Friends of Aesthetic Realism
            Countering the Lies
“It’s a lie, and not a well told one at that.
  It grins out like a copper dollar.”

                  —Abraham Lincoln
 

On a Website's Reprinting a 10-Year-Old Attack on Aesthetic Realism from that Bastion of Integrity, the New York Post

By Devorah Tarrow

Now a certain website has given us the definitive refutation of Aesthetic Realism! Where does it come from? A scholarly journal? No. A trustworthy source? No. It comes from a tabloid that's known in New York and elsewhere to be a place wherein one can read lurid gossip (who cares if it's untrue as long as it's sufficiently lurid) about the figures of the day, and other articles geared to shock people. This tabloid is known also for attacking virulently whatever doesn't go along with its right-wing agenda, including unions and other progressive organizations and causes. (Again, what do the facts matter?)

It's clear the 10-year-old article's sources are those same few individuals who have been trying to discredit Aesthetic Realism for a long time. The Post jumped on their “story” and did what it could to damage the reputation of a respected teaching method and those who use it—including two highly esteemed New York City teachers, science teacher Rosemary Plumstead and art teacher Donita Ellison. (By the way, this tabloid has consistently shown its desire for education to be privatized, and its contempt for public education and for the teachers' union.)

And what came of its oh-so-penetrating exposé? Including the Post's urging the NYC Board (now Department) of Education to investigate—which the Board of Education indeed did?

Nada, zip, zero. Except that the two teachers are even more highly esteemed than ever! That's because it's generally known throughout the NYC metropolitan area that teachers using the Aesthetic Realism teaching method enable there to be such successful learning in their classrooms; and that through this method students become less angry, less prejudiced, kinder to one another.

In fact, teachers are hired because they use the Aesthetic Realism teaching method. These teachers receive citations, accolades, awards, letters of thanks from grateful parents.   They're invited to give staff development. They're invited to give presentations at regional, statewide, and national education conferences.

Further about Mrs. Plumstead and Ms. Ellison 10 years later.  They're more widely published and have given more workshops in the Aesthetic Realism teaching method as it works in teaching the arts and sciences. Their Regents exam results have been exemplary: their Regents averages being in the 80-90% range—amazing for New York City.

Aesthetic Realism itself? Also stronger, more widely respected than ever.

READ WHAT'S TRUE—
  • Read statements by many individual men and women inside
  • Reviews from the NY Times Book Review, Saturday Review, Library Journal, Harlem Times, Popular Photography, and more
  • Poetry by Eli Siegel, so greatly respected by William Carlos Williams and many others
  • Read lectures by Eli Siegel on subjects as diverse as literature, love, & economics
  • What really is learned in classes taught by Ellen Reiss
  •  
     
    Isn't being Anonymous
       wonderful?
    I can say anything ugly and
       dishonest I choose...
       >continued
    bullet for Friends of Aesthetic Realism "The Incredible Aesthetic Realism Deadlock..."
                                and more

    A Dramatic and Cautionary Tale about an Unknown and Very Unimportant Person

    There once was a young man of ancient Greece named Milos. And Milos knew Socrates. He did not like Socrates because the great man asked far too many questions....continued
    Statements by Friends of Aesthetic Realism
    Barbara Allen
    Frances Amello
    Jerry Amello
    Christopher Balchin
    Mara Bennici
    David Berger
    Alice Bernstein
    Rachel J. Bernstein
    Barbara Buehler
    Gina Buffone
    Beverly Sue Burk
    Maureen Butler
    Jeffrey Carduner
    Margot Carpenter
    Lori & Robert Colavito
    Albert Corvino
    Nicholas Corvino
    Henry D'Amico
    Matthew D’Amico
    Ernest DeFilippis
    Vincent DiPietro
    Carol Driscoll
    Donita Ellison
    Lorraine Galkowski, RN
    Pamela Goren
    Edward Green
    Avi Gvili
    Ames Huntting
    Mark Lale
    Dale Laurin
    Timothy Lynch
    Lorraine Mahoney, RN
    Derek Mali
    Glenn Mariano
    Haroldo Mauro Jr.
    Allan Michael
    Marvin Mondlin
    Robert Murphy
    Meryl Nietsch-Cooperman
    Ruth Oron
    Arnold Perey, PhD
    Lauren Phillips
    Jack Plumstead
    Maria Plumstead
    Rosemary Plumstead
    Rev. Wayne Plumstead
    Zvia Ratz
    Ann Richards
    Rhonda Rosenthal
    Sally Ross
    Claudia Senatore
    Sheldon Silverman
    Jeffrey Sosinsky, MD
    Barbara Spetly McClung
    Joseph Spetly
    Faith K. Stern
    John Stern
    Arlene Sulkis
    Devorah Tarrow
    Jaime R. Torres, DPM
    Dennis L. Tucker
    Francine Weber
    Steve Weiner
    Carrie Wilson


     

     

     
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