Teachers College
By Liza Young
Hundreds gathered on a recent afternoon at
the Riverside Church, which boasts grand ceilings and stained glass windows, to
celebrate the achievements of Columbia University Teachers College doctoral
graduates. Leading the graduate march to Timothy Smith’s stately organ playing
was the Teachers College Alumni Council including Education
Update’s Publisher & Editor
in Chief, Dr. Pola Rosen.
In addressing the audience, Teachers College President Susan H. Fuhrman
applauded the commitment and diligence of graduates, and stated her excitement
in being able to participate in the hooding ceremony which did not exist at the
time she received her degree from Teachers College thirty years earlier.
Fuhrman further expressed confidence in the graduates to carry on the Teachers
College mission of commitment to equity and excellence in education. She was
particularly impressed by the diverse collection of student dissertations,
pointing out that the “interests of graduates are far-ranging and profound.”
Fuhrman underscored the dissertation of Brenda Johnson, receiving her Ph.D. in
social and organizational psychology, regarding racial attitudes in the workplace.
She examined the disparity between statements of support by whites for
minorities, and their unwillingness to support policies against inequality.
President Fuhrman also underscored the dissertation of Linda Wine on the dynamics
of parent teacher conferences in US public schools which frequently are times
of stress rather than forums to improve school functioning.
Thomas Sobol, Christian A. Johnson Professor Emeritus of Outstanding
Educational Practice, was honored at the graduation, receiving a Medal for
Distinguished service, Sobol
graciously accepted the award and took the opportunity to share with the
audience “defining moments” in his career. In describing defining moments,
Sobol incorporated the work of Dewey, calling them “key ethical decisions that
form, reveal and test the self.” In the area of School Reform, Sobol faced the
daunting challenge of serving as Assistant Superintendent in Great Neck and
Superintendent in Scarsdale during the tumultuous time of a nation responding
to the Vietnam War in the late 60’s and early 70’s. As students across colleges
and high schools organized against the war, Sobol was torn between meeting the
needs of the Board of Education, who responded in outcry to protests, and the
needs of students who sought Sobol’s advice, relating to him as a fellow youth.
Sobol chose to follow his ideals, and worked with students and teachers,
sending student delegates to the BOE and organizing teach-ins on controversial
topics, ultimately creating two schools with unique missions supporting parent
and student choices: the Village School in Great Neck and the Alternative
School in Scarsdale, both of which continue to function today.
Sobol’s defining moment in the area of diversity came during his appointment as
commissioner of education in NY State, in 1987, which was met with outcry by
minorities, especially within the legislature. Sobol responded by appointing a
committee of minority individuals, whose final report stated that curriculum
materials were “contributing to the miseducation of all young people through a
systematic bias towards European cultures and its derivatives.” It was then up
to Sobol to sweep the findings under the rug, or report them and face what the
legislature had in store. Sobol took the latter road, and as predicted by one
of his chief deputies, the report led to firings by the press that Sobol was
contributing to the “Africanizing of the curriculum, rewriting history to make
minorities feel good.” Over time, other issues took precedence. Sobol described
his initiative with some feelings of uncertainty. His friends believed “the
public debate was informative and had prepared the way for future ventures.”
Sobol’s next defining moment occurred later during his service as commissioner,
when he was sued by the Campaign for Fiscal Equity (CFE), with the charge that
the State was failing to provide a “sound, basic education to all children
throughout the State.” The conflict for Sobol was that he felt the charges were
accurate. Proper education for poor children was an issue Sobol had had felt in
need of improvement throughout his career. Prohibited by the state attorney
general from testifying as he wished—for the plaintiffs, Sobol was able
to serve as an amicus
curiae providing needed information without compromising his
principles.
Ultimately Sobol hoped that his narrative
would illustrate that defining moments “influence who you become and how you
act in years to follow.” Defining moments require initiative and courage for
they frequently involve moral choices.#
