Rap hit takes down Duncan... 'Two Teachers and a Microphone' return with a great piece on Arne Duncan, worth a four-minute before class this morning
Can Arne Duncan take the humor that is now being thrown at him as the 2011 - 2012 school year begins in the aftermath of the SOS march on Washington and the realization on the part of the majority of us in America's schools that the U.S. governments corporate school reform plan is aimed at busting our unions and destroying public education? "Two Teachers and a Micrphone" are back with a "Letter to Arne Duncan" just in time for the opening of the new school year. [Fans will remember them as the mark-wearing rappers from last Spring's "...So much more than a test score..."
As the attack on public schools by the Obama administration, the corporate oligarchs, and U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan escalates, teachers and the supporters of public education are escalating the fight back not only with protests like the July 30 SOS march on Washington, but with videos and rap music, including an excellent music video you can play in your classroom. the video is entitled "Two Teachers and a Microphone...Letter to Arne Duncan" and is a hysterical four-minute takedown of the hypocrisies of Arne Duncan. The URL for those who can't access a hotlkink is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vn-SfH15e70&feature=email
Part of the crowd (background) at the July 30, 2011, SOS March on Washington while one commentary on the attack on public educaiton is in the foreground. Substance photo by Susan Zupan.The visuals for this piece require more than one look. The brothers who have produced this have obviously spent some time in our urban schools (and studying everything from Diane Ravitch to "The Wire"). It would be great if this were playing across the USA every day as public schools open and the lies of "Waiting for Superman" and "Race to the Top" are exposed from Guam to Puerto Rico and in every real American public schools in between.
The lyrics for those who want to share are:
Letter to Arne Duncan Listen for a minute to what I say
We don't teach kids for the merit pay I wipe away tears and break up fights in the halls
While Arne Duncan plays basketball
Public school you never taught in your life
But you studied Harvard so it gives you the right To bully the states who don't in your run race
Who oppose the policies that you embrace
Based on the test you and your crew
Crucify teachers and close our schools
Pimping out Pearson and private charters.
Carrots and sticks ain't gonna make kids smarter
Public education is under attack
By those who caused our economic collapse
The Department of Ed put your letter on the Web
Did you read the comments? What the teachers said? Test scores rising, check the illusion
What is proficient? This is the confusion
Test scores rising, check the illusion
What is proficient? This is the confusion
Headlines saying the scores are getting higher
But they're just juking the stats, like you seen on The Wire Hire those who lack credentials off the streets
The rich get enrichment & the poor get worksheets
Amazing feats when schools close their doors
And go shopping for the kids with the parents and test scores
Ignoring kids with special needs
ELLs ... IEPs
Take away the bargaining & budget freeze
And just watch the swarm of corporate entities
Doing to schools whatever they please
Skimming from the top of that government cheese
We don't need a test to assess this disease
It's time to repeal NCLB!
Arne Duncan, please listen
A lot of things in our schools we're missing
Smaller classes, arts and enrichment
Light a fire and the kids will listen
On the front lines, where you ought to be
Trust teachers and communities
Acknowledge poverty And talk honestly About race, and class, and equality!
Hey, yo' Bunk?
What's the word McNutty?
Smash this fool Duncan like he's Silly Putty!
Alright, okay I got something to say
How you be S.O.E. and never taught a single day?
Your resume's impressive but you're still not a teacher
Cater to the market, not to our future!
How many parents you called? How many lessons you planned?
How many kids have you given your heart and your hand?
And Mr. Duncan can you tell me please
What do you know about SDAIE strategies
Your 150 g's we don't really want it
Can't buy our respect, you already lost it
Get up a get get a get down
Race to the Top is a joke in your town!
I said it before y'all I'll say it again
This man ain't no teacher just the president's friend
Mr. Obama if you want our vote
Can your boy Duncan and bring back that hope!
Creepin and creepin On the Web we're tweetin' Your rep is reekin' Like Bernie on the weekend
Wasted billions and wasted time
Do us all a favor and just resign!
Your Superman movie, damn I ain't down with
The Superman at my school got a pink slip
Mad 'cause I'm paying my union dues I bet you're hoping that Katrina hits all our schools. Thinking of ways to get teachers fired
For working with the kids who aren't desired No top down, corporate overhaul
We're here to save our schools! Yes, yes y'all! Trade a ball player for an educator
Not a businessman or a teacher-hater
Your career we're here to now bury
Diane Ravitch for Education Secretary! Arne Duncan, please listen
A lot of things in our schools we're missing
Diversity, true integration
The vision of Brown vs Board of Eduction
On the front lines, where you ought to be
Trust teachers and communities
Acknowledge poverty And talk honestly About race, and class, and equality!
