Jonah Edelman: The Activist
Social activism runs in Edelman's family; his mother Marian Wright founded the Children's Defense Fund, and his father Peter launched his career as a key aide to Robert Kennedy. Edelman's organization, Stand for Children, was founded in 1996 but has emerged as a potent and fast-growing force on education reform in the past few years. Recently, the group pushed through tax increases to improve school funding in Oregon as well as changes in the ways that teachers are evaluated and granted tenure in Colorado. It is currently in the middle of a major debate over teacher policy in Illinois. With chapters in seven states and more on the way, not to mention a formidable political fundraising prowess, Stand for Children is delivering results and changing how politicians think about grass-roots education reform.