THIS IS A RECENT ARTICLE
WRITTEN BY AN NYU JOURNALISM STUDENT:
Politician Ridealong
By, Lauren Berger
“What’s the point of a grade? It is only a letter. It doesn’t tell if you’re smart, or to others you’re better.” New York City mayoral candidate and high school teacher, Seth Blum, slowly recites these lines, carefully enunciating each word and relishing its sound, as though he were quoting Shakespeare. In reality, Blum is performing his own tenth grade opus, a poem entitled Education or Frustration.
A moment later, 30-year-old Blum breaks character and falls right back into the same nonchalant, generous smile he wears whenever he talks about his passion: education. As a sophomore at Jericho High School on Long Island, when most students worried about car privileges and homecoming dances, Blum was already disenchanted with the rigid curriculum and grading standards utilized by his teachers. Bored by the strict, textbook-style learning, his focus shifted quickly from the classroom to the stage, where he spent his time as the lead actor in a number of school musicals and dramas. It was during this time that Blum began craving the spotlight both on and off the stage. “I was always an actor and noticed that the person getting the most attention in the classroom was the teacher,” he says, with a chuckle. “I just thought I could do better than my math teacher.”
These days, the six-foot-tall, wavy-haired, thespian-at-heart is a pre-calculus and calculus teacher at the Manhattan International High School in New York City, where he has been using his performance skills to energize and inspire students for seven years. Now, however, Blum’s desire to entertain is equally accompanied by his desire to challenge students to think outside the box and take risks. Excitedly throwing his hands around and using them as visual aides, he explains the real world projects he assigns to students, which require them to go beyond textbooks and into Manhattan to create their own mathematical functions. Blum’s dark brown eyes grow wide with enthusiasm as he discusses the positive effect of his alternative teaching style. “Here’s something they never thought they could do, you know?” he says. “But they realize they can, and then they wonder, ‘What other challenges can I take on?’”
He is quick to point out that standardized testing does not lead to such reactions from students and that the education system should be far more open to teaching alternatives. However, annual rallies with other frustrated educators and complaints to the New York City schools chancellor and the mayor have not led to any dramatic changes. Blum is vocal about his dissatisfaction with the failed gatherings. “I was at the city hall rally! We hold one every year,” he says. “Why don’t we just take city hall already? Holding signs and banners just isn’t doing anything!”
His frustration with the lack of government response ultimately led to his decision to found the Education Party and to run for mayor in the 2005 election. Blum wants teachers to use flexible, creative curricula and allow students to graduate using a comprehensive portfolio, rather than standardized measures.
However, he is adamant he is not a “kook” and has no delusions of actually winning the race. His objectives in running are beyond the race. First, he wants to lay the groundwork for future races by the Education Party. “Right now, it’s a baby party, but who knows where it will go?” he says with a shrug. Perhaps most important, though, he wants to take action to try and make a difference. “I want to prove to myself, my students, and everyone around me that anything is possible,” he says. “If you see something you think you can’t do, you can!” Seth Blum has become another real world example for his students to study.
He has already succeeded in gaining the 7,500 signatures needed to get on the ballot, but that does not mean he has not met with resistance and criticism from even those closest to him. His parents initially discouraged the decision, nervous for his reputation and how he would be received. Even though they have become more understanding, they have remained on the sidelines. In addition, Blum notes that the lack of support from certain teachers he has worked and rallied with in the past has hit him hard. “They just want to continue protesting by wearing a black shirt or wearing a hat one day,” he remarks, shaking his head. “That made me doubt those individuals, but I’ve never once doubted my cause.”
Blum continues his daily campaign for mayor, putting himself out there for the public to see – literally. He often carries a large sign that reads “NYC Teacher Running For Mayor,” whether walking down the street or riding the subway, to simply spread the word about his candidacy. In addition, he holds meetings with supporters of the Education Party and relies on the word of mouth sparked by emails, flyers, and his website, www.educationparty.org, to reach voters.
From here, who knows where he will go and what he will strive to be? The actor in the role of a teacher playing the role of a political candidate has only just started his journey.
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