Civil rights lawyer can’t understand why state leaders in Connecticut get to choose which laws to follow.
They seem to follow the advice of NYC former chancellor Joel Klein, who responded to complaints by saying, “Sue me.”
Why the disdain for the law?
Diane Ravitch's blog 
one needs to remember that Joel Klein served as Assistant Attorney General in charge of the Anti-Trust Division of the US Department of Justice.
Since he’s a lawyer maybe someone should report this to the bar.
sickening
OFF TOPIC COMMENT: A document by BESE and the Louisiana Department of Education refers to the International Baccalaureate as the “International BACHELORETTE program. This is reported in the online paper “Louisiana Voice” for April 9, 2013. We have such brilliant public servants making school policy!
Read Glenn Greenwald’s WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR SOME. The problem is pervasive, not just in education.
Most people don’t appreciate how capitalism can destroy democracy. The separation of economics and politics is a myth perpetuated by those who want to claim economics is an “objective” science like physics or chemistry; it’s not. Economics requires a set of values, and hence reflects the culture in which economic actors (i.e., people) live. A culture that values democracy, and the associated values of truth, justice, and the rule of law, will limit economic activity in accordance with those values; a culture that values the acquisition of material wealth will set different limits.
Adam Smith argued that individuals and nations would prosper if we would stick to simple market-based economic activity, which would impose and reinforce virtuous behaviors without much need for traditional structures of moral behavior. But that idea has clearly failed in every country where it’s been tried. The rise of wealth among certain individuals gives them power over everyone else, despite the market; indeed, the wealthy will pervert the functioning of the market to keep and further their own wealth.
Our Founders were very much aware of this problem, but hoped that limiting the chances for inherited wealth and the opportunities of our vast frontier would take care of the problem by limiting the likelihood of inherited aristocracies. This has failed too.
The problem is simple–Valuing wealth will lead to a power-based society, since wealth enables its holders to control others through debt and greed: the cultural need to have ever more material wealth makes everyone beholden to those who can provide money and goods. Thus, political offices become valuable for the power the office provides for the holder and the corresponding price for access.
In a society that values democracy, the holding of wealth is not the ultimate goal; instead, the ultimate goal is ensuring that all citizens have access to equal political power: what you do is more important than what you have. Since democracies require access to accurate information and transparency (i.e., the truth), the wealthy cannot be allowed to buy-off the press or orchestrate disinformation campaigns to fool the public, and they can’t purchase office holders with bribes, gifts, and lucrative jobs after the holder steps down. Since democracies require the establishment of equal political power, they require laws and the fair administration of the law; no one can be above the law (i.e., justice and the rule of law). Thus, democracies cannot allow the use of wealth to pay lobbyists to change the laws to favor certain wealthy individuals; the wealthy cannot buy theirown justice.
Since the end of WWII we’ve allowed our culture to become transformed from the democracy-oriented culture that took hold in the ’30s with the materialistic consumer culture that began in the ’50s. After three or four generations, that transformation is nearing completion.
God help us.
I would like to suggest a book, written a quarter century ago, that may help alleviate your despair. “Policy Paradox And Political Reason,” by Deborah A. Stone.
Well stated M&S!!
Great article especially on the real history of Vallas who is a “Destroyer of Worlds” like Deasy at LAUSD. Deasy has a phony PHD and quits his Prince Georges County superintendents job on week after the stories came out and one week after he quit he is hired by the Gates Foundation another of those people without any ethics.
The U.S. in total is now a lawless country. We have a Sec. of Ed. who lied to California to push mayoral control. He should not have his job as Rod Paige lost his for lying. Just what you stated is happening everywhere. I have on audio and video the #2 in the LAUSD General Counsels Office and standing there agreeing Earl Perkins, asst. superintendent, while McNair tells us that they do not care if they broke the law and can go to jail, that LAUSD can do anything they want and create anything they want to, do not care about the U.S. Constitution or the fact that I had a press pass. He even talked about a $2.5 billion Title 1 case in front of one of the primaries without his lawyer there and that is against the law. They fire teachers they have falsely accused even though I had this situation audited in 1997 and LAUSD has an agreement with the state to not do it anymore. We now have a database of over 600 teachers they have falsely accused and are terminating or have terminated without the legally required Skelly Hearings and without “Due Process.” Before the board votes for a termination the General Counsels Office is obliged to have personal knowledge and Vivian Etchian has no knowledge as the General Counsel Holmquist also does not. In fact, they make it all up just as I explained what their lawyer McNair said on audio and video. To prevent me from my legal rights to record a public meeting they had 9 school police, a canine unit, the asst. superintendent, Earl Perkins and #2 in the legal office Greg McNair there to stop me.
The only way it got like this is the public sat on their butt and the teachers and their union do not care. In fact, UTLA helps LAUSD to illegally falsely charge and terminate teachers. The reason most of these teachers are targeted is either because they defended their students, were whistleblowers or were high time, top of the salary scale or in LAUSD lingo “Reaching the rule of 80” which is the combination of your age and years with the district. When you reach the “Rule of 80” you get lifetime benefits. So get rid of them and bring in the amateurs TFA. I would ask why replace a pro with an amateur? In what warped world does a person become a professional in 5 weeks? Even a regular credentialed teacher with 5 years of education to become a teacher is not really proficient for a few years except in limited situations as there are always exceptions to the rule.
We need more facts not spin.
Teacher Ken that means that he knows all the in’s and out’s of perverting the law. He learned form the best just like when you go to prison to sharpen your criminal skills. Now he is applying the same principals of corruption to schools.
I was listening to a past Bill Moyers Journal with Richard Wolff where Wolff was talking about corporations establishing a fund to cover litigation and pay fines, etc. On the surface of it, it sounds entirely reasonable. However, Wolff was pointing out that under a capitalist system, the corporation highest duty was to make profit. The welfare of their workers and communities was secondary. So any laws designed for the public good might be considered in the light of corporate profits. We certainly have seen plenty of examples where profits trumped ethics. Fighting charges of violations is just a cost of business. On a more personal note, I have witnessed divorce situations where the wealthy ex-partner has used the legal system to reduce their responsibility to ex-spouses and children. A spouse is left with too little to be able to carry on a legal battle, so actions of wealthier spouses go unchallenged. Power and money drive the outcomes beyond an initial settlement. In many legal proceedings, defendants are urged to accept a plea bargain that avoids lengthy litigation that they cannot afford. Do you plead guilty or go bankrupt trying to prove your innocence? Taking these arguments into account, it is no surprise that those in power ignore the law . They know they can outspend and out lawyer most opponents.
This is exactly what’s going on with the Illinois General Assembly’s attempts to “reform” the teachers’ pensions. Many of them are intent on passing a bill/bills that are unconstitutional. When questioned, these legislators say, “Well, then, we’ll go to court.”