Peter Green watched a 30-minute interview of David Coleman at the Aspen Ideas Festival.
The big news from the interview is that Coleman doesn’t demonized critics of the CCSS and thinks it’s a big mistake to treat all critics as crazies and/or liars.
But what fascinates Green is Coleman’s self-regard, and also his strange idea that it is up to certain special people to fix our institutions.
Coleman trsponds to a question by interviewer Jane Stoddard Williams about Bill Gates’ admission that despite his best efforts, he has not yet reformed education:
“Coleman imagines that Gates is bothered that he hasn’t moved the needle enough, and Coleman thinks it’s very brave and decent to admit that. And for those of you hoping to see Coleman 2.0, I’ll point out that neither Coleman nor Williams addresses the question of why, in a democracy, a really rich private citizen should be taking on personal responsibility for a function of federal, state and local government without the benefit of, say, voters asking him to do so.”
Diane Ravitch's blog 
“and also his strange idea that it is up to certain special people to fix our institutions.”
This is that same theme, I think:
“The state of Michigan has undertaken a remarkable course to deal with the inefficiencies inherent in democratic accountability by appointing “emergency” managers who are essentially free from such accountability, in the hopes that they will be able to make politically unpopular decisions for the sake of overall efficiency — and allegedly the public good.
It’s worthwhile to examine Michigan’s experiment in challenging the wisdom of our founding fathers with an eye toward addressing two questions. First, has Michigan’s experiment resulted in policy that does maximally serve the public good? And second, in what sense is Michigan’s experiment consistent with the basic principles of democracy?”
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/07/29/detroits-drought-of-democracy/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0
“But what fascinates Green is Coleman’s self-regard, and also his strange idea that it is up to certain special people to fix our institutions.”
That is one of the hallmarks of neoliberalism as it was explained to me. The idea of having ‘the smartest people in the room’ to make decisions and have control over things.
President Obama is a believer in this theory as witnessed in his sticking to failed policies like his pitiful effort as helping underwater homeowners or the idea of bipartisanship because those smart, Ive-league educated people told him it was the way to go.
The whole notion of a cadre of Ivy League super people like David Coleman running the world is abhorrent to me and does not fit into our republican democracy form of government.
I’m guessing that eventually they will be stripped of all influence as the people wake up tot the fact that these neoliberal emperors and empresses have no clothes on, so to speak.
I wouldn’t protest an education despot if he were wise. The biggest problem with Coleman is that, while he may be smarter than some education leaders, he lacks wisdom. He doesn’t really know how to bring about the kind of education system he vaguely dreams of. Green and Shepherd often use the word “amateurish” to describe Coleman’s work; that’s an apt description. I see our schools descending into a wretched travesty of Coleman’s Andover-for-All dream as teachers contort themselves to fit the dictates of Coleman’s CCSS. Unfortunately many of our more legitimate education leaders, having been brainwashed in constructivism in ed schools, lack wisdom too. It’s a dismal situation. Wisdom lies in following sound educational principles, not the Common Core or constructivism.
Supporters of current education reform policies do not appear to be small “d” democrats. How else to explain their enthusiasm for eliminating the influence of elected school boards through state takeovers, mayoral appointment of school boards and governance transfer to private charter school leaders? The seeming inefficiency of democracy interferes with what they have convinced themselves is the Solution. As Paul Krugman wrote in this morning’s NY Times op-ed piece in relation to economic policy, to the ideologically self-assured, honestly reading the evidence is irrelevant. So, the question remains, why do people ignore evidence? I wrote about this in a piece for Kappan last year. Read about it here: http://www.arthurcamins.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Which-road-will-we-choose_-_-PDK-International.pdf
I think it’s either crazily naive or incredibly arrogant to insist elected bodies and public entities like schools are “self interested” and never apply that to the unelected leaders and contractors.
If you come into this believing everyone involved in the existing public system is “self interested” don’t you have to apply that analysis to your own “movement”?
So what is going on here? Ed reformers are just inherently better and more principled people? There’s absolutely no chance anyone in ed reform is self-interested or protecting the (current) ed reform-dominated status quo although the assumption is public school people are self-interested? How do they justify this strange one-sided analysis?
If you start at a place where you believe “self interest” is the main component of one system, why wouldn’t you apply that to the other?
