Some investigative journalist is going to win major prizes for breaking open the story about the money and the motives of those promoting privatization of public education.
Motoko Rich drops tantalizing hints in her story in the New York Times. We learn that the charter referendum in Georgia was funded by “out-of-state donors, including Alice Walton, the daughter of the founder of Walmart, Sam Walton; Americans for Prosperity, the Tea Party group founded by the billionaire Koch brothers; and several companies that manage charter schools. Supporters of the amendment outspent opponents by about 15 to 1.”
The Georgia amendment was based on ALEC model legislation.
In Washington state, “Donors included Ms. Walton, the Bezos foundation, and Bill Gates and Paul Allen, the co-founders of Microsoft. They raised millions of dollars to promote the ballot initiative…”
Also involved, we learned, was Democrats for Education Reform, the Wall Street hedge fund managers organization, and Stand for Children, which stands for equity investors.
Who coordinates these fund-raisers? Who else is involved? How do they manage to present themselves as liberals and supporters of “the civil rights issue of our era” in alliance with far-right groups? And why are they so intent on privatization when the evidence is clear that charters don’t produce better education than public schools?
And how can the Obama administration support a movement tied to the far-right that worked to defeat him?
Diane Ravitch's blog 
WE need a HUGE EXPOSÉ-scandal-regarding the methods used and the purpose of what is behind taking over the public education system of this country…..it smacks of communism, a take-over of education for purposes of dismantling information, destroying knowledge and using subversive action via BIG CORPORATIONS. Something very very peculiar here. It’s MORE than politics. There are NO Democrats that want to privatize the public education of this country. We want a better more consistent just system for ALL students to learn as much as possible about everything in the world in order to make decisions in all matters for the good of all people in this country. Can’t do that if not given equal opportunity to excel as far as one wishes. Thanks.
Artws, Artsw, Artws, Artws, (said in a teacher exasperated voice).
It has nothing to do with “communism” and everything to do with FASCISM-the melding and blending of corporate/business power with the government, see B. Mussolini for the original definition.
And if you believe that there are “NO Democrats that want to privatize the public education of this country” then I have some beautiful ocean front property down at Lake of the Ozarks in central Missouri to sell you quite cheaply. Please call immediately 555-555-5555 so as to not lose out on this once in a lifetime bargain.
But your first and last two sentences are correct.
Although on second thought maybe it is communism as the Rheeformer herself is a North Korean Intelligence agent groomed to destroy American Public Education so that NK may one day become the world’s proper ruling country.
Actually, it is “Democrats” like Obama and Duncan who have given the green light to the dismantling of our democracy. As soon as they got in, the privatization movement began in full swing. I put the “Democrats” name in quotes because the two and their ilk are fakers who infiltrated the Democratic Party in order to take it over and kill it.
Q.And how can the Obama administration support a movement tied to the far-right that worked to defeat him?
A. because he knows that teachers will still be advised to vote for him/vote for him even when he does. Sad, but true.
That investigation will likely also show connections to the dark money the poured into California to fight Governor Brown’s measure to fund public schools. Should an investigative journalist peel back the covers on StudentsFirst, bet the list will look familiar.
Still hanging in there in Washington State. About 2% apart and hoping those late ballots (we are an all mail-in ballot state) will favor a NO on charters.
“And why are they (Overclass funders) so intent on privatization when the evidence is clear that charters don’t produce better education than public schools?”
Because facts don’t matter, and it has has nothing to do with education, but rather with power, control and monetizing every breath people take. The kids are just rhetorical and visual props for reaching that end.
Here’s why Obama will continue to enact the Democrats for Education Reform’s agenda: http://www.dfer.org/blog/. This blog post opens with this paragraph: “Nothing could be more rewarding than seeing President Obama be reelected last night with the ardent support of the education reform community. We are so excited to see what his second term has in store.” If they are “excited to see what his second term has in store” I’m thinking you might not be….
. . . a true educator!
. . . one who cares about a just public education system!
. . . completely honest in stating your intentions!
. . . one who values cooperative, caring schools!
. . . a teacher whose life has been completely ruined by VAM evaluations!
. . . a student whose love of learning has been sucked dry by the constant teaching to the test and the testing itself!
. . .
These hedge fund crooks belong in jail, not taking over the public good so they can further commit bank robbery.
More take-overs in TN: http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/nov/07/10-more-memphis-schools-to-be-taken-over-by/
Stockholm Syndrome.
We have a term for this, Diane. It’s called “disruptive innovation,” and this is a very FAVORABLE thing. it will revolutionize our public education system and offer a fighting chance for the United States to improve its woefully inadequate international competitiveness. And that’s NOT just based on test scores!
Congratulations to all of he states that took a bold step in reforming their education systems by voting for more public school options for their children!
If you were really concerned about international competitiveness, you’d favor a focus on reducing and ameliorating poverty.
