An 18-year old Texas student at Duncanville High School, Jeff Bliss, simply had enough — and could not take it anymore. After being dismissed from class for asking a question and being told to “quit bitching” in Grade 12 World History class on May 6, 2013, he launched into a ninety second condemnation of his teacher’s uninspired attitude and habit of “packet teaching” depriving students of the opportunity to actually engage in learning.
As the son of a teacher, and a student who returned to high school after having dropped-out, he expected more from teachers in his school. Caught on video by an “undercover” student, his outburst went viral and discussions broke out over both the appropriateness of his behaviour and the critical education reform issue he raised in the classroom rant. When the teacher, Julie Phung , was placed on leave with pay, a fierce public furor erupted over whether the outspoken Bliss may have a point.
Whether intended or not, Jeff Bliss happened to hit on many of the hot button issues in the American Education War. “If you would just get up and teach ‘em instead of handing them a frickin packet, yo, there’s kids in here who don’t learn like that,” he said. “They need to learn face to face.” When Phong, sitting at her desk, repeatedly admonishes him to leave and says he’s “wasting” her time, Bliss unloads with his own lesson about teaching:
“You want kids to come into your class, you want them to get excited for this? You gotta come in here and you gotta make them excited,” the tall student with flowing blond hair and red high tops says in the video, standing at the front of the class and gesticulating to further emphasize his point. “You want a kid to change and start doing better? You gotta touch his freakin heart. You can’t expect a kid to change if all you do is just tell them.” His closer: “This is my country’s future and my education.”
Local Dallas TV news affiliates quickly picked up the video, and by May 14, it exceeded 1.8 million views and had gleaned international attention. The Innovative Educator, Lisa Neilsen, a strong advocate of “student voice” defended the student’s right to voice his opinion in a school where that was not normally encouraged or even permitted. But public commenters were quick to point out the disrespectful nature of the outburst in an environment where teachers are supposed to be respected. They also warned this video doesn’t show us the full story.
The official response from the Duncanville Independent School District was rather instructive. “As a district with a motto of Engaging Hearts and Minds we focus on building positive relationships with students and designing engaging work that is meaningful,” the district said in a media statement. “We want our students and teachers to be engaged, but the method by which the student expressed his concern could have been handled in a more appropriate way. We are and will continue to be open to listening to students.”
Many educators were upset because it fed public perceptions of the “bad teacher.” One well-known American educational blogger, high school English teacher Tom Panarese, expressed his profound discouragement in a post entitled Why the Jeff Bliss story makes me want to quit.
” I’m probably just seeing end-of-the-school-year exhaustion manifest itself “, Panarese wrote, noting that stressful June testing was about to begin. Then he added: ” But it seems that the conversation about education as it is via social media has been happening this way for years and as noble as Jeff Bliss’s champions might think his “I Am Spartacus” moment might be, it won’t really change anything except get a black mark on his history teacher’s record.”
Was Texas high school student Jeff Bliss justified in speaking out against mediocrity in teaching? Do we know enough about conditions in the school or that class to pass judgement on the teacher’s approach or the student’s behaviour? Should students have more of a voice in shaping what is learned and how they are taught, especially in senior high school? Are educators expressing legitimate concerns about the dangers of “trial by underground You Tube clip”?
Educhatter 
I mainly support the student here but are we sure we have the whole story?
Ditto to Doug’s post
In the era of facilitating versus direct instruction(teachers are encouraged not to teach I`m told)this would be very frustrating for kids who go to school to learn.I heard from a family that the math was not taught in their son`s class,the teacher would say,go to page so and so and read the first box and afterwards,complete the exercise.
In all forms of work,there is mediocrity versus excellence,this is simply an example of a teacher that does not fulfill her job,we have difficulty dealing with these issues.I`m sure,in every school there are frequent circumstances such as this,how should we deal with them?
I isn’t just the teacher, by a long way. Lets use the army analogy, if the teachers are the soldiers, the politicians that lay out the strategic fallacies for education, are the generals. That is were the real failure is.
See http://theuneducatededucator.edublogs.org/2013/05/13/revolting_teachers/
Yes, serious decision making by those who have never taught if a recipe for disaster. If you are not a teacher you can never understand.
Who is Jeff Bliss — and What Sparked his Rant? Since his recent classroom rant, he has been bombarded by requests for interviews and we are beginning to get a fuller picture of the student and his frame of reference. It looks,by all accounts, to have been a spontaneous outburst, although his mother is a teacher and he’s undoubtedly aware of the larger issues swirling around public education.
