Mayor Rahm Emanuel, fresh from his skiing trip in Utah, and showing a bit of windburn on his face, held a press conference to explain that it was a “difficult” decision to close 54 public schools and disrupt the lives of 30,000 children.
Mayor Emanuel’s children will not be affected, fortunately. They attend the elite University of Chicago Lab School, where President Obama and Secretary Duncan sent their children. It is the same school attended by the children of former CPS board chair and billionaire Penny Pritzker.
I have no beef with people who send their children to private or religious schools, so long as they pay for it themselves and don’t ask the public to pay for their children’s private education. But it is hypocritical to believe that your own children need small classes, experienced teachers, a broad curriculum, a vibrant arts program, but the children of others who are less fortunate do not. The public can’t and won’t pay for the fine opportunities at elite private schools, but those who are in a position of power–like Obama, Duncan, Emanuel, Pritzer, and many others who call themselves “reformers”–should want the same for Other People’s Children. They should fight for it. They should exert their energies to demand equality of educational opportunity and stop promoting second-class education for Other People’s Children.
This is what John Dewey meant when he wrote: “What the best and wisest parent wants for his child, that must we want for all the children of the community. Anything less is unlovely, and left unchecked, destroys our democracy.”
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Beautiful and powerful, Diane. Thank you for this, and for all you do.
LikeLike
Oh, Dr. Ravitch: don’t you know it’s completely out of bounds to mention the mayor’s hypocrisy?
How dare you or anyone else question the mayor’s sincerity! Or Chris Christie’s!
LikeLike
So he only sends his kids to private school for the religious componant? What a crock.
I’m sure the small class sizes and iron-fisted discipline which keeps troubled children out of the school had nothing to do with it.
LikeLike
In my town the only way for a student to get a Montessori, Waldorf, or progressive education is at a private school. A desire for those approaches to education might also motivate families to send their children to private (or non-traditional publics like charter) schools.
LikeLike
Can you say plutocracy? Neither Party has shown compassion, understanding and dedication to our public schools. Welcome to America in the 21st Century… a world where Too Big To Fail banks and their managers are bailed out so they can continue to pay millions in bonuses. This is the world we live in where President Obama sold us on change while his Treasury bailed out the bankers with trillions and they’re still doing it.
Education has now become the toy of corporate cronyism starting with the White House. The only change I believe in is one teacher, one student. That’s a revolution I believe in. My public school education was a blessing. I’m not sure we’ll ever get it back now that our leaders are attempting a corporate take-over of public education.
LikeLike
What astonishes me is that people actually expect Mayor Emanuel, then-Senator Obama, Secretary Duncan to send their kids to underachieving schools, dangerous schools or just plain bad schools. They have the wherewithal to send their kids to whatever school they want and they do so. What is so wrong with that. It’s not like they aren’t working to improve the schools, or at least fund them, but as the saying goes, you can’t shine shit. It’s not the fault of the teachers, its not the fault of the children. I firmly believe its the fault of the families who don’t teach their children respect for the teachers or others. It’s the parents fault their children aren’t interested in learning, because historically, their parents had no interest in learning. The few children in these schools who work hard and do well are harassed by their fellow students. It doesn’t make sense.
When I lived in DC, as I looked at houses I factored in the cost of private school because I knew there was no way I would send my child to public school. I am the product of public school and I wish schools were like they were back then, but the slide down that slippery slope has accelerated out of control.
LikeLike
And that is because the good things about school have been stripped. Read the post again. I am not sure you got the point.
LikeLike
The point is not that we expect everyone to send their kids to public schools. The point is that they should pay for it and not expect vouchers to help cover the cost.
Additionally, they look like hypocrites for sending their children to private schools, with small classes and emphasis on the arts, while insisting class size doesn’t matter and slashing arts programs in the public schools.
LikeLike
nittany99: respectfully, I would change “they look like hypocrites” to “they are hypocrites.”
LikeLike
I grew up thinking the Democratic Party was the party of the people. I have voted mostly for Democrats over the past 30 or so years. Those days are over.
