I discovered a new blogger who is spot-on: EduShyster
He or she seems to be writing from Massachusetts and has a wicked sense of humor.
This post is called “The Scratch n’ Sniff Guide to Phony Education Reform Groups.”
There are certain tell-tale signs. For example, no one in a leadership role ever went to a public school. Its “experienced” teachers had two years in TFA. Its policy agenda is exactly the same as ALEC.
This post challenges a charter cheerleader to find a single charter school in Massachusetts with the same demographics as Lawrence and a low attrition rate and high scores.
This blogger has wit, style, and knowledge, a powerful combination.
And to show my exquisite sense of political balance, here is a guide to reform groups by the Center for Education Reform, which advocates for vouchers, charters, homeschooling, online for-profit virtual schools–anything but public schools.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Just search for the following words in their mission statement:
choice, best and brightest, community engagement, and innovation,
Oh, and “new civil rights movement
I like reading the self-selected charter board bios for hints. Usually “vice-president of financial services” is a good hint of astro-turf status, but my favorite is a New Orleans charter board member described as an “education activists” who turns up on LinkedIn as a investment adviser whose “personal goals” are to “increase the number of my caribbean regattas this year.” I kid you not.
CER’s Field Guide is really something else. I’m at a loss. I’m still laughing.
I’d like to add a few more to EduShyster’s list:
The reformer may/will live in a house in where the property taxes are about equal to what a parent in a high poverty school earns in a year.
The reformer will have a head shot on their website that is easily downloadable.
The reformer may have a spouse employed in a private or parochial school.
The reformer probably lives in an area where there are few or no charter schools.
The reformer will probably live in an area where there is absolutely no chance what they are advocating for other people’s children, has a chance of being implemented.
The reformer loves to attack and/or slime and slanders other people.
Lastly, they may be delusional or have an over inflated sense of self-esteem or self-worth and importance.
The reformer may/will live in a house where the property taxes are greater than what a parent in a high poverty school earns in a year.
The reformer is often heard defending him/herself with the words, “Do you know who I am?!”
As one whose score suggests I[ just one of those “talkers”, in the post you accessed, I was wondering if the author is a walking the talk matters to him/her at all?. It was amazing, Diane, and I had to read it over a few times just in case it was a satire.
The one from Mass is satire The other is not
Diane
Diane, I appreciate what you are doing, however you have to start filtering that blog post you send us. We do not have time for supercilious rhetoric on things of which we have no control.
Sent from my iPhone
Again, what is it you don’t have time for?
No one compels you to read anything here.
Pick and choose. To be forewarned is forearmed. Rather than being passive and docile, speak up and do something. Try to exert some semblance of control. It appears you have a defeatist attitude. With that mindset, you won’t have any control.
Rita,
Are you actually upset Diane has a blog??? You control what’s sent to your computer. You have a delete button?? But don’t even suggest silencing her.
“No control over”???? If you feel that way, you are so in the wrong place. Sign up for something that doesn’t give you agita. Try Goupons 🙂