Steve Orel
Steve Orel (born 1954 - died July 7, 2007) was co-director of the World of Opportunity civil rights, social justice, education and job readiness program in Gate City.
Earlier in life, Orel was a political activist, campaigning against the Ku Klux Klan and working as a union organizer. He was a member of the Birmingham Human Rights Project.
Until 2000, he ran an adult education program within the Birmingham City Schools system. After 522 students were "advised to withdraw" that summer, Orel protested what he considered to be a cruel tactic to raise test scores in the system. He lost his position when his adult education program was dissolved in the fallout. In response, he worked with the Silesians Catholic lay order to establish the World of Opportunity in 2000, accepting many of the students that had been involuntarily dismissed.
Through the center, Orel helped scores of students get back on track, with 75 earning their GED and 45 going on to college. Orel received ACT NOW's "Courage in Education Award" in 2003. He was an activist against "high stakes testing" in public education
He died of colon cancer in 2007. He was survived by his wife, Glenda Jo
Publications
- Orel, Steve (2003) "Left Behind in Birmingham: 522 Pushed-Out Students." Silent No More: Voices of Courage in American Schools. Heinemann. ISBN 0325004714
References
- Gordon, Amy (July 11, 2007) "World of Opportunity director Steve Orel dies of cancer at 53." Birmingham News.
- Woodbery, Evan and Elaine Witt (June 2000) "Accounts of Woodlawn students conflict." Birmingham Post-Herald.
- Viadero, Debra (July 2004) "One Last Chance". Education Week. Vol. 23, No. 42, pp. 34-7