Media

Media Coverage of Yinzer Nation Efforts

• Our Test-In on high-stakes-testing: Post-Gazette, 3-22-15.
• We helped these Pittsburgh students organize to ask for art education: Washington Post, 12-17-14.
• Role of our movement in voting Gov. Corbett out: Washington Post, 11-10-14
• Bob Herbert book launch event: Post-Gazette, 10-7-14; Rick Smith radio show; City Paper, 10-15-14.
• Dramatic cut-back in student testing: Post-Gazette, 9-9-14 and Post-Gazette, 9-15-14.
• Community schools initiative. City Paper, 6-4-14.
• Brown v. Board of Education 60th anniversary rally. Post-Gazette, 5-13-14.
• Opposition to high-stakes testing increases. Post-Gazette, 3-9-14.
• In These Times, Jan. 2014.
• Yinzercation makes the list of Top People to Know in Pittsburgh in 2014! Post-Gazette, 1-7-14.
• “With more than 270 Tests, When is Enough Enough?”. Post-Gazette, 11-2-13.
• Great Public Schools Pittsburgh releases its community report. Post-Gazette, 10-17-13.
• Our support of a City Council resolution calling for a moratorium on school closings was covered by Pittsburgh City Paper, 10-11-13; WTAE / ABC channel 4, 10-14-13 (mid-day); WTAE / ABC channel 4, 10-14-13 (evening news)
  KDKA / CBS channel 2, 10-14-13; Pittsburgh Post Gazette, 10-15-13; and NPR / WESA.fm, 10-15-13
• Our Diane Ravitch event drew 1,000 people and excellent articles in the Post-Gazette, 9-17-13 and Pittsburgh City Paper, 9-18-13. KDKA also did an interview.
• Harrisburg bus trip, covered in Pittsburgh by KDKA TV (6-25-13)
• Our Opt-Out movement went viral when our op-ed piece received over 42,000 shares on Facebook. With followup stories everywhere from the front page of the Post-Gazette to the front page of the Washington Post, the action received intense newspaper, internet, and radio coverage.
• PA Budget Panel presentation, sponsored by the Women & Girls Foundation, WESA/NPR story (3-27-13)
• The Rally for Public Education made the front page of the local section (Post-Gazette, 2-11-13) and was on WTAE TV
• Yinzercation testified before County Council about the impact of UPMC’s tax-exempt property on Allegheny County schools. (KDKA TV news coverage, 12-5-12; WESA/NPR story, 12-6-12)
• Pittsburgh City Paper (11-21-12) picked up the super-PAC money trail we have been following in state politics impacting education policy, using Yinzercation resources and interviews with those in the grassroots movement.
• The Post-Gazette featured our “Manchester Miracle” – the library book drive that went completely viral – on the front page. [Post-Gazette, 9-22-12]. Followup coverage in the Tribune Review (10-23-12), and on WPXI (10-14-12). And another feature story on local students donating their time and books, Post-Gazette 11-21-12. The coverage continues with a story about the need for librarians in those libraries, Tribune Review (12-13-12).
• Every major media outlet in Southwest PA covered our candlelight vigil protesting the loss of 285 teachers due to state budget cuts. See Channel 4 video on the OnePittsburgh site; channels 2 and 11 also ran spots; we had two Post-Gazette feature photos of the day; a Tribune Review article; and a spot in the City Paper.
• Week of May 21, 2012: statewide rallies, letter drop-offs, and call-in day coverage (“The Governor’s Bad Week“)
• Our protest of Corbett’s lifetime achievement award for education from the Pittsburgh Opera went viral: a run down of the coverage in “…Until the Fat Lady Sings” and “Encore! Encore!”
• Radio interview with Kathy Newman on the Lynn Cullen show (April 17, 2012; near 22 minute mark)
• Munhall Mock Bake Sale, 4-16-12: article in McKeesport Daily News / Tribune Review
• Essential Public Radio interview with Jessie Ramey (March 28, 2012)
• Pittsburgh Colfax K-8 “Sidewalk Party,” January 25, 2012 for Ed Voter’s state-wide call-your-legislator day: on Channel 11 evening news
• Rally for Public Education, February 11, 2012: articles in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and Tribune Review, coverage on KDKA Channel 2 evening news
• Fall Back in Love with Public Education teen rally in Harrisburg, February 14, 2012: article in Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
• South Fayette Partners for Public Education event kickoff meeting, February 29, 2012: article in Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
• One Pittsburgh public education teach in, March 3, 2012: article in Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
• Yinzer Nation participates in state-wide call-your-legislator day, March 5, 2012: article in Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and in the (new on-line) Pittsburgh Press
• Pittsburgh Obama students design billboards for Harrisburg protesting budget cuts to public education: KDKA interview (3-19-12)

