Chester Finn, one of the nation’s leading conservative thinkers and president emeritus of the rightwing Thomas B. Fordham Institute wrote an article in the New York Daily News saluting Andrew Cuomo for his forceful advocacy of charters and, especially, vouchers.
Since Néw York’s constitution has an amendment barring any public payment for tuition at religious schools, Cuomo calls it a tax-credit scholarship program. Republicans usually use the euphemism “opportunity scholarships.” But no one is fooled. The goal in New York and elsewhere is to subsidize the tuition of students at religious schools.
Finn writes:
“Cuomo is, to the best of my knowledge, the first Democratic governor ever to propose a program of private-school choice for kids and families in his state. Others (in Pennsylvania, Oklahoma, Arizona, maybe elsewhere) have tolerated this sort of thing when it originated outside of their offices, but this is the first time a state’s Democratic chief exec has taken the lead.”
What Checker Finn does not mention is that voters have never approved public support for vouchers in any state.
FYI, I was a trustee of the Fordham Institute for many years and a very close friend of Checker Finn. We even wrote books together. But I never agreed with him about vouchers, nor in his contempt for unions, nor in his fervent advocacy of anything that weakens public education. Maybe we differed because I graduated from public school, and he graduated from Exeter.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Thoughts? Starting at 28 min
[audio src="http://caravantomidnight.com/show-archives/C2M-214-A-Hoge-1-21-15.mp3" /]
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The “Exeter Plan” for *transforming* public education:
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I like the usage of *. . .* to denote a sarcastic(?), irreverent(?), mocking(?) tone.
Is that how you intended it?
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That was enjoyable. Thank you Mercedes.
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Exeter high School is the local publics high school in Exeter, NH– entirely different from the Academy. You might want to make that correction in the blog 🙂
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Thank god I am in California. I am going to build a shrine to Jerry Brown.
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I have a salute for the two of them…..may they reap equal portions of the misery they sow.
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TAGO!
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So NY has money to give tax breaks for Private Schools, but no money for CFE.
Building on Diane’s earlier UNICEF post, this kind of stuff exacerbates the very things that already lead to inequity. Most poor families will not suddenly be able to afford private school because of the state’s tax break – but it will certainly subsidize those already sending their kids and could already afford it.
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What is CFE? (for those of us who are AI)
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Caffeine Free Expresso??
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Campaign for fiscal equity – a multi billion dollar lawsuit saying the state owes public schools a ton of money that I’ve yet to hear of a buffalo nickel being paid out beyond a small first year payment prior to the crash.
Now the state has a 5 bn dollar surplus and money for this plan.
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If this isn’t vindication for all of us who were ignored or derided when we called out far right infiltrators in the Democratic party for who they really are, like Booker and Cuomo, then I don’t know what is.
When Checker Finn gives the stamp of approval, you can be sure it’s for actions that best represent the views of unwavering right-wing conservatives and ALEC. I doubt that I will ever vote for another Democrat again, and certainly not before taking a very long, hard look at the ghosts in their closets.
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All due respect to Democratic voters, but if they are still convinced Democrats support public schools I would suggest that they’re ignoring every single piece of evidence over the last 15 years.
I don’t know where they’re getting it. Can they point to something? It isn’t funding and it isn’t legislation and it isn’t rhetoric.
Maybe Democratic politicians SECRETLY support public schools, but it would anger their donors if they did anything publicly? Sort of stealth, behind the scenes support or advocacy? 🙂
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Unfortunately Diane I read this as Finn as in Finland and I was shocked. I think your title was a little misleading.
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His name is what it is. I never saw the title as you did. Important to read the post. Don’t judge a book by its cover or a blog post by its title
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This is not Diane’s fault in any way. Chester “Checkers” Finn has been a leading voice in education reform for decades. Many have written about him, and Mercedes in her “Chronicles” writes a whole chapter about him. And as most of us know, Diane has real issues with him when it comes to vouchers and his assault against America’s public schools. Diane supports America’s democratic institution of public schools, and in my estimation, Finn does not.
Tom
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Perhaps Diane forgot Mercedes newly invented concept of using *. . .* on Finn’s first name??
