David Sirota of Denver has been trying for some while to send a wake up call to the American public: billionaires and entrepreneurs are scoping out the schools as an emerging market for their goods and services. What they call “reform” has nothing to do with education and everything o do with money, power, control, and ideology. What they call “reform” is a shell game to hoodwink the public and divert attention from privatization.
As Sirota writes:
“…though it is rarely mentioned, the truth is that the largest funders of the “reform” movement are the opposite of disinterested altruists. They are cutthroat businesspeople making shrewd financial investments in a movement that is less about educating children than about helping “reform” funders hit paydirt. In that sense, they are the equivalent of any industry leaders funding a front group in hopes of achieving profitable political ends (think: defense contractors funding a front group that advocates for a bigger defense budget). The only difference is that when it comes to education “reform,” most of the political press doesn’t mention the potential financial motives of the funders in question.”
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Reblogged this on Transparent Christina.
No kidding. Interesting that shrewd investigative journalists have missed this. Where are Randi Kaye and Sean Hannity when you need the truth to be told?
And the reason the “political press” doesn’t mention the underwriters of “reform” is because in some (if not many) cases they are in on the deal… In other cases they’ve crafted a narrative that they don’t want to undo… That’s why we get all these heartwarming stories about charter schools saving lives but nothing about the good works that public school teachers do… It’s why the typical “political press” reader believes charter schools are demonstrably better than their “failing public schools”… We can’t let facts get in the way of a good story, eh!
they’ve crafted a narrative that they don’t want to undo
I agree. Our press seems to like to stick to a narrative no matter what.
Remember Gore said he invented the internet, Gore said he was the main character in Love Story? Of course, neither was true, but it sure got repeated a lot in the press. (The Daily Howler covered all this really well, IMOH).
As you said, they cannot let the facts get in the way of the narrative once it is crafted.
http://www.newschools.org/blog/closer-look
Check out this link. $$$$$$$$$$$$$….
Great!
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Memphis and actually the entire state of Tennessee is “all in” as it pertains to turning over our schools to private interests for profit. Memphis schools are being systematically dismantled. They are now run by a lawyer. Everyone with any sense in central administration has already abandoned ship. Non-profits and charter groups are basically being asked “which schools do you want”. Our bargained contract is being trampled in the process. Gates Foundation partner organizations are asking principals “who do you want to get rid of? We will help you.” Principals are being given the green light to surplus (lay off) anyone they want, regardless of their performance.
Nashville, Knoxville and Chattanooga are next. They started with Memphis because that was the district with the highest poverty. They bet on the fact that the state and citizens of Memphis would basically give the schools to whoever was willing to take them. In steps the Gates Foundation and with that single agreement the demise of public education in our community was sealed. That bet will pay off to the tune of 1.4 billion education dollars per year in our county alone.
Within 5 years TEA and all the locals will be relegated to cursory “remember whens” as the major population centers of the state no longer are in the business of educating their own children. Charters, vouchers and non-profits will have no union affiliates. This will bankrupt the state level organization and open the floodgates for private equity and hedge funds to capitalize off of public tax dollars. All the while those making these decisions have their children in elite private schools that would never take on the ridiculous data-obsessed practices brought to us from Bill and Melinda Gates. No Mr. Gates, data does not hold the answers to the world’s problems.
I was termed and “Irreplaceable” teacher based on my personal teaching performance last year. What a joke! We are all replaceable. An iPad or virtual classroom should do the trick. I hoped to spend my life’s work teaching children. Instead, halfway through a career, I am marketing myself to other industries and embarking on a total career change. There is no room for career educators in this process. Especially ones who can not compromise their professional ethics to jump through the hoops of fire required. I hope the career path I choose for the future pays well. I am going to need the extra money to pay for private schools. I would not wish this chaos on anyone’s children. I will not accept it for mine.
It is a sad day.