BTW, charter schools are not public schools. Unless you consider Lockheed Martin public because it gets government money for defense contracts.
If you knew me, you’d know that’s EXACTLY what I have been doing. Take a look at Atlanta Music Project and then get back to me. I’m all about helping at-risk youth, something that our communities and our schools have not fared well at.
I think you should do some research, because charter schools ARE public schools. They do not charge tuition, and many are held to even tighter guidelines than traditional schools. You all tend to only look at the extreme cases which are not the majority. I could say the same thing about corrupt traditional public schools. Take a look at some of the mismanagement and corrupt behavior going on there, and then get back to me.
Also BTW, I believe “disruptive innovation” and “shock therapy” are kissing cousins. You can keep both.
And this poster is PROUD to support DFER!!
I guess we’ll take you on your word. The other day I thought you might have been being facetious.
I’d like to see less complaints from this blog, and others, and more posts about solutions. It reminds me of the title of a post of someone I know (unrelated to education), called “Rants.”
There have been plenty of solutions offered.
– let teachers teach; treat teachers as the professionals they are
– focus on poverty
– adequately fund real public schools instead of giving all the resources to charter schools and voucher schools
– get rid of standardized testing, or at least greatly reduce it and don’t base teacher evaluations on it
– stop closing and reorganizing “failing” schools
– allow for democratic input into schools; get rid of mayoral control and other barriers to allowing parents and educators to control their own schools
Solutions to what problem, exactly?
International test scores? Easy, only give the test to our upper middle class, native English speaking, advanced students. They will do great!
Point: The “education crisis” is a manufactured crisis.
Poverty rates, lack of health care, joblessness, imprisonment, immigration policy, …here are some real problems.
The problem is that teachers are not teaching the way 21st century students learn. Teachers are not adequately compensated, trained, or evaluated. Teachers must become mentors, and they must find a way to embrace the openness of digital technology. I can go on and on. The system is broken, and until we move to a student-centric from a teacher-centric system, we will continue to underperform our pears.
It’s really astounding when I hear teachers think they are being blamed for the ills of our public education system. They are part of the solution, but instead, they think need collective bargaining and lifetime tenure like Supreme Court justices. There are so many structural flaws with our public education system, I could go on and on. Our education system is, quite simply, an anachronism.
And it’s truly sad, because this poster graduated from public schools and has watched the world change, except for public education.
You sound an awful lot like Nikhil Goyal’s book, which I just finished reading.
It is really appalling that all you folks can do is make personal attacks on people who do not share your protectionist views. This is why no one takes your folks seriously. When you have nothing intelligent to say, everyone acts like an animal trapped in a corner. Mike Petrill is right – it’s foolhardy to try and have an “intelligent” discussion with folks in self-interest groups. Most of all, it’s sad that you cannot see the favorable change that’s coming, and instead always find the glass as half-empty.
Interesting that you think that comparing you to Nikhil Goyal is a “personal attack”.
More hogwash. Take the Gates/Broad/Walton rhetoric elsewhere. Your post is full of lies.
By the way, it’s “peers,” not “pears.” You must be a charter school grad.
Susan, why the personal attacks? Your posts should be removed immediately because they are way over the line. I have not lambasted anyone in this thread. I’m glad you do not teach my children.
Teachers don’t have “lifetime employment.” If you knew what you were talking about, you’d know this.
When you have tenure, you have to murder someone to be fired. I know – I come from a family of public school teachers!
Where did they teach?
Who did they kill?
What are you talking about?
Public School teachers do not have tenure.
Some college professors have tenure.
Especially here in the South..where you are in Atlanta, there is NO SUCH THING!
Teachers in Atlanta do have right of fair dismissal…something every working person should have, BTW. A right to due process, to know why you are being let go, to be given an opportunity to rectify the problem.
Now please drop the old, tired, “tenure” canard.
Tenure is “due process” not a lifetime job guarantee. And collective bargaining serves both labor and management. Take NYC with 75,000+ teachers. I would venture to say that it is probably cheaper overall to negotiate one contract for a group of teachers than individual ones, even if each contract was identical. I don’t know that for a fact- just a hunch and an educated guess.
“It’s really astounding when I hear teachers think they are being blamed for the ills of our public education system.”
We don’t believe it but try convincing Joel Klein, Michelle Rhee, DFER and others of that. They are the one’s casting aspersions on teachers. BTW- only Rhee taught and she was “crappy” (her words). I have a few choice ones of my own for her. But we’re civil here.
I am not a Rhee supporter, Mark. You assume that because I am a on the side of education reform, that I support Rhee, or KIPP, or other “polarizing” elements of the ed reform movement.
And tenure is not “due process.” It has been a carat for being underpaid. Last-in, first-out, is an abomination. How else can you explain why a Sacramento teacher who won “Teacher of the Year” got the pink slip? Public schools have been mismanaged for decades.