Photos

• Test-In on high-stakes-testing (March 21, 2015)
• CAPA students go to Harrisburg (February 26, 2015)
• Bob Herbert book launch event (October 9, 2014)
• Democratic Gubernatorial Candidate Education Debate (April 8, 2014)
• National Day of Action rally (Dec. 9, 2013)
• Diane Ravitch event (September 2013)
• Great Public Schools (GPS) Pittsburgh launch (August 2013)
• Harrisburg Bus Trip (June 2013)
• Rolling Rally, bus tour of closed Pittsburgh schools
• Rally for Public Education (Feb. 2013)
• Manchester Miracle, thousands donate to Pittsburgh school libraries
• Candlelight Vigil to protest the loss of 285 Pittsburgh teachers
• Operatic Rally protest photos
• Mock Bake Sales, Squirrel Hill and Munhall (April 16 & 17, 2012)
• Rally for Public Education (February 11, 2012)

Political Cartoons

• Gov. Corbett budget bogeyman, Rob Rogers, Post-Gazette (Feb. 4, 2013)
• Drumming Corbett, Rob Rogers, Post-Gazette (May 16, 2012)
• Fat Lady, Rob Rogers, Post-Gazette (May 14, 2012)
• Cookie Crumbs for Children, Gary Huck, for the statewide Mock Bake Sale protests (April 2012)
• EITC Triple Dip Cone, Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center (June 2012)

Videos

• Brown v. Board of Education anniversary, American School Board Journal (May 2014)
• Diane Ravitch event (September 16, 2013)
• Youth Media Advocacy Project video about education equity and justice, featuring Pittsburgh city and suburban students from the Racial Justice through Human Rights’ group (June 2012)
• Mock Bake Sale, Squirrel Hill Post Office (April 17, 2012)
• Mock Bake Sale, Munhall (April 16, 2012)
• State-wide call-your-legislator days  (March 5, 2012)
• Check out this fantastic short video made by the kids in the A+School Teen Bloc program about the budget cuts (February 2012)

Op-Ed Pieces

• Slay the Testing Beast (Greg Taranto; P-G, 3-26-14)
• Why I Won’t Let My Son Take the PSSAs: The Opt Out Movement is Growing Because High-Stakes-Testing is Wrecking our Schools (Kathy Newman, Yinzercation; P-G, 3-31-13)
• Don’t Make Teachers Scapegoats: Let’s Leverage ‘Won’t Back Down’ to Achieve Real School Reform in Pittsburgh (Nina Esposito-Visgitis, President, PFT; P-G, 10-15-12)
• Class Warfare in the Classroom (Greg Palast, P-G, 9-13-12)
• Failing Grade for Corbett: A New Law Stomps on the Rights of the Duquesne School District and Others (State Rep. Marc Gergely, D-White Oak, P-G, 8-22-12 )
• Governor Giveaway: Tom Corbett Keeps Shoveling Our Money to the Oil and Gas Companies (Debbie Srogi, P-G 6-15-12)
• Stop the School Cuts (Michael Crossey, P-G 2-28-12)
• Not Concerned About Budget Cuts to Public Education? Then You are Not Paying Attention (Judy Wertheimer, P-G 1-29-12)

Letters to the Editor (Published)

