You can go to Amazon and click on this link to receive a free pdf of a 40-page report called “Who Controls Our Schools? The Privatization of American Public Education.”
It is up-to-date, concise, and well-written. It was prepared by Don Hazen, Elizabeth Hines, Steven Rosenfeld, and Stan Salett of THE INDEPENDENT MEDIA INSTITUTE.
If your friends and relatives don’t understand why you are worried about the future of public schools, share this document with them.
Here is the table of contents:
Introduction………………………………….
Analysis/Findings ……………………………..
2.1 How the School Privatization Industry Has Hijacked the Concept of Education Reform
2.2 How a Group of Billionaires Has Aggressively Pushed to Privatize the Public School System
2.3 How the Myth of “Failing Schools” Helped Spur
a Movement. . . One-Sided Propaganda Machine. . . . . . . . . . . ….
2.4 How a Lack of Transparency Undermines Schools
and Communities: Privatization in Action . . . . . . . . . . .
2.5 How Locally Elected School Boards and Democratic Governance Have Been Destroyed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
In Los Angeles, Pushing Charters,
by Every Means Necessary . . . . . . . . . . .. ……..
2.6 How the Legal Framework for Privatization
and Total Control Has Taken Hold. . . . . . . .. ……. .
2.7 How the Rapid Expansion of Privatized
Charters Is Pushed. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. ……..
Today’s Battlefront States . . . . . . . . . . . .. ……..
2.8 How to Take a Hard Look at Charter Schools
and Educational Outcomes: Rhetoric Is Not
the Same as Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ……..
2.9 How Charters Create Self-Enrichment Schemes
and Crony Capitalism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Self-Enrichment……. Nepotism … Corporate Profiteering . . . . . . . . .
2.10 How School Privatization Keeps Out Regulators
or Captures Them . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Policy Recommendations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Acknowledgments ………………………………
About the Authors ……………………………….
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Reblogged this on Crazy Normal – the Classroom Exposé and commented:
You only have to read 40 pages to learn all about the corporate agenda of greed to destroy America’s traditional, democratic, community based, locally controlled, transparent, non-profit, public schools that are responsible for the U.S. being the 4th most educated country in the world.
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For your friends who are not about to read the book Alternet yesterday posted the highlights and a link.
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Alternet has been in the lead in among liberal/progressive publication/websitess in exposing so-called reform, unlike The Nation or Mother Jones, whose coverage of the issue has been, with some exceptions, weak and spotty.
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Let us not forget “In These Times ”
Off topic but to our previous conversation Half (i think ) of voting members of the AFT are retired which allows Randi to be far less responsive to active members. Most Unions do not have that dynamic. There is nothing worse then a retired anything , they sit home watch FOX news and vote their own and other workers futures away. From protecting defined benefit pensions to Social Security their is nothing dumber than our retirees who would deny others the benefits they received.
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Yes, I should have given a shout-out to In These Times, which has never flirted with reform propaganda, unlike The Nation or Mother Jones.
The Nation, aside from some excellent reporting by Lee Fang (who now writes for The Intercept), has been a terrible disappointment on this beat.
As for the power of retirees in the UFT, yes it’s terrible, but it’s not the only reason for the lack of democracy in the union. At-large voting (instituted after an opposition candidate won an officer position years ago), appointment of District Reps, rather than having them elected by the Chapter Leaders… But probably worst of all is the Unity Caucus loyalty oath, which all prospective members must sign, and which binds them to vote along caucus lines, even if that means going against the express wishes of the members in their school.
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It is ironic that this publication is being offered through Amazon as Jeff Bezos is another billionaire promoting charters. Privatization has become a ‘runaway train’ of capitalistic pursuit. It has little to do with improving education for our young people, and everything to do with gaining access to public funds. Left unchecked, it has the capacity to destroy communities and even destabilize states.
Several copies of this should be sent to the Clinton campaign. It could be suggested reading for Hillary’s last leg of the campaign.
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Really you think it is a matter of ignorance. I doubt that.
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I don’t think it is a matter of ignorance, but I think Hillary is a practical politician. If she sees the tide turning, she may ponder which decision will alienate the least number of voters.
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Amazon sells or releases more than a million books. I would not expect Bezos to know what is in them.
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crossposted at http://www.opednews.com/Quicklink/A-Free-Book-on-Amazon-That-in-General_News-Diane-Ravitch_Explaining_Future_Privatize-Education-161028-969.html#comment625321
“If your friends and relatives don’t understand why you are worried about the future of public schools, or have not read the book by Ravitch, “Reign oof Error” then share this document with them. You can click on this link to receive a free pdf from Amazon, of a 40-page report called “Who Controls Our Schools? The Privatization of American Public Education.” It is up-to-date, concise, and well-written. It was prepared by Don Hazen, Elizabeth Hines, Steven Rosenfeld, and Stan Salett of THE INDEPENDENT MEDIA INSTITUTE.”
Don’t be left in the dark as our democracy is eroded behind the scene, as we are entertained by the media circus of election, sports an celeb ‘news!’
AND Here’s a film”Defies Measurement”you might want to watch , so you know what is happening UNDER OUR NOSES.Here is a clear, comprehensible picture of the complex forces that are crushing public education.
If you get frustrated with trying to explain the complex and crushing forces arrayed against what we know works in education, this film is a great resource. It is not sensationalized, it’s not super-slick and it’s not hyperbolized. It is a calm but relentless and clear raising of the alarm and showing what we know to do well, and how we are being taken down a failed and fruitless road. Watch this film. Share this film. Spread the word about this film.”
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It’s funny that Amazon has the book, which has this in it
A
detailed report by Joanne Barkan in the April 2016 edition of
Nonprofit Quarterly describes a decade-long effort in Washington state
by Bill Gates, fellow Microsoft founder and billionaire Paul Allen,
Gap founder and billionaire Donald Fisher, the parents of Amazon
founder Jeff Bezos, and other extremely wealthy corporate executives
and technologists to license and expand charters despite being
rejected by voters in a series of statewide elections.
Well written “anti privatization manifesto”.
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Call me a freak – I lean Christian Conversative! While I don’t agree with a lot of your politics, I learn a lot from Diane. Keep up the good writing. From my Biblical worldview,
the charter school movement is in spirit of the anti-Christ and formation of one world government, whereas the locals have no control. It’s scary to see what will prevail.
I am not, always, the biggest fan of public schools. I have several issues with them, however, I am not one to advocate charter schools or vouchers.
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Send me a copy
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Jim,
Go to Amazon and download it for free
It is 40 pages
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