In Sunday’s New York Times, celebrated columnist Thomas Friedman wrote that he had “a recent discussion in Seattle with a group of educators.” One of them surprised him by saying that “even though their state did not win President Obama’ education ‘Race to the Top,’ that program was critical in spurring educational reform in Washington State.” This persuaded Friedman that Obama is not doing enough to call attention to his successful policies.
I found myself wondering which group of educators he met with. Perhaps it was educators who work for the Gates Foundation?
I was in Seattle twice this past year. Last November, I spoke to the Washington State School Directors Association (the state’s school boards), the Washington Education Association, and the Seattle Education Association. I had small group meetings with teachers, administrators and school board members. No one–not one person–said what Friedman heard.
I wish he had been more specific in describing what happened in Washington state because of Race to the Top.
Does Friedman know that Washington State is one of the few states that has consistently opposed charters?
I wish he had been with me when I spoke to Washington educators. Something tells me they were not teachers or administrators or school board members.
Diane
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Thomas Friedman is known for having imaginary conversations with cab drivers around the world. It’s a literary device that allows him to make stuff up according to his (sometimes) misinformed opinions.
Here’s how FAIR recently treated the problem of Thomas Friedman in their blog:
Give Friedman a Chance–to Rewrite His Own History
Posted on 05/23/2012 by Julie Hollar
Thomas Friedman on Face the Nation this past Sunday (5/20/12):
You know, I believed from the beginning we had four choices in Afghanistan, Bob: lose early, lose late, lose big, or lose small. And, you know, my hope was that we would lose small and early.
Thomas Friedman in the New York Times, November 2, 2001:
A month into the war in Afghanistan, the hand-wringing has already begun over how long this might last. Let’s all take a deep breath and repeat after me: Give war a chance.