From now on, public officials will be more careful about what they write in emails.
Tom Lobianco, the investigative journalist, hit a treasure trove when he filed a Freedom of Information Act request for government emails.
But what does it all mean?
Karen Francisco, the editorial page editor of the Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette, explains it here.
The fix was in. The backroom deals were made. The plan: vouchers and privatization.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Wow, these people are really disgusting when they think they’re talking strictly among “friends.” And where does this creep wind up? Working for David Coleman at ETS. How could that possibly have happened?
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Why? Why, I ask. What in the world could possibly blind leaders enough to want to give up public schools? I simply do not understand it. Furthermore, I don’t guess I want to understand it anymore. I just know it’s wrong.
Where would I have gone to school as a child if there had not been public school? Where would the project kids who rode my bus have gone? I can’t get this new world order picture in my head. Either that is because the reality of no public schools is not likely, or it is so awful I just can’t imagine it.
Why now? I certainly do not think the public schools from 1978 to 1991 failed me. I don’t think they failed the project kids who rode my bus and I don’t think they think so either. Do the kids who attended public school from 1991 to 2000 think so? Who from public school thinks so?
I am not from Indiana but I do know I have to spend tomorrow in a planning session with the PE and Art teacher (I am Music) planning ways for our lessons to reflect and revolve around Common Core.
Why is all this happening? Typically people don’t like change until the pain of not changing becomes greater than the pain of change. But were public schools really causing that much pain? I don’t see it. I don’t get it.
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“Why? Why, I ask. What in the world could possibly blind leaders enough to want to give up public schools? I simply do not understand it.”
Nothing dollarable is safe, however guarded
John Muir
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So how is Fort Wayne, Indiana different? I have been there many times, but I don’t know anything about the schools or the “community”, really.
Fort Wayne wasn’t targeted for privatization, other Indiana cities were targeted for privatization.
Francisco says the city was skeptical of “reform” and obviously they have a local media source that is skeptical (because, Francisco). I have also heard that there is a community support for the public schools. I know they have an active grass roots group of public school advocates.
Can we learn anything from the cities that resist this successfully, and early? The cities that AREN’T targeted as vulnerable for take-over in these marketing strategy sessions?
They also exclude (implicitly) rural areas and small towns. Is that a political decision by reformers or a financial one (too few children to be profitable)? They’re all conservatives in these emails. If “reform” is so wonderful, why would they exclude the areas that elect conservatives? Why would the only selling point of reform in rural and small town areas be the (false) promise of increased funding for public schools?
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If I had to guess, I would say it’s that Fort Wayne has a healthy, active progressive community which is probably still somewhat reflected in their local press. While union membership may be diminishing in Fort Wayne, they probably still have many families who support unions, teachers, and public education.
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Yes, we can learn from Fort Wayne. The Fort Wayne School Board is not for sale to the corporate reformers. What’s more, successful teachers resist for their students by using common sense – not common core.
http://fwcs.k12.in.us/board.php
Huston gave us one of their weaknesses in his goofy emails, “If we respond to the educrats, we will always be on the defensive.”
Some strategies used by TAMSA in Texas that verify Huston’s nonsense:
Parents and educators must register concerns with state legislators and reformers in mass. Register concerns through calls, emails and letters. Ask each legislator and reformer to respond to concerns in writing. Use the media, community groups, and social networks to turn the tables on the reformers and the legislators who bash public schools and teachers.
The tables were turned on Sandy Kress (Pearson’s chief lobbyist and NCLB architect) and Bill Hammond (testing cheerleader) in Texas during the last legislative session. They didn’t see it coming – and I’m still smiling.
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So, can anyone tell me what are the best ways (as an Indiana parent) to support the public schools against these political hucksters? Are there any Indiana public school advocacy groups calling for Huston’s ouster yet?
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Indiana parent: Contact Northeast Indiana Friends of Public Education: http://neifpe.blogspot.com/
Join the Network for Public Education.
Stay informed.
Organize.
Join with others to support your community schools.
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So, did Coleman hire Huston? Or is it just a coincidence that he winds up on the cushy campus in NJ, continuing to be part of the efforts to reshape American education in a way that was never approved by a vote of the American people>
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Ken, it seems apparent that David Coleman hired Huston after he left Tony Bennett’s staff in Indiana. Coleman is president of the College Board where Huston now works.
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