Most businesses are run as dictatorships, not democracies. With business now controlling the government in place of the people after the “Citizens United” SCOTUS decision, we move to a third world dictatorship. Already, our inequality indicies match countries in Central and South America. We will soon match their poverty and social problems, too.
If they believe themselves to be Supermen, we must embrace the idea of becoming Kryptonite.
Mark Naison = General Zod.
Hmm. My son says only Doomsday has actually been able to “kill” Superman. Of course, they both came back, this being the comic book genre. General Zod to our knowledge has never done so. 🙂 My son tells me that Kryptonite, “red” solar radiation, sorcery, or hitting him with sound waves (he must be taken by surprise) are his greatest weaknesses. Let’s roll.
I confess my knowledge of Superman is limited to the Christopher Reeve films. Terence Stamp will always be General Zod to me!
Don’t know about Kryptonite, but the policies of Coleman, Gates and others seem to attract Kleptonite like a magnet does steel.
Your son is well versed in his superhero lore. I would encourage him to write about it as an assignment.
I wonder if the CCSS would allow for that…?
Gotta stop these guys. That’s the bottom line. They must be stopped.
Our major impediment is the media which, not so coincidentally, is owned, bought, and paid for by the people who are most heavily involved in this “reform” movement. A movement which, imho, extends beyond the area of education and into the realm of our national democratic process, as a whole.
“The new world order”…
I don’t remember voting for that. Just something that three guys on the TV told me about, back in the ’90s.
it is very decent of Gates to admit that he feels bad about not being able to entirely infiltrate, take over and rule the public education of all the little people. It is gracious of his Vice-Overlord to make an appearance and share the heartache of his liege. Hopefully they will not be deterred-clearly their inexplicable rise to position, influence and wealth over an endeavor they have little experience in or understanding of results from some divine intervention or evolutionary selection…maybe both. Thanks be to royalty, without them how unfortunate the rabble would be.
Yes, Dan! You have precisely capture the reasoning of the elite.
“captured”
“Coleman imagines that Gates is bothered that he hasn’t moved the needle enough, and Coleman thinks it’s very brave and decent to admit that.”
I tell you what is “brave and decent” … the American teachers and students who enter public schools everyday and work hard to be successful DESPITE the overwhelming obstacles to true teaching and learning that Gates’ and others like him have implemented in their failed attempts to “move the needle”.
For children and teachers, it is like the “battered person syndrome”…..like the psychological abuse in dysfunctional families.
….only I would hesitate to call it “brave and decent”…I would call teachers and children who enter public schools everyday victims of an oppressive system.
I agree, Ken, that the current “reforms” are oppressive and, no doubt, claim several victims. But for students, teachers, and administrators who continue to poke the “reform” bear each day; who refuse to be victims, despite the enormous risks, require a high level of decency and bravery in today’s public school environment. ‘Just my opinion.
He was just a ‘coalman’ prior to his evolution to Superman, wasn’t he!?
Of the dirtiest variety. He plumbed the depths for *carbon* copies. Oh, never mined.
This is not neoliberalism, it is fascism. It has become common in US corporations, and is now pervasive in government, schools, families, churches, and systemic in our mainstream society .
As Hitler said: He Alone, Who Owns the youth gains the future.”
Bill Gates’ self perceived superiority (omnipotence), his obsession with power and greed, his need to control and create all children is in own image (as if they are computers being programmed), are blanant signs of malignant Narcissism at its peak, just as was Hitler’s. Dictators come in different shapes and sizes, and regardless of whether they are wearing fancy suits, uniforms, or evening gowns, their behaviors are always the same. Their sense of entitlement and superiority, as well as their impulsive and compulsive behaviors, were conditioned in childhood and became part of their identity.
Bill Gates personality traits appear to be the same as those known in non-clinical psychology as the Dark Triad:
Narcissism, Machiavellianism, and Psychopathy (sociopathy).
Malignant Narcissism that was spawned in our corporate capitalistic world is now Zeitgeist…..the spirit of our time.
Wiki describes the callous-manipulative interpersonal style of of Bill Gates here: See if you agree:
Marcissism is characterized by grandiosity, pride, egotism, and a lack of empathy.
Machiavellianism is characterized by manipulation and exploitation of others, a cynical disregard for morality, and a focus on self-interest and deception.
Psychopathy is characterized by enduring antisocial behavior, impulsivity, selfishness, callousness, and remorselessness.
