Dear Friends,
Remember the dates: November 29 to December 2 the Rouge Forum will gather at the National Council For Social Studies conference in San Diego. We have presentations scheduled, as well as a tour of San Diego and a social event. We need ideas for resolutions to bring to NCSS and the College and University Faculty Association–as well as writers for the resolutions. More, we hope many social studies school workers will join us in an anti-war demonstration during the conference.
Mark calendars for the Rouge Forum Conference, Louisville, March 14, 15, 16, 2008.
We will need to do some fundraising for these efforts. The Rouge Forum has served for a decade as a beacon for liberals, radicals, and the left in education. Only the Rouge Forum has consistently connected curricula regimentation, high stakes exams, and imperialism, racism, and war. We’ve proved our mettle. Part of activism is helping pay the way. Ideas on fundraising are always appreciated. As one RF member said some time ago, “the way you get money sets the tone of what you are and will be.” Right now, we don’t have any.
The Rouge Forum No Blood For Oil page is updated. It holds new articles from Alex Cockburn, Chalmers Johnson, Sean Ahern, and others. Those spiffy Rouge Forum “US Get Out of the Middle East,” posters are still on sale, good for the rest of your life. Great for the upcoming round of demonstrations.
This week we feature two brief videos, one suggested by Susan Ohanian who plays a key role in the effort to eradicate the NCLB, curricula regimentation for endless war, and high-stakes testing.
That short cartoon is also linked to Susan’s web site.
Secondly, here is a link to Alternate Focus, an independent not-for-profit film group that produced, among others, the video, Bases Are Loaded, demonstrating that the massive buildup of US bases in Iraq is yet another piece of evidence that the US military is not going to leave Iraq, but plans a long-term occupation to control the oil fields, and the region. The online version of this film is like a Cliff’s Notes of the longer version.
Our friend and colleague Alfie Kohn has an excellent piece on standarization in schools, here.
Here are friends of the Rouge Forum acting to restrict military access to schooling, not in Oakland CA, but militarized Florida:
We note the House, controlled by Dems House Authorized the Expanded Illegal Surveillance Program.
As some people know, I am on the Steering Committee of the Historians Against the War. Here is a link to a piece I wrote in response to criticism from some members of the list who suggested that it is, to say the least, unacceptable, to note that the United For Peace and Justice Coalition is a funnel for the Democratic Party, that UFPJ fears talk of capitalism, exploitation, imperialism, and base-building for radical social change.
We urge everyone to participate in the day to day base-building that makes a movement possible, to battle the racism and sexism that poisoned past movements, and to join in the coordinated upcoming events like teachins, demonstrations, and direct action against the empire’s endless wars.
Thanks to Amber, Erin, Beau, Monty, Suber, Dave H, Joe B, Bob A, Susan H, Kerry N, Sharon Ago…., Della R, Candace, Cheri, Ken, Barb, Carol J, Sean, Gil G, Big Al, happily married still, and Wayne. Bon Voyage to Doug, now on the road to power in the vast northeast.
best r
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