Michael Klonsky: Difference between revisions
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| known_for = Student activist<br>[[Students for a Democratic Society (1960 organization)|Students for a Democratic Society]] national leader<br>Founder, [[Communist Party (Marxist-Leninist) (USA)|Communist Party, Marxist-Leninist]]<br>Educational reformer}} |
| known_for = Student activist<br>[[Students for a Democratic Society (1960 organization)|Students for a Democratic Society]] national leader<br>Founder, [[Communist Party (Marxist-Leninist) (USA)|Communist Party, Marxist-Leninist]]<br>Educational reformer}} |
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'''Michael Klonsky''' (born [[1943]]) is an [[United States|American]] [[educator]] and [[political activist]]. |
'''Michael Klonsky''' (born [[1943]]) is an [[United States|American]] [[educator]] and [[political activist]]. |
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==SDS involvement== |
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Klonsky's father was organization secretary for the [[Communist Party USA]] in eastern [[Pennsylvania]] and [[Delaware]] and later southern [[California]].<ref name="Sale" /><ref name="Elbaum">Elbaum, Max. ''Revolution in the Air: Sixties Radicals Turn to Lenin, Mao and Che.'' New York: Verso, 2002. ISBN 1859846173</ref> Klonsky was born in Brooklyn, New York,{{fact|date=April 2008}} and attended [[Alexander Hamilton High School (Los Angeles, California)|Alexander Hamilton High School]] in [[Los Angeles, California|Los Angeles]] and [[San Fernando Valley State College]].<ref name="Sale" /><ref name="Fischer">Fischer, Klaus. ''America in White, Black And Gray: The Stormy 1960s.'' New york: Continuum International Publishing Group, 2006. ISBN 0826418163</ref><ref name="Jacobs">Jacobs, Ron. ''The Way the Wind Blew: A History of the Weather Underground.'' Paperback ed. New York: Verso, 1997. ISBN 1859841678</ref> In his senior year in college, Mike Klonsky helped organize the first chapter of Students for a Democratic Society in the area.<ref name="Sale" /> He became active in national SDS early in 1967.<ref name="Sale" /> He wrote for both ''[[New Left Notes]]'' and ''[[The Guardian]]'', worked on SDS' anti-[[conscription in the United States|draft]] activities, and ran SDS' Los Angeles Regional Office.<ref name="Sale" /><ref name="Jacobs" /> While managing the L.A. office, Klonsky met Susan Eanet, whom he married<ref name="Sale" /> in 1968.{{fact|date=April 2008}} In 1968, he was involved with community organizing among a poor Caucasians and Mexicans in [[Silver Lake, Los Angeles, California|Silver Lake]], a working-class area of Los Angeles.<ref name="Sale" /> During his community organizing, Klonsky began developing a proto-[[Marxism|Marxist]] ideology which emphasized community and worker organizing.<ref name="Sale" /><ref name="Jacobs" /> By June 1968, Klonsky was a leader among SDSers who were neither revolutionaries nor [[Maoism|Maoist]] followers of the [[Progressive Labor Party]] (PL) faction within SDS.<ref name="Sale" /><ref name="Jacobs" /> |
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Klonsky was elected National Secretary of SDS in 1968 and served for a year.<ref name="Sale" /> He was paid $15 a week, and often moonlighted as a manual laborer to support his wife and new child.<ref name="Sale" /> His politics became much more radical during this period. He rejected the theory of the "[[working class|new working class]]" developed by [[Greg Calvert]] and adopted by SDS years earlier.<ref>Levy, Peter B. ''The New Left and Labor in 1960s.'' Paperback ed. Urbana, Ill.: University of Illinois Press, 1994. ISBN 0252063678</ref> He was also accused of purging SDS of [[GLBT|gay and lesbian]] staff and members.<ref name="Rossinow">Rossinow, Doug. ''The Politics of Authenticity.'' New ed. New York: Columbia University Press, 1998. ISBN 023111057X</ref> At the SDS National Council meeting in December 1968, Klonsky published an article in ''New Left Notes'' titled "Toward A Revolutionary Youth Movement."<ref name="Sale" /><ref name="Jacobs" /><ref>Klonsky, Mike. "Toward A Revolutionary Youth Movement." ''New Left Notes.'' December 23, 1968.</ref><ref name="Elbaum" /> A central document in SDS's final year, Klonsky's article advocated that SDS openly align itself with the working class and begin engaging in [[direct action]].