I can’t think of anyone better qualified to cover Campbell Brown’s GOP debate than the gifted humorists Peter Greene and EduShyster (aka Jennifer Berkshire).
EduShyster posted a post with video of teacher Penny Culliton being turned away, even though she registered and had a ticket. This reminded EduShyster of school choice in general, where the school chooses whom to admit.
Penny is a regular commenter on this blog.thanks, Penny!
Peter Greene watched the event from home. He found much to laugh at. The candidates’ talking points were self-contradictory and incoherent.
Carly Fiorina seems to know nothing about education. They are all for local control except when they are for state takeovers. They all want tough accountability but they oppose the red tape that tough accountability imposes. They are sure that the evil demon is those wicked teachers’ unions.
Here is a sample of a column that would be hilarious if it weren’t so frightening to think that one of these people could become President of the United States:
“I had no intention of watching, but it’s like netflixing a bad comedy series– you just keep sticking around a little bit longer.. But there are several things that jump out.
“God-given”
“That’s the preferred modifier for the talents and abilities of students. This not only lets candidates name-check God, but it also sidesteps any discussion about what effects poverty and environment might have on the talents and abilities that a student brings to school.
“Local control is union control
“Yeah, this is a new but already-beloved talking point. If you let people have local control, those damn unions will just buy the elections, just like they did in…well, somewhere. The problem with this talking point will be coming up with an actual example of a local school board that is run by the bought-and-paid-for tools of the teachers union.
“Cognitive dissonance
“Holy smokes but the candidates disagree with themselves. Kasich thinks local control is awesome, but the state takeover of Cleveland and Youngstown is also awesome. This is a sticking point for all three candidates, who love them some local control and decry the evils of top-down federal over-reachy policy– but you can’t privatize and get charters and choice unless you open up the market by shutting down local voters.
“Also teachers unions are terrible and awful and a barrier to great things in education, but teachers themselves are wonderful and deserve our support and good pay except for the bad ones who should be driven from the classroom. We’re really torn here.
“Expectations are important and magical, so we can get students to do better just by expecting it, but not by supporting those expectations. Just expect.”
So that’s what Republican candidates promise: High expectations! That’s free. What a platform.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
What does this say about the constituents they are appealing to? Does uninformed seem apt? (Being very polite here).
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Here’s the video of the woman being turned away.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocHE8OjX1WM
EDUSHYSTER: “No Education Summit for You!”
” … not all of the public is welcome at the 74’s Education Summit apparently. Teacher Penny Culliton, who teaches English (shout out!) at Mascenic Regional High School, was turned away at 8:15 AM despite having a ticket and a registration confirmation. The official reason: like a school of choice, The 74 makes its own rules and can accept or reject anyone it chooses.
“Fortunately an alert bystander captured the exchange. Now it’s back to work for me.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocHE8OjX1WM
Here’s what Edushyster is referencing —
SEINFELD’s “Soup Nazi” soup restaurant guy:
“No Soup For You!!!”
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I hate the part at where he tells them to “leave the property.”
00:50
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocHE8OjX1WM
00:50
Hey, douche! The sidewalk in front of a school is public property, and you have neither the right nor the authority to tell them to leave.
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You all might want to check out a new series in the Charleston South Carolina paper, Left Behind: The Unintended Consequences of School Choice. http://data.postandcourier.com/school-choice/page/1
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Very interesting link, Bill. Thanks.
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What a shame that this is lock-step dogma now in DC and statehouses, in both parties.
We’re paying a huge group of people in government to oppose our kids’ schools. It’s insane.
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Yes, I would say insanity applies here.
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So that’s what Republican candidates promise: High expectations! That’s free. What a platform.
Same message for a very long time, prime example Common Core with lies–about these being “internationally benchmarked standards” …
I am glad that I did not watch.
Instead I recycled the headlines from the Cincnnati Enquirer today:
“Karisch and his teacher problem” along with some highlights on his failures, voices of teachers included, 37 column inches, and none of it pretty. Remarkable coverage and truth-telling for a change.
