Not too much was said about education last night, and the candidates already have demonstrated by word and deed that they would like to break up, eliminate, eviscerate, or diminish public education. We already know the records of Scott Walker, Jeb Bush, and John Kasich. If you care about public education as a central component of a democratic society, this is not a good field from which to choose a president. The group proved to be bellicose, obsessed with abortion, and playing to the far right extremes of the Republican party.
Some especially offensive moments:
1) when Donald Trump responded to a question about his attitude towards women by belittling the woman who asked the question.
2) when Scott Walker said that he opposes abortion without exception, even in the case of rape, incest, and the risk to the mother’s life. When pressed about the latter, he said that he would always choose the life of the unborn child over the life of the mother. I wished there had been a follow-up about whether he would sacrifice the life of his own wife. There wasn’t.
Here are some other responses to the debate that I liked: Andy Borowitz in his daily New Yorker joke said that Scott Walker proved that he was ready to be an assistant manager at a car rental agency.
Paul Krugman’s reactions resonated with me. The thought of any of these guys becoming President of the United States is alarming.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
More like an Ugly Bunch of Kochonuts but you get the idea …
Bernie Sanders won the debate on twitter. The most re-tweeted comment of the debate was his: “It’s over. Not one word about economic inequality, climate change, Citizens United or student debt. That’s why the Rs are so out of touch.”
I want to post a reminder that as much as we all care about public edu, we should not be “one issue voters.” That would be foolish. NO presidential candidate really knows what they’re talking about when it comes to K-12 education, not even Bernie — but he is the only one who will be open to new ideas and not beholden to the moneyswindlers.
The GOP is just there for our laughs and tears. None of them are fit to lead a small town, much less our country.
You said:
NO presidential candidate really knows what they’re talking about when it comes to K-12 education, not even Bernie.
I agree, except that Jeb Bush has canned answers to every education question and has been honing these and relationships with many for years. He makes false claims about achievements in Florida, and knows how to sell anything that will open markets for profits from education. He has been part of the problem in education for a long time.
The spectacle was disturbing.
I”d like to know why the press keeps pushing Trump. Below are some comments made by Trump which was printed in the Washington Post.
“Modern new VA hospitals. Better bridges, highways, railroads. A new floor at LaGuardia Airport, to replace that shabby terrazzo Trump hates. And, to pay for it all, Trump would not raise taxes. He’d lower them.
Instead, Trump would get other countries to start paying the United States large new sums of money — and agree to receive nothing in return. China, for instance, would pay for new tariffs. Mexico would even pay for America’s new border wall.
“They’re not going to pay for the wall,” Fox News host Bill O’Reilly told Trump this summer.
“You have to let me handle that, okay?” Trump said.”
According to the New York Times; Megyn Kelly the moderator infuriated Mr. Trump when she suggested that he lacked the temperament to be president because of offensive remarks he had made about women. She pointed out that he had referred to them as “fat pigs, dogs, slobs, and disgusting animals.”
There may not be a President hopeful in the group, but the Democrats don’t offer anything better!
Bernie Sanders.
Ugh…enough with the ulra libs. This teacher loves Trump!
You do know that there’s nothing liberal about Cuomo, right? If you’re fed up with Cuomo, hold on to your hat with Trump.
Considering what Trump says about women, I have NO support of that creep.
Both Bush and Christie proudly proclaimed their teacher union busting. It’s so difficult to hurt women who teach kids to read – they should be proud.
I thought Christie was going to punch Rand Paul instead of a teacher last night. I guess brawls are how these guys operate.
Yes. It was a field of proud misogyny, bigotry, and racial hate.
And I say race because of the 15 seconds they addressed Black Lives Matter – or rather didn’t.
I hope America wakes up because all I see is cavemen beating their chests and bragging about what their money can buy.
Could it be that eliminating American authentic problem solving and civics for several decades has had an effect?
The whole civilized world has to be watching us as a super power in total disgust.
They stopped dragging their knuckles the other day and started standing upright just recently.
The GOP debates are a learning opportunity for our nation and the world. It is saying: This is what politics has become.
In a way, these debates are like a gift. It’s like if ALEC came out and revealed their plans to everyone. Now we just need to highlight the ridiculousness over and over. Help show everyone a new direction, away from the insanity.
Sadly there was a whole lot of applause and cheering in the audience for some of the most obnoxious, hate filled statements coming from the stage. The people in the audience represent millions in this country who think that the republican field is just dandy.
You’re right. It sure isn’t gonna be quick or easy. We are in a battle to drastically change the course of our nation. We are off to a good start by rallying around Bernie Sanders.