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To marcaeolog:
Yes, I was shock as well in reading this thread title.
Any short cut in expression/ writing will mislead the audience in any discipline or subject from learning to teaching, or from theory to practice.
If we skip a full reading, the title remains annoying in our mind. Back2basic.
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Religious forces in NY have been seeking tax levies for a long time. The Catholic Church has been in financial straits for a decade or more, especially with multimillion dollar settlements with victims of priestly sexual abuse of children forcing sales of properties(Catholic Church owned about 2% of NYC properties, for example).
In early 1970s, NYState and NYC were in a manufactured fiscal crisis used to justify ending Open Admissions and Free Tuition where I work, the City University of NY. At that same time NY State and NYC cut public school and public college budgets, it was supplying over $100mil annually to private colleges and universities, as well as diverse aid to religious schools, like expensive special ed services to disabled kids in religious schools. The tendency of orthodox communities to vote in a bloc for designated candidates enables these groups to wield power over politicians.
The current private war on public education is more of this looting of the public treasuries to capture the $800 bil spent yearly on public schools. The success of private charters in gaining public funding is a grave nullification of constitutional and democratic rights. We are 40 years down the road into a stealth coup to dismantle the public sphere and democratic citizen rights. It’s a ‘stealth coup’ because of its gradual, legalistic and political unfolding, with no dramatic moments of armed insurrection or bloodshed needed to concentrate vast wealth and power in fewer and fewer private hands. This ‘stealth coup’ is being carried out decade by decade in plain sight.
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Ira,
How does NY allow religious public schools such as the orthodox Jewish one??
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This is a special illegitimate use of local district control. Orthodox communities have taken over some local town govt including the school board and disfavor public education by a stealth democratic process. Non-religious voters in these heavily orthodox areas are out-numbered and out-organized. “The best” never win historical conflicts; “the best organized” win, a lesson for the rest of us.
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Being such a Jew I tAke no pleasure in acknowledging these situations.
The five towns, especially Lawrence and east ramapo are the prime exhibits. Through transportation funding and special Ed, they have been cannibalizing their public schools to subsidize tons of private school students.
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Ira,
The latest example of a “stealth coup” is the proposed Senate bill for the reauthorization of ESEA. Testing has received a lot of attention but Title 5 is clearly intended to erode public education
Title 5 expands support for charter schools under the banner of choice and equity.
Among other provisions, Title 5 offers some red-flag definitions of the term ‘State entity’ that may be eligible for grants. The term “state entity refers to : a State educational agency; a State charter school board; a Governor of a State; or a charter school support organization.
As I read the proposed regulations, a state entity can leverage federal grants to set up a quasi-public financing mechanism for charter school facilities, then use that financial mechanism to solicit money from investors.
As usual, the states that have few restrictions on charters and charter authorizers get preferential treatment in all of these grants.
The grants for charter facilities are intended “ensure an effective demonstration of an innovative means of enhancing credit for the financing of charter school acquisition, construction, or renovation.”
…The applicant must show that it has expertise in capital market financing. The application must include ” a description of how the proposed activities will leverage the maximum amount of private-sector financing capital relative to the amount of government funding used and other wise enhance credit available to charter schools, including how the entity will offer a combination of rates and terms more favorable than the rates and terms that a charter school could receive without assistance from the entity under this section.”
The structure erodes the distinction between public schools and charter schools supported with significant private dollars. The private dollars can shield carter operations from full and open public accountability.
This “creative” financing structure represents a federal approval of dual system of schools.
The whole of Title 5 ( as drafted) undermines the concept of school funding from a local or state tax base, with public debates and about expenditures, including the big investment–facilities.
Other sections of Title 5 show that federal grant priorities favor states where:
–charter schools receive equitable financing, as compared to traditional public schools, and in a prompt manner. ‘‘
–charter school facilities are funded or given assistance in acquiring facilities,
–charter schools share in bonds or mill levies,
–charter schools have the right of first refusal to purchase public school buildings
–charter schools enjoy low-or no-cost leasing privileges.
