It turns out that Stand for Children is not only the guiding organization behind the plan to transfer large numbers of public school students to charter schools, along with $212 million of taxpayers dollars, in Memphis/Shelby County, but it was previously active in promoting the pro-privatization propaganda film “Waiting for ‘Superman'” to parents and the public in Memphis.
As you will see in the link below, John Legend, the singer who is on the board of the Wall Street hedge fund manager group Democrats for Education Reform, funded the showing of this mockumentary to low-income communities. The purpose of the film was to show the failure of public education and the superiority of private management.
A reader sent this link. It shows how Stand on Children set the stage for privatization on a large scale in Memphis.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
It’s all connected in Memphis . . .
John Legend, of course, used to work for BCG.
What is BCG?
The Boston Consulting Group – the consultants who the Transition Planning Commission paid to write the plan for the merger of the Memphis City Schools and Shelby County Schools.
Wow. Didn’t know that! I did see the he funded the “mockumentary” in some communities; and in Memphis, where I live, SFC, in conjunction with Gates, funded the show.
We grassroots anti-privatizers should be more savvy when it comes to using the glitter of celebrity. Wouldn’t it be great if Matt Damon would underwrite the showing of The Inconvenient Truth Behind Waiting for Superman?
Has anyone seen the 2011 documentary “The Experiment?” (It was recently on Encore.)
It’s about the RSD post-Katrina. Any comments? Diane?
BAEO uses the same strategy. Go to the areas where they think they can get the most attention. Just the other day I saw a huge billboard in an area of town where many of the schools have now been taken over by the RSD (Recovery School District) The charters there haven’t been doing too well. Some of the public schools have low marks on the state report card as well. So, they will be subject again to all the ways to provide the schools a means and ways to improve. This is very likely the opportunity to opening up another charter provider to come in. Stand for Children, like BAEO, will hit areas where members of communities have been lead to believe their schools are “failing”.
Yes! I have often thought there has to be someone who has money / influence who can assist us, like Matt Damon or Jon Stewart. Is there any one else??
Michael Moore?
Two good suggestions. Let’s do it!