This is a pictorial graphic that shows the richest woman in every state.
Do you know any of them?
The Network for Public Education is looking for an angel who will help us fight corporate reform. We are trying to defend public schools, teachers, and children from predatory takeovers by powerful special interests.
We would love to find a billionaire who loves public schools.
We would actually be happy to have the help of the second or third or tenth richest person, woman or man.
Until we find that person, we will continue to count on your help with whatever you can afford.
We are not especially well-funded (we are not well funded at all), yet we are beating back the billionaires. Why? Be ause we have the strength of our numbers, including you. We speak for 5 million teachers and for the families of about 45 million students, give or take a few million. With all their billions (of dollars), they can’t beat our millions (of people).
And we are winning because we care about principle, not profit. We believe that right makes might, that failing “reforms” will be exposed as frauds and scams, and that in a democracy, the truth eventually prevails.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Try Jim Simons. : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Harris_Simons
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Well, the richest women in my state (Penny Pritzker) and your state (Alice Walton) are definitely out – they’ve long since gone to the dark side. Couple others had the name Walton in there and one other Pritzker, I assume they’re part of the same clans. Unfortunately, I don’t know any of the others.
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Ohio is out. An inheritance in a conservative family from a water valve firm.
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Can’t say I know her but I have been eating her product, Campbell’s Soup, for over 60 years. Apparently Mary Alice Dorrance is Pa.’s top billionaire. She started a foundation, the Roemer Foundation, which claims among its interests, “Education”. Might be worth a try.
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Question – Is there a way to contribute to NPE without using PayPal?
Can a check be sent somewhere?
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Karen Huntsman of Utah is a possibility. She and her husband Jon have donated something like 80% of their income to charities. Their biggest charity work is with cancer research, as they have been touched by cancer on numerous occasions (Jon has survived cancer three times). Their son Jon Jr. was governor of Utah and ran for president in the last go-around. Their children attended and many of their grandchildren attend public schools, and Governor Huntsman was pretty supportive of public education when he was governor. I don’t know them personally, but Jon and Karen Huntsman might support something like this….
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I think your angle, Diane, is interesting and innovative, but it also might prove to be sexist.
Do you think for one moment that women are not just as intense as men when it comes to bad policy for this country? That there are no neo-liberal women and conservative women out there who want to ruin the country as much as the next guy, white or black or mixed?
I don’t discourage you, but I don’t see the point. . . . And I have a very open mind. Please educate me.
This is not about gender. One wishes it were that simplistic. This is about power and class, and the anatomy downstairs seems to matter not.
The person who wants to ruin this country (along with like minded people) is all about making it herself/himself who gets to have the power to do it. No one says, “I want to screw the middle class because I am a woman. . . . a black. . . . . a martian. I want to screw them because I want to have a shot at it. It’s MY turn!”
They want to wreak havoc because for the longest time it has been monopolized by white men and now it’s someone else’s turn to have that same power.
Look at the Queens of England (and the kings for that matter) and see how they destroyed whole cultures and societies over the centuries. If I know of any rich women, I’ll let you know. The next time I attend that $25,000 a plate fundraiser for rescue kittens, I’ll try and turn on the charm and solicit . . . .
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Some truth to your comments about the relationships between power and money. I think the post is intended to invite readers to think outside of the press box where you will see AMPLE coverage of well-known billionaires who are mostly male.
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Also interested in making a financial contribution to the Network for Public Ed but I don’t use PayPal and they won’t allow a contribution otherwise.
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Carla, I have the same issue, but you can mail your check to the address on the NPE website!
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You can send a contribution to the Network for Public Education at this address:
Network for Public Education
P.O. Box 44200
Tucson, Az 85733
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Dear Dr. Ravitch:
I just donate through Paypal to the link:
If you can afford to make a small donation to NPE: #Give2NPE on #GivingTuesdayhttp://thunderclap.it/projects/19878 Donate here: http://www.networkforpubliceducation.org/about-npe/become-a-member/
Would I receive a confirmation or receipt of an acknowledgment for my contribution through my email from NPE?
