Daniel Denvir in Salon writes that it is time for candidate Bernie Sanders to wade into the education issues.
Sanders is speaking in Philadelphia, a city whose public schools have been ravaged by failed reforms for more than a decade under state control.
Denvir interviews a variety of experts about why neither Sanders nor Clinton has taken on education.
He points out that Sanders did call for an end to relying on property tax as a basic funding mechanism, since it is inherently inequitable.
But Denvir hopes that Sanders will attack the segregation that is at the root of so many urban problems today.
He writes:
The best case to make for ending housing and school segregation is in reality a populist one: segregation will continue to harm and destabilize communities nationwide because as long as poor people of color are forced to live in a small number of municipalities most communities risk being upended by demographic change. Sanders, who prioritized affordable housing as mayor of Burlington, likely understands this. Clinton, who lives in the might-as-well-be-gated community of Westchester, which has been subject to a fierce desegregation campaign, likely does not.
Americans have a lot in common when it comes to getting fleeced by the billionaire ruling class, which only a populist multi-racial movement can overthrow. But inequality also has a geography, and that grim map is chiseled into America’s separate and unequal neighborhoods and schools. Sanders would do well to make note of that in Philly.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
And if Bernie from Brooklyn speaks up on education and segregation, he should rocket in the polls and votes. Especially since we know of Hill and Bill’s charter school love affair!
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I called his campaign headquarters and asked if he supports common core and the answer is Yes!
Can’t vote for a candidate that supports common core–no way-
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John Podesta, big charter school supporter and money mover for billionaires, is running Hillary’s campaign.
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Retired Teacher– A campaign manager does not set education policy.
Mark–charter love affair? http://www.politico.com/story/2015/11/hillary-clinton-charter-schools-education-215661
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From Bernie’s web site:
“Bernie does not oppose charter schools — that is, schools that are privately managed but funded by taxes. Indeed, Bernie voted for the Charter School Expansion Act of 1998.”
from http://feelthebern.org/bernie-sanders-on-education/#k-12-education
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Teacher, thanks for the link.
Bernie and Hillary have exactly the same position on charter schools.
They support them because they consider them “public schools.”
They want them to be more accountable and transparent.
Bernie’s web site says:
Speaking of public funding of privately run organizations, where does Bernie stand on charter schools?
Bernie does not oppose charter schools — that is, schools that are privately managed but funded by taxes. Indeed, Bernie voted for the Charter School Expansion Act of 1998. Nonetheless, Bernie believes that these institutions must be “held to the same standards of transparency as public schools” to ensure accountability for these privately managed organizations. It is worth noting that while charter schools are privately managed, they do not charge tuition to students and are considered public schools.
Bernie’s stance on charter schools is similar to that of both the AFT and the NEA, which do not oppose charter schools, but seek to ensure that they are run in ways that benefit the students. The NEA, for example, shares Bernie’s concern that these schools must be run transparently to increase accountability: “As taxpayer-funded schools, charter schools must operate in a manner that is transparent and accountable to the families and communities they serve.”
Same as Hillary.
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I hate to be a Negative Nancy, but this sounds so much like four years ago when people were saying what Obama should say about education. I like Bernie a lot, but then, I liked Obama too. I just hope we’re not headed for a different kind of Bern than we’re all hoping for. I’m still voting for him and he’s still far better than any other choice available, but I’m not holding my breath that things are going to be much different.
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A (possible) difference between now and 2008 is that Obama already had a documented record of shilling for so-called reform, as well as gentrification and displacement of the poor, via his relationship with his political mentor, Valerie Jarrett, and the Joyce Foundation. He has always been a member in good standing of the Black Misleadership Class.
Bernie, on the other hand, coming from one of the few states without charter schools, and ensconced in the thin air of the US Senate, may be somewhat uninformed, but apparently is not quite the political chameleon that Obama has always been. Until shown otherwise, I’m willing to give him the benefit of the doubt for a (short) while, and give him the opportunity to inform himself.
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You hit the nail on the head. Think how optimistic we all were when President Obama was elected — to impose “change.” I never get the feeling that either Hillary OR Bernie understand the privatization game.
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I think Hillary is probably better informed than Bernie. Her campaign is managed by Podesta, and she is on good terms with Randi. She was a senator in New York which has been involved with charters for some time. All of this is not necessarily a good thing. Bernie, I think, needs a crash course in truly understanding the democratic, economic, social and academic implications of charters.
