Education PR Spies Shouldn’t Surprise Anyone (And some Reading First, too)
Much has been made of the NYC DoE’s “Truth Squad” push, partly because it’s pseudo-scandal, partly because it’s such a poor effort that deserves a bit of criticism. And, as much as it’s an eye-rolling bother to read 30 inappropriate references to Orwell each day, at least the Ohanians and UFTers of the world are finally overstating Orwell re: something other than George W. Bush and Rethuglican conspiracy theories [we'll likely be back to that by Thursday - if you can't wait, you can read Mr. Guhlin's The Pulse-parroting of "Reading First was unveiled as a program to make money for Bush Administration cronies"].
Actually, I’ll run with this for a second - check out the latest debate about the recently-cancelled Reading First:
- Stephen Krashen - who couldn’t help but substitute “ph” for the “f” in “failure,” as such wannabe-wit is too strong a lure for some - squeals in delight at RF’s demise. He claims that there is no literacy crisis in the USA. With apologies to Prof. Krashen and many of the fine folks at/graduates of USC, I could name a few professional athletes with USC pedigrees who could prove him wrong. Actually, I should probably go easy on Krashen, lest he write one of those letters to the editor for which he’s so famous.
- Reid Lyon, who slaps Krashen’s argument silly.
- Eduflack, whose sensible takes on Reading First and the most recent debate is always appreciated.
- Richard Whitmire, who advises that the National Reading Panel reconvenes.
And now back to the spying issue.
I was a little bit surprised that others were surprised by the DoE’s move here. Absolutely every organization, if it’s big enough, has to monitor its brand. There’s nothing wrong with engaging in public discussion on blogs - I just wish that the DoE had the courage to take the bull by the horns. If they’re discussing information on other sites, they’d do well to have their own similar information channel [which would, of course, cut down on what they'd have to monitor elsewhere].
There’s one bright point to the Truth Squad - it’s cheap compared to what the DoE would’ve spent had they not gone DIY.
You do realize this happens constantly, don’t you? Even the little guys like me deal with education-related PR representation frequently. Most are wonderful - they want to add to the information you’ve got and make sure your questions are answered.
Others, however, are rotten little things. Here’s an example with the subject of “Circulation/Hits”:
Good morning,
I was just wondering if you have any ideas about how many hits a day/month/etc. your website receives. Thanks for the help.
Little did she know how much I love to assuage wonderment!
Of course I know everything there is to know about my web activity - would you believe that 26% of my direct web traffic makes $100k a year? - but it’s the blog equivalent of one’s Social Security number. Such specific stats aren’t to be given out, especially when there’s no stated purpose.
I know the firm well [they always seem to assume that we're totally ignorant], and I know why they get hired. I responded:
XXXXX,
Thanks for the inquiry. XXXXX provides me with all sorts of statistics/analysis, and there are a few other outlets that use my content that don’t show up [with] XXXXX. I tend not to release any site information, but if you can tell me more about your request, I’d be happy to oblige - let me know.
Thanks again,
Matthew
I got a very short reply:
I work at a PR firm and we wanted to know from a media standpoint. If you cant release the information, that is ok!
Thanks,
XXXXX
“A media standpoint.” Again, they think we’re all ignorant - it’s like an e-mail from Microsoft saying, “I work at a computer place.” I don’t mind playing the e-mail game, though.
I’d be happy to assist [PR firm] in any way - [PR firm's] reputation, especially as it relates to PR for higher ed, is excellent. Since I have written things about several of your clients in the past, I’d need to know the purpose for my statistics - ‘a media standpoint’ is a bit vague. Hopefully I can provide something of value.
And that’s the truth. I love to help get messages out, and I probably don’t do it enough. But the timing of this message, and the vague nature of the communication, suggests [as it has so many other times] that this was about crisis management.
In short, I’m being asked to tell them how much they need to worry about something I’ve written. This is sensible, this vetting and prioritization on their end - but it’s awfully rude to suggest it so openly.
Imagine being at a school board meeting - and since this is so common, it shouldn’t be hard to imagine - and making a public comment. Right after that comment the Superintendent or Board President asks, “Well, how much do you pay in school taxes?”
If that number is high, they’ll take you seriously. If it’s low, you’re brushed off instantly. That thar’s some Realpolitik, says the love child of Davy Crockett and Bismarck.
This firm is only worried about the impact of truth if enough people are actually going to see it.
Hey Matt,
I was just curious about the circulation because when you do mention our clients, we like to be able to give them a ball park number of people to whom the message will be reached. Thanks!
Uh huh. Perhaps this PR firm could hire someone to teach their 12-year old interns how to: a) communicate and b) politely conceal motives.
And I might be wrong - I never discount that possibility. This firm might be chiefly concerned with only that benevolent PR and not the DoE-style fact-choking, but the tone of the communication leads me to think otherwise.
The point here is that all our big education institutions, from Depts. of Ed. to colleges/universities, are spending your money to do this anyway, whether it’s in-house [cheap, inefficient] or through an outside agency [expensive, efficient], whether it’s using tax money or alumni donations.
The best way to save these schools money is to be accurate.
Oddly enough, sometimes the best way to rack up a huge PR bill for them is to be accurate, too.
14 Responses to “Education PR Spies Shouldn’t Surprise Anyone (And some Reading First, too)”
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>>Instead of wasting billions of dollars more on Reading First, let’s invest much more in libraries in low-income areas. Let’s make sure all children have access to books, and solve the real literacy crisis forever.<<
Funny. My tiny little town just invested in a 3 million dollar community library. The town is so small you can walk or bicycle to it from anywhere, and it’s a very low-income area. I spend a lot of time there in the summers, so I see that a lot of kids and teenagers also spend time in the library. (Some of them to escape the heat of houses with no a/c.)
