Campbell Brown, as we have recently learned, doesn’t like the teachers’ union.
She wrote an opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal asserting that the union protects sexual predators in the classroom.
She thinks that the arbitration process, by which an accused teacher gets a chance to defend against accusations, is rigged to favor the union.
She thinks that when the union and the New York City Department of Education jointly agree on the name of an arbitrator, the arbitrator will be biased in favor of the union and will seek to please the union by protecting sexual predators.
She doesn’t explain why the NYC DOE is so easily duped by the union. Why don’t the arbitrators want to please the NYC DOE? They are so weak, so vulnerable, so powerless; after all, they control only a $25 billion budget and the lives of 1.1 million children and 80,000 teachers.
This teacher, whose tweets I follow regularly, decided it was time to explain why Campbell Brown is wrong.
He is a man who teaches in an elementary school and he doesn’t like her smearing him and other teachers.
He will not be silent in the face of this relentless teacher bashing campaign, which seems to have lots of traction in the media outlets owned by Rupert Murdoch.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Murdoch, she wrote …
Wonderful post. Diane, i really like how your posts are focusing more on the “what to do” lately. We all need direction and we all need to be up to speed on both sides of the issue so we can debate armed with facts and the ability to understand where the other side is coming from.
I suppose this could be seen as off the subject, but it’s part of the story that Campbell Brown is married to a board member of StudentsFirstNY — which is making this a core issue — and committed a clear-cut and severe breach of journalistic ethics by not disclosing that in print on her commentary.
Also, it’s relevant even though unpleasant to point out that while StudentsFirstNY is making such an issue of what it apparently views as the severe problem of sexual predator teachers, the husband of StudentsFirst’s founder, Michelle Rhee, has been accused of sexual misconduct with minors himself. tinyurl.com/ydb92cp
In light of the accusations against Rhee’s husband, you would think that StudentsFirst would steer clear of this issue.
1996 Phoenix Police report
Click to access Phoenix_Police.source.prod_affiliate.4.pdf
VIDEO: Watch Sacto Mayor and Former NBA Star Kevin Johnson Suck Up to Scientology
http://blogs.villagevoice.com/runninscared/2012/06/scientology_kevin_johnson.php
Village Voice Post –June 15, 2012 (videos & links) – Starts with a discussion of his gushing about Scientology. After the 7th paragraph an extensive examination of the events of 1995 with the 16 year child, the investigation, what others knew, and how publication of the story ruined a law suit.) Sordid but good read.
The summer of ’95 – May 8, 1997
A teenage girl tells police Kevin Johnson won her confidence, then took advantage of her. While her allegations are open to question, there are many questions about KJ’s behavior.
By Paul Rubin Thursday, May 8 1997
http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/1997-05-08/news/the-summer-of-95/
1996 Phoenix Police report
Click to access Phoenix_Police.source.prod_affiliate.4.pdf
VIDEO: Watch Sacto Mayor and Former NBA Star Kevin Johnson Suck Up to Scientology
http://blogs.villagevoice.com/runninscared/2012/06/scientology_kevin_johnson.php
Village Voice Post –June 15, 2012 (videos & links) – Starts with a discussion of his gushing about Scientology. After the 7th paragraph an extensive examination of the events of 1995 with the 16 year child, the investigation, what others knew, and how publication of the story ruined a law suit.) Sordid but good read.
The summer of ’95 – May 8, 1997
A teenage girl tells police Kevin Johnson won her confidence, then took advantage of her. While her allegations are open to question, there are many questions about KJ’s behavior.
By Paul Rubin Thursday, May 8 1997
http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/1997-05-08/news/the-summer-of-95/
1996 Phoenix Police report
Click to access Phoenix_Police.source.prod_affiliate.4.pdf
VIDEO: Watch Sacto Mayor and Former NBA Star Kevin Johnson Suck Up to Scientology
http://blogs.villagevoice.com/runninscared/2012/06/scientology_kevin_johnson.php
Village Voice Post –June 15, 2012 (videos & links) – Starts with a discussion of his gushing about Scientology. After the 7th paragraph an extensive examination of the events of 1995 with the 16 year child, the investigation, what others knew, and how publication of the story ruined a law suit.) Sordid but good read.
The summer of ’95 – May 8, 1997
A teenage girl tells police Kevin Johnson won her confidence, then took advantage of her. While her allegations are open to question, there are many questions about KJ’s behavior.
