This is an education blog, and I can only guess what Marco Rubio would do. The only thing he says on his website is that he would stop Common Core and prohibit the federal government from interfering with local control. It is likely that he is an avid supporter of Vouchers, charter schools, tax credits for the rich, the usual ALEC stuff. Go to his website and you will see that he is a red, red, red conservative.
What would he do to our living standards? Read this. Redistribute more money to the top 1%. They don’t have enough.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Why can’t it just stop at end Common Core and don’t let the DOE interfere? Why do Republicans want to take it to the next level of privatizing?
I’m in agreement that we should stop Common Core (or any other “magic product” that will solve all our ills and make us all one in the eyes of achievement gods or whatever) and that the DOE should not interfere with local, democratically elected-run LEAs. So why can’t we all just stop there and agree on that? And work on that? Why are we so far gone beyond this?
I’m puzzled. Indeed, those of us who really do want pure approaches to public school are orphans politically. Does such a thing exist? Or is public education just inherently corrupt because of party politics?
LikeLike
The strange thing about the Common Core, and the entire privatization movement is that it is not clearly just a Republican or Democrat cancer, but the poison has seeped into both parties.
From the right it has been pushed and pedaled by the Bush clan, Christie, Walker, and the other cronies that wear an “R” on their political foreheads…it was good for Jindal and Huckabee until it was bad for them…the latter not knowing whether it came from his left buttock or right one…
From the other side, it has been secretively and quietly thrust into each state by those who wear a “D”…starting with Obama, who once stated he would get a comfortable pair of sneakers and walk with labor if it was ever threatened, and then threw the American people to the predatory wolves, thus selling out the very people he promised to defend. The rise of a Duncan demonstrated that privatization was on the fast track, and democracy systematically suffocated. Even Joe Biden supports the movement, as his brother is an “education entrepreneur”, operating a charter in Florida.
Here in New York, we have a governor who claims to be a democrat, and deviously hides and takes shelter behind issues such as gay rights and gun control, furthering the agenda of anyone and everyone who will throw a political contribution his way. We ar in the midst of his 3rd Common Core Commission from Cuomo, who loves the word commission, until it begins to churn information that he does not want, at which point the commission is disbanded, as he deceitfully states it has served its purpose.
Candidates must be pressed…and pressed hard on where they stand. In the previous debates, both parties chose to avoid issues around education…choosing to walk the fine line between identifying with the voters, and feeding the billionaire demagogues they financially bed in the confines of their luxurious office suites.
Now in New York, we have a new stooge, Elia, to replace the old stooge, John King who was unceremoniously un-promoted to number two in the Department of Education, behind Duncan, after his experiences in the Empire State holding forums to tell New Yorkers how poisonous educational policies actually hold a silver lining, if you can survive and sift through the 21st century of the 1% nobility reinventing and fine tuning feudalism for the remaining 99% of the people.
Elia has actually forwarded a tool kit to prescribe the proper dosages and exactly how the poison should be administered, as superintendents are expected to chant to parents the benefits of the slime.
As the systematic destruction of public education and labor continues, it is clearly evident how both political parties target education, but have been “hands off” of other labor unions…most notably, our police and firefighters, and other emergency workers. This is not by accident, but by design.
Years from now, I truly hope, we will be able to look back and thank true American heroes, from both political parties, who stood up to the upper class, and said “No More”..,.while standing with the people of this great nation, reclaiming the American Dream as our forefathers would have wanted…as our founding fathers watch us…keeping our Constitution alive, for future generations of American people.
I look forward to a roar…a rumble across our great nation…as we celebrate nationally, the death of Common Core, and the entire privatization scheme, as we find new common bonds to protect our nation against future potential threats, and conspirators, such as those we are witnessing today, claiming to be Republican or Democrat.
LikeLike
The American people can only save themselves if they actively pursue democracy. The oligarchs are only too happy to march the sleep walking public to the ovens.