LikeLike
When Americans are suffering enough (as if they could not be already!), they will find a way to form a third party who truly represents them and not corporate interests.
LikeLike
Yes, THAT’s a plan. Works for the Tea Party, & should work even better for us, because we’re the 99% and, mathematically, we’re in the majority, so shouldn’t our candidates be able to garner 99% of the votes?! (Start locally–there’s still that @#&! Electoral College to get rid of!)
LikeLike
The voucher program hurts public and some private schools. Ultimately, the schools who accept vouchers will be under the control of the government and their ability to differentiate themselves from a public school will be crushed. It is already happening in many states due to the imposition of the Common Core, with all Catholic schools following the same centrally controlled, one-size-fits-all curriculum of the public schools. Alleviating any real choice in the “school choice” movement.
However, the elite schools, to which many decision makers send their kids, will be untouched. A $4500 voucher doesn’t come close to affording a $20,000 or more tuition bill. The competitiveness of these schools to attract students is unharmed by the fact that they don’t take vouchers and therefore they can still function with autonomy. The religious schools, whose tuitions are more modest, say $4500, can’t compete without the vouchers. When there are 5 Catholic schools within a 4 mile radius, not taking vouchers can hurt your enrollment. It’s funny, in Indiana, the voucher amount coincides directly with the tuition amount of Catholic schools. Coincidence? I think not.
The voucher program is another example of elitists championing for others something they themselves would never accept. Inevitably, it will only make the gap between the rich and poor larger.
LikeLike
Governor Christie’s response to this woman in the audience, who was civil as civic participants can be, was abrasive and inappropriate.
The Governor might want to consider addressing his health issue, which might in turn have a productive impact upon his all too cloudy thinking and rash reactive style.
This is not the way Mr. Christie should be throwing his weight around.
LikeLike
It is sad that all children bring their special gifts to schools but some are being stopped from benefiting from them because of the political agenda of those in charge. Having taught special education in the CPS, I feel that those who are really responsible for any failures that exists are trying to use the teachers and the students as escape goats.
LikeLike
Diane, PLEASE send this letter to Emanuel! HE needs to see it as does Duncan,l They may NOT read your blog. Good thing my hair is already grey. Doesn’t have to turn from brown to grey! I tell people I am not dying until things get \BETTER for our kids. Looks like I might be in education for the next 556 years!!!! KEep on and on. YOU and all of us are NEEDED. Peace and Love, Mimi Brodsky Chenfeld (Maureen’s very dear close friend)
LikeLike
see also http://bit.ly/A0Qr80. So easy it is to pass laws for other people’s kids–
LikeLike
Am I the only one who thinks that him being on vacation with his family in Utah skiing at the same time it was anounced about the school closures shows just how disconnected he is from the people that these closures are really going to affect.
LikeLike
And in Utah, of all places! Our class sizes are the largest in the U.S., and our per-pupil expenditures are 51st: nearly $1,000 less per student than the next-lowest state.
LikeLike
The irony
LikeLike
If you want to send your kid to a private or parochial school – go for it. But you – and anyone with no kids in school – are still a citizen and taxpayer in the U.S., your state, and local district and you are compelled – obligated as an American – as one of “We the people…” to work “for the common good” – in other words every child.
But a voucher for the private school? A tax-credit? Do those who go to a private country club get a voucher for the public pool and tennis courts they don’t use? Do I get a tax break on highway repairs if I take the train and don’t own a car?
And, while on the subject, take a look at the the numbers of children with disabilities and children whose first language is not English in the charter schools or your private schools.
I completely understand a highly public figure to use a private school. Security needs are real. What I do not understand is that those who use those schools 1) have the audacity to expect a voucher to pay for it, 2) vote no in tax and capital plan elections because they don’t use the public schools, and 3) tolerate the exclusivity of their private schools and the quiet push out of kids who don’t quite fit the mold.
LikeLike
Are the more specialized approaches to education like the Montessori schools, Waldorf schools, or progressive schools only to be available to the well off members of society?
LikeLike