Michael Winerip has released the flood gates with his Sunday column in this week's New York Times. In it, he calls into question the resolve, capacity, and genuineness of education reformers (Fordham's own Checker Finn included) who attended private high schools. He's got Whitney Tilson, Eduwonk, Ed Sector, The New York Post, and others all in a tizzy.
Putting the question of whether the argument should even matter aside (and really, should it matter, as long as competent, dedicated individuals, with adult experience in the public-school system are working hard to better education for students?), Gadfly is asking Flypaper readers to take a short survey, two questions total. Do you consider yourself to be a part of the edu-reform movement? And did you attend a public high school?
We'll tally results and have them out with the Gadfly on Thursday, as well as post them on the blog.
Of those in the Fordham office, we're clocking in at two private-school attendees, five public schoolers, one former charter-school student (how does Winerip deal with charters?), and a lucky alum of one of Chicago's residential public-magnet schools (an even more tricky designation!).
Of course, please add your thoughts in the comments section below.
?The Education Gadfly