These federal preferences (channeled by Gates, Walton, Broad et all) are among many perks that states should offer charters.. Taken together they make possible the massive redistribution of funds to charters from funds originally allocated to public schools through votes and by decisions and contracts open to public view.
As charters proliferate with federal blessings, local school boards are by-passed along with transparency. Title 5 calls for states to ensure that each charter school has “a high degree of autonomy over the charter school’s budget and operations, including autonomy over personnel decisions.” ‘
Charters must comply with some reporting requirements, but these are not as draconian as those being imposed on public schools.
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The catholic church is in no way in fiscal straits. Perhaps the Pope could have removed gold faucets at the Vatican, and have them replaced with Kohler? Perhaps the Pope could have a few paintings sold from the Vatican? The catholic church is wealthy beyond imagination, regardless of its pedophile priest payouts.
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How can we call a thing conservative or right wing when two supposedly conservative, rightwing institutions the Fordham and the Pioneer institute disagree vehemently on CCSS? Are we not over simplying when clearly the proponents of CCSS hail from both sides of the aisle?
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Janine,
Because two conservative organizations “disagree vehemently” on something doesn’t mean that overall they shouldn’t be considered “conservative”. Now whether those organizations are *conservative* or reactionary is an open question.
And yes, proponents and opponents of CCSS hail from all points on the political spectrum and/or nowhere on that spectrum.
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TWO POINTS:
1. I think Finn’s contention about the annual budget negotiations that are accelerating in Albany is a good one. To quote from the Daily News piece, “Possibly it’s all a ploy by Cuomo to roll out something that the teachers’ union hates so much that they’ll wind up having to tolerate some of his other reforms in order to fend off this one. (Such horse trades have occurred before in the history of vouchers and charters.)” It’s the old HIGHBALL in negotiations. Didn’t Cuomo also mentioned the pension system in other recent comments? That’s another shocker, right? Can and how could the union HIGHBALL Cuomo? I mean what will it do now?
2. I keep trying to figure out what the hell is going on with the Democratic Party. (The party to which I am registered and give money. and grew up believing had my hardworking family’s interests at heart.) Of course, one answer just flew out of my fingertips into the keyboard a moment ago -MONEY, from the 1% -not cheapskates like me. LOL. But I have to wonder if something much more complicated is going on here. Just like Hurricane Katrina opened up the opportunity (perversely) for corporate reformers to upend the schools in New Orleans, is the impact of technology in our society providing the opening for similar changes nationwide? I mean, I hang around with young adults all day long and I can tell you that something has REALLY CHANGED in just the past 8 years or so. These are great kids but, blink you eyes for a moment, and their machines are out and they are 100% into another world. To be fair, most of us adults are into that “other world”, too. I’m not getting into my opinion right now of what I think of all this, I’m just saying it IS. And, in such a new world, does the difference between liberal and conservative, Democrat and Republican really matter AS MUCH anymore? I’m sure you can find good arguments that it certainly does. But I just raise that question.
BTW I always refer to whatever technology the kids are using in the classroom, that I am using, as our “machines”. (Like, make sure all your machines are away when I hand out the final exam!) And the students laugh at me in a good-natured way. Yes, I am a fossil from the last century. But I use the word “machine” deliberately. It is very, very easy to forget how much all of this (including the internet) is becoming like our own two hands. Bottom line: school as we know is not going to stay anything like it was when I first started teaching -even if I wanted it to. So…..what IS it going to look like? (Note: I started teaching in small, 300 student, K-12, rural district with chalk boards and maybe a few filmstrips available. There was still a mimeograph machine downstairs and separate men’s and women’s faculty rooms -not officially set up that way but that was the de facto situation.. Of course, there was still a “faculty”, too. Boy, that seems like a quaint notion now.)
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“Can and how could the union HIGHBALL Cuomo? I mean what will it do now?”
STRIKE!!!
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Faculty – a group of professionals – that is the sea change nowadays – our staff meetings now are all professional development directed at us, the collaboration is looking at data and growth targets.
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Stop donating. I did.
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My last donation was to Obama in 2008. That is before the bait and switch of Duncan for Linda Hammond Darling and the anti-union anti-public schools DFER conservatives in sheep’s clothing became apparent as the forces most represented by Democratic politicians.