Generation Y and Z especially have a big challenge ahead. Will they grow into these kind of people who cheer for insane politicians?
John Kasich needs this Ohio teacher’s vote. You will never have it, Mr. Kasich. I’m even a registered Republican. You bragged that you would bring teachers down. You have certainly done that. You have made my job as an Ohio teacher miserable and lowered my self esteem day to day in the classroom. It is pleasing to me that you will never be President of the U.S. What goes around comes around. It always does. I can’t wait till a new governor takes your place.
I agree Sad Teacher. I’m a registered Ohio republican and will never vote for Kasich. He wants to destroy public education – and his charter school friends will be the beneficiaries of privatization. He lowers my self-esteem too, but I refuse to give up. I hope you do too.
THIS is the argument against Social Darwinism.
Though all you really need is to listen to Trump or Bloomberg mouth off at just about anything human.
Borowitz added another post, this one about Trump: http://www.newyorker.com/humor/borowitz-report/trump-more-heinous-than-previously-thought?mbid=nl_Borowitz%20(34)&cndid=24457067&mbid=nl_Borowitz%20(34)&CNDID=24457067&spMailingID=7968000&spUserID=MjczNzc1NDUwMTUS1&spJobID=740935308&spReportId=NzQwOTM1MzA4S0
Trump trumps Trump.
Can’t wait for the Michael Moore documentary.
This country just keeps blurring the line between truth, sensationalism and comedy.
And why has not Moore done a documentary about public education?
Robert,
I met Michael Moore a couple of years ago at a Leonard Cohen concert in Brooklyn. I introduced myself and asked him to make a documentary about the attack on schools. He seemed receptive. Lets see what his next project is.
Trump is exactly what this country needs. He’s right on point when he speaks about political correctness ruining the country. Enough with the political correctness and the whining by the left.
So treating women as less than human is a good thing?
More whining from the right. “I can’t overtly express my misogyny, racism, and, contempt for separation of church and state, b/c of PC.”
” Why must I hide my psychopathy?” “Stop making fun of me because I like the lies of Fox and right-wing a.m. radio. They make me feel like I have a right to entitlement and deference..”
Threatened – at least Trump is up front about his feelings towards women. The rest of the Republican Party is sneaky about it – closing Planned Parenthood and kicking out teachers (mostly women) using bogus excuses to disguise their misogynous activities.
I’m not saying that the rest are any better, but the fact that he’s so blatant and that he’s cheered for what he is saying is particularly egregious. No wonder we have so few women in politics in this country. Note on the map attached that Saudi Arabia has more women in the lower chamber of their legislative body than the U.S. does. Less than 1 in 5 in the House are women, and it’s far worse in some state legislatures.
Oops! Forgot the map:
Click to access wmnmap15_en.pdf
Trump is on top because Americans are sick and tired of the Washington cartel. Our leaders can’t even get 4 hostages in a billion dollar deal with Iran, sanctuary cities allow illegal felons to go free, billions spent on illegal immigrants for every free service imaginable, veterans not being taken care of, the huge debt, ObamaCare, and Common Core. Trump may not be “presidential” in your eyes, but to me and to many he speaks the truth and it is darn refreshing!
Momoffive,
Trump doesn’t speak the truth about Megyn Kelley, nor women.
A political party that attracts a man like Trump, who has had children by multiple women and, who is fiscally irresponsible, having filed for bankruptcy repeatedly, is a party that lacks human decency.
Linda, you are correct. Trump is not politically correct. He says things unscripted, unlike most of the rest. He tells the truth, whether you want to hear it or not. America needs a strong leader–a strong negotiator. Someone who can get better trade deals for our workers, someone who will build the fence, someone who can get 4 hostages back, someone who can destroy the Core, and most of all, someone who is NOT part of the Washington cartel. If not Trump, then Carly, Carson, or Cruz will fit the bill. Conservatives are going to vote in this election because we are sick of the one party in DC.
Momoffive, I don’t share your enthusiasm for The Donald. He is an egotistical, narcissistic know-nothing who seems to be best at bullying other people. I agree with you about trade deals that send American jobs to other nations. I agree with you about the Core. But I think the Republican party has become a tool of the Koch Brothers and the other billionaires. They will widen the divide between the 1% and the rest of us with tax breaks for the richest–who are not job creators but wealth accumulators. There are some of those in both parties. The American society I want to see is one that restores opportunity for everyone, that takes action against hunger or poverty, that prioritizes a high-quality education for all children.
Like I said, Trump, Carson, Carly, or Cruz will fight the establishment in Washington and bust up the core. Who do you think can do this, and more importantly, will want to do this?
