The Bill Ayers controversy

Many of us working in education in Chicago are familiar with Bill Ayers through his work as a professor at UIC and his longstanding involvement in education reform efforts here.

Golden Apple Fellow Mark Larson was moved to respond to the flap over Barack Obama’s acquaintance with Ayers:

I do not condone what Bill did 40 years ago. In fact, I find it impossible to defend.

I do celebrate who he is in his many dimensions, today.

This is what I know: When I spend time with Bill, I see our world as a flawed, fascinating and hopeful place that is rife with ironies and potential. Bill’s curiosity about the world and his abiding respect for its people is contagious. He speaks with passion and eloquence about the lives and futures of children in ways that remind us that this is the most important subject of our times.

The full text of Mark’s letter to the editor of the Chicago Tribune is here.

Joanne Jacobs presents another point of view.

Has anyone talked about this with their students? I feel like there is an interesting issue here (both regarding Ayers and Rev. Jeremiah Wright) about the grey areas in choosing and defending your friends. Especially for kids who may have friends or relatives who, for instance, are in gangs, use racist or homophobic language, have been involved in bullying or other school violence, etc.

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I worked with Bill Ayers during my time in the GATE program. I was aware then of his Weatherman Underground associations. While I suppose that must mean I can never run for office, I don’t think it says anything about my political leanings. I do not actually agree with what Bill did in the 60s.

However, that was a wrenching time for this nation and many of us opposed the Viet Nam war in various ways. Not all of us chose to go as far as Bill. However, those of us who tried to use the political process may have been too hopeful in thinking that that was sufficient to end our involvement in what was essentially a civil war in Indochina.

It may be worth noting here that the federal government never chose to prosecute him for his actions.

Bill Ayers today does an excellent job in making the problems of urban education meaningful to his students. That is the current reality. What any of us did, or didn’t do, 40+ years ago really means very little in our current decision making.