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Ewww. I started falling into this sick little rabbit hole and stepped into a pile of poo called Coleman. http://blog.coreknowledge.org/2012/09/21/david-coleman-im-scared-of-rewarding-bs/ Why is it when stuffed but well-connected suits find themselves unable to connect with humanity they decide to just ruin the world for others? He should do like I do and save his disrespectful potty mouth for the poker table.
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You should ask Obama for a refund plus interest and penalties!
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And in other news . . .
Kim Jong-un Bows to Cuomo’s Education Plan
and promises him a roller coaster ride together on his next visit.
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He’s the first Democrat to (publicly) promote vouchers, but he won’t be the last. By 2016 they’ll be saying they always promoted vouchers.
Democrats don’t have much interest in the unfashionable “public school sector” unless they’re promoting standardized testing in public schools. That’s the one and only identifiable “Democratic” position on public schools- they’re FOR standardized testing. There is no upside for public schools under ed reform. Public schools get tests and sanctions and endless unfunded mandates and no benefits to even mitigate the negatives.
It’s a horrible deal for public school kids, ed reform. They get absolutely no benefit, no upside, from these ed reform deals their “representatives” are making. It’s ALL stick for our kids, no carrot. They always come out on the losing end.
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No Diane.. maybe you differ from Checker Finn on this issue because you are more open-minded and desire to understand the big picture. I suspect that even had you gone to Exeter, you would still hold the views you currently do! We need a lot more leaders who take the time to look at all viewpoints and learn more thoroughly about the issues before forming opinions that lead to major policy.
How many “ed reformers” have studied at length about the history of public education in America? How many “ed reformers” have taught beyond a 5 year threshold in the classroom (IF AT ALL )? How many “ed reformers” have built long-term relationships with students and their families who live in poverty so as to know the issues the face? How many “ed reformer” policy “movers and shakers” put their children in public schools following mandates they are responsible for imposing on the nation? Not our president, not Gates who is single-handedly buying nat’l public ed policy. Not our education secretary whose children do not have to follow the dictates of common core. Not even an “ed reform” puppet – Rhee – who graced the covers of Newsweek has her children attend public schools following the policies she swears by!
I would like to know what leaders who attended elite private schools are willing to step up to the plate and fight to create PUBLIC SCHOOLS MODELED ON THE CREATIVE AND ACADEMIC FREEDOMS found in quality private schools. Sadly, I can think of maybe one – Jonathan Kozol who went to Noble and Greenough! I suppose if Deborah Meier went to private elementary and secondary schools, she would be a role model. But I have no idea whether her early education was public or private school-based! In fact, many of the academics fighting off “ed reform” do not list their earlier education backgrounds in their own bio’s! Would love to know about Alfie Kohn’s education in his early years!
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If you’re a public school parent in NY you should take note of what’s missing in Mr. Finn’s piece.
Not one word about improving public schools.
It’s all beating teachers unions and promoting and funding private schools and charters.
It’s like public school kids don’t exist except to be used as a weapon in the fight against labor unions.
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As an additional note, I think there was a time in America when there were many excellent public schools and they strove to provide a similar education experience as the top private schools. Maybe they did not have quite the same experience – class sizes might have been a bit larger but they had the freedom to strive and strive they did. But nowadays, NCLB and RTTT are making this nearly impossible with the exception of maybe the public schools in the most wealthy neighborhoods.
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…and this is by design. The people who control the world wish to keep those deemed beneath them, beneath them, and will do it in any way possible. Period.
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Vouchers are a joke. Many of the top schools in my area don’t accept them and most of the schools that do don’t accept them as payment in full which. Parents are going for broke for a K-12 education. I find it interesting that this is happening at the same time that warnings about excessive borrowing for college is in the news.
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When Del Barton accepts vouchers, pigs like Christie will be happy.
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I see that charters were big winners in Cuomo’s deal and private schools too but I’m not seeing anything for public school students. Other than testing, stern scolding and threatened economic sanctions for their schools, I mean.
