Image thanks to the Stir
Matt Damon is known for standing up to the bad guys in the movies, but last weekend, he took a different stand.
A stand for what? Teacher tenure!
In this viral video on Reason.TV the actor makes his case.
The video mostly might be best remembered for some verbal fisticuffs with a bullying camera operator. (Strong Language Advisory!; watch the video if you want to see more.).
While Damon’s colorful language was preceded by an impassioned defense of teachers (his teacher mom looking on proudly), this speech was only one of many last weekend.
Damon was in Washington D.C. speaking at the Save Our Schools March, and just a few hours earlier he had given another speech, one in which he explained that
I had incredible teachers. As I look at my life today, the things I value most about myself — my imagination, my love of acting, my passion for writing, my love of learning, my curiosity — all come from how I was parented and taught. And none of these qualities that I’ve just mentioned…none of these qualities that make me who I am can be tested.
Others speakers at the event included historians, teachers, activists, and comedians (what’s a D.C. rally nowadays without a Jon Stewart appearance – even if it is via video?).
The speakers spoke about their many different experiences in education, but they all had common themes:
- opposition to the country’s dependence on standardized test results.
- the scape-goating of teachers.
- A strong commitment to make the American education system effective and equitable.
We couldn’t agree more.
The National Park Service estimated that there were 8,000 attendants. The rally was organized not by either of the prominent teachers’ unions but by a grassroots coalition of teachers, parents, and activists.
It was preceded by a two day conference and a film festival featuring the new documentary “The Inconvenient Truth About Waiting For Superman.”
This march is only the most recent event in a long and heated debate about education reform. Michelle Rhee! Teacher tenure! Evaluations! Unions! Testing! Charter schools! School vouchers! What’s next?
And what do you think of Matt Damon’s speech and the Save Our Schools March? What should we be doing to save our schools?