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I think the narrative has shifted dramatically in Ohio. I wonder if some of it is guilt by media outlets, a recognition that they waved pom poms for far too long. The anger that comes with being fed a line of BS for 15 years, and swallowing all of it whole. They really do share responsibility for the charter situation and the abandonment of public schools.
Anyway, I’m hoping we get some real debate when the candidates parachute into Ohio. I don’t think they can weasel out of it this year.
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Readers beware . . . Peter Greene writes a blog for EdWeek, remember, so that means he cannot be trusted because he is simply a corporate hack for Pearson, Gates, etc. Over to you, Prof. Bloomfield. https://dianeravitch.net/2015/08/18/david-bloomfield-to-newshour-please-do-not-get-education-content-from-education-week/
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Thank you for illustrating the hazards of trying to talk to some people. No one on this forum ever said that everyone who write for EdWeek is a corporate shill. What people said is that the articles and opinions on EdWeek tilt heavily in favor of corporate rephorm because that’s where their bread is buttered.
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Actually, the blog post I linked to advised readers not to get any education content from EdWeek. So, yes, a person on this forum did indeed suggest what you are saying was not suggested—that not only is there a tilt, but that the coverage is so slanted that people should stop reading EdWeek.
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And that would be why Anthony Cody left. I stopped subscribing and reading EdWeek when their words, stopped being my reality in a real school.
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Paul are you kidding? As an avid Peter Greene blog follower for years (I have read everything he has written and am buying his new book) I can verify that if he is a corporate shill, he doing a lousy job of it and a wonderful job supporting public education. He is even doing a lousy job at selling his own book . . . and for only $12 he is certainly not getting wealthy on it. http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2015/08/so-i-have-book.html
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Agree with you Janna…hard to think of our fave curmudgeon as a corporate shill.
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I completely agree with you both. Read the post that I linked to and the comment I posted in response. That context will help clarify that we have the same understanding of Greene’s work.
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Caption, I’m sorry, the fire marshall says we can only admit 74 million. You’d put us one over.
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Meanwhile, let’s hear from some of the people who actually live with these policies:
“Can I vote ‘no’ twice?”
That was Mary Hufford’s response when asked if she would vote for Ohio Gov. John Kasich as president. Hufford is an Ohio teacher. And, like many in her profession, she is mad.
On Wednesday, Kasich joins a cast of Republican presidential hopefuls – Jeb Bush, Carly Fiorina, Bobby Jindal, Scott Walker and Chris Christie – in an education summit in early primary state New Hampshire.
Hufford teaches middle school language arts in Clermont County. She lays out her grievances: the new Ohio Teacher Evaluation System; the botched roll-out – and subsequent scrapping – of the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers, or PARCC tests; Kasich’s $78.3 million cut to the education budget in July, a single line-item veto.”
Ohio public school kids just went back to school with yet another new test, less funding, and the promised charter school reforms blocked by lobbyists. I have no idea why anyone in their right mind would want Ohio’s ed reforms. Resist, and hope your schools are resilient enough to survive these people.
http://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/politics/elections/2015/08/18/john-kasichs-teacher-problem/31944403/
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Here’s a local fact check on Scott Walker’s unchallenged statements at the forum.
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This crop of GOP candidates have to be the most frightening group that has ever sought the presidency. Pat Paulsen would put this group to shame.
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Well, I am home after nearly being arrested once I did go inside the “Summit.” Yup, they called the Londonderry police to escort me out when I refused to leave the premises. I really resent these groups coming into NH and doing this crap. It’s just not how we play the game in this state. The only reason I finally left is because I have medical tests tomorrow and didn’t want to — really COULDN’T — wind up detained and thus miss those.
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Thank you Penny for your willingness to bear witness on behalf of teachers, and showing just how much these charlatans “love” actual classroom professionals.
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Thank you Penny for showing up and demonstrating that educators are not welcomed to education reform summits.
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Thanks for going. Sorry you were treated poorly. If we can make that video go viral, you’ll be an internet star.
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Why did they refuse you entry?