• “The Test Taking Culture in Schools is Having a Negative Impact” (Lisa McDade, P-G, 3-29-15)
• “Education Sense” (Theresa Alberts, P-G, 8-20-13)
• “We Can’t Afford Not to Have True Education Reform” (Bob Hartley, P-G, 5-20-13)
• “PSSA Pressures” (Joe Tighe, P-G, 4-28-13)
• “Tests are Overused” (Pamela Harbin, P-G, 4-7-13)
• “Better Ways to Test” (Carole Skinger, P-G, 4-7-13)
• “Classroom Realities” (Jessie Ramey, P-G, 4-6-13)
• “Help the Students” (Lamar Shields, P-G, 12-13-12)
• “Invest in Education, Not Top Earners” (Angelina Winbrush, P-G, 12-13-12)
• “Testing is Part of the War on Public Education” (Timothy Slekar, P-G, 10-16-12)
• “PA Ed. Secretary Should Stop Accusations and Do His Job” (Kathleen Clingan, P-G 10-11-12)
• “Urban Schools Will Lose No Matter Who Wins” (Scott Smith, P-G 9-18-12)
• “Education’s Benefits” (Matt Chinman, P-G 5-20-12)
• “Education Disdain” (Steve Karas, P-G 5-30-12)
• “Corbett’s Crisis” (Lorraine Phillips, P-G 5-22-12)
• “A Drain on Districts” (Oliver Drumheller, P-G 5-20-12)
• “Tragic for Kids” (Paul Cosentino, P-G 5-12-12)
• “Unjustifiable Honor” (Eric Swogger, P-G 5-11-12)
• “Opera’s Award to Corbett a Slap to Teachers” (Steven Singer, P-G 5-11-12)
• “Any Future Patrons?” (Roy Werner, P-G 5-10-12)
• “The Governor’s Cuts Threaten Education Excellence” (Stephanie M. Romero, P-G 5-2-12)
• “Corbett’s Chief Concern Should be the People of PA” (Steve Rechichar, P-G 3-23-12)
• “Citizens Tapped Out” (Esther Rankin, P-G 3-22-12)
• “His Education Budget Defenses Don’t Hold Up” (Katherine Luniewski, P-G 3-22-12)
• “Gov. Corbett’s Budget Will Hurt Children” (Lara Cosentino, P-G 2-15-12)
• “Downward Slide” (Elaine Rybski, P-G 1-31-12)
• “Will Our Children’s Education Suffer More?” (Amanda Godley, P-G 1-6-12)
• “Public Strength” (Jessie Ramey, P-G 1-4-12)
• “Education Equity” (Jane McKee, P-G 1-3-12)
• “Education Pays Off” (Matt Chinman, P-G 12-28-11)
• “Cuts’ Consequences” (Ken Segel, P-G 12-27-11)

Yinzercation Articles Republished Nationally

• “7 Religious Reasons I’m Not Letting My Kids Take Standardized Tests” (AlterNet.org, 4-22-15)
• “The Religious Reasons My Kids Won’t be Taking Common Core Tests” (Washington Post, 4-17-15)
• “Students Deliver Wish List to School Board. There’s One Item on It” (Washington Post, 12-17-14)
• “You Can’t Even Buy Groceries for $160, Let Alone Run a School for 400 Kids for  Year” (Washington Post, 11-10-14)
• “A Dozen Problems with Charter Schools” (Washington Post, 5-20-14)
• “13 Ways High Stakes Tests Hurt Students” (Washington Post, 3-11-14)
• “How Field Testing turns Kids into Guinea Pigs – Without Parental Permission” (Washington Post, 2-10-14)
• “The Problem with Choice” (AlterNet.org, 2-8-14)
• “Six Questions for Teach for America” (Alter.Net.org, 11-21-13)
• “A Teacher’s Troubling Account of Giving a 106-Question Standardized Test to 11 Year Olds” (Washington Post, 10-6-13]
• “PA Gets NCLB Waiver, But Still No Funding for Schools in Low-Income Districts” (AlterNet.org, 8-28-13)
• “A Handy Reference Guide to Who is Donating to Corporate-Style Education Reform” (AlterNet.org, 5-15-13)
• “The Everyday Heroism of Our Nation’s Teachers” (AlterNet.org, 12-19-12)
• “Don’t Be Fooled: For Investors, Charter Schools are Cash Cows” (AlterNet.org, 10-25-12)
• “Hey Corporate Reformers: Guess What? We Won’t Back Down Either” (AlterNet.org, 9-27-12)
• “White House Education Advisors Talk the Talk, but Can They Walk the Walk When it Comes to Dismantling NCLB?” (AlterNet.org, 9-5-12)
• “One State’s Poor Excuse for Funneling Taxpayer Cash to Private Schools” (AlterNet.org, 8-20-12)
• “The Competition Fallacy” (AlterNet.org, 6-26-12)
• “Tom Corbett’s Very Bad Week” (AlterNet.org, 5-28-12)
• “Arts Education an Operatic Tragedy” (Huffington Post, 5-10-12)
• “What I Told the White House About Public Education” (AlterNet.org, 3-31-12)