Do a little research on Malcolm and you’ll find he isn’t what he’s cracked up to be. He’s part of the problem in education.
BTW it’s Mike Petrilli.
Where did your family teach? You’re obviously not aware of how tenure has changed in many systems. Notably, Washington, DC . The provisions have been weakened.
RED,
Have you ever taught in a public school? If so what subjects and how long?
Gracias,
Duane
Always the copout answer. You just won’t take suggestions from anyone who hasn’t taught. And so all of you will continue to throw brilliant folks like Sal Khan under the bus for what reason? Because the guy left his cushy job to create a new way of learning, all from a small room in his house?
Again, you think I’m berating teachers. When will you get it? It’s about the system! This is why our schools are failing. Instead of collaboration, teachers just want everyone to leave them alone and give them free autonomy to teach our kids nothing. Go read “Outliers” by Malcolm Gladwell, and then lets have a substantive discussion about how to innovate in education.
When will you get it? Our *schools* aren’t failing. Upper and middle class kids in our public schools out-perform kids in other countries on standardized tests. The only reason we appear to do worse is that we have a much more heterogenuous society including a lot more widespread poverty.
And I’m not a teacher myself. That’s why I’m willing to listen to those who are. I think they know a lot more about what actually goes on in education than those of us who aren’t in it on a daily basis.
I would still like to know what grades, ages, subjects you have taught? How many years? What type of setting? What age or subject did you prefer? What were your personal strengths and weaknesses? I don’t these are unfair questions to ask. Let us know.
Oops! That as for R. ED.
Sal Khan is brilliant!? RED- teach and open a charter. Stop back in a year or two and let us know how things are going. I have papers to grade now. Opps. School ended at 3.30.
Just curious- what line of work are you in?
Hedge fund manager?
RED,
I’ll reply here as the threads get to skinny to read.
No, it’s not a cop out answer. Because until one has walked a mile in my shoes how can they know what I’ve been through (and yea I know that’s a bit trite). Sal Kahn brilliant? There are many criticisms available about the facts that he gets wrong, the methods, etc. . . .
I happen to agree with you that it is the “system”. But not in the fashion/manner you think. Teachers are screaming for real collaboration not the top down crap that is now being foisted upon them in the name of raising test scores. I challenge you to come into my classroom and observe for a month what a “real” teacher does day in and day out. You would be shocked at the content, the pedagogical reasons for what I do and be even more amazed at the fact that most of the students are learning (if they choose). And I’m not the only one. The vast majority of us teachers do this day in and day out and give our most to the students only to be berated by the likes of you who insists it’s about the “system” yet we are a major part of that “system”.
You suggest reading “Outliers” by Malcolm Gladwell”. I may have to do that but from a quick purview of reviews, I’m not sure. From a review: “Throughout the publication, Gladwell repeatedly mentions the “10,000-Hour Rule”, claiming that the key to success in any field is, to a large extent, a matter of practicing a specific task for a total of around 10,000 hours.” Let’s see 10,000 divided by 52 weeks is about 40 hours per week. Now not everyone works forty hours a week every week (although my dad in his own industrial shoe and sewing machine repair business worked 10 hours a day, seven days a week and only took off Christmas and New Years day in order to send us to the Catholic schools in St. Louis. I know he worked himself to death and I would have preferred him being around more). So lets say it takes 1 1/2 years to accumulate 10,000 hours of doing that task.
I say bullshit. It takes anywhere from over five to ten years to become a “master” of any job. I know, I’m a master upholsterer (the definition of which is being able to take an upholstered piece completely apart down to the frame including being able to repair and replace the frame parts, put the webbing, springs-including tying them if necessary, re-padding, making and cutting new patterns, laying out the patterns and cutting the fabric so that every pattern matches as much as possible-and I guarantee you will never see a manufactured piece that does that to the degree I have, sewing all the pieces and them reapplying them to end up with a completely awesome piece) and I didn’t get that way in less than two years.
I’m also a master teacher and it took ten years to get to that point (and I am not talking about getting a degree). So the source you cite for a discussion of “excellence” falls far short of my definition of excellence (granted I haven’t read the book but if the reviews are correct I don’t need to).
Quite frankly I don’t think you know what the hell you are talking about when it comes to quality.
Give me a call at 636 235 4124 and we can discuss this more if you like. It’s a land line so you may have to leave a message as I don’t pick up the phone unless I know who is calling.
Duane
Sorry my math was wrong. Does indeed come out to about 5 years of work. So I stand corrected on that. Indeed that is the minimum. My apologies. And still feel free to call!!
But then again, let’s have TFAer’s get five weeks of training and then teach a couple of years and leave. That’s a brilliant reform strategy, eh.
Pay no attention to the EduShyster:
“The edushyster seeks to profit off of public schools and their students and is almost always aided by state and local politicians who find the shyster’s faddish jargon irresistible”.
(Thank you to the blogger who gave us this very accurate and useful term!)