If you want to observe an example of building consensus behind a narrative by employing rhetoric, look no further than the search that is underway to find someone to replace outgoing Superintendent of Education, John White. I am disappointed in myself for not seeing it sooner.
For those of you who aren’t familiar with the practice of persuasion using rhetoric, I provide a brief summary. There are three primary types of rhetoric which are referred to as Pathos, Ethos, and Logos.
- Pathos uses language and illustrations that appeal to your emotions. Examples of this are ASPCA commercials about animal cruelty, or the fundraising campaigns to feed hungry children.
- Ethos engages the desire to believe someone who appears to have credibility. For example, the American Heart Association’s campaign showing a doctor (an actor) revealing the results of heart disease.
- Logos rhetoric depends on your ability to rationalize, or make decisions by employing logic. The arguments for and against climate change employ logos. The irony is that logic can lead someone to either side of the argument.
If you would like to learn a little more about these techniques in a short read that explains the fallacies associated with rhetoric, click this link—-> Logical Fallacies.
Now that you have an idea of what I’m talking about, I’ll explain what I have seen take place over the last year, or so. As I mentioned in Louisiana’s White Elephant, I’ve known of White’s exit plan, and although I knew it was coming, I could only speculate as to when it would occur. During that time, I spent a lot of time rationalizing who an obvious successor would be, and completely missed what is obvious to me, now.
What has been occurring right in front of our noses is a pathos campaign to draw in emotional support for a particular educational need followed by an ethos campaign to create a credible authority on the educational need, and soon we will see a logos campaign that identifies the heir-apparent as the logical choice to be the new superintendent of education.
The particular educational need is early education and literacy, and the heir-apparent is Assistant Superintendent, Jessica Tucker-Baghian. Baghian joined LDOE in 2013 as deputy chief of staff and was eventually promoted to assistant superintendent of accountability. She was the primary developer of the new ELA/Social Studies assessment being piloted in middle schools, this year. In 2018, when assistant superintendent of early childhood, Jenna Conway, exited LDOE, Baghian assumed those responsibilities, as well. This put her in a position to lead the Early Childhood Literacy Commission whose recommendations I wrote about in Screaming from the Mountain Tops. Sources inside LDOE have reported a growing distaste for Baghian’s unabashed willingness to tout Conway’s work in early childhood as her own.
This campaign to replace White with someone who will stay the course on education reforms under the guise of urgency in early literacy has been underway for a year. We’ve gone from White expressing disappointment that the governor’s budget last year didn’t include early childhood. The focus of early childhood has intensified over the last year, and now it is the talking point of every public statement regarding education from the governor to legislators to representatives of LABI and CaBL. Since White’s announcement that he is leaving, Baghian has served as the primary spokesperson for every media story. Like I said. Once you know, it’s hard to imagine how you missed it.
Here is a rundown of Baghian’s qualifications to be superintendent of education.
- 2006: Graduated from LSU with a degree in Political Communications. Wrote a blog called The New New Orleans for a senior project.
- 2006-2009: Earned alternative certification to teach through The New Teacher Project, and taught middle school Math in St. John parish.
- 2009-2012 Attended Harvard Law School and served as an intern at LDOE in the summer of 2009.
- 2013: Returned to LDOE after completing law school to become the deputy chief of staff.
I’d like to take the opportunity to point out that not only does a degree in political communications, or law degree, not qualify Baghian to teach; much less be superintendent, she has never held a permanent teaching certificate. This fact, of course, means that should BESE desire to appoint Baghian as superintendent via a 2/3 majority vote, they will first have to vote with a 2/3 majority to waive the requirements to be superintendent; just as they did with John White. In addition, she oversees the grandest invalid accountability scheme and is steering a future early literacy investment in the exact opposite direction that research supports.
Louisiana, unless you are okay with the second verse of the same song, it’s time to get active and vocal.
Ganey – I haven’t had time lately to check all the timing. When will the federal entitlement allocations be announced, and then when will the competitive funds be awarded? How does this schedule line up with White’s departure. Just curious.
Louisiana-given 5 chances to do it right and doing it wrong 6 times. Born here-every right to reflect the obvious.
Why would a person with little teaching experience be given a job supervising education for the state? You cannot apply for an administrative position in a school district without 5 years experience as a classroom teacher or a valid teaching certificate.
Should definitely be a pro public education leader for a public education position. No pro charter school advocate !
Charter is public. If the existing school system is is failure, sometimes charter is the only option. Don’t throw the baby out with the bath water.
Our last two Superintendents of the LDOE, did NOT meet the qualifications as a school DISTRICT superintendent, but instead we got a lawyer, then a con man. When we voted, many years ago, for an appointed superintendent, we were told that this would give more continuity to the office than an elected superintendent. The person was also SUPPOSED to be qualified as as school district superintendent.
What actually happened was that after Cecil Picard, we have had no one who has “successfully” taught for at “least 5 years”, and had at “least” a Master’s degree in Administration and Supervision, now Educational Leadership.
We’ve had “fix-it” program, after “fix-it” program thrown at schools, sometimes changing three or four times in a given school year.
We’ve had more and more administrators added at the local level, and classroom teachers cut, because of “budget” problems cause by all these changes.
BESE is NOT responsive to the people they supposedly represent.
I spent 34 1/2 years as a teacher/librarian and AM certified to be Superintendent of Schools. not that I’d want the job!
BA ELEM. ED., MEd, MLIS
Maybe the fact that you may not WANT the job highlights our NEED for you to do it.
When will the State of Louisiana learn that a politician can’t be a effective Superintendent!!! You want someone who actually understands education in a classroom . Past history of who has been in charge should be a RED FLAG!!! I now understand the definition of “idiot” .. come on we are at the bottom. Do better for the children and the teachers
We’ve been lead to believe that success as a classroom teacher somehow prepares one for success in administration. I would counter that many fantastic classroom teachers have made mediocre at best administrators while many fantastically successful administrators had middle of the pack teaching careers. Let’s remember that a Superintendant of Education is responsible for RESULTS and chose someone who cares more about preparing our children for either further education or the world of work that they do about honoring decades of focus on process that have led us to where we are now. Our outstanding students are still outstanding, but our average students are woefully prepared for what comes after graduating compared to average students 10 and 20 years ago. That has to change soon before we lose the support of the taxpayers we depend on for funding our systems and who depend on us for the workforce of the future.
I suspect you chose not to identify yourself because your comment would not be well received by the general public, so anonymity is safe. You seem to take what I’m saying to mean that any teacher who makes it through the ranks can be a good superintendent, and that is far from what I’ve stated. Your fear of losing public confidence is about eight years too late. The present requires an effort to regain the confidence of the public. An effective superintendent requires the support and confidence of not only the taxpayers, but also the educated professionals that will carry out his policies. That is primarily gained by having spent time at all, or most, levels of the education system they will be tasked to lead. We can no longer allow business and industry to treat our students as commodities and a superintendent to implement policies with predetermined outcomes. Methods based on research, data derived from accurate assessments, and valued input from all stakeholders are non-negotiable expectations for the next superintendent.