What is most disturbing is that with the exception of Carson and Trump all were elected. That any of them have any credibility with the American public is profoundly disappointing. The central question for education policy is what role formal schooling can play so that students come out with the social, academic and intellectual skills and experience with making value judgments that would enable them to critically evaluate candidates and reject the superficial presentations in the media.
The standing of US students on international test propels questionable claims of systemic failure. I am more concerned by the apparent vulnerability of the American public to superficial and often blatantly biased appeals. That is our systemic failure.
http://www.arthurcamins.com
I would appreciate someone correcting an impression I got from Trump….all sorts of stuff that I do not like, but…………..his position on healthcare is miles ahead of all other republicans, it is packed with informed, intriguing possibilities…….a mixture of capitalism and socialism. Like all republicans, he pledges to get rid of Obama care……..unlike all others, he has something in mind to replace it——and of possible significance——-(along with his pledge to take care of the lowest 25 percent at no cost——-he has an idea of just how powerful corporate lobbyists are to sucking all the money out of Obamacare…..trades made to get it passed. If Trump really wants to knock these guys around…….what might that say about his opinion of their role in the Gates-Duncan-and republicans who say nothing because they are not that far out of line with Gates and Duncan? Tell me I am reading what he is saying about healthcare, and it is meaningless, and has no implications about possible attitudes about the privatization of education.
Trump is a wild card. He occasionally makes sense, but it’s the exception. I wouldn’t care if he had the best healthcare plan in the world — 90% of the other things he says disqualifies him as a viable candidate.
Then you have the camp who believes Trump is trolling the entire GOP. Probably not, but if it were true, it would place him in the all-time humanity troll-of-fame. Otherwise known to us as the “honor troll.”
Ed Detective,
My expectations were low for Trump, but he didn’t come close to meeting them. I read him as mean, egotistical, mercurial, angry, arrogant, and quick to belittle anyone he chose because he is better than everybody in his own eyes. The idea of this guy as a potential President is frightening. He doesn’t care what anyone else thinks, because he is the only one who matters. That suggests a man lacking in compassion, incapable to taking advice, never saying he is wrong.
Agreed, Diane. You actually summed up how I feel about most politicians and business leaders. Trump is just less shy about it. The other GOP candidates are more tactful in concealing their bigotry and sociopathy.
It’s even more frightening that Trump is leading in the polls!
Trump has had children with 3 different women. Multiple times, he filed for bankruptcy, leaving his creditors in the lurch, Lack of character, coupled with Republican ideology- certainly, America can do better.
My hope is the Republicans boot Trump from the clown car, and he runs as an independent. This will divide the right wing nuts’ vote.
Sad to see so many stuck in the R vs. D universe. In that world public education loses. Even after the Democrats completely sold out education to Obama administration’s version of deform, the AFT already endorsed Hillary Clinton. The AFT and NEA have NO business endorsing ANY candidate. You would think they would have learned that lesson with Barack Obama. Public education is better off WITHOUT the federal government. The unions should concentrate on meaningful education policies. The unfounded allegiance to Democrats and the silly intellectual snobbery apparent in many comments are proof that many teachers are just as gullible as a PT Barnum audience.
The discussion here is about the republican debate last night. I believe that most people understand that current democrats, at the federal level, are not appreciably different from the republicans when it comes to education policy.
Nor will a future Democrat administration deviate substantively from the current administration. That is the gullibility factor.
Political theater has devolved into an absurd contest to see who can make the most outlandish statements and get away, unchecked, with their mendacity. Empire of Illusion a la Chris Hedges indeed. Keep the masses entertained and stupefied while the country is pillaged by the masters of the corporate whores we call politicians…
Nope. Keep Trump in there in order to prevent Bush from stealing another election. He will likely go third party if he doesn’t get the nomination, which he won’t get.
The trouble with Trump is that he makes Jeb! look like a “moderate,” when in fact he is a hard-line rightwing ideologue like the others
Not sure if I agree. I think Trump is hardcore opportunist across party lines. Jeb definitely plays strategically right of center but not Walker/Santorum risky far right. Two different animals, and not sure either is good-but the crazy you see comin is safer than the smooth talkin devil you can’t predict.
Jeb and Trump are both vampires; Trump is simply more honest about who politicians really are . . . .
Do you think Clinton will bolster the public schools? Just like Obama did, right? No, that is over now. Many teachers will not vote Democratic anymore. That is why Rauner is the governor of Illinois right now. Democrats (former) were unwilling to vote for Quinn. People like me just won’t vote, and that will make a Republican victory very likely. If you are a public school teacher, and still believe in the Democrats after this Obama-Duncan debacle, then you are hopeless!
