Friends,
I’ve done a lot of things over my lifetime, but I’ve always come back to teaching. Teaching is my love, my calling, my joy. And even though I’ve officially retired from it, I continue to teach. (Today, for example, I’m giving a talk at UC Berkeley on “The Roots of Trumpism.”)
As many of you know, I taught at UC Berkeley for almost 20 years and witnessed its power as one of the most successful engines of upward mobility in America.
When I decided to retire from teaching two years ago, I wanted to do it quietly. I preferred to make it about the students, not me. My lectures in the Wealth and Poverty course I taught each year to more than 800 students were mainly to students in their last undergraduate year — to seniors. (Some of you have even “taken” the course since a video version of it has been available here on this Substack.)
So two years ago, when it came to be their last class of the year, it was my last class, too. They were graduating. So was I.
I shared my decision to retire with only a few people. Frankly, I loathed the concept of “retiring.” I still do.
One of the people I told was my longtime collaborator and Coffee Klatch podcast co-host, Heather Lofthouse. She wanted to do a video to document my last class. “Maybe we can put it up on YouTube,” she said.
Instead, she partnered with filmmaker Elliot Kirschner, and they ended up making a feature-length documentary.
Their goal with The Last Class is to show how education can triumph over cynicism.
Our educational system is under assault by those intent on destroying democracy, which is why we need to elevate teaching now more than ever.
For the same reason, we need to prepare future generations — and empower them with tools to become the educators and leaders our democracy depends on.
As I’ve said before, ignorance is the handmaiden of tyranny.
Teaching is about getting students to reexamine whatever assumptions they carry into the classroom. It’s about provoking conversations, fostering dissent, and learning from one another even when we disagree on issues.
One of the first requests I make of my students is to find people who disagree with them, and talk through their disagreements.
Hopefully I’ve given my students the humility they need to do this. Plus the ability to ask the questions they need to be asking of themselves and of the world that they’re entering.
All of this is much more challenging today than when I began teaching more than 40 years ago.
I’m excited to see what Elliot and Heather have put together. I’m thrilled and humbled that it will be in theaters this summer. I hope you will have a chance to see it.
They tell me they plan to use a new grassroots distribution model called “theatrical on demand,” which empowers communities to bring films to local independent theaters.
I’m sharing this with you because I believe in the power of education — especially public education. I believe in teaching and learning — whether in a classroom or a movie theater.
I believe in my students. Their capacities. Their commitment.
I believe in you.
Should you wish, you can sign up to see the film by visiting thelastclassfilm.com or by clicking the green button below.
I believe in you, Professor Reich. I believe in all people of good will and compassion. I believe in democracy. I believe we will save ourselves from Trump. I believe in the coming restoration of empathy, kindness and our cherished freedoms. I believe in taking care of all life on Earth. I believe in holding out the helping hand. I believe in children. I believe in sharing learning and understanding with delight and passion. And I still believe in America.
“I believe in you.”
His 100 days in office, is taking one hundred times longer to end the war he said was an easy one-day fix, but who's keeping track. Crippling tariffs affecting every facet of our lives, imposed by a man who most likely flunked out of college where he had no aptitude for his major, "economics." A professor, who had the distinction of holding a class in which Mr. Trump was a part, said this about our President; "Donald Trump is the dumbest Goddam student I ever had."--T. Kelly, and he was referring to our commander and chief? Musk is slowly becoming aware of the fact; the general public has teeth. Vance and Rubio are inapt extensions of our government who aren't qualified to sell cologne in the men's toilet, let alone find a "Just Peace" that Zelensky and his country will benefit from. One that finds Putin pulling back his troops to pre-war positions, then writing a fat check to the people of Ukraine for the damages caused by a dictator who bit off more than he could chew. Our government is currently holding about $300 billion in frozen Russian assets, I feel it would be only fitting if Mr. Trump made a transfer that would find those funds comfortably resting in one of Zelenskyy's banks. Tell Putin to agree to that and the road to peace will lay before him. However, sending non-coms like JD and Marco to do a job they were ill equipped to handle is typical of the man who sent them. Why has the suffering in Gaza been buried as of late? What's up in the Middle East that Trump wants kept quiet? However, on a more positive note, Trump says the price of eggs has dropped off 87%--I would love to know where he shops.