Te Dallas Frontburner Magazine (May 13, 2013), provided this update on the response to his classroom rant and a few insights into his thinking:
“A day after his rant was posted all over the Internet, Jeff Bliss has apparently been bombarded by interview requests. He’s got a compelling story (dropped out after failing ninth grade, went back to school with renewed vigor) and a positive message (teachers should inspire kids), and some interesting looking hair. Also, he seems pretty friendly (except to that teacher, of course). He talked to at least two different local TV stations. He also started a Twitter account and sat down for a 15-minute picnic table talk with an outlet called Say Cheese TV. He says it’s the busiest he’s ever been.
So, what have we learned from these interviews? Here are some bullet points:
His mother is a teacher. She’s supportive of his message, but told him she didn’t much care for the attitude he displayed in the now widespread video.
He’s 18 and a sophomore (because of the failing/dropping out thing), and he’s comfortable telling his story.
He likes Ron Paul, who he says “supports liberty,” and R&B and hip-hop, specifically Houston rapper K-Rino.
Bliss isn’t sure yet what he wants to do with his life, if he’ll attend college, or if anything “will come of this.”
There must be discussions of a reality TV show.” (End of Excerpt)
http://frontburner.dmagazine.com/2013/05/13/more-from-jeff-bliss-the-duncanville-student-whose-rant-went-viral/
Although sympathetic, he does display the attitude of “it is always someone elses fault” if I dont get ahead. You must motivate me. In other words I have no responsibility for my learning because school is boring.
Every teacher has seen that attitude
Here’s Another 18-year Old In the Limelight
In our 2013 provincial election (just concluded with a returning Liberal government) we had an 18-year old as a Libertarian candidate — one who also, like Jeff Bliss, likes Ron Paul because he “supports liberty”.
There was an excellent column on this candidate — http://www.theprovince.com/news/year+candidate+deserves+applause/8332283/story.html
Some excerpts:
– . . . it’s good to come across an 18-year old who bravely questions this relentless brainwashing and boldly refutes the notion that anyone who isn’t a socialist at 20 has no heart and anyone who’s still one at 40 has no head
– [Laurence] Watt told me he used to be a typical teen socialist, and in a Grade 11 quiz . . . scored strongly ‘left’
– Watt especially likes the quote of US founding father Samuel Adams . . . ‘It does not require a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen to set fires in the minds of the people.’
– He also thinks it’s time to curb the power of the current B.C. education monopoly by encouraging as many alternatives as possible
My own observation as a result of these two 18-year olds and as a candidate in the election is that the principle of “choice” and “liberty” are rising and yeasty principles bubbling upwards at many turns. People are seeing voting more as a choice, not a duty, therefore, non-voting is also a choice. The notions of “mandatory voting “or “pay for voting” are seen as noxious and odious ideas in a democracy. So, too, will the notion of coerced schooling in a government monopoly system become ever more insufferable, insupportable and immoral.
Choices in an open society. That’s the ticket.
Nice try guys, all being from the education establishment, one must bring out their prejudices and biases towards students where ever there is criticism that shows the education system in a negative light. In Canada, its all about protecting the teachers allowing a chicken to be butchered in an art class to another classroom where a graphic sex poster pertaining to gay sex remains on the wall for seven months, for 12 and 13 year old students to admire. But what one does not do is to criticized the education that students are receiving at any level of the education system, then the education system will collectively protect, using all means to put down the latest uprising coming from the public, whether student or the adults.
Reminds me of 1971, nearing the end of September where the Chemistry teacher was handing out the results of the first test. He was loud, abrasive and seem to take great relish in humiliating students. It caught my attention almost immediately, because the Chem teacher that could not teach, was humiliating the top achievers at the front of the class. The teacher came to me, and slammed down the test with a big 99 % on it, and I had just a start of a smile on my face, when he opened up his big fat mouth, and accused me of cheating, and then moved unto the two girls behind me who had failed, suggesting to them that they should dropped chemistry. The teacher moves on, and just like in the video, students heads and eyes were staring at the desk, except for my head. I was collectively gathering my emotions getting more angry as he moved from one student to the next.
When the teacher finally arrives at his desk, I stood up using my quiet voice, without shouting, demanding a retest because the first test was unfair. Unfair because there was questions on the test, that was not covered in the classroom. I knew this, because for a change I decided to study the night before and while I was at it, learn the next three chapters because it was my intention to used chemistry as one of my skipping classes. I only skipped classes when it came to teachers who can’t teach or the ones that hand out questions, and students learned on their own. The good teachers don’t do that, and as such I would not dream of skipping their classes, plus there was serious ramifications if you did skipped. Its a two way street, but the education establishment does not seem to understand what really motivates students. I just knew the good teachers that I had, everyone was learning and every student came to class expecting to learn.
