Peter Greene here reviews an attempt by a Destroy Public Schools group to define “a real reformer.”

He writes:

“Real reformsters don’t admit poverty as any sort of excuse. RR believe that the only accountability is accountability based on test scores. Parents should have control of who gets the money attached to their child. And innovation should happen because the US education sky is falling.

“Big fakes talk accountability without explaining it, “banter on” about how poverty actually affects students, and try to claim pre-school as a growth for old, faily public ed instead of letting privatizers stake out that market unchallenged.

“You’ll note that the tune for the accountability polka has changed a bit since 2014– choice fans are less attached to the idea of test-based accountability now that it hasn’t worked out so well for choicey programs. In fact, CER just cranked out a whole book on the theme of “Maybe we shouldn’t get so picky about accountability and test scores.” Weaponizing test results was only attractive when the weapons didn’t bite reformsters in the butt.

“Teachers Unions

Real reformsters know that unions suck and stand in the path of every good and true reformy idea. Contracts and job security somehow make people not want to be teachers. RR understand that the public school system is just a scam for the unions to suck up tax dollars for their political purposes

“Faux reformers– well, I’m just going to cut and paste this, because if I paraphrase the hatred here you’ll think I’m just exaggerating for effect:

“Issues gobs of praise for the teaching profession, for teachers in general, and begins to make excuses that the job is really much harder than most realize and never fully addresses what stands in their way.

“Discusses, proposes, or advocates having an honest conversation with the union leadership, who (s)he sincerely believes wants what’s best for children.

“These fake reformsters might even brag about having developed a policy by collaborating with teachers. Such people are traitors to the reformy agenda and must be purged. Teachers suck and have no interest in educating children, nor do they care about children or communities or anything.

“School Choice

“Real reformsters support parent choice, and the focus on creating an “environment” where lots of education flavored businesses can thrive. Because really, it’s all about using education tax dollars to provide private businesses with entrepreneurial opportunities.”

It gets better and better.

Know your reformers.