Superintendent Rob Glass, who oversees the affluent district of Bloomfield Hills in Michigan, has written a powerful letter, denouncing the rapid privatization that is being foisted on the state’s public schools.
Please read his letter for a description of what the Republican governor and legislature have planned in a lame duck session.
If the legislation were called a plan to replace and privatize the public schools of Michigan, it would at least be honest and transparent.
But the bills now before the Legislature are called “reform.”
They are designed to deceive the public.
They are aligned with the privatization agenda of ALEC.
Voters of Michigan, wake up.
This is a program to replace public education with charters and online schools, paid for with dollars subtracted from your public schools.
Please, President Obama, speak out. Stop privatization of public education in Michigan.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Diane and fellow educators…I just don’t understand why the Republicans are out to destroy public education. Is it just because of their disdain for the NEA or the AFT? Is it because in most public schools evolution is a standard topic in science classes? Is it because many public schools, as well as elite private schools I might add, teach that there are various perspectives to investigate when one studies history? Is it because the arts are considered essential and not just frills? and we all know what arty people are like!! I really don’t understand how it benefits anyone at all to undermine the public schools. I grew up in the post war days when there was still a lot of rote learning going on but also some progressive ideas found their way into the curriculum and play and projects were a fun part of our days. There was joy in many of my classes. I still remember a passionate speech I gave in 6th grade about the Berlin wall, or my mold experiments in 7th grade and the life changing experiences in music throughout all my years in school. Public schools served my peer cohort well and most public schools still do serve children’s needs, except there is far too much emphasis on high stakes tests which is taking us in the wrong direction. The kinds of thinking and problem solving our world requires now and will in the future cannot be cultivated and nurtured by a curriculum geared to state mandated tests. So why do Republicans want to eviscerate one of the most important foundational institutions of the society? Do they want robotic thinkers? Do they want people easily manipulated and controlled? I can’t believe that, it is far too scary to imagine that could be the case. So why?
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Jane, it IS scary, but, sadly, “they” do want people manipulated and controlled–thinking will be rendered non-existent, so there will never again be 99% who question the authority of the 1%. “They” want kids to go to charter schools so that they will be “college ready?” No, that’s clearly not the plan. “They” want people who will work for minimum wage (& this will also include teachers, as “they” want to destroy unions, have teachers work in charter schools for little money, while the corporation heads that run them make $$$$). And, Jane, this is one area that has bipartisan assent.
This is not simply due to the Republicans. WHO won the election?
WHO is the Secretary of Education who gave us NCLB on steroids? Democrats. And–money and power is why.
BUT–we can fight this, and we are doing so and will continue to do so. Read Diane’s post about Philadelphia. The truth and good will prevail. Join Parents Across America and S.O.S. (Save Our Schools). Yes WE can!
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You are so right and I know the assault on education isn’t only from the right and yet they do seem to have more angry teeth out ready to rip apart public schools. And yes, I know, Arne Duncan…Good grief, what was Obama thinking? And Tom Friedman, too. Thanks for the info about organizations I might join to stop this effort to undermine our schools. And one last thing, I ,too, am retired but miss the kids!! Thanks for your thoughtful post.
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Well at this point it’s not only the rethugs but many dims, see Duck Funcan and Obomber.
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The Michigan House Education Committee just met and again took no action on HB 6004. They are looking at the 3rd revision of the bill and apparently are working on more revisions in conjunction with the Senate. Many legislators,including Republicans, are asking questions. I’m sure this delay is to a great extent the result of public opposition, which is growing. The Senate Education Committee meets tomorrow and, so far, their bill (SB 1358) is not on the announced agenda. There are still 3 weeks in the lame duck session to get these bills passed, but the path is not as easy as it was for the Emergency Manager law two years ago.
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See also this letter from 71 district superintendents in West Michigan – far from the usual focus on Detroit:
http://www.mlive.com/opinion/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2012/12/71_west_michigan_school_chiefs.html
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As I understand it all bills left unpassed when the state legislature adjourns for the year automatically die, and will need to be reintroduced in the new legislature. Let us hope this bill dies before being passed.
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Obama speak out?! He is driving this as much if not more than any politician. Who do you think Arne Duncan is taking orders from?
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He’s taking his orders from a war criminal who has asserted the powers of a monarch in killing American citizens without trial. So sad, how insane. And people vote for someone who ordered the killing of a sixteen year old American. Effin idiots.
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