Ken Previti writes this comment about the three public schools closed in Brevard County over the objections of the parents. The best solution: Elect a new school board. Run for school board. Organize and mobilize.
One harsh fact needs to be remembered about school closings, teacher evaluations and school ranking by student test scores. The total amount that “needed” to be cut from the budget by closing three Brevard schools was identical to the amount “needed” to build the new charter school demanded by the appointed Florida State Board of Education.
Brevard County IS the Space Coast, home of brilliant Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral engineers and large military installations and military/industrial corporations.. (I live there.) It is also overwhelmingly republican at-all-costs, and that includes Tea Party candidates.
Tea Party Republican Billionaire Gov. Rick Scott was the CEO of the corporation convicted of the biggest fraud against Medicare in history. When questioned personally he replied that he repeatedly refused to answer on the grounds that it might incriminate him, yet his money paid for TV messages that got him elected.
Past Gov. Jeb Bush, brother of W. and son of H.W., has organizations and investments in huge corporate education reform interests – including testing and test prep materials.
The school closings are a scam.
“Public-private partnerships” is the euphemism meaning “public tax money for private profit.” The school closings and the charter school building (scheduled to be built blocks from where I live) are part of the financial scam of the selling of America – one school at a time.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Dear Parents in Brevard County: Remember, you have the power. Without students they can’t have schools, either private or public. I suggest you create “freedom schools” as during the Civil Rights movement or home schools. There is no law that says kids have to be in school between 8 and 3. The schooling can be in the afternoon to evening. Plan these schools now so that when next year comes around, there will be few kids showing up. This would take massive planning with parents promising to watch other children’s kids during their work hours but like the Montgomery Bus Boycott it will work. Without your kids, the schools, charter or public, cannot be funded.
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I would bet there are many retired teachers who would be willing to volunteer.
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What a brilliant idea, to revive the Freedom Schools! It’s an apt and powerful name, with great resonance, and it’s based on an important practical model of something that worked. I’m going to start a hashtag and a Paper.Li right now…. #freedomschool
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Don’t forget that Joe Biden’s brother, Frank, is president of a for profit charter chain in Florida: Mavericks in Education. Expect lots more federal and state dollars going to charter schools in Florida.
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Thank you, Diane Ravitch, for all you do to try to explain what is happening to public education. Please keep up your efforts. I know how disheartening it is becoming, but you are a beacon of light for those of us who strongly support your efforts.
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