Rafe Esquith, veteran teacher, author, director of The Hobart Shakespeareans and winner of the National Medal of the Arts, the Medal of Honor and Oprah’s “Teacher of the Year Award” has filed a billion dollar class action lawsuit against Los Angeles Unified School District. The lawsuit, filed on behalf of 2000 teachers, is the largest class action lawsuit filed by teachers in the history of public education. The lawsuit claims that the district, which assigns teachers to “teacher jails” while awaiting personnel inquires, is practicing a form of age discrimination, as well as retaliation against whistle blowing. The complaint also claims the district violates due process.
Esquith was removed from his classroom in April, when a colleague overheard him make a comment about nudity while reading The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. No students or parents complained, and the comment was within the context of the book. The district then decided to investigate Esquith’s non-profit Hobart Shakespeareans, which he funds through his book sales, speaking engagements, and patrons, which include elite actors as well as former students who are now successful adults. Watch this video to hear Sir Ian McKellan and Rafe’s students and parents respond.
Now, Esquith, who has power and voice as a celebrity teacher is fighting back. We count ourselves among Rafe’s friends and fans, and we are standing by him.
We have met Rafe and worked with him. He visited our school when we hired him to be a keynote speaker at a conference. Not only did he give an inspiring speech, he was gracious, endlessly talking to and taking photos with students. From the moment we picked him up at the airport, throughout the day and at dinner that night, we found him to be real and thoughtful. As we discussed educational issues, we found in Rafe a philosophical kindred spirit.
We also traveled to Los Angeles and spent several days in Rafe’s classroom. We watched him teach and visited with his students. We stayed for after school and Saturday play practice. We observed the rapport he has with students and the methods he uses to create an environment where his students become a community of learners and together achieve excellence. Our days in Rafe’s classroom only served to assure us that he is a master teacher achieving extraordinary results.
Many school districts don’t like teachers who use untraditional methods. They are more comfortable with teachers who follow the script, don’t question too much and do what is required of them. They don’t know what to do with teachers who step outside of the box, dare to question, or have the audacity to replace ineffective practices with something that works. Too often, classrooms have become soulless places where students move lockstep through identical curriculum. Rather than encouraging brilliance, a one-size fits all curriculum and endless testing have only led us to perpetual mediocrity.
Teachers have become the whipping boys of education in America today. They are told what to do and say, and exactly what to teach. Then, when the mandates don’t work, it is teachers who are vilified. Teachers are well educated, know their students and have knowledge and skills that would improve achievement if only they were allowed some autonomy and support. Many places in the country now have teacher shortages, is it any wonder?
As a group, teachers don’t speak up enough. They are educators, not politicians. They worry about their jobs. They are trained in teaching methods, not public policy. They spend more time and energy on their students than in fighting for unjust practices.
Until now. Rafe is smart, and he has well -connected friends. He has a platform and a voice. He has a team of lawyers and can land on the front page of major news outlets. He is engaging in the fight of his life. It is also the fight of thousands of teachers without a voice.
In his book Teach Like Your Hair’s on Fire, Rafe writes about his classroom, “it’s a world where character matters, hard work is respected, humility is valued and support for one another is unconditional.”
We want to go on record in unconditional support of Rafe, our friend and colleague.
Go, fight, and teach them all like your hair’s on fire,
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