My gambit this morning didn't work to spark a full-fledged office debate, but I did entice Amber to respond to my prompt about whether the "end of black politics" is good for school reform. And I'm glad she did, because her post is characteristically thoughtful and illuminating. Amber, we miss your blogging! (Yes, we all have day jobs, and in Amber's case a pipeline full of interesting research studies in need of tending.)
My answer to this question is unequivocal: yes, it's great for school reform that the old-line civil rights groups are losing their monopoly as spokespeople for the "black community" and that new leaders such as Cory Booker are rising to power and influence. Partly that's because the Bookers of the world tend to be much more open to school choice and other promising reforms (though there are always exceptions; see Deval Patrick for instance). But mostly that's because the traditional civil rights groups have been in bed with the teachers unions forever, muting their advocacy for change.
And maybe it's the rise of a new generation of leadership that is forcing the civil rights community to start to break with the unions. (My friend Rick Hess credits NCLB for driving a stake between the civil rights groups and the unions; that's probably true, too.) Al Sharpton might represent the "old black politics," but his Educational Equity Project is all about the new.
For years, black voters have expressed support for greater parental choice, more accountability, and meaningful reform of our schools. And for years, many black politicians opposed these policies, marching in lockstep with the unions. So yes, let the new black politics begin, because it's good for education reform--which is really good for black children (along with everybody else).
