Last Monday, more than 800 people turned out for a school district meeting in Sumter, South Carolina, to oppose their Broad-trained superintendent. Parents, teachers, and the community came together to protect their schools against privatization.
This teacher writes:
“Hello from Sumter, South Carolina. I am a veteran teacher here. Dr. Ravitch’s books and blog have been important sources of information as the Sumter parents, teachers, and students educated themselves, each other, and the larger community. We were able to quickly articulate the threat Bynum posed to our community. We kept speaking and writing, often in the face of blatant intimidation and slanderous accusations. The community was abetted by the actions of Mr. Bynum himself, who revealed his intentions more every day as he became increasingly emboldened. As major business seemed ready to leave the town and the schools imploded, the local paper joined the fray. It has been a long battle, and the war remains to be fought. However, the community has become aware of the “reform” agenda and has organized to resist it.”
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Thank you for your insights and for being the central authority for privatization efforts around the country. As a parent in the Springboro school district which has received a great deal of publicity with regards to our school board efforts to limit teachers rights and bring creationism into the classroom, I cannot thank you enough for the insights you’ve offered. However, I am concerned about throwing my support behind the unions simply because of their lack of openness and transparency. Are you aware of any efforts to take back control of local education by parents and residents of the school district?
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“However, I am concerned about throwing my support behind the unions simply because of their lack of openness and transparency.”
Supporting public education under local control does not mean “throwing my support behind the unions”. You are being deceived into believing that this is a “union” problem and it’s not. (Not that the national leadership of the unions haven’t aided and abetted the privatizers.)
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I’m not sure I’m following. To be clear, I believe that our teachers are more valuable than the iPads that are replacing them, but the Unions imposed a lockdown during contract negotiations and do not respond to parent inquiries. Maybe it’s a fault in my nature or the side effects of the 21st century, but I don’t see how such a closed system can serve anyone other than the vocal minority.
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Good work, Sumter. We wish we had seen the Broad factor in LA sooner than later, Our thoughts are with you.
http://www.hemlockontherocks.com
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To the Sumter teachers,
South Carolina is in deep trouble. Superintendent Zais is a tool of big business interests, and he is sanctioning the destruction of public education in the State. It is precisely because the administrative class does not know how to fix the problems, that they have promoted the “charter schools” and the for-profit schools who posture as the panacea for all the problems that exist today. The level of corruption by individuals who are siphoning off the funds that are allocated for education has reached epidemic proportions. This is the copy of the original letter to the editor that finally got into the paper last week, although they edited out the harsh rhetoric. I wish you luck with your efforts, but be vigilant in reporting to the public any vindictiveness and vengeful actions that have become SOP by these fraudulent bunch who pose as educational leaders.
Letter to Post and Courier
The Trojan Horse is here.
As we veteran teachers predicted, the death knell for public education is spreading slowly and inexorably throughout the country, and as the Post and Courier reported last week, Michelle Rhee and her for-profit destroyers have claimed two more districts with their fraudulent promise to improve the educational system. The State Board of Education, obviously with the blessings of the Superintendent, has approved the extension of the “non-profit” Teach for America” program by placing two more districts here in the low country within their grasp. If the public believes that this is a non-profit agenda, I still have that Brooklyn Bridge for sale at a reasonable price. I wonder how much they promised the board, the Superintendent, and all the palms they had to grease to get this program on board? I am a veteran teacher with 28 years of experience, who stayed the course and is no longer intimidated by administrators and fraudulent educational leaders. It’s time that someone tells the public what is really going on in the school systems, and in these contrived fiefdoms known as districts, that not only abuse the teaching staff, but waste taxpayer money to fix what they have caused in the first place. I know that it’s not cricket to use this forum to advertise my book, but I can’t prove my contention in this confined space, that the public is spending “New Money for Old Rope” and allowing the obvious destruction of public education. Where is the outrage on the part of teachers to the article detailing the hiring of outsourced substitutes to Kelly Educational Staffing? The School District says that they want to expand the concept to the entire district this fall. Human Resources director Julie Rogers is quoted as saying that “They do a really good job of training their substitutes. It’s not just a warm body, they get in there and teach” This is a purposeful effort to undermine the teaching profession with profit as the motive on the part of big business, and proof positive that the present educational leadership is not capable of operating a school system. Where is the indignation from the educational departments of our local colleges that train teachers? Probably out to lunch, or on leave writing their new book on educational reform. I could rail for a long time, but you get the picture I’m sure. It’s sickening and it’s time to return the system to some normalcy, and discard these frauds posing as educational leaders, before the entire system implodes.
Ian Kay
West Ashley
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Keep fighting!
We are fighting here in Dallas against a cabal of rich, influential people who will ruin lives if they have to to get their hands on tax dollars. They couldn’t care less about educating poor kids.
Our one “newspaper” is solidly behind the reformers even though our Broad superintendent is currently under investigation for bid-rigging and interfering with an internal investigation into his actions.
Teachers and parents both fear for their jobs–and the parents aren’t employed by the district! Such is the reach of the greedy “reformers” who will stop at nothing to get to the money.
Good for you in South Carolina!
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Fear and intimidation is the order of the day. They love to bully people to get what they want. They are the bottom of the barrel.
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This gives me hope. In every corner of the country– red states, blue states, liberal, conservative– people want good schools in their communities– good schools for their kids and good schools for all kids. When I read stories like this, I am heartened that all of this is making a difference and getting through and hastening the day when this ugly era passes and we start focussing back on what it takes to help all children have the opportunity to learn, thrive and succeed.
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