The reason that I ask this question is because when I click on the comment link, there is a saying that this thread is not valid. Ooh la la!
it is okay for someone to know where I live in Canada, because i really care for democracy = protect Public Education at all cost in North America.
Thank you for your dedication in being the soldier in the front line.
Very respectfully yours,
May King.
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Agree that this issue of having to use PayPal needs to be addressed.
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What about Jon Stewart of Comedy Central fame. His mother was a teacher and his father was a professor. He’s very outspoken on issues and I think he would possibly
be an advocate.It would also give us some ‘air time”. (possibly).
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The billionaires are mostly making money by the charter school they put money into. They want to destroy unions, fire teachers, close the public schoolmand cherry pick the best children for their charter. And get richer by the minute.
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Jim Simons is definitely on our side. Single-handedly he financed Math for America, but I’m afraid he’s giving up. MfA is just about the diametric opposite of Teach for America, by the way.
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Laurene Powell Jobs gave, if I recall correctly, $200,000 to Marshall Tuck’s campaign for CA State Superintendant of Ed, and she’s founder of Emerson Collective. (Also involved, as a managing director, is Russlynn Ali, formerly DoE assistant secretary for civil rights.) http://www.emersoncollective.com/the-team .
Way back in 1998, I stood next to Laurene Powell Jobs at a campaign mtg for Bill Bradley, who was challenging the Dem status quo in the primaries (she and I both wanted to be delegates to the CA Democratic Convention on behalf of Bradley). So I’m kind of stunned that she would let herself be associated with hedge fund managers and the like. Silicon Valley is a weird place, though, and it lately seems that even the nicest people are convinced that you can fix society’s ills AND make money off the solutions at the same time (a “win-win!”). She’s not a personal friend or anything close, but, Diane, I can’t imagine you don’t have some contacts to Bill Bradley? Maybe he could talk some sense into her? Her heart means well but she’s totally on the wrong track.
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Jessica, Laurene Powell Jobs is on the board of TFA and other privatizing organizations. I think she has been co-opted.
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AHHH!!! So disappointing… 😦 Jeepers, I’m seriously feeling like the main character in that TV movie “The Stepford Wives” when she discovers all these women she trusted have been turned in robots!
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I’ve been giving $20 a month for a few months now. I encourage others to join in!
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We have to be VERY leary about alleged supporters of public education and probe precisely what people mean by that, because many of them are referring to charter schools when they say “public education,” including Hillary Clinton and others who belong to the Democrats for Public Education. For example, several Representatives in that group voted this spring in favor of HB10, the Success and Opportunity through Quality Charter Schools Act, which supports charter school expansion, such as Congressman Mark Takano of CA and Congressman Marc Pocan of WI: https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/113-2014/h217
I have thought a lot about what I would do if I was a multi-million dollar winner of the lottery (because I’m retirement age and that’s the only way I could pay off my student loans) and NPE is at the very top of my donation list. I would also fund lawsuits contesting federal over-reach and other neoliberal policies driving public education.
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Thanks for the information. DFPE has a comment section at their site.
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Diane,
Is there a link to a spread sheet to see how much money comes into NPE and to exactly where the funds go.
There is a lot of talk about the lack of transparency of charters here so why not lead the way with complete open books for NPE! If there isn’t a site then one should be made and that information be made available.
Thanks,
Duane
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Duane,
I will forward your idea to the Board.
Diane
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Thanks! And I hope you “champion” it also with the board.
Hope all is getting better with your knee!
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Hi Duane:
Please tell me whether you have seen the thread as shown on Dec1st on this website:
“Please Support NPE on #GivingTuesday
by dianeravitch
The Network for Public Education needs your help on December 2. We are running a national fundraiser on social media. Learn more about NPE here.”
I post my question to Dr. Ravitch on Anthony Cody’s thread about eugenic. However, my post is disappeared.
The reason that I ask you is because I receive the same pledge from edX organization, like:
““This #GivingTuesday gives the gift of education by telling your friends or family members about edX…”
I do not mind to support NPE because I respect and admire Dr. Ravitch’s dedication, effort, and good will. However, it is quite bizarre to be duped by some con artist who manages to manipulate and to abuse in hacking in Dr. Ravitch’s website for Paypal’s donation.
