Hari Sevugan, the ex-Obama spokesman and ex-StudentsFirst spokesman, has twice commented on this blog in defense of charters and high-stakes testing. In his comments yesterday, he pointed to Florida as a model of excellence, while putting down Massachusetts as not all that it claims to be. In my response, I compared Florida’s NAEP scores to those of Massachusetts. Massachusetts is consistently #1, while Florida ranks about average among the 50 states. I assume that Hari was promoting Glorida because Michelle Rhee ranked it at the top of her personal report card. It is certainly way ahead of Massachusetts in authorizing charter schools, for-profit charters, vouchers, high-stakes testing, and stripping teachers of tenure.
Today, I received a letter from a teacher in Nashville, who asked me to post the following questions to Hari. If he answers, I will post his reply.
“I am a teacher in Nashville Public Schools, who has been teaching for 14 years. I have to be honest that since I have been working on a Masters in Educational Leadership, current reform policies have been gaining my interest. I read Hari’s response on your message board, and I would like to ask him why he would slam Massachusetts’s NAEP results and in the same response hold TIMSS and PIRLS results for Florida as a progressing miracle.
“The same studies that he and the likes of him quote to put schools down and compare us to higher achieving nations are the same tests he uses to hold up academic progress for states that are using the current GERM model. I am fascinated with his spin and ability to turn the student achievement of a state rejecting (for the most part) GERM and yet in the same breath hold up a state that does not perform near Massachusetts as a model for reform.
“Please, have him explain his answer as to why bashing the progress of Massachusetts yet holding up Florida and Louisiana as the proof reform is working. In this country it is so hard to measure which reform is working due to all of the different reforms taking place. But, I do not believe Hari’s and StudentsFirst type of reform will give us sustainable results. So, this letter is really directed to Hari, I just don’t know how to get it to him.
“I hope all is well with you and the rest of your readers and please continue the good fight. The future of public education is relying on this conversation.”
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Well, the last time it took at least two days to respond and he didn’t come back here. I predict he needs to get the “education reform community” to help him craft his response first if he even does respond. He seems like a lightweight to me and it doesn’t appear he had too much experience in the trenches…the typical two year dabbling, boost your resume kind. Just what we need another bloviating know nothing Rheeject cult follower.
Sorry to hijack…check this out…another eduvulture conference. I can’t even afford the audio tape version.
Serving as chair of this ENCORE conference on Tuesday, January 15, in New York, is Harold Levy, former Chancellor of the New York City School System and now managing director at Palm Ventures in Greenwich, Conn.
Palm is a family office that invests in for-profit education and other capital investments with a positive and transformative effect on society.
Harold leads the education practice, capitalizing on his vast experience in education and finance. He is also former executive vice president and general counsel of Kaplan Inc., director of Global Compliance of Citigroup, and head of litigation at Salomon Brothers.
He has served on the boards of a number of academic institutions and for-profit education companies. Harold is presently treasurer of the Roosevelt Institute and a member of the Presidential Advisory Committee of Teachers College, Columbia University. He holds a B.S. and J.D. from Cornell University and a M.A. (PPE) from Oxford University.
http://capitalroundtable.com/masterclass/For-Profit-Education-Conference.html
I just saw this too, Linda. It’s on the Parents Across America Newsletter (You all need to sign up for it!), sent in to them by PURE
(Parents United for Responsible Education, Chicago). Someone try to go! (However, it probably costs $1,500!)
Oh, sorry–it’s ONLY $1,395–but those who registered early got $400 off!! (If you cannot attend, the audio is ONLY $495!!). Such a pittance, however, for learning all about how to get a piece of the “1.3 TRILLION dollar” education industry!!!
“Designed to Meet the Needs of GPs, LPs, & Managers of Buyout, Growth Equity, Mezzanine, & Lending Funds, as Well as Independent Sponsors, Operating Partners, Portfolio Company Managers, and the Bankers, Lawyers, Accountants, & Other Advisors Who Support Them”
Hmmm, who’s missing from that list? Lemme think….