<ref name="Sale" /><ref name="Elbaum" /><ref>Farber, David. ''Chicago '68.'' Chicago: University Of Chicago Press, 1988. ISBN 0226238008</ref> The goal of SDS should be to build [[class consciousness]] among students by organizing working people and moving off campus, and by attacking [[racism]], [[militarism]] and reactionary use of state police powers.<ref name="Sale" /><ref name="Elbaum" /> The "[[Revolutionary Youth Movement]]" (RYM) proposal provoked fierce debate, even shouting matches, between SDS' national leadership and supporters of PL.<ref name="Sale" /> But after five days, it passed and became national SDS policy.<ref name="Sale" /><ref name="Elbaum" /> |
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On [[May 12]], [[1969]], Klonsky and four other SDSers were arrested at the organization's Chicago national headquarters for assaulting a police officer, interfering with a firefighter, and inciting mob action.<ref name="Sale" /> A prank call to a local police station said there had been a shooting at SDS' offices. When the police arrived, Klonsky and the others were convinced it was a ruse to gain access to SDS' offices.<ref name="Sale" /> Klonsky convinced the police everything was fine, when a second prank call brought local firefighters to the scene.<ref name="Sale" /> When the police attempted to force entry to the offices, Klonsky and the others resisted.<ref name="Sale" /> Convinced state repression of SDS was coming, Klonsky told a national television audience on [[CBS]]' "[[Face the Nation]]" that police repression of the [[New Left]] was being planned by the [[United States Department of Justice|U.S. Department of Justice]].<ref name="Sale" /><ref>Rothman, Stanely and Lichter, S. Robert. ''Roots of Radicalism: Jews, Christians, and the Left.'' Paperback ed. Piscataway, N.J.: Transaction Publishers, 1996. ISBN 156000889X</ref> |
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Klonsky spent much of his time as National Secretary helping to keep SDS functioning.<ref name="Sale" /> The organization was growing rapidly, leading to extensive needs for additional telephone lines, more literature, reprints, and space.<ref name="Sale" /> Yet, many SDS chapters were failing, riven by faction, sometimes coming under government repression, or dissolving when student leaders graduated or moved on to other issues.<ref name="Sale" /> Klonsky also maintained relations with other organizations, many of which PL also sought to co-opt.<ref name="Sale" /> When PL attempted to take over the [[Southern Student Organizing Committee]] (SSOC), a progressive but moderate and growing organization of white Southern college students, Klonsky made a number of trips through the South to seek support for SDS and the RYM movement.<ref name="Sale" /><ref name="Michel">Michel, Gregg L. ''Struggle for a Better South: The Southern Student Organizing Committee, 1964-1969.'' New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2004. ISBN 1403960100.</ref> His efforts began paying off,<ref name="Rossinow" /> which led PL supporters to successfully sponsor a resolution at the March 1969 SDS National Council meeting to cut off relations with SSOC.<ref name="Sale" /><ref name="Michel" /> |
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At SDS' June 1969 national convention in Chicago, Klonsky played a major role in the dissolution of the organization. A group of 11 SDS national leaders—including [[Bernardine Dohrn]], [[Jeff Jones (activist)|Jeff Jones]], [[John Jacobs (student leader)|John Jacobs]], [[Mark Rudd]], [[Bill Ayers]], [[Terry Robbins]], and [[Howie Machtinger]]—had met in April and May of 1969 to craft a response to PL supporters within SDS.<ref name="Sale" /> Their article, "You Don't Need A Weatherman to Know Which Way the Wind Blows," was published in ''New Left Notes'' on [[June 18]], [[1969]], the day the convention opened.<ref name="Sale" /><ref>"You Don't Need A Weatherman to Know Which Way the Wind Blows." ''New Left Notes.'' June 18, 1969.</ref> The "Weatherman" statement denounced [[imperialism]]<ref>PL had decried nationalist revolutionary movements as deviations from the struggle against capitalism.</ref> and [[racism]],<ref>PL had denigrated anti-racism movements, arguing they distracted the movement from the struggle against capitalism.