By Paul Rubin Thursday, May 8 1997
http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/1997-05-08/news/the-summer-of-95/
1996 Phoenix Police report
Click to access Phoenix_Police.source.prod_affiliate.4.pdf
1996 Phoenix Police report
Click to access Phoenix_Police.source.prod_affiliate.4.pdf
VIDEO: Watch Sacto Mayor and Former NBA Star Kevin Johnson Suck Up to Scientology
http://blogs.villagevoice.com/runninscared/2012/06/scientology_kevin_johnson.php
Village Voice Post –June 15, 2012 (videos & links) – Starts with a discussion of his gushing about Scientology. After the 7th paragraph an extensive examination of the events of 1995 with the 16 year child, the investigation, what others knew, and how publication of the story ruined a law suit.) Sordid but good read.
The summer of ’95 – May 8, 1997
A teenage girl tells police Kevin Johnson won her confidence, then took advantage of her. While her allegations are open to question, there are many questions about KJ’s behavior.
By Paul Rubin Thursday, May 8 1997
http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/1997-05-08/news/the-summer-of-95/
My apologies for the length of the links. I wish I knew what happened. They appear to repeat three times. I along with everyone else believe predators (male and females) should be investigated, if guilty; then prosecuted and incarcerated. What I truly despise along with StudentsFirst is hypocrisy. But then, there are always unintended consequences. Perhaps this might start the unraveling of Michelle Rhee and Kevin Johnson. I can only hope.
People who live in glass houses should not throw stones.
Since the high standards she sets for teachers were never achieved during her teaching days, I suspect this situation doesn’t apply to her or her new husband.
These standards are for the little people. She is protected by her wealthy friends and her bombastic style. Do as I say not as I do. I am the bee eater, I am the mouth taper, I am the queen of all.
caroline, have you posted this on the WSJ article site? If not, YOU SHOULD, although, who knows if it will be moderated away.
I commented on the WSJ article by the execrable Ms. Brown and at the blogger’s post to the effect that Brown’s attack has as much to do with protecting kids from predators as did Allen West’s (R-FL) blather about the progressive caucus had to do with Communists. Both are transparent cases of finding a buzz word (sex offenders, Communists) that is believed to be a label of the “enemy” that is indefensible. But of course, this isn’t the early 1950s and such tactics will not go unchallenged. Allen West managed at most to give a lot of younger people a quick course in McCarthyism and the great people like Edward R. Murrow who stood up to it. Ms. Brown, aside from showing herself to be anything but a serious journalist in the tradition of Mr. Murrow, has helped remind a lot of people why we have due process in this country, even for public servants. She has also helped simultaneously demonstrate that we need better leadership in teachers’ unions right now and a national refresher course in the history of unionization in general and of teachers in particular. Seems like a job for Diane Ravitch!
I realize this is stating the obvious for many, but certainly there is no coincidence between the WSJ printing Ms. Brown’s screed and NewsCorp announcing its new education unit. The worse public schools appear, the more the apparent need for what NewsCorp is offering.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/23/news-corp-amplify-education_n_1694993.html
Diane,
Thanks for sharing my post. These are trying times for those of us who love teaching. I refuse to sit back as we get pummeled in the media and on political platforms. We need to answer every accusation using every tool at our disposal. Those on the other side will stop at nothing to steal away our precious resources. We’re seeing that first hand with Student First’s underhanded methods.
I only wish, more of us would flood every social media site with responses every time any of us are unjustly attacked. We need to drive the discussion not respond defensively.
Thank you for all you’ve been doing to drive our message. You are an inspiration to all of us.
Ralph Ratto
Friday, August 3, 2012
Hello,
Campbell Brown:
01: She is married to Daniel (Dan) Senor (formerly chief spokesperson for the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq.)
02: Did not do well as a journalist on CNN. Although, her grilling of Tucker Bounds (John McCains spokesperson during the 2008 Election) about Sarah Palin’s executive experience was good.
03: She is looking to be relevant again in media and attacking teacher’s is a “can’t miss” formula.
04: Maybe is is auditioning for a job for the National Review, Fox News, Spokesperson for either Chancellor Walcott or Commission King or Bloomberg News?
It is not required for me to write anymore.
Thank You,
Donavin White
Read this – – – share. You’ll go through a whole gambit of emotions. I had a good laugh at the end.
http://www.accountabletalk.com/2012/08/alleged-perv-walks.html