LikeLike
yes. in NC all I can get out of Democrats is budget bashing (on the part of Republicans). Policy talk just doesn’t happen.
I’d be fine with “well we had to make some compromises due to the economy because we needed RttT stimulus money,” but the NEA still seems to want to push Common Core, which trickles into our NCAE teachers who then feel like they aren’t being good teachers if they don’t cheerlead for CCSS.
It’s kind of frustrating. And our state can’t seem to identify any hero for public ed save Jim Hunt, and he’s been out of office for 14 years.
Where’s our next hero?
LikeLike
I guess those who love CCSS think Bill Gates is our next hero?
If so, then Dr. Ravitch you may as well invite him to speak at the conference in April because the only thing the Hunt Institute has done for NC since 2001 is push what Gates pushes.
who are the heroes? I can’t even tell anymore.
LikeLike
Involved Mom, Jim Hunt was a great governor and pro-public education but his Hunt Institute has taken millions from Gates to sell CCSS
LikeLike
exactly.
So I don’t see who NC’s heroes are at this point.
LikeLike
OMG Diane you just created the next meme!!
I want to give all of my money to my employer!!! What’s the best way to do that?? #WWMRD? (Riff on WWJD)
LikeLike
M, I am thrilled
LikeLike
You can wonder what Marco Rubio and other Republicans might do, but we know for sure that Hillary Clinton is 100% for it and makes no bones about it…she is miles ahead on the globalization effort…and the money keeps rolling into her pockets!
LikeLike
Well Trump said he wants to abolish the Department of Education, so I guess we can vote for him.
Just kidding.
He should be entertaining on SNL tonight.
LikeLike
I’m guessing he supports this ALEC legislation:
http://www.tampabay.com/news/education/k12/proposal-aims-to-alter-florida-school-districts/2252653
End democratically elected school boards and gerrymander districts to favor charters and vouchers. Coming to a legislature near you!
Let the tax money flow into the grifter’s pockets so they will continue to fund campaigns like Rubio’s, one of the top fundraisers in grifter money . . . .
LikeLike
I was looking at the twitter feed of the state legislator Ohio just gave a promotion to- he now runs the lawmaker group on public schools. He’s actually an anti-public school activist- he believes public schools are “socialism”, so of course Ohio promoted him to run the public schools he opposes and hopes to eliminate.
It’s 99% promoting GOP politicians. There is no evidence that this person has any interest in education at all. Poor young people. Their public school policy is led by politicians who don’t value public schools at all. I hope they’re resilient and have plenty of grit. They are going to need it to survive these people.
LikeLike
Again, why does it have to go to the next level? Why do all of the ones who want to get rid of some of the cumbersome stuff placed on public schools also, at the end of the day, want to go ahead and get rid of the public schools too. Why not just say that out of the gate? “I don’t believe in public school and will do everything in my power to get rid of it, despite the fact that doing so goes against the state constitution I am supposed to uphold.”
Why do conservatives have to take it that far in their actions? I don’t get it.
LikeLike
Because conservative ideas – privatization, supply side, theocracy, free market cronyism, oligarchy – are increasingly seen as ineffective and unpopular. Republicans can not say exactly what they believe as their ideology does not play well with younger voters and older voters who are enlightened. Witness Ryan’s dodge on his real intent to dismantle Social Security and Medicare. Or the twisting of numbers to try and justify wage inequality and poverty. Or the vague hodgepodge of alternative Obamacare plans rather than admit they do not want healthcare for all and would rather some just die. Or our governor who is “kinda like Jesus, only better” and bases public policy on Divine intervention.
LikeLike
Mathvale,
Note that voucher programs are never called voucher programs, they are “opportunity scholarships”or “education tax credits.”
LikeLike
“. . . despite the fact that doing so goes against the state constitution I am supposed to uphold.”
Quite interesting IM! Gonna have to give that some more thought, as it has interesting implications.
LikeLike