This week, we will be subjected (or treated) to days of NBC’s celebration of corporate reform, which they call “Education Nation.”
Read this critique of the event.
They will hail the anti-union film of the year, as two years ago they hailed the anti-union propaganda film “Waiting for Superman.”
They will make a token effort to include teachers.
But the bottom line is that Education Nation is staged to persuade the American public that American education is in sorry shape because of bad teachers, that teachers must be judged by the test scores of their students (no matter that the research says it is wrong) and that our nation needs to privatize public education.
Condoleeza Rice will be there, explaining why our public schools are a “very grave threat to our national security.” She will explain why we need to provide more charters and vouchers so kids can escape public education. Please read my critique of the nonsensical report that she will talk about. http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/2012/jun/07/do-our-public-schools-threaten-national-security/?pagination=false
Diane Ravitch's blog 
This week of programming is rigged? I am shocked. Well, no not really. GE, Gates, ExxonMobil, etc. What a joke. Any real public school teachers? Who are the token non-reform administrators, or panelist?
FIRE DUNCAN! Hire Ravitch!
I briefly watched this program last year and became so sick that I had to change the channel. Having been a teacher, I could not listen to the crazy comments made by people who obviously never taught. The focus is uniformity instead of Individuality and creativity which sets this country apart from other countries such as China.
There’s only so much b-s I can handle. I think I’ll spend the week reading instead. Maybe your latest book, Diane.
I have given up on all the networks. I closed my bank account in CT due to their love of charters and their disdain for public schools. I won’t shop at Walmart anymore and I canceled my subscription to the NY Times. Pretty soon I will be in a closet with a book.
I won’t let NBC ruin my week. I will not learn anything anyway so why watch? Propaganda and lies!
Isn’t it great that our teachers taught us all the different propaganda techniques?
Unfortunately, just writing this off as propaganda leaves the material in their hands. Yes, they have the funds, the platforms, the politicians, and the talking heads. What do we have? Knowledge, intelligence, argument, and access to real people who have a vested interest in public education. There is no hiding when one side has waged war and we know better. Shouldn’t there at least be agitation from supporters of keeping public education democratic on the ground? Let’s not sit back while we’re railroaded into untested (no data!) reforms.
Soooo how ’bout Teachers “educate” NBC with a boycott for month or so?? That’s what I’m, but for much longer actually. Screw them and the corporate douche bags that fund this BS.