After reading in the New York Times about how many gazillions the Walton family has given to create charter schools (and vouchers) so that poor children can escape from failing public schools, EduShyster was deeply moved by their charitable impulses. And then she thought about their parents, the ones who work for Walmart.
She writes:
“Tough love
“I will stop briefly for a moment, reader, to allow you to reach for a fresh hanky (or to freshen your drink), such is the heart-warming nature of this particular tale. Alas, here is where our story takes a detour into darker, less feel-good fare. You see, if the Walheart throbs with love for low-income kids, it beats somewhat less enthusiastically for their low-income parents, especially those who are low-income by virtue of working at Walmart. Take Washington, DC, for example, where nearly every aspect of the city’s choice-infused school system comes stamped with a *W.* One choice that’s not on offer in the District: living wage jobs at big-box stores including Walmart. Or consider Walmart’s response after workers at stores across the country walked off the job to protest crap wages and benefits and a work culture that might best be described as tough love. (Hint: Walmart didn’t hug the workers.)
“The Tell Tale Heart (and a quick Common Core math problem)
“That sound you hear in the background, reader, is an organ—albeit not one of the ventricular variety. I’m talking old school, Vincent Price-style organ music of the kind that plays just before some dark and dirty business is carried out. In other words, this is where we pause to contemplate a heart-wrenching paradox: how is it possible that the great big lovin’ Walheart pounds for the sake of preparing low-income kids for college and career readiness in the future even as Walmart itself presides over a transformation of the workplace into one great big, underpaid, precarious, rights-free hell? Common Core math problem: Drawing on the informational text above, construct a Venn diagram that best demonstrates the overlap between the 1.4 million, mostly low-wage Walmart employees and the 2 million students who are being made college and career ready with the aid of Walmart profits. Don’t forget to provide a written explanation of how you reached your conclusion.”
The Waltons especially love the “no excuses” charters, and EduShyster knows why:
“Known for long days, long years, strict discipline and stripped down, test-prep academics focused almost exclusively on English and math, the schools so beloved by the Waltons specialize in a particular kind of acculturation that might best be described as learning how to work for the man. Students attending these schools receive training in such invaluable 21st century skills as showing up on time, making sure one’s uniform shirt is always tucked in and learning that you can only go to the bathroom when the boss says its OK and go home when s/he unlocks the doors.”
Great training, right? Just the work ethic needed to be a sales associate at Walmart.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Yes, it’s easy to throw rocks when you’ve never had to make payroll. Actual real-world experience tends to be a harsh teacher:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/former-congressman-bonior-longtime-liberal-on-capitol-hill-discovers-the-profit-motive/2014/04/26/3d99e3a2-c9a3-11e3-95f7-7ecdde72d2ea_story.html
What does this have to do with Wal-Mart or the Waltons?
If you don’t get it, I probably wouldn’t be able to explain it to you.
Well, I suppose it’s relevant if Mr. Bonoir is willing and able to squeeze his suppliers such that they have to offshore everything to factories that pay a dollar a day and if he’s willing to squeeze his workers such that they have to apply for food stamps. But something tells me that’s not how Mr. Bonoir rolls.
How does COSTCO do it?
“I just think people need to make a living wage with health benefits,” Jelinek told Bloomberg. “It also puts more money back into the economy and creates a healthier country. It’s really that simple.”
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/19/reasons-love-costco_n_4275774.html
Actually, Wal-Mart loves their parents too. They love paying them just enough so that they have to shop at Wal-Mart too.
So right, Dienne!!!
Diane, re: your last sentence on Walmart “work ethic” — that seems to be the case, at least based on what Christy Walton said in a speech once. http://vimeopro.com/tetonscience/journeys-school/video/25039185
(Her part, where she talks about education being “dummied down” and the difficulty the family business faced in hiring qualified people, starts around 37:00.)
This is innovative and cage busting:
“Many employers believe that one of the best ways to raise their profit margin is to cut labor costs. But companies like QuikTrip, the grocery-store chain Trader Joe’s, and Costco Wholesale are proving that the decision to offer low wages is a choice, not an economic necessity. All three are low-cost retailers, a sector that is traditionally known for relying on part-time, low-paid employees. Yet these companies have all found that the act of valuing workers can pay off in the form of increased sales and productivity.
“Retailers start with this philosophy of seeing employees as a cost to be minimized,” says Zeynep Ton of MIT’s Sloan School of Management. That can lead businesses into a vicious cycle. Underinvestment in workers can result in operational problems in stores, which decrease sales. And low sales often lead companies to slash labor costs even further. Middle-income jobs have declined recently as a share of total employment, as many employers have turned full-time jobs into part-time positions with no benefits and unpredictable schedules. ”
Oh, it’s not about blaming teachers and public schools, is it? It’s about what the business sector could do to reduce inequality and benefit low income families, other than opening charter schools.
http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2013/03/the-trader-joes-lesson-how-to-pay-a-living-wage-and-still-make-money-in-retail/274322/
The NYT article about the Waltons and charters was laughable. It had no true facts attached to it and said things like, “innovation”, etc. Oh really, please tell me what type of innovation is going on. We always hear of these miraculous schools and no details. Also, the Waltons are supposedly helping the schools to create competition and this “ups” their game. I am so sick of reading these stupid articles that don’t even come close to reporting the facts.