Washington, D.C. has an articulate new education blogger. She knows more than the policy wonks at Brookings, AEI, Education Sector, Thomas B.Fordham Institute, the Center for American Progress, and the other guru shops. She teaches in the D.C. schools.
Florence realizes that the city now has a dual school system, one for the winners, another for the losers.
Some historians think that it is very hard, if not impossible, to break free of deeply ingrained patterns. Washington, D.C. seems to be reverting to a familiar format.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Thank you Florence and as we suspected but now know for a fact, thanks to Edushyter, they have all kinds of ways of convincing you to leave, if is not a “good fit”.
If you didn’t see the letter from Rauner Prep in Chicago from the Edushyter site, check it out and view the student transcript. Maybe we should call that number…it says if you have any questions: 312-226-5345
Click to access RaunerPrepDoc.pdf
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Did you notice that that student is probably a talented musician? At least they didn’t take that opportunity from him because of poor grades. What a waste.
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Thanks, Diane. Florence has it right. I am a 30 year CPS teacher. I am so grateful you shared this with me today.
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I urge everyone who reads this posting to click on the link. Then think about a sports analogy that actually applies to the real world we live in…
Public School Runner and Charter School Runner line up for the start of the 100-yard dash. Public School Runner is placed at the very beginning, with 100 yards to race. Charter School Runner is escorted by Racettt officials to the 80-yard mark. After protestations by Charter School Runner that this is an unfair advantage, the starting point is moved back to the 70-yard line. Charter School Runner accepts the new starting position with an unabashed look of modest self-satisfaction. Racettt officials murmur in awed whispers about the selflessness and high moral standing of Charter School Runner, while members of the mass media begin to write gushing pieces about the character training that accompanies high test scores in charter schools. Public School Runner has supporters too but they have been escorted out of the competition area under protest; suspiciously, their mouths seem to be covered by what appears to be masking tape.
With the Racettt, er, race about to begin, an official notices that Public School Runner lacks socks. This is a violation of the rules. But there is an escape clause that is invoked: the race can continue if the opponent accepts racing under these unfair conditions. To the tumultuous cheers of the crowd Charter School Runner graciously allows the other side to break the rules, accepting the handicap of being properly and comfortably dressed. Copious tears are shed by the onlookers who have been permitted to stay and some are heard to say: “What a fine upstanding competitor!”
With the starting Glock about to go off, the official in charge suddenly notices that her subordinate has focused too much on the socks because Public School Runner was not notified that the laces of the shoes must be untied. Public School Runner is confused and starts to explain that the opponent’s shoes are nicely tied in the normal fashion but—under penalty of a default loss—Public School Runner does as ordered.
With the Glock aimed a little ahead of Public School Runner, the warning, er, starting shot goes off. A couple extra shots are fired just to make sure that no one later claims that hard-of-hearing witnesses didn’t know when the race officially began. Public School Runner noticeably hesitates so as not to be hit by the bullets but Charter School Runner takes off with a spritely gait that reminds many of those present of a wonderful ad by SF that paid tribute to male rhythmic gymnastics.
Evenwith the odds stacked against Charter School Runner, it turns out the outcome was never really in doubt. Mobbed by all those in attendance at the finish line, Charter School Runner seems to suddenly discover a note with names written on it. With cameras flashing, recorders recording, and stenographers stenographing[?], Charter School Runner recites in a curiously flat voice the names of all those directly responsible for such an unalloyed success: U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, someone named ALEC [a few reporters seem to not recognize the name and keep asking “Is that Mr. or Mrs. or Ms. or Miss?”], and a host of others. Included among the dozen or so names bandied about are those of “Michelle Rhee of Teach For America and Wendy Kopp of StudentsFirst” [only one reporter seems puzzled by this but is unable to get a clarification or correction in all the hubbub].
Questions about an actual track-and-field coach are brushed aside as insulting and irrelevant to Charter School Runner, who is repeatedly reminded by questioners that not only was a fine race run but all praise be given for good eye contact, correct posture and outstanding finger wiggling; even the shirt stayed obediently tucked in the shorts!
Few question Public School Runner, invariably prefacing their generally hostile questions with the query “How does it feel to be a loser? Loser.” Repeatedly the question is asked: “Why did you not just start running. What in the world made you not give it your best? Was it your terrible training regimen in a public school?” Public School Runner keeps trying to explain about not getting whacked by the Glock, but can never finish a sentence because the questioner keeps repeating “No excuses! No excuses! No excuses! Loserloserloser!” When an actual track-and-field coach starts to object to this sort of treatment, a Racettt official quietly reminds the athletic trainer that he has no due process rights and might get a possible unsatisfactory evaluation if objections continue; the coach gets so tongue-tied and frustrated that no more words come out.
The next day the airwaves and newsprint are full of the stunning accomplishment of Charter School Runner. In a few cases, some sympathy is afforded Public School Runner for having chosen to ruin what might have been a promising track-and-field career by going to public school.
Soon after the big news splash, items begin appearing on curiously odd and rarely-viewed blogs like “Diane Ravitch’s Blog. A site to discuss better education for all.” and “Jersey Jazzman” and “Edushyster” and “Ms. Katie’s Ramblings” and, well, why waste my space and your time? Perhaps the most cogent comment was made by the head of Charter School Runner’s compliance site, Value Added Thank You Very Much Prep. A photogenic gentleman with a fine shock of hair put it as gently as he could re what he would have told Public School Runner: “When you don’t take personal responsibility for being a winner, you end up being a loser. Loser!” [Although, strangely, his secretary later call the reporters who taped his interview and asked them not to quote him.]
Truth is stranger than fiction. I wish that the above was just a humorless, absurd fantasy. But sorry, folks, we are living the nightmare created by others who don’t have to live it themselves.
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Excellent I’d like to add another “Loser” category. All of the charter school kids who are passed in classes that they never really passed so the CEO can keep the “cash cow” alive with a phony graduation rate. Yes, the children who will pass an Alg 2 class through an online class in 2 weeks time-(In reality the student is probably performing at a 5th grade level) Plenty of losers but the CEO will be a financial winner!!!!! Also, the community who will no longer control their local school, but, the faraway charter CEO will be a total financial winner again!!
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She should be running the D.C. schools as this person certainly understands what is going on.
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