There are other important issues besides education. The GOP has made no secret of the fact that it plans to eviscerate, gut and kill off Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, the ACA, food stamps and any other social programs that remain. Did we forget that Bush tried to privatize SS in 2005? That’s a huge difference in the parties right there. Then there is the Supreme Court; do you want more far right wing nuts on the supreme court? Then go ahead, don’t vote or vote for the Greens. What about abortion, gay rights, the minimum wage, paid family leave and other social issues which the GOP OPPOSES. If you don’t vote or you vote for some hopeless 3rd party, then you are hopeless
My friend, Pete, has a wicked sense of humor. He likened last night’s debate to a CLOWN CAR -you know the ones at the circus where piles of clowns emerge from one tiny wooden vehicle.
One clown stepping out of the car doesn’t mean much….it’s only when clown after clown appears that the audience is astonished….entertained….or, in the case of last night’s debate, shocked and depressed. (Those were definitely the scary types of clowns live on Fox.)
What a circus.
Was Donald Trump born in the United States? I heard a rumor that he was not.
The most frustrating thing for me is that Jeb and others raved about their “education successes,” and there has been no one yet to challenge that. The NEA and AFT need to grab the golden opportunity here and fact check these blowhards. A lot of commentary today has been on the lack of correct information on immigration and such from last night’s debate. WHERE ARE THE EDUCATION LEADERS? The real ones–to fact check the education claims?
thanks for saying that.
BEWARE! Hillary Clinton is floating her own ‘Race to the Top’ program for colleges and universities as part of a ‘loan reform’ proposal.
The GOP clown car may have run off the road last night but the democratic party isn’t too far behind.
http://www.politico.com/story/2015/08/hillary-clinton-readies-student-loan-reform-rollout-121117.html
Hillary is not the right choice. There is another, better Democratic candidate, who is closing on Hillary in the polls.
Here is what Bernie Sanders has to say:
“But in the entire time I watched [the GOP debate], I saw very little discussion about the issues important to most American families. There was no talk about climate change and clean energy, raising wages and providing healthcare for all Americans, criminal justice reform and the undermining of the Voting Rights Act, and nothing at all about the crushing burden of student debt.
And when they did talk about campaign finance reform and the billionaire class buying candidates and elections, it was the butt of a Donald Trump joke.
We need to be discussing issues facing working families at a debate hosted by trade unions. We need to discussing climate change and environmental issues at a forum hosted by the environmental community. We need to be discussing civil rights issues and racial injustice at a forum sponsored by civil rights groups. We need to be discussing gay rights at a forum hosted by the LGBT community. In other words, more discussion, more debate is good for the Democratic Party and good for the American people.”
Nice. So Scott Walker thinks the government should FORCE a woman to DIE rather than have an abortion to save her life? I wonder how he would feel if this was his wife or sister or daughter.
Yeah, I was horrified by that, too.
Walker might sacrifice his wife’s life, without compunction. However, I’d bet that he wouldn’t give his own life, any more than the Koch’s or last night’s debaters would. We’re talking Republicans.
With ease, Christie threw Bridget Kelly under the bus.
Any woman that votes Republican or, is Republican, isn’t tuned in.
Walker should be thrown in jail and worse.
Teachers need better political organization. There are over 3 million of us and it is clear our unions don’t really represent us. We are over 2% of the voting population of the US. We should have tremendous political clout. We could become quite formidable.
Wow! This article was embedded in the Paul Krugman link of Diane’s blog post. Just look at what U. S. hedge fund “economists”/managers are doing to Puerto Rico’s education system! Think it couldn’t happen here? Think again!
http://time.com/3976179/puerto-rico-education/
Teacher from Georgia,
You missed this post. The hedge fund guys want Puerto Rico to fire teachers, close schools, and cut the university budget: so the Commonwealth can pay off its debts. But it is hard to see this as a war to save tens of billions of dollars.
Um . . . They kind of want to do the same thing here.
It’s like the Kevin Bacon game or something. Choose the lesser of ten evils? Who do you go with?
Bernie, 2016. No other choice boys and girls.
Oh, there are other choices. Just not good ones… 🙂
I’m tired of people whining. Get involved, but do your homework. Don’t trust any of the national media. Find your candidate and vote. Mine is this guy. I am a 30 year vet of NYSUT. He supports unions.
https://berniesanders.com/
Recently, the former President of the Communications Workers of America gave a speech to encourage citizens to vote for Sanders. He said Bernie showed his support for labor by marching in the streets with union members.