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They would not tell me, but my guess is it was because I was also going to the NEA-NH rally later that day– I had registered for the rally on FB. It would be easy to create an algorithm to determine which people registered for the “summit” were also registered for other things. And remember, the GOP by and large thinks of NEA as a “terrorist” organization whose members should be”punched n the face.” Of course, The 74 and American Federation for Children are supposed to be non-partisan non-profits. Yaaaaaa….
My first thought as a 30+ years LGBTQA civil rights activist was that maybe they were afraid I was going to unfurl a rainbow flag and start singing “YMCA.” But I don’t think that’s it. (Might’ve been fun, though.)
As it was, when I finally did walk in after the NEA-NH rally, sit down during the lunch break, and silently read a Shirley Jackson story, they had law enforcement escort me out. What law my fellow public employees were enforcing is unclear. At that point, I left because I had medical appts the next day and really could not affod to be detained, show up for a judge the next day, etc. (the site of the event is over an hour from my home).
Part of me — a large part– believes I should have simply refused to stay put and been arrested.
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We are pretty much becoming North Korea.
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Such a pleasure to meet Jennifer Berkshire today. Her comment about the “summit” being like “schools of choice” was the most apt comparison I’ve heard in recent memory. Quite erased the discomfort of being outside in a 90 degree, 70 % humidity for the entire day (except for the 15 minutes I was inside, which was nearly as hot and humid as outside).
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“We love teachers but hate unions.” Sorry but the teachers are the union. You can’t have it both ways.
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I watched Campbell Brown on an episode of Washington Journal the other day. She continuously lied. One caller challenged her on one of her lies and she ignored him and continued with her scripted talking points. I was so angry I was going to change the channel. I didn’t because I wanted to hear the entire presentation. I believe they have tapes of past episodes you can watch. If she is an example of what reformers are like God help us all. It surprised me that since she promoted choice and demonized public schools, that no one asked her where her children attend or went to school. I would like to see a real educator appear on Washington Journal to tell what reform is really all about. They claim to be neutral so it should be possible. Being a former TV celebrity, it surprised me how horrible she was in her presentation. I can see why she is no longer on national television. When I think of seeing her I still get angry. It make me wonder why people like her think they have all of the answers to cure and problem some of our public schools have. The media is quick to point out problems in some public schools. Why don’t the also tell about the good schools. I believe the majority of our public schools do a great job of providing an education. They should be the schools getting the attention of the press.
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Michelle Rhee was the puppet for reformers Diane calls the billionaire-boys-club. When she was exposed as a fraud the BBC needed a new face, hence Campbell Brown. You must admit she is telegenic!
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This is a pretty priceless line by Jeb:
“The public schools have to get better or they close. This is America.”
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Then what?
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There’s actually a double standard. Traditional public schools that are deemed failing must close. Charter schools with that are failing as bad or worse than the public schools—we have to be patient and let them get their footing, give them chance after chance before we close them.
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Jack,
No the double standard is in the other direction. Charter schools have a death penalty clause. The charter is not permanent but has to be renewed once in a while. The renewal is not guaranteed, but if they are considered failing they lose the charter, the school is closed, teachers and administration is fired.
On the other hand when public schools fail, i.e., rated D or F they just continue as if nothing has happened because there is no death penalty clause for public schools. Even if in some extreme circumstances the school is closed, the kids and teachers (have to reapply for their jobs) are moved to another school, just a sham performance.
There are nearly 20 times as many public schools that are failing as compared to charters. Analyze a typical raw data from Indiana. If poor performing public schools are closed, something like 5% of the kids will have no place to go.
Charter schools do not have a lock on failure, but the public schools do because there that many more in existence. There are 5% charters, 5% home schooling and 10% private schools.
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Raj,
I watch all the broadcasts of the LAUSD school board meetings, and it is all but impossible to deny renewal of a charter.
As for traditional public schools, we take anyone who shows up in the Main Office with proof of residency, unlike the charters that pick and choose.
Are you Raj Chetty?
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Raj–
If the charter schools cannot reject some students based on their performance and the cooperation of their parents, if they have to take and **keep** all comers, then they can be held to the same standards as public schools.But only then.
I Know it sounds harsh, but it is the students who are doing the failing, not the actual schools.
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