[Here is how they describe themselves: Two Teachers and a Microphone: We are both products of LAUSD schools and have spent our careers teaching in LAUSD schools. We love what we do, and we feel that our public school teachers are compassionate, creative and critical to the intellectual and emotional success of our youth. If you feel the same please call the LAUSD school board members and demand that they follow AB114 and rescind pink slips immediately: 213-241-6389
All music and lyrics written, produced, performed and recorded by Two Teachers and a Microphone.]
By: John Whitfield
2 teachers and a microphone
anybody got some beats for this
We'll try it at September's house meeting
when we vote for going on strike, since they
won't cough up the TIF $ to give us our 4% raise
Letter to Arne Duncan Listen for a minute to what I say
We don't teach kids for the merit pay I wipe away tears and break up fights in the halls
While Arne Duncan plays basketball
Public school you never taught in your life
But you studied Harvard so it gives you the right To bully the states who don't in your run race
Who oppose the policies that you embrace
Based on the test you and your crew
Crucify teachers and close our schools
Pimping out Pearson and private charters.
Carrots and sticks ain't gonna make kids smarter
Public education is under attack
By those who caused our economic collapse
The Department of Ed put your letter on the Web
Did you read the comments? What the teachers said? Test scores rising, check the illusion
What is proficient? This is the confusion
Test scores rising, check the illusion
What is proficient? This is the confusion
Headlines saying the scores are getting higher
But they're just juking the stats, like you seen on The Wire
Hire those who lack credentials off the streets
The rich get enrichment & the poor get worksheets
Amazing feats when schools close their doors
And go shopping for the kids with the parents and test scores
Ignoring kids with special needs
ELLs ... IEPs
Take away the bargaining & budget freeze
And just watch the swarm of corporate entities
Doing to schools whatever they please
Skimming from the top of that government cheese
We don't need a test to assess this disease
It's time to repeal NCLB!
Arne Duncan, please listen
A lot of things in our schools we're missing
Smaller classes, arts and enrichment
Light a fire and the kids will listen
On the front lines, where you ought to be
Trust teachers and communities
Acknowledge poverty
And talk honestly
About race, and class, and equality!
Hey, yo' Bunk?
What's the word McNutty?
Smash this fool Duncan like he's Silly Putty!
Alright, okay I got something to say
How you be S.O.E. and never taught a single day?
Your resume's impressive but you're still not a teacher
Cater to the market, not to our future!
How many parents you called? How many lessons you planned?
How many kids have you given your heart and your hand?
And Mr. Duncan can you tell me please
What do you know about SDAIE strategies
Your 150 g's we don't really want it
Can't buy our respect, you already lost it
Get up a get get a get down
Race to the Top is a joke in your town!
I said it before y'all I'll say it again
This man ain't no teacher just the president's friend
Mr. Obama if you want our vote
Can your boy Duncan and bring back that hope!
Creepin and creepin
On the Web we're tweetin'
Your rep is reekin'
Like Bernie on the weekend
Wasted billions and wasted time
Do us all a favor and just resign!
Your Superman movie, damn I ain't down with
The Superman at my school got a pink slip
Mad 'cause I'm paying my union dues
I bet you're hoping that Katrina hits all our schools.
Thinking of ways to get teachers fired
For working with the kids who aren't desired
No top down, corporate overhaul
We're here to save our schools! Yes, yes y'all!
Trade a ball player for an educator
Not a businessman or a teacher-hater
Your career we're here to now bury
Diane Ravitch for Education Secretary!
Arne Duncan, please listen
A lot of things in our schools we're missing
Diversity, true integration
The vision of Brown vs Board of Eduction
On the front lines, where you ought to be
Trust teachers and communities
Acknowledge poverty
And talk honestly
About race, and class, and equality!
[Here is how they describe themselves: Two Teachers and a Microphone: We are both products of LAUSD schools and have spent our careers teaching in LAUSD schools. We love what we do, and we feel that our public school teachers are compassionate, creative and critical to the intellectual and emotional success of our youth. If you feel the same please call the LAUSD school board members and demand that they follow AB114 and rescind pink slips immediately: 213-241-6389
All music and lyrics written, produced, performed and recorded by Two Teachers and a Microphone.]