By Lisa Macfarlane, DFER WA State Director
Sorry, Ross (my hubby). I have a new crush. In addition to Cory Booker, I now heart Ohio State Senator, Nina Turner..
At DFER’s Town Hall event yesterday in Charlotte, we had scores of legislators and mayors (including Tacoma’s Marilyn Strickland). Nina Turner was on our first panel Change We Can Believe In: Education Leadership at the Top and in the States.
Ms. Turner is a ferocious and articulate advocate for school reform. She fought tooth and nail for the Cleveland Plan. She forcefully reminded the audience that “it is a sin and a shame not to educate children.” And, my personal favorite, “if your hair is on fire, you ought to act like your hair is on fire.” And, lastly, “We need leaders who have a “wish bone, a jaw bone and a backbone.”
The energy at DFER’s event was palpable. The reception hall was plastered with “I’m a DFER” posters. One of them featured Eric Pettigrew, State Representative from SE Seattle who is also Washington’s only African American legislator.
I hung on about every one of Nina Turner’s words. And there was nothing I could agree with more than her prediction for the next 4 years. She thinks President Obama will be even bolder on education reform in his second term.
Read this article from Ed Week for more details on our event.
Lisa Macfarlane is the Washington State Director for Democrats for Education Reform, a co-founder of the League of Education Voters, a past President of Schools First (Seattle’s levy and bond committee), the sponsor of two statewide education funding initiatives, and a PCO in the 46th District. After years of opposing and voting against charter schools, Lisa checked her ideological baggage at the door and visited a few charter schools. She is now convinced that high quality charter schools have an important role to play in successful school reform. Read more about Lisa here.