Bernie is the ONLY choice.
The Reality TV Special which was disguised as a republican presidential debate was even more disturbing for what wasn’t addressed by any candidate. Twenty-two veterans per day commit suicide. The school-to-prison pipeline. Selling America one student and one school at a time via charters, vouchers, and data mining. Cutting mental health clinics. Cutting public and school libraries. Legalizing pension theft. TPP consequences.
The list goes on, but the candidates did not.
The major distractors, Trump and Christie, served to make Jeb the Extremist seem like a moderate – which he is not.
God help America; these candidates won’t even help our neediest citizens.
FOX commentators will not really grill GOP potential REAL front-runners or favorite sons/daughters. Trump asks for it, deserves it, and would get it anyways because he isn’t the tool of any particular wealthy interest or corporation. He IS a wealthy interest and corporation.
FOX will spend their time conducting the orchestra of “how have you proven you hate Obama” and “How do you plan to smear the reputation of Hillary Clinton”…and let the viewers decide who lied best and/or comes off least crazy.
They have an uphill climb. Keeping crazy off the stage is not generally in the wheelhouse of either FOX or the GOP. Try as they might to get all freedomy and religiousy…they have a walk the walk deficit on both….a huge talk the talk surplus.
In addition to not being asked whether he would have sacrificed his own wife’s life, no one asked Scott Walker how many children he and his wife have adopted,and whether he supports programs that would provide educational and employment training opportunities for single mothers.
The view of a nun, Sister Joan Chittister, “I do not believe that just because you’re opposed to abortion, that that makes you pro-life. In fact I think in many cases, your morality is deeply lacking if all you want is a child born but not a child fed, not a child educated, not a child housed. If you don’t want tax money to go there, it’s not pro-life…”
This is perfect-needs to hit the debate stage, should be shared with whichever Dem/Ind faces off against a pro-life anti planned parenthood candidate on a debate stage.
Nor are they talking about the enormous crisis of child poverty.
Candidates should be talking about poor kids – Ted Kaufman – News Journal http://buff.ly/1MbVMxM
Diane, your recommendation of Krugman’s remarks is the final straw for me. I’ve welcomed your insight and some of the stuff you produce, but this it. I’m a conservative. I didn’t watch the debates. I don’t like Common Core or the assessments, likely for different reasons than you. I’m not buying all the socialist baloney. I will be disinviting myself from your blog.
” I’m not buying all the socialist baloney.”
Man, you’re missing out on some good stuff, the garlic thick sliced is the best!!!
“I will be disinviting myself from your blog.”
Thin skinned there Monte boy????
Monte,
This is a of where we discuss issues. Not everyone agrees with everyone. No one is compelled to read it. Everyone is welcome to do so.
Monte,
You have more issues than a magazine.
Go indulge yourself with a tall glass of red wine and a heaping plate of fresh pasta a la carbonara.
And then seek professional help as soon as you can.
“. . . unpersuaded by conventional understanding of facts, evidence, and science.”
Sounds like most GAGA teachers and administrators when it comes to the many educational malpractices in place these days.
“conventional understanding” = group think
Thank you Linda for posting Sister Joan Chittister’s words of wisdom.
I would like to repeat her words again.
[start quote]
Your morality is deeply lacking (= Your American way is deeply lacking0
if all you want is a child born (= if all you want is DICTATORSHIP/MANIAC manifested)
but
not a child fed, (= not DECENT MINIMUM WAGES ACCORDINGLY for population)
not a child housed, (= not EMPLOYING AMERICANS against foreign CONTRACTORS)
not a child educated.(= not QUALITY PUBLIC EDUCATION for all)
If you don’t want tax money to go there, it’s not pro-life…”
(= If American presidential candidates CANNOT debate these core issues: ECONOMY, SECURITY, and PUBLIC EDUCATION, it is NOT AMERICAN WAY.)
[end quote]
I still hope that educators will make effort to educate students and parents how to press and demand all D + R presidential candidates to debate their policies in economy, security, and public education. Back2basic
The fact that these candidates fall over themselves to attend secret meetings with billionaires as a fundraising strategy should scare the hell out of all of us…
Diane, careful…I listened to the debates. I didn’t hear Walker say that he would “always choose the life of the unborn child over the life of the mother”. He actually tries to soften his opposition to abortion even if the mother’s life was at risk by saying something about options. These guys reveal their ignorance very well on their own without a need to embellish or distort anything they say.
Janet,
What I heard from Walker is that there are no circumstances in which abortion is ok. I did not embellish.