But they aren’t perusing the quick-changing new reads shelf (which is very diverse and prominently placed), or looking at any of the three dozen magazines or other books. They’re at the bank of computers that sits right in front of the books, riveted for their alloted time (usually to music sites and games, from what I’ve seen) and then signing up over and over to get back on when there’s a waiting list. While they wait, they will sit in one of the reading areas nearby without picking up a single printed item to pass the time.
In the children’s section there’s even a sitting area with big cushions, and lots of kids’ books on display. Unfortunately, there are also two kid-sized computer stations, and that’s where the little ones cluster.
Having access to books doesn’t seem to be the solution to the literacy crisis in my area. It’s a nice pipe dream (and a pretty mental picture - kids gone wide-eyed in the stacks, wandering for hours, handling books like precious trinkets they feel honored to have access to), but if you don’t read well no assortment, variety, or wealth of books is going to tempt you to pick one up.
There is a huge difference between print literacy and technological literacy. Most of our students are more tech-literate than print-literate.
It all starts at home. I read to my boys every day. I make sure that they read on their own, too. They also have time on the computer, don’t get me wrong. I believe that tech-literacy is important. But if our kids don’t have that print-literacy, they will not understand that tech-literacy.
Matt- I’d love to see where you found that info where Krashen says there’s no reading crisis in the US. I’ve studied a lot of Krashen’s publications for not just literacy, but also for ESL, and I find that very odd that he would say that he doesn’t think there’s a literacy crisis. I’m not digging on you at all; I’m just curious because that doesn’t sound like Krashen at all, except for his gleeful peals of laughter at RF’s failure.
Michelle,
From Krashen’s USA Today editorial:
“Ninety-nine percent of the U.S. adult population can read and write at a basic level. There is no crisis in basic literacy. The issue is how to achieve higher levels, the ability to read and write complex texts. The only way this happens is by extensive reading.”
I think Lyon touches on the 99% number in the link above - why it’s a fairly low bar and doesn’t quite reflect the state of literacy in the US.
If literacy = the ability to understand a STOP sign, then Krashen is probably right.
Redkudu,
I don’t really know why people think libraries are the magic solution to literacy. They’re good institutions and there are certainly bigger wastes of money, but the “build it and they will come” method of reforming low-income areas just doesn’t work. It doesn’t work with libraries, it doesn’t work with better housing, it doesn’t work period.
I’ve been to the public library here once in my life. I was maybe 11 or so.
I read at home constantly, and still do, mostly because my family encouraged reading, talking about books, all of it - and they still do.
Build families, not libraries - that’s the answer. But if Krashen said things like that, they’d have to kick him out of the far left wing.
“If literacy = the ability to understand a STOP sign, then Krashen is probably right.”
Even then you can get by just recognizing the shape.
Sight Words in action!
Matthew- You’d have to read Krashen’s book “The Power of Reading”. It rips apart RF and he explains what we need to help kids read.
I’m very surprised that Krashen said that there is no basic literacy crisis. Actually, I’m shocked. There is more to basic literacy than reading a STOP sign, and like your other commenter stated, also knowing the sign shape (and the color as well).
UGH. Just another thing to make my blood pressure rise.
Dr. Krashen is an internationally respected expert in how children develop language. Reid Lyon is not.
I do however agree with you about the importance of access to high-interest reading materials. The person opposed to a books for poor kids blows my mind. You learn to read by reading. Check out Dr. Constantino’s work here:
http://accessbooks.net/
Beatblogging comments here…
http://tinyurl.com/59s5ap
;->
Gary,
I have and will continue to put more stock in the merits of one’s argument than in one’s CV.
Oddly enough, you cited Krashen’s reputation as evidence of his superiority on this issue just a day or two before you busted on David Warlick for being hired, largely based on prior work and reputation, to deliver keynotes when you intimate that he has little to offer. [I found it refreshing that David admitted that it was getting tougher to develop proper keynote topics, but I digress.] If you’ve got a rubric that determines when reputation is an asset, a la Krashen, and when it is to be discarded, a la Warlick, I’d love to see it.
Michelle,
Ordering that book right now - not sure how I’ve delayed reading it in full for so long. Major oversight on my part.
Miguel,
As I wrote on your site:
“I never said that libraries “don’t work,” despite your tendentious post title. They, like any other facility, are only as good as how they’re utilized.
I did say that building a library alone doesn’t transform a low-income area.”
Matthew- A HUGE AMEN to your comment on “building a library alone doesn’t transform a low-income area.” One needs to entice the neighborhood to come to the library, and many of those residents will have low literacy skills. To draw the residents in, a library in said area will have to offer tutoring services in literacy for not just the children, but the adults as well. Many social service organizations such as Rotary International might be able to help fund a tutoring program like that.
Plus, many low-income residents might be immigrants, so there will be a language barrier. Throw in some ESL classes for that population.
Libraries will have to change their role more in the community if they want to keep their circulation stats and patronage up.
Yes, I do have my librarian certification. (wink) I worked as a librarian assistant for a year and a couple of months before I had to go on bed rest when I was pregnant with the twins.
P.S. I read the “Freakonomics” book last year and I LOVED it. I especially found intriguing the correlation between baby names and socioeconomic status.