Were there no advocates for public school kids at the table, again? Maybe public school kids can hire an adult to work on their behalf. It looks like charters and private schools were well-represented. How did public school kids end up with such a lousy deal?
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I’ve said it before: Excellent commentary by Chiara in bringing up the fact that the negative effects on the public schools by the edudeformers’ educational malpractices.
Keep reminding us of that very important concept, Chiara. And Thanks!!
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I really wish they would get the funding in writing, dedicated, BEFORE they accept the mandate. Ed reformers always renege on the funding and support for the mandates. Always. NCLB, RttT and now Common Core.
They “supported” public schools re: Common Core exactly as long as it took to cement in the mandate, then the herd wandered off to the next project. Ohio public schools kids haven’t even taken their first Common Core test and our lawmakers have already abandoned them on it. Their entire next session is devoted to “reforming” charter schools. They couldn’t manage to focus on the unfashionable public sector schools for longer than 6 months.
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What happened to Common Core in NY, by the way? Ed reformers got bored and abandoned it to focus on opening charters and funding private schools?
The same thing has happened in Ohio. They dumped Common Core on public schools and then the circus moved on to the next project, which is “reforming” charter schools. Now our schools are stuck with another unfunded mandate. Can we make these deals reciprocal? If they renege on the funding and support can we get out of the mandate?
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The pending reauthorization of ESEA will fund charter school expansion, extending to schemes that support facilities. This expansion does not come with any stipulations for oversight of the massive frauds.
I am afraid that the focus only on testing options in this reauthorization has limited comments on this expansion and on other matters.
For example, the reauthorization calls for for alternative paths to certification. It requires districts to initiate pay for performance plans…plans that are known to be ineffective based on USDEs own research.
The reauthorization also has stipulations on entry into teaching, with one year of required co-teaching with an “effective” teacher-of-record prior to becoming eligibile for a full time hire.
I am still working through the document, but it is clearly designed to damage public education, control teacher education and personnel policies, and limit the aims of education.
The title–Every Child of Ready for College OR Career Act–ECR-CORCA–is not just a pathetic expression of the aims of education, stripped free of all civic purpose– but also a significant restoration of tracking into college OR job prep.
Recall that the original sales pitch for this agenda placed the Common Core State Standards at the center of preparing students who would be college AND career ready.
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I agree. I also think people are going to get tricked on pre-k funding if they don’t start looking at this more closely. Ignore Democrats’ political rhetoric that is designed to placate their base.
It isn’t “pre-k funding” if politicians just transfer funds from K-12 schools to preschools.
Cuomo is using weasel words where he’s folding pre-k into “more funding for education”.
Duncan is touting “28 states” that have increased pre-k funding. Well, 30 states have decreased K-12 public school funding under ed reform federal and state leadership. It could be a net loss for public schools and we won’t discover that until this current crop of politicians are down the road.
I really resent paying these people in government and then relying on volunteers to advocate for public schools. I don’t know why I’m paying them. I should be paying you 🙂
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In Utah, where the state already spends the least per pupil in the country (around $6100 per student), a pro-charter and anti public school senator has asked the state school board what “theoretically” would happen if 2% was cut from the public school budget. This while the state sits on a $638 million surplus. It is thought that this senator is going to put that 2% toward charter schools.
http://www.sltrib.com/news/2085640-155/state-budget-exercise-hints-at-charter-school
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Tax credits are merely backdoor vouchers and clearly violate Article XI, Section 3 of the NY constitution, which was upheld by NY voters in 1967 by 72% to 28%. If Cuomo wants tax credit backdoor vouchers he should propose an amendment to the state constitution and allow the voters a say,
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“But I never agreed with him about vouchers”
There may be a subtle meaning to this that I’m missing, but you did used to support vouchers for religious schools, Diane.
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sorry Diane, throwing in with this type of so-called researcher/policy person has negative consequences. I know now you seem to have seen the light and are fighting standardized testing and the business takeover of standards, such as common core, but it is very hard to undo the damage caused by checker and his associates in crime. So many non-thinking and willfully ignorant policymakers, politicians and newspapers have used his stuff without question while ignoring real research.
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