Community organizingAn Activist Approach to Community-based Education

Reason for Community Organizing

Not a problem of technical know-how, but of power

Bryk, A. S. & Schneider, B. (2002). Trust in schools: A core resource for improvement. New York: Russell Sage.

Gold, E., Simon, E. & Brown, C. (2002). Strong neighborhoods and strong schools: The indicators project on education organizing. Chicago: Cross City Campaign for Urban School Reform.

Henderson, A. & Berla, N. (1994). A new generation of evidence: The family is critical to student achievement. Washington, DC: Center for Law and Education.

Henderson, A. & Mapp, K. (2002). A new wave of evidence: The impact of school, family, and community connections on student achievement. Austin, TX: National Center for Family and Community Connections with Schools, Southwest Educational Development Laboratory

Whalen, S. P. (2002, April). Report of the evaluation of the Polk Bros. Foundation’s full service schools initiative: Executive Summary. Chapin Hall Center for Children at the University of Chicago

Reason for Community Organizing

When educators and community organizers collaborate to organize for better education, schools typically improve and student achievement increases. Reasons:

Community pressure for more resources and district accountability

Increased parental engagement

Improved staff development and teaching

Student mobility decreased by up to 50%

Increase in mutual respect and trust between the parties

What is Community Organizing?

Power: the ability to act

What is Community Organizing?

Source of power: the capacity to mobilize large numbers of community members to challenge political priorities that keep things the way they are.

What is Community Organizing?

Crucial element - the power analysis: the assessment of who has the institutional authority to make decisions concerning organizing demands, and which allies might be mobilized in support of the group’s campaign.

Outcomes of Community Organizing in Education

Increased responsiveness of school division leaders to concerns of low-income and racialized parents and community members

Outcomes of Community Organizing in Education

Substantial new resources and more equitable distribution of existing resources

Outcomes of Community Organizing in Education

New policy to improve curriculum, school organization, teacher recruitment and preparation, and parent engagement

Outcomes of Community Organizing in Education

Improvement in school’s climate and instructional core

How Do Groups Organize?

Saul Alinsky(1909 - 1972)

“organization of organizations”

self-interested campaign development

confrontational direct action tactics

the “professional organizer”

“populist pragmatism”

Fred Ross(1910 -1992)

door-to-door model of canvassing

“house meetings”

statewide organization to advance local demands

Cesar Chavez & Fred Ross

Second-wave feminism(1960s - 1970s)

consensus-based, non-hierarchical decision-making

Kate Millet, 1970

Civil Rights MovementU.S., 1960s

Civil Rights MovementU. S., 1960s

Black Power MovementU.S., 1960s & 1970s

Civil Rights Movement

Critical events, e.g. school closing, are opportunities to organize

Civil Rights Movement

Existing organizations and institutions (e.g. churches) can contribute by changing their function, purpose, and manner of operation

Civil Rights and Black Power Movements

Power of student and youth organizing

Civil Rights and Black Power Movements

Power of going beyond “interest group” politics

Civil Rights and Black Power Movements

Importance of institutional and systemic racism as an organizing issue

Civil Rights Movements

Cultural practices, e.g. music, can be useful (“We Shall Overcome”)

“My Country ‘tis Of Thy People You’re Dying”

“No No Keshagesh”

“Rise Up!”

“Boil Water Advisory”

“Starlight Tour”

Civil Rights and Black Power Movements

Outside organizations can be important allies e.g. SCLC’s work with the U.S. Communist Party, White college students

Civil Rights Movement

The importance of leadership training (e.g. Citizenship or Freedom Schools

Civil Rights Movement

Political consciousness

Activism

Activism

Political consciousness

Civil Rights Movement

Individuals already belonging to social groups are more ready to become active (i.e. source of recruitment)

Civil Rights Movements

Turning threats on their head, e.g. Bull Connor

Civil Rights Movements

Turning threats on their head, e.g. Joe Arpaio

Cross-generational Alliances

Many activists in social movements come from families with traditions of overt defiance or activism

Create Innovative Action Repertoires

Barricades, French Revolution - originally erected for neighbourhood security

Create Innovative Action Repertoires

Sit-down strikes during the Civil Rights movement began during 1930s

Create Innovative Action Repertoires

Sit-down strike in a school building or division offices?

“Sick-outs”?

Picketing, at division office? At superintendents homes?

Chaining ourselves to a fence?

Hunger strike?

Freedom Ride with strategic informational stops?

Framing

How organizations, the media, and leaders frame social issues determines what is viewed as important in a particular context and what actions should be taken

To the extent that organizing groups are successful in shaping public perception of an issue, they will be more likely to build political will amongst leaders to take action

Two Kinds of Organizing Organizations

Institutional membership organizations

Direct membership organizations

Institutional Membership Organization

Example: The Industrial Areas Foundation (IAF)

IAF is descended by organization of same name est. by Alinsky

Does not organize around issues until it has organized a neighborhood

Iron rule: “Don’t do for others what they can do for themselves.”

Organized on large geographic scale w/o losing local autonomy

Affiliates in Texas, Albuquerque, Tucson, Phoenix, NYC

Direct Membership Organizing

Drew on work of Fred Ross, Students for a Democratic Society, and National Welfare Rights Organization

Mobilization begins with self-interest, but success develops a sense of group power and broader scope

Example: Association of Communities Organized for Reform Now (ACORN)

Saskatchewan Community Schools

The Action Committee on Housing was formed at Riverside Community School . . .The Committee is focusing on issues of affordable housing in the inner city, ‘Midtown’ of Prince Albert. These issues include the construction of high density/low income housing, safety and re-vitalization of the Midtown area as a place where families and all citizens can live and thrive. . . . Committee members have presented their concerns/views/ideas to the Mayor, City of P.A. Social Development Officer, Riverbank Development Corporation and have recently presented at the Community Knowledge Exchange on Housing/Homelessness hosted by the Community Networking Coalition.

What’s To Be Done?