Izzy, I would argue that neoliberalism is a specialized form of fascism. It isn’t an either/or proposition but a ‘both’.
According to most definitions I can find (these are collected by The Free Dictionary):
a moderate form of liberalism that modifies its traditional government policies, as on labor unions and taxes.
[1955–60]
1. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) a modern politico-economic theory favouring free trade, privatization, minimal government intervention in business, reduced public expenditure on social services, etc
And from CorpWatch:
The main points of neo-liberalism include:
THE RULE OF THE MARKET. Liberating “free” enterprise or private enterprise from any bonds imposed by the government (the state) no matter how much social damage this causes. Greater openness to international trade and investment, as in NAFTA. Reduce wages by de-unionizing workers and eliminating workers’ rights that had been won over many years of struggle. No more price controls. All in all, total freedom of movement for capital, goods and services. To convince us this is good for us, they say “an unregulated market is the best way to increase economic growth, which will ultimately benefit everyone.” It’s like Reagan’s “supply-side” and “trickle-down” economics — but somehow the wealth didn’t trickle down very much.
CUTTING PUBLIC EXPENDITURE FOR SOCIAL SERVICES like education and health care. REDUCING THE SAFETY-NET FOR THE POOR, and even maintenance of roads, bridges, water supply — again in the name of reducing government’s role. Of course, they don’t oppose government subsidies and tax benefits for business.
DEREGULATION. Reduce government regulation of everything that could diminsh profits, including protecting the environmentand safety on the job.
PRIVATIZATION. Sell state-owned enterprises, goods and services to private investors. This includes banks, key industries, railroads, toll highways, electricity, schools, hospitals and even fresh water. Although usually done in the name of greater efficiency, which is often needed, privatization has mainly had the effect of concentrating wealth even more in a few hands and making the public pay even more for its needs.
ELIMINATING THE CONCEPT OF “THE PUBLIC GOOD” or “COMMUNITY” and replacing it with “individual responsibility.” Pressuring the poorest people in a society to find solutions to their lack of health care, education and social security all by themselves — then blaming them, if they fail, as “lazy.”
Better to rule in Hell than to serve in Heaven …
But first you have to create the Hell …
Bill Gates (a genius wannabe who is desperate to leave his mark) lacks Alexander Hamilton’s intellect but he shares Hamilton’s distrust of the unwashed (teacher) masses when it comes to important decisions:
“All communities divide themselves into the few and the many. The first are rich and well born; the other, the mass of the people. The voice of the people has been said to be the voice of God; and however generally this maxim has been quoted and believed, it is not true in fact. The people are turbulent and changing; they seldom judge or determine right. Give therefore to the first class a distinct, permanent share in the government. They will check the unsteadiness of the second; and as they cannot receive any advantage by change, they will therefore maintain good government.”
Peter Greene has a much stronger stomach than I.
Yet notice how fragile and uncertain the super novas of the self-styled “education reformers” really are.
When two self-proclaimed and MSM-touted rough-and-ready types like Michelle Rhee and David Coleman run pell-mell from a public discussion with Diane Ravitch, it reveals something very basic about the entire leadership of the charterite/privatizer movement.
They feel entitled to mandate for OTHER PEOPLE’S CHILDREN something very different than what they ensure for THEIR OWN CHILDREN. But don’t bring it up in public: “What is it with YOU people?!?!?!” [Governor Chris Christie]. They love being quoted and courted and flattered and tossed softball questions in MSM forums. But a proviso: if Diane Ravitch shows up, surround her with two or three or four rheephormistas and a pro-rheephorm moderator.
And if they can’t do that, weasel out of every engagement where the gap between what they say and what they do will emerge.
They’re paper tigers. They are afraid of anything even remotely resembling a fair and honest and open discussion of their high-stakes standardized tests and VAM and CCSS and squeezing $tudent $ucce$$ out of OTHER PEOPLE’S CHILDREN and the like.
Consider how they massage and torture numbers&stats; see the posting today linking to Gary Rubinstein’s comments on Tennessee. It contains a classic example of the ferocious attachment by the education status quo aka “education reformers” to the—
BIGOTRY OF LOW EXPECTATIONS.
Yep, they’ve become the very thing they [rhetorically] say they’re against!
And as they see it, they don’t live in an echo chamber. No, they’re just listening to the other “best and brightest” like themselves. Why engage with the rest of us? What do we have to offer besides good judgment, practicality and positive results?