Suffice to say, while I remained in my quiet voice, the Chem teacher was in his very loud screaming voice, to the point he was screaming obscenities at me. He finally ordered me out of the classroom, but I stayed put for further negotiations that it would only be me leaving the classroom. Sufficient to say, this only made he go into a rage and at the moment all of my classmates heads were now lifted watching the exchange. I thought for sure he would come down from his loft, but he didn’t. He sputtered, and told me to leave quietly. For good measure, I left doing a little tap dance that brought the whole classroom laughing which the Chem teacher had 20 shades of red on his face, and if it was a cartoon, there be smoke coming out of his bald head. To my surprise, there was 20 or so students standing out in the hallway listening to the voice of the Chem teacher but were dying to find out what I had said.
The next day, the Chem teacher was ordered to apologized to me and the rest of the class and no I did not get into any trouble. I stood my ground that he was a rotten teacher and I was vindicated a few years after I graduated, of his arrest, his conviction, and the four year sentence of beating another man to a pulp. Oh by the way, he was ordered to do a retest to which I skipped since I had a 99%, and in the process became a little bit of hero to the students who had the unfortunate position attending one of his classes. Much like Jeff Bliss, who stood up where there is bad teaching.
Like Jeff Bliss – who stated in the video, its about my education, and when it comes down to it, whether one is talking about 1971 or 2013 – the education establishment has to start doing what they have been charged with, providing an education via through teaching, that motivates kids to want to be in the classroom.
A Fox interview – ,http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbyI3PdyDes
Good To Great!
How many of us have come across this Oh So Passionate message from an educator: “We have to move our ‘good’ system to ‘great’”? There are books on this topic.
How many of us have had drilled into our heads that the new “transformation” in education is to teach, or at least, bring out creativity? Yet, “the system”, the “blob” doesn’t want to hear creative ideas how to make “the system” better. How to remodel the system. How more choices would really be beneficial to both families and educators.
An “old” book — “Re-Imagine”, 10 years old, by the management leader, Tom Peters, provides a page-long list of contrasts between the OLD SOCIALIST STYLE and the NEW ECONOMY MARKET STYLE of management. (pg 43) It would be a great model to use to draw up a similar chart for our croaking dinosaur of a public education system, which, invariably leads to mediocrity. Of course, mediocrity serves the interests of the industry stakeholders who all make a living off this stale model.
This exercise might open up some eyes. Instead of long narratives and diatribes, this might — maybe not — help others see how archaic a system we’ve locked our kids — our Jeff Blisses — into.
But, Peters also suggests a brilliant shortcut. He describes a method used by WalMart, which instead of a suggestion box provided prizes, and opportunities for people to identify “the stupidest thing we do around here.” Instead of “adding” as suggestions are wont to do, this provides incentives for eliminating things not working.
What if this kind of exercise was undertaken in a school, or a school district, or a provincial school system?
I think concrete incentives would really draw out a wide interest and participation. It would take organization and private donations. Something like the Raspberry Awards for the worst in films. Might draw attention to the foolish and counterproductive things being done in the name of public education. The Jeff Bliss video went viral because it hit home. We need to keep up the ridicule and scorn of this self-serving behemoth that educrats so love.
Tunya thinks we should dismantle the system because 2 eighteen year olds think so. Doesn’t seem like a consensus. There is almost nothing government does that is as popular as public education.
One of the purposes of public education that was hinted at in the US and UK and emerged later in more explicit fashion is the development of an informed citizenry through a narrowing of the gap between rich and poor.
Worked in my case and for many of those I grew up with (immigrant and working class) Education was and is our ticket out of poverty. Immigration history and the history of black Americans have overwhelmingly shown this.
Whatever faults it has (and there are many) it beats the alternative.
If I had to choose between living in 2013 and 1813 it would be easy.
Me as well. Family somewhat middle class up to late 20s, many doctors and pharmasists. Depression and war wiped out, dad was printer, mom school secretary. I was first of my generation to go to university since early 1920s.
I will be forever grateful to the public school system and the dedicated teachers, profs and support staff therein.
Most Canadians feel exactly the same way. Most people with a good job know to thank the ps system.
Tuyna writes – “How many of us have had drilled into our heads that the new “transformation” in education is to teach, or at least, bring out creativity? Yet, “the system”, the “blob” doesn’t want to hear creative ideas how to make “the system” better. How to remodel the system. How more choices would really be beneficial to both families and educators.”
And no to the Jeff Blisses of the world, the students who are apt to exposed the foolish and counterproductive education policies and practices that has contributed to keep the citizenry just dumb enough, to buy into the government policies regardless of political stripe, so they too become compliant and docile to have others imposed their will upon them. All is aided by a public education system, who educates children just smart enough to navigate in the world, but not smart enough to interpret the real intentions of those who governed us, imposing their authority and asking one and all to cede our individualism to the collective.