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The Daily News was busy spinning Bernie’s comments about WallStreet, trying to get a “gotcha” moment from their interview with him, but tucked in there was a quick mention of education. I do also hope to hear more from him about k-12.
Daily News: I want to follow up on something you’ve just said. I have heard very, very little in this campaign, about education. What do you think about that, considering what’s going on in this country? But also very specifically there is a trend in this country of wealthy suburbs being better funded in education than urban districts. In this state, there’s even a lawsuit where the plaintiffs prevailed but nothing changed. What would a Sanders administration…
Sanders: That was the same thing with South Carolina, by the way.
Daily News: Yeah, I know. There’s a few of them, but what would or could a Sanders administration do about this?
Sanders: We could do a lot. Number one, your point is absolutely right and I think there has not been enough discussion. I’ve kind of focused on, at the university level, public colleges, universities being tuition-free only, student debt. But your point is a very important point. There is a major effort for a start to privatize public education in America, which I think is a disastrous idea. I think we have got to adequately fund education. I think in the broader sense what we have got to do is make the American people understand how important education is to our quality of life and to our economy.
So what does that mean? It means that we have to start off with the lowest link. Right now, every psychologist in the world will tell you that zero through four are the most important years of a human being’s life, alright? No debate, really. Our childcare pre-K system is dysfunctional. You’ve got teachers out there or instructors or somebody, I don’t know what their title is, who make less than McDonald’s workers. They have no benefits, they’re making $10 an hour. These are the people we are trusting with the youngest kids in America. That’s insane.
Daily News: Okay, I’d like to switch topics here to…
Sanders: No, let me just say that I think education is an enormously important topic.
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Good that Bernie said he is against privatization. Most people would agree with that. But what does he mean by that, when he also says that he supports charter schools.
Most charter advocates would also say they are against privatization, and insist that “charters are public schools”.
So we would need to hear more from Bernie about what it means that he is “against privatization”, when he also says he supports charters?
From his website, as it stands today:
“Bernie does not oppose charter schools — that is, schools that are privately managed but funded by taxes. Indeed, Bernie voted for the Charter School Expansion Act of 1998.”
from—- http://feelthebern.org/bernie-sanders-on-education/#k-12-education
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The article is correct in stating that both candidates prefer to skirt the education issue because it is a hot button issue for a lot of voters. I agree that equity and access are two of the main issues in education. Our current funding of schools through property taxes and red lining real estate practices have left our urban schools poor and minority and our suburban schools often funded and white. Selling off our poor schools to charters is not addressing the issues of equity and access. It is further segregating schools. The states need to take responsibility for all of their students by providing equity and opportunities for integration within the framework of public education. Instead, many policymakers are acting like public schools don’t even exist as they abrogate their responsibilities to their poorest students by selling off their responsibilities to them. This often entails cronyism and profit, rather than doing what is ethical and best for students, strong integrated, public schools.
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Does Bernie touch EVERY issue important to voters? Does, CAN anyone running for office do that?
MY view: As important to all of us as the education issue is, for me, unapologetic, there are issues that effect our students AND the general public even more.
1. Climate change: If that is not addressed and soon, nothing else that is done right now will matter all that much to the children into whose trust we are given. Not my words, t he words of 97% of the world’s best scientists.
2. Bernie has made this a priority from the beginning among MANY issues that are vitally important to us all.
3. The writer is correct when he talks about us being fleeced by the billionaire class and to me that is the cornerstone of the problems with which he is concerned. Unless that is addressed the other things important to him and to us will not get solved.
4. I am VERY concerned with ANY group which becomes a one issue only in selecting a candidate for office. THAT is what, in my opinion, is dividing us as a nation. No one can be everything to everybody. Furthermore it would be my hope that as EDUCATORS, not just teachers we would LEAD in not succumbing to that myopic viewpoint. WE should be better than that.
Yes, I am a proud Bernie supporter. At 87 years of age I have NEVER before given money to any political campaign before. I did not wish to have to “buy” my government but I have to Bernie because he hits on the issues which to me are vital if we the people are to be represented by a politician no t by big money who IS buying our government and in my view IS promoting charter schools ad nauseum for which we ALL are concerned..
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