</ref> and repudiated PL's claim that youth culture was bourgeois.<ref name="Sale" /> The Weatherman statement called for revolutionary violence at home to stop imperialism, and the formation of collectives in major cities to support violence and stop factionalism.<ref name="Sale" /> The Weatherman faction counted on support from RYM supporters, but Klonsky, [[Bob Avakian]], and [[Les Coleman]] disagreed with many of the positions advocated in the Weatherman statement.<ref name="Sale" /> They issued their own position paper, "Revolutionary Youth Movement II" (RYM II).<ref name="Sale" /><ref name="Elbaum" /> Although the Weatherman and RYM II factions were opposed to PL, the convention broke down over accusations that these caucuses were [[male chauvinism|chauvinistic]].<ref name="Sale" /><ref>The accusations were made after an appearance by the [[Black Panther Party|Black Panthers]]. Many PL supporters believed the Panthers' appearance was a blatant power-play by Klonsky. See: Kopkind, Andrew. ''The Thirty Years' Wars: Dispatches and Diversions of a Radical Journalist 1965-1994.'' New ed. New York: Verso, 1996. ISBN 1859840965</ref> Klonsky denounced PL supporters as racist, and Dohrn denounced them as not sufficiently opposed to imperialism.<ref name="Sale" /> PL leaders accused them of [[redbaiting]].<ref name="Sale" /> Klonsky, Dohrn, Rudd and Robbins huddled in an attempt to strategize a way to defeat the PL faction.<ref name="Sale" /> Although Klonsky attempted to prevent her, Dohrn took to the podium and demanded that all "true" SDSers follow her out of the convention hall.<ref name="Sale" /> Gathering in an adjoining hall, Dohrn demanded that SDS expel all PL supporters.<ref name="Sale" /> On [[June 20]], the Weatherman and RYM II caucuses re-entered the main convention hall, denounced PL, and demanded that PL supporters be ejected.<ref name="Sale" /> When they were not, Dohrn, Klonsky, Rudd and the other national leaders led about two-thirds of the delegates out of the convention hall.<ref name="Sale" /> |
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But the differences between the Weatherman and RYM II factions soon emerged.<ref name="Sale" /> Klonsky did not run for National Secretary, and the RYM II candidate lost a contested election for the post.<ref name="Sale" /> Klonsky and three others did win election to SDS' National Interim Committee.<ref name="Sale" /> But Klonsky's reservations about Weatherman grew. Just a month after the split convention, Klonsky began openly discussing his dissatisfaction.<ref name="Sale" /> He published his views in ''New Left Notes'' on [[August 29]], [[1969]], quit the organization, and moved to California.<ref name="Sale" /><ref name="Jacobs" /><ref>Cunningham, David. ''There's Something Happening Here: The New Left, the Klan, and FBI Counterintelligence.'' Berkeley, Calif.: University of California Press, 2004. ISBN 0520239970</ref> Although he continued to support RYM II, the organization folded after a few more months.<ref name="Sale" /> |
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==Post-SDS politics== |
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In late 1969, Klonsky founded the [[October League]], a [[communist party]] which in 1977 became the [[Communist Party (Marxist-Leninist) (USA)|Communist Party, Marxist-Leninist]].<ref name="Jacobs" /><ref name="Elbaum" /><ref>Busky, Donald F. ''Communism in History and Theory: Asia, Africa, and the Americas.'' New York: Praeger Publishers, 2002. ISBN 0275977331</ref><ref>Fisk, Milton. ''Socialism From Below in the United States: The Origins of the International Socialist Organization.'' Cleveland, Ohio: Hera Press, 1977.</ref><ref name="Fischer" /><ref name="Kaplan">Kaplan, Jeffrey. ''The Cultic Milieu: Oppositional Subcultures in an Age of Globalization.'' Lanham, Md.: AltaMira Press, 2002. ISBN 075910204X</ref> He was elected the party's chairman.<ref name="Alexander">Alexander, Robert J. ''Maoism in the Developed World.'' Westport, Conn.: Praeger Publishers, 2001. ISBN 0275961486</ref> The group opposed [[Gay Liberation]] and supported the regime of [[Mohammad Reza Pahlavi]], [[Iranian monarchy|Shah]] of [[Iran]].<ref name="Alexander" /> Klonsky made several trips to [[China]] beginning in July 1977, where he was warmly received by government and [[Communist Party of China]] officials and treated to [[state dinner]]s.<ref name="Kaplan" /><ref name="Alexander" /><ref name="Garrow">Garrow, David J. "Mao Mix." ''The Village Voice.'' July 2, 2002.</ref> The party became involved in a number of factional disputes, which led to the departure of most of its members.<ref name="Garrow" /> The party folded in 1981 after Klonsky resigned and left the party.<ref name="Garrow" /><ref name="Alexander" /> |