In the public education system, it means the Jeff Blisses’ are to remain silent. The students who give voice to the foolish and counterproductive education policies. For example, the foolish and actually counterproductive education practice – a fad that is now becoming an entrenched practice in our schools. Where school tutoring classes have now become a series of self learning on the internet and for the really cool kids whose parents have the means, private tutoring. The public education system, gets to brag and boast, on their ability to have after school tutoring even though there is not one iota of teaching by the teachers present, The bonus, the teachers no longer have the imposition of students asking questions that are taxing the teachers’ knowledge banks. A perfect partnership between private concerns and public education, where the supply of students is consistent and virtually never ending. Never ending, not when students are being provided sub-par education services, resources and parents who are subservient to the public education stakeholders against the best interests of their children.
P.S. The above is happening in real time, in the province of NL. No doubt in my mind its happening across Canada to further cement the divisions of the infamous knowledge gaps of students based on the SES variables.
To which, brings me to John’s post, “One of the purposes of public education that was hinted at in the US and UK and emerged later in more explicit fashion is the development of an informed citizenry through a narrowing of the gap between rich and poor.”
Informed citizenry and narrowing of the gap between rich and poor came from the top, at the global stage. From the global stage to the global education institution, filtering down to the local schools, in many different versions and practices. One such paper called – World Bank Calls for a Narrowing of the “Knowledge Gap” Between Rich and Poor.” http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/NEWS/0,,contentMDK:20017519~menuPK:34463~pagePK:34370~piPK:34424~theSitePK:4607,00.html
Down to the lower levels on a paper called, THE ZOMBIE STALKING ENGLISH SCHOOLS: SOCIAL CLASS AND EDUCATIONAL INEQUALITY
Click to access bjes-zombie.pdf
Down to the bottom levels on a paper called, Narrowing the Gap through Sport, Education and Social Capital?.
Click to access Narrowing%20the%20Gap%20through%20Sporteducationsocialcapital.pdf
All of the above sounds nice on paper, that deceives the people into accepting the foolish and counterproductive education policies.
A video – The Truth about School
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article34955.htm
If the gap between rich and poor is increasing, as it seems to be in Canada, we need public education ,ore than ever to lessen the gap.
This means paying more
– for quality teaching
– quality professional development
at least.
I am reminded of the old commercial ,
“You can pay now or pay later”- in welfare, prisons, etc.
Sure, some who can
may homeschool.
Let them, but know the cost to all of us.
I can cite additional evidence, but ideologues will not believe or think about it.
All of the top education nations, Finland, Canada, Korea, Singapore, Japan, all use a public education system that is the best they can build for excellence, for equity and for national development.
Here is one very basic problem . If policy is based on “what is good for my kid” You get totally different policies than when you start with ” what policies are best for all the kids”.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/05/17/the-revolution-is-here/
I have a feeling that Jeff Bliss has started a revolution among the young people. I think there will be more Jeff Blisses’ in the classrooms challenging the teachers, school and school board authority. After all its their future that is being screwed up by the adults.
A few videos of the many making its rounds. The first one is my favourite.
You Gotta Touch His Frickin’ Heart (Jeff Bliss Duncanville Remix)
Another remix – http://www.nma.tv/jeff-bliss-rant-remixed-animation-style/
Another Bliss In the Wall – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_YchV5S-1g
Revolution, please. Check out some education historians like Larry Cuban, Herb Kliebard or even Diane Ravitch. Reform movements come and go. The system is gigantic but also represents the historic consensus of its era.
The system can take a punch and smile. It can triage a new reform movement, absorb some for a while (testing), mitigate some, (balanced literacy, charters) and reject others (privatization) while at exactly at the same time growing a new arm like ADK, ADJK. This is where the big moves are made by progressives.
Testing is on the way out. Parents are revolting against it all over USA, even Alberta.
Vouchers were rejected in Ontario.
A history guy like Paul will tell you.Many people dont know the difference between revolutions and rebellions. Revolutions were successful. Rebellions failed. We are witnessing the failure of the reform rebellion starten by Reagan, A Nation At Risk
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jason-stanford/time-to-stop-waiting_b_3306637.html?utm_hp_ref=@education123
Speaking about the tyranny of mediocrity, here is a video that will put a smile on your face, and have the students talking about the one teacher 25 years after. However it is a rarity in the tyranny of mediocrity when the students are likely to be suspended or sent to the detention room.
“Every Teacher Should Take Down An Unruly Student This Way
There are teachers out there who will always surprise you. ”
http://www.upworthy.com/every-teacher-should-take-down-an-unruly-student-this-way?c=ufb1
A TEENS REACT segment has reignited the public discussion about Jeff Bliss and his rant against mediocrity in classroom teaching. Some 1.7 million have viewed this program:
The Teen Panel provides an honest and powerful response — confirming that “packet teaching” is still common in today’s high schools.