Connecticut blogger and political insider Jonathan Pelto broke the story:
Corporate reformers and privatizers have poured record amounts of campaign cash into Bridgeport, Connecticut, to persuade voters to turn control over their schools to the mayor.
One of the big givers was NYC Mayor Bloomberg, who gave $20,000 to help Mayor Finch gain control over the people’s schools.
Mayoral control in New York City did not narrow the city’s achievement gaps.
Mayoral control has not improved the schools in Cleveland, Chicago, or Detroit (Detroit tried it, abandoned, and one of its recent mayors went to jail for various reasons).
The mayoral-controlled public schools of Washington, DC, have the biggest achievement gaps in the nation, double the gaps in other big cities.
Will the voters of Bridgeport vote to relinquish their right to elect their school board?
Can the public be persuaded by big money to abandon democracy?
Diane Ravitch's blog 
And in this article Jon reports that the Rheeject spent $97,000 to pay outside canvassers to walk the streets of Bridgeport going door to door to convince citizens to vote for mayoral control.
Think of the books she could have bought for school libraries or food for those without power or those who are homeless. What a waste of money!
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That is the mot ironic thing of it all. Breakfast programs for hungry kids, money to fund field trips or guest speakers that would connect kids to their world, jobs for struggling parents (even part time school-support jobs to bring parents into the schools)…the investment these reform vultures see has nothing to do with the students or society. It is pure self-interest.
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What is really sickening and disturbing is that two (2) publicly funded and/or subsidized hospitals donated money. What’s up with that? Yikes!
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Yes, so whose money are they spending. See the opinion piece below..they try to backtrack after being exposed. It was supposed to stay secret. Shhhhh!
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Bloomberg influenced Lousisiana elections big time.
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This is posted AFTER Jon’s report….looks like a little CYA not knowing they would be exposed and guess what, just in case you don’t have time to read, it’s all for the kids:
http://www.ctpost.com/news/article/Bold-change-needed-to-assure-students-future-4004162.php
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Like New Yorkers are able to hold the mayor accountable for annual school closings in the 11th year of “reform”
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Diane, have you seen this article? Another book out explaining how the privateers are trying to change the teaching profession.
http://educationnext.org/do-piano-teachers-need-to-know-how-to-play-the-piano/
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The goal here is fewer teachers, more technology, larger classes.
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Makes me wonder what interest Bloomberg has in Bridgeport in the first place.
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He has no interest in BP or the kids. He wants other city districts under mayoral control. He needs to be right at all times. All must agree with him…the more cities that privatize and manage the schools in the manner he has chose, he feels vindicated and he is now the leader of a private club…no nothing money men who want to rule the little people while spreading disdain for the front line workers.
He is an evil little man.
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Wow, Bloomberg is all over the place, isn’t he? Giving $250K to Tom Luna in Idaho, now
$20,000 in Bridgeport.
Why doesn’t he keep his money in NYC, to help the victims of Sandy?
Oh, right–he’ll not stand to profit from it.
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Yeah, he’s all over the place or his money is…having seen or heard of a visit to Queens or Staten Island yet, not sure he has even left Manhattan. I suppose he might fly over in his royal helicopter soon to see how the commoners are getting by.
Tiny little man with no compassion but an endless supply of money….he will bribe everybody and anybody if they agree to support his point of view on a myriad of issues.. Read here:
A billionaire, Bloomberg created a Super PAC called Independence USA PAC, which helps candidates who reflect Bloomberg’s political views. He has pledged to spend up to $15 million to back moderate candidates who support gay marriage, education, and gun control.
http://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-5th-money-bloomberg-20121102,0,2515765.story
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