This past Saturday I had the pleasure and privilege of attending two panel discussions at the 10th Annual Network for Public Education Conference that were of great interest to me…about the shapeshifting ed reformers and effective advocacy.
I wasn’t sure I was going to get anything from the conference, being out of the loop for a while, and seeing the focus shifting to fighting vouchers and more statewide attempts to foil privatization, from my areas of expertise: Common Core, Standardized Testing, Charters, and Teach for America.
The first panel consisted of old colleagues and acquaintances, Peter Greene, Gary Rubinstein, Jennifer Berkshire, and one buddy in crime, Julian Vasquez Helig.
The second panel was presented by three people I had not met until that day: Tina Bojanowski, a rare Blue Kentucky Legislator, Charles Siler, Agave Strategy Co-Founder, and Gloria Evans Nolan NPE Action, Board Member.
Well, let me tell you. I was schooled, impressed, and inspired. My old buddies explained to me how the shapeshifting enemy of our past has glommed on to the new money source because of the culture wars – the religious right’s voucher campaign and the anti-woke folks led by supporters of DeSantis et al. and have moved their so called reform in that direction.
Late that afternoon, I was surprised to hear, from Josh Cowen, that all voucher programs were rejected by voters in all 26 states it was proposed.
At my second session I sat in on three new folks (at least to me) discussing how to fight the evil shapeshifters more effectively.
Now, being that my brother and sister in law had worked at the University of Kentucky fighting where they could, and my old buddy, Julian Vasquez Helig was Dean of the School of Education there succeeding in many ways, I was quite interested in what Tina Bojanowski, a rare Blue Kentucky Legislator had to say.
Her points were very specific about getting laws passed or rebuffed:
- Read the bill.
- Follow the money.
- Local relationships
- Know your state constitution.
- Build talking points.
- Frame your message.
- Use your own language and change the frame.
- Propose amendments.
- Build a sense of urgency.
- Understand their end goal.
- Never give up.
Ms. Evans was inspiring, and I had known about much of what she said, but it was Charles Siler, former voucher advocate who hit home most.
First, he is a marketer, and I know that we must get better at our attempts to market ourselves and our work. Second, he is a turncoat. He worked for the wrong side and switched when he discovered the truths about their work. Third, he knows how to combine both to attack them and market our work more successfully.
His points were simple and direct.
- Don’t be afraid to use Repetition. Of course, I knew that. I taught how advertisers used that technique (among others) to high school seniors for years, as Tony Schwartz -famed ad man- said… (and I paraphrase) …
Advertisers get you to need something you never wanted in the first place.
- Include material change that affects people.
- Stick to your message, and don’t let them grab the reins of language.
- This is art. Not science
- People stop listening when we get too wonky and overly detailed.
- People engage with stories and narratives.
- P.H.D.: Personalize. Humanize. Dramatize.
- Don’t preach to the choir. Message people not in your own bubble.
- Speak directly to those being affected in a language they understand.
This really hit home, so I had to make a comment at the end of the session.
“Over the past 13 years I’ve talked here at NPE Conferences, on bullhorns in front of the DOE, at rallies in NY, and to the choir at lots of other places was but my most successful and satisfying time was when I spoke about common core, testing, and TFA to a group of mothers including many HOMESCHOOLERS at a Tea Party convention in South Carolina. Yes, that Tea Party (who now seem moderate). At the same Conference they were rallying to get rid of too liberal Lindsay Graham.
By the time I finished telling stories about real kids and teachers ruined by those three members of the education “Axis of Evil” at the time, watching so many nodding heads and listening to mothers tell their own stories, I felt like Arlo Guthrie hanging’ with the fellas on the ‘Group W bench’.”
We bonded and I was able to move them to seeing our side…because it was their side too…the side of kids. It was a familiar context to us all. I understand my audience. We connected to something they already feel strong about. Children.
My hope is that this final message works.
I truly believe in Mr. Siler’s P.H.D.
PERSONALIZE
HUMANIZE
DRAMATIZE.
And I’ll add: Find common values.
Maybe then your new audience will vote the (fill in the blank here) out of office and we can get the best for our kids, parents, and teachers.
Isn’t that why we are here?