accomplished. The purpose of publishing this research was to bring this issue into the public arena- and, 'Who could expose this information better than Oprah?' ...However, I sent a copy of my book to Oprah, but have yet to have any response. As you are well aware, Ms. Horwitz, countless teachers have also contacted her about this same subject- but, in spite of this, it has never been presented on the Oprah show. Books like White Chalk Crime and When Teachers Talk and those written written by other authors who have addressed topic have had little or no public exposure or recognition. Furthermore, the recent agenda on Oprah has not been to do so. Despite thousands of documented cases of 'White Chalk Crime' and 'principal abuse of teachers,' the typical public agenda has been 'one-sided' and one of 'teacher bashing.' Oprah has not presented this important side of the equation.
Presently, I will continue to try and reach Oprah, as I still hold her in high esteem. I choose to believe that, 'due to her large organization,this information has not yet reached her' ..for I cannot imagine that she would not be genuinely interested in exposing it for the sake of public education, all good teachers, their school students, and our troubled nation which continues to suffer as a result. Thank you, Ms. Horwitz for your continued efforts on behalf of the same. NAPTA is an exponentially growing monument to you and your untiring devotion to this most worthy of causes- 'Our children and our future.' You are truly a modern heroine.
Sincerely,
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