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==Educational reform efforts== |
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Klonsky returned to college, and received a [[Doctor of Philosophy|Ph.D.]] in education from the [[University of Illinois at Chicago]] (UIC).<ref name="Ruenzel">Ruenzel, David. "Rebel With a (New) Cause." ''Education Week.'' March 23, 1994.</ref> He served as associate professor of education at UIC for many years.<ref name="Ruenzel" />{{fact|date=April 2008}} In 2006, Klonsky was appointed a Visiting Professor at the Fischler School of Education and Human Services at [[Nova Southeastern University]].<ref>[http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/060412/flw011.html?.v=45 "Small Schools Leader Joins NSU Education." Press release. Nova Southeastern University. April 12, 2006.]</ref> |
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In 1991, Klonsky co-founded the [[Small Schools Workshop]] in Chicago. The organization conducts research and management trainiing on the creation and design of small schools and school transformation, and the restructuring large schools into small schools. Klonsky is currently the director of the Workshop. His wife, Susan, is Director of Development.<ref>Ohira, Rod. "Schools Aim For 'Relevant' Learning." ''Honolulu Advertiser.'' April 25, 2005.</ref><ref>Hendrie, Caroline. "'First Things First' Shows Promise." ''Education Week.'' March 9, 2005.</ref> In 1998, Klonsky started the School Change Institute to train other organizations in helping under-performing public schools engage in school transformation and reconstitution. |
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Klonsky is also a noted author. He has authored, co-authored and/or edited of a number of books about public schools, including: |
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*''Small Schools: The Numbers Tell a Story.'' Chicago: Small Schools Workshop, 1995. |
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*''A Simple Justice: The Challenge of Small Schools.'' [[Bill Ayers|William Ayers]], Michael Klonsky, and Gabrielle Lyon, eds. New York: Teachers College Press, 2000. ISBN 0807739626 |
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*''School Reform Meets the Ownership Society.'' New York: Routledge, 2008. ISBN 0415961238. |
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Klonsky served on President [[Bill Clinton|Bill Clinton's]] Advisory Panel on School Violence.<ref>[http://www.stanforddaily.com/article/2007/9/27/fellowFacesSenateTest Shih, Gerry. "Fellow Faces Senate Test." ''Stanford Daily.'' September 27, 2007.]</ref> He is a former member of the editorial board of ''Catalyst Chicago'', a school reform journal.<ref>[http://www.catalyst-chicago.org/stat/index.php?item=16&cat=0 "Former Members of the Catalyst Editorial Board." ''Catalyst Chicago.'' No date.]</ref> |
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==References== |
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{{reflist}} |
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==External links== |
==External links== |
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*[http://smallschools.com/index.html Small Schools Workshop] Web site |
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*[http://blog.360.yahoo.com/blog-6z6IhP08cqXp9kfshYQPv87gCfJyFg--?cq=1 Mike Klonsky's Small Talk Blog] |
*[http://blog.360.yahoo.com/blog-6z6IhP08cqXp9kfshYQPv87gCfJyFg--?cq=1 Mike Klonsky's Small Talk Blog] |
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Revision as of 17:44, 15 April 2008
 | This article's factual accuracy is disputed. (April 2008) |
Michael Klonsky | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1943 |
| Known for | Student activist Students for a Democratic Society national leader Founder, Communist Party, Marxist-Leninist Educational reformer |
Michael Klonsky (born 1943) is an American educator and political activist.