As Bill Gates might say, “If stack ranking was good enough for Microsoft, it’s good enough for public education” [but not for Lakeside School where I went and where my children presently go!].
😱
I am sick of the best and the brightest. I just heard the heartbreaking story of a TFA who was not asked back for her second year.
One of my colleagues told me that I am doing wrong by telling administrators what I think. As a serf in the fiefdom, I should shut up and do as I am told. I have more education and more experience than the vast majority of those seeking to control me. I have tired of listening to their stupid theories based largely on thin air.
Every time I see or hear “best and brightest”, I can’t help thinking of the the scene in Men in Black
DFER is adopting a lot of the language of public school advocates. I don’t know that it means anything outside the realm of political marketing, but I think it’s a really striking change in rhetoric and tone.
You-all should consider that a success.
They must feel they have to change their marketing approach 🙂
http://ednotesonline.blogspot.com/2014/08/randimulgrew-pal-steve-barr-to-head.html
dfer was spawned by the devil and the likes of Karl Rove and Dick Cheney…..dark forces at work in our mainstream society!
Child abuse, just as torture, is their form of entertainment.
Good piece on fake “choice” :
“After Hurricane Katrina, New Orleanians had to rebuild. There were neighborhoods to reknit. There were schools to reinvent and, it was hoped, to be lifted from failure.
In Hollygrove, the two efforts aligned. Here in a small and depressed quadrant bound by highways, fences and overflowing drainage canals, neighbors worked with the state Recovery School District for four years to restore the Paul L. Dunbar Elementary campus, and to install the charter school, Lafayette Academy, that Hollygrove wanted. The superintendent even signed off on the agreement, demonstrating that Recovery system officials could listen to a community and make a promise.
Four years later, neighbors say, they took it back. They decided to install a KIPP school in the Dunbar campus, and Hollygrove is aghast.”
“Inside the Recovery district offices, hired staff report to an appointed local superintendent, who reports to an appointed state superintendent in Baton Rouge, who reports to a statewide board that is only partially elected. As an institution, it is several layers removed from direct democracy. The Recovery district might ask forgiveness for its actions, but it need not ask permission.”
http://hechingerreport.org/content/community-picks-charter-open-neighborhood-administrators-say_16932/
You wonder if they’ll ever get some kind of democratic process around public schools in these “reform” cities and states, or if once it’s gone you just never get it back.
How interesting–the use of the terms “self-regard” & “up to certain special people to fix our institutions.” We in ILL-Annoy have suffered (& continue to do so) from the likes of these “self-regarding…certain special people” for decades. I refer to our many,many legislators, who have yearly ruined our state budget by robbing from Peter to pay Paul (i.e.,stealing from our state pension fund, or–to put it in the words of one of our s-r-c-s-p’s–“We didn’t steal it–we just didn’t pay into it!”). Legislators who know SO much more about actuarial numbers than a real actuary, or know SO much more about budgeting than an actual expert. Again and again, such a person has provided a solution to the so-called “pension crisis.” Of course, he was ignored, and, so now, the wise legislators chose to pass a bill that may well be ruled unconstitutional, having no back up plan or alternative, in the meantime, spending even more of our tax dollars in the courts.
Unfortunately, at this dreadful point in time, we all suffer from the multitudes of “self-regarding, certain special people,” dependent upon these wise ones “to fix our institutions.”
Rest assured, David, & all you annointed, “special people,” WE will take it all back.
Yes, WE can…and we WILL.!
That’s how I’ve felt about Bill Gates eve since he got involved in education. He gets an idea somewhere and tries to take it to scale with millions and billions without piloting it or knowing anything much about it. Why are we letting this man bully us into doing whatever he wants, just because he’s willing to pay? Let’s get him out of public education
It will become the ethical question of our time, How much influence should moneyed people be able to buy to create policy in government or change policy? In New York state we have M. Tisch creating her own little army. She directs their work and pays them, where is the Moreland Act Commission on Public Corruption?
“…And for those of you hoping to see Coleman 2.0, I’ll point out that neither Coleman nor Williams addresses the question of why, in a democracy, a really rich private citizen should be taking on personal responsibility for a function of federal, state and local government without the benefit of, say, voters asking him to do so.”
This, to me, is the focal point of everything. Who in the World put this man in control? A dropout with no experience, whatsoever, directing national policy in the field of education.