The recent Steve Perry post reminded me...

1. Earlier in the month I made a comment in response to an inane and arrogant (in other words, completely in character) tweet from Steve Perry (not the guy from Journey), and a shout out of support who clearly is a drinker of the kool aid. I then got caught up in one of those exchanges, where you know that the other person knows truly what's right from wrong, then you start to only think that they do...then your not even really sure. What IS absolutely true is that there is reluctance to examine the respect/pay/even fame of those who operate under different rules. Should selective-enrollment school leaders benefit from recognition and fame for apples to oranges results and obnoxious clown behavior? Should short lived and decidedly damaging impact on classrooms and schools, a dark cloud of secret backers and dishonesty, and  WORSE (mouth taping/bee eating/public firing...) be rewarded with money and status? 
   
   Anyways, it's clear that training has occurred here.
   

   
   

   
   

   Dr. Steve Perry ‏@DrStevePerry   6 Apr

   Why am I still doing panels w ppl who are convinced that poverty is an impenetrable? How's that adding to my life to 'argue' w nonbelievers?

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   Chris Stewart ‏@citizenstewart    6 Apr

   @DrStevePerry because the world is worse when they go unchallenged. They make audiences dumber every time they speak unchecked.

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   This is where I came in

   
   

   
   

   
   

   Dan McConnell ‏@DMaxMJ    7 Apr

   @citizenstewart @DrStevePerry Man, you R not kidding. If only there were schools we could put the easy kids in to make some public $ from.

   
   

   
   That prompted a response from Mr. Stewart:
   
   
   

   
   

   Chris Stewart ‏@citizenstewart   7 Apr

   @DMaxMJ @DrStevePerry What is an "easy kid"? And, in fact, you ARE making money off our kids, right? Isn't that what you're defending?

   
   
   

   Interesting..."our" kids, in the collective. I am not real familiar with everything Perry says, I tend to tune out charlatans and salespeople, and especially combinations of the two...but the "our kids" I thought included MY kids...and my students. But this Perry-bot was drawing a line of some sort.
   
   
   

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      Chris Stewart ‏@DMaxMJ 7 Apr
      
      Why focus on Dr. Perry who is fighting to save our kids, rather than focus on the gross inequities in the mainline district?

   
                     Dan McConnell @citizenstewart 
   
   
   

   We agree on inequity.steve prep school perry shouldn't criticize teachers of

                     inequities victims

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      Mr. Stewart managed, over the course of our extended exchange, to avoid the reality of how selective enrollment practices (acceptance/refusal/expulsion) are tools that help some schools have achievement data that can look good on paper. Being able to block some students/council out some students, require uniforms, contracts, parent participation...what else? I don't know.
      

      
      

      Anyways, some tweets are not here-both his and mine, because it was like trying to get rid of a vacuum salesman-except I wanted the salesman to hang around.  He clearly worships Perry, and feels strongly about the good things that can be done in those schools with a very particular type of student and the ability to work outside of the mandate to serve ALL students in public schools. Regardless of status, parent involvement, uniforms...

      
      

      It got a little unusual when I suggested the self-righteousness and praise were not so well deserved when considering criticisms of those who serve ALL coming from those who serve only some. Mr. Stewart compared Steve Perry to Harriet Tubman. Freeing only some slaves and getting criticized. 

      
      

      Holy crap.

      
      

   
   

   
   

   Chris Stewart ‏@citizenstewart7 Apr

   @DMaxMJ @DrStevePerry You're trading in stereotypes and creating a good kids vs. bad kids meme. I see how it serves you; still disgusting.

   
   

   Dan McConnell ‏@DMaxMJ7 Apr

   @citizenstewart @DrStevePerry Not trading-noticing..I actually work in a no tuition school serving any local student that comes through door

   
   

   
   

   Chris Stewart ‏@citizenstewart7 Apr

   @DMaxMJ @DrStevePerry Nonsense. You defend paychecks. Attacking non-unionized schools is a predictable response to competition, & to losing
   
   
   In here is where the Tubman thing happens. I am having tech difficulty pasting into here, and expanding all the little conversations, but I hinted that that comparison might have been a little over the top.
   
   Chris Stewart ‏@citizenstewart
   7 Apr

   @DMaxMJ So you define for us what a hero should be and what conditions our community should educate ourselves? And a hero looks like you?

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2. Dan McConnell ‏@DMaxMJ7 Apr

   @citizenstewart An opportunistic over-hyped prep school braggart vs me...I don't come close to Harriet Tubman-but closer than him? Dunno

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3. Dan McConnell ‏@DMaxMJ7 Apr

   @citizenstewart I will teach ANYONE who steps into my room. No uniform, contract, conditions required. No PR team or TV spots either.

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4. Chris Stewart ‏@citizenstewart7 Apr

   @DMaxMJ Good for you, but your system isn't for us, by us, or designed with us in mind. What if we prefer a path to self-determination?

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   Dan McConnell ‏@DMaxMJ
5. 8 Apr

   @citizenstewart That's justifiable.Leaders of schools/teachers that can select students criticizing results of those that can't is not..

   
   
   There's more...I may try to dig it up. But the bottom line is clear: avoid the issue of the indefensible attack and inflate the results. Don't get me wrong, I wish Perry and Stewart success. But the most recognition seems to come in response to the attacks, not the results.