Investigative journalists are beginning to follow the money trail that leads to privatization of public education.
Chris Potter of the Pittsburgh City Paper recently published an excellent examination of the lavish spending by a small group of interlocking organizations promoting privatization in Pennsylvania. Some of these organizations popped up overnight to dispense large sums of money to candidates willing to support vouchers.
The story is the same everywhere, it seems. A small number of people who are very rich are trying to buy elections. Their cause is “reform” their goal is privatization.
The journalist who conducts a national investigation might discover that the same 200-300 people are putting up the money in state and local school elections across the nation. They are undermining democracy with their targeted spending.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
And if those 200 to 300 mega-wealthy people wanted the masses to live in bright pink houses that were covered with purple polka dots, they could probably make that happen, too. A tiny group of people in this country have way too much money and are able to assert way too much control.
“”You’ve got a dozen people with a lot of money, versus thousands and thousands of teachers,” says Feinberg. “Just from a democracy standpoint, you have handfuls of people trying to set public policy. They’re not winning every battle, but they’re winning enough.””
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Mr. Potter,
You are one of the first and only in our country to lift this rock and watch the bugs and worms scatter. Keep up this type of journalism–you know, the kind you were called to do. Don’t stop now. The Truth is only yet being told by people like you.
Follow. The Money.
We are all better for knowing it.
(*I recommend Chris Potter, James Roebuck, Jessie Ramey, Barry Kaufmann, and Larry Feinberg all be nominated for today’s Ravitch Hero Awards.)
Are the names of the 200-300 individuals or their foundations who are seeding the privatization of K-12 education listed publicly anywhere?
I doubt that it is even so many.
The Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondaty Education was bought and paid for by big money. All but 2 members secured hundreds of thousands of dollars from out of state big business. They were hand picked to vote for Jindal’s reforms. Disgusting…
Thank you journalists!! Keep reporting the truth. The public will fight back once they all find out.