Here is the receipt that I got from Paypal:
Donation Details
Confirmation number: 6W441137H6444541H
Donation amount: $50.00 USD
From Amount: $58.36 CAD
To Amount: $50.00 USD
Exchange Rate: 1 Canadian Dollar = 0.856751 U.S. Dollars
Purpose: Network for Public Education
Contributor: May King
Most importantly, the thread “”Please Support NPE on #GivingTuesday by dianeravitch” will show that this thread is invalid when I click on the comment link. (404 Not Found Oops! This page does not exist. Maybe you can try searching for it again.)
What is your advice for me regarding this bizarre “#GivingTuesday”?
Thank you very much for your precious time and kindness to give me some hints or answers about this mystery. Yours truly, May King. Back2basic
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Hi Duane:
We cannot think or prevent the unthinkable, or unimaginable action from ONLY ONE board director who can go haywire over power struggle or over money in the long term whenever Dr. Ravitch decides to retire or to resign under invisible political pressure.
I would love to be reassured by the commitment of each individual board director regarding their support to Public Education which is defined and declared properly, so that there will not be any twisted named such as “Student First”, “?” and many misused sounding titles in order to misuse the support from NPE.
I have read all board Directors’ member profile. However, their past performances will not repeat the same for the future. For example, I would refer to the union leader from AFT whose past performance has earned her the leader position which does not help union members in time of needs, like today’s CCSS.
The truth will always be painful for naiveté, but enlightenment for all responsible, intelligent and compassionate people.
I hope that Laura, Dienne, Susan Lee Schwartz, Bob Shepherd, Lloyd Lofthouse, Robert Rendo, Robert Caveney, Krazy TA, Akademos, readingexchange, and you will have more inputs and suggestions to build the best and solid NPE for American future generations. Back2basic
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Dr. Ravitch:
It is the greatest idea to initial a bond between supporters and educators. I hope that all excellent suggestions from readers, in this particular thread will come true.
IMHO, we need to prioritize the solid rules of cause and effect in carrying out the PUBLIC INTEREST in protecting American Public Education in order to prevent any accidental or intentional conflict of interest within NPE’s leaders whenever it will be as big and as strong like AFT in the future. Back2basic
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M4potw,
None of the board of directors of NPE is paid. Our executive director is paid a modest part-time salary. No one has conflicts of interest in advocating for public education.
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“No one has conflicts of interest in advocating for public education.”
I really do trust that is true of you and other people who are involved in NPE, Diane, but it differs for those that use the term “public education” to describe privatized charter schools.
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Sorry, it is to “initiate””, not initial. May
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One of the richest women in Michigan is Betsy DeVos, whose brother founded Blackwater.
She is a major player in dismantling public education, in favor of privatization. According to Wikipedia, her husband and John Walton founded an organization for school choice and she’s quoted as being pleased that there is “growing interest in education choice among Democratic leaders”. Not surprisingly, the DeVoses make large political donations.
The company at which her husband made his fortune, Amway, agreed to pay $56,000,000 to settle a class action suit (without admitting wrong-doing). Prior to that, the FTC found Amway “guilty of price-fixing and making exaggerated income claims.” (Wikipedia)
Presumably, the college and career ready can find jobs at Amway and Blackwater (a company that ditched its name, in favor of a new one, in case someone’s looking to apply).
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Mrs. B. Gates…..
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Possibly Annette Lerner in Maryland. The Lerners are the largest private land owner in the DC area, and they own most of the Washington Nationals baseball team.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ted_Lerner
Ted Lerner: He attended Raymond Elementary School, McFarland Junior High, and graduated from Roosevelt High School in 1944.
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If you can get me flyers and yard signs and put the place you want cash donated to on signs and flyers. I would be more then happy to get them up in Des Moines Ia. Polk Co. Give me a call 5152381841cell. e-mail Gin 3461@aol.com. Ginny Antrim. I also have a friend who wants to work with you all if you can keep her here. Talented and very wise as to the goings on with schools and testing. Thanks
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NPE should consider making a TED talk. Might even attract the attention of a pro public education billionaire.
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So… a Tisch is the richest woman in NYS. There goes NYS…
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