Mitchell Robinson writes that reformers have an obnoxious habit. When they are caught in a lie or an awkward situation—like having their true motives revealed—they say plaintively, “But it’s all about the kids.”
As though it is okay to bash teachers, drive them out of the profession, lower standards for new teachers, because…it’s all about the kids. That is the assumption behind such fake names as “StudentsFirst” and “Kids First.” What about a Family? It is all together, not kids before mom or dad. How stupid!
He writes:
“It’s a common refrain among the reformer Illuminati whenever they experience any push-back against their anti-teacher, anti-union, anti-public education, anti-Motherhood-apple-pie-and-hot-dogs agenda. You can bet your bottom privatization dollar that as soon as these edu-tourists hear any reasonable, evidence-based rationale refuting their radical positions on teacher evaluation, tenure or the use of Value-Added Measures, they will inevitably blurt out the one magic incantation they believe will repel all attacks, confident in its power to tug at the heartstrings of any parent/voter: “But, it’s all about the kids!”
(“Let’s leave aside the notion for the moment that this well-funded clique of hedge fund managers, investment bankers and failed morning show hosts suddenly cares about kids after spending their entire adult lives making backroom deals and raiding pension funds. There is obvious power in this spell, which is designed to cut through logic and reason, and appeal directly to the most primal instincts of any parent.)
“The truth is that education and schools are not, and should not be, all about the kids. If we truly want our schools to be healthy, highly-functional institutions, then every member of the school community must be treated with honor, dignity and respect. This includes adults as well as children.
“It means that every person who works in the school–from teachers to principals, from custodians to secretaries, from bus drivers to cafeteria workers, from nurses to counselors, from students to parents–deserves to work and learn in an environment where they feel trusted and valued.”
It means that the working conditions of teachers cannot be separated from the learning conditions of students, and that when one member of the community is devalued there is a devastating ripple effect across the rest of the community.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
I have been a long time lurker, but needed to comment on how much I love this! I’m a proud public school teacher (3rd grade) who is also a proud member of WEA/NEA.
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It’s even “all about the kids” as reformers cheer on and praise the charter schools that give out of school suspensions to outrageously high numbers of at-risk kindergarten children.
After all, identifying the unworthy students for removal is all about helping the OTHER kids who should not have to be in the same class with all those unworthy students. It’s not about the charter network getting to save pot loads of money by not teaching any child who needs more than an inexperienced teacher can give them.
It’s all about helping the other kids. Aren’t they so unselfish?
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The latest “kids first” shenanigans in LAUSD.
The new pro-privatization majority on LAUSD’s school board actually belong to a newly-formed organization called “Kids First”. In fact, the “Kid’s First” logo — designed by an advertising firm— is in now on display front of the microphones of these board members that are broadcast and streamed, and available for viewing later (a first in LAUSD).
What was the first “Kids First” move of this board at their first meeting in July?
For decades, UTLA’s president was allowed to address the board for fifteen minutes at every board meeting — he represents 35,000 teachers, after all. Well, their first ever vote last July was to end this courtesy. UTLA is now banned from addressing board this way. They have to take a number like everyone else.
When asked to explain, they said, “At LAUSD, we’re finally putting kids first now, not adults first like before.” So I suppose that means that those 35,000 teachers — the ones working with those kids 7 hrs/day, for 200 days/yr — are and have been putting kids last?
Think of the irony: that crook Ref Rodriguez— who’s currently being prosecuted for money laundering and perjury in conjunction with his crooked campaign to be elected, but refuses to step down — talks at the mic with the “Kids First” words / logo in front of it (i.e. in the camera shot of the board meeting.)
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CORRECTION:
That first paragraph should read.
“members” should read *”meetings”
as in
” In fact, the “Kid’s First” logo — designed by an advertising firm— is in now on display front of the microphones of these board “meetings” that are broadcast and streamed, and available for viewing later (a first in LAUSD — no one has ever aloud an advertisement to clutter up the LAUSD School Board dais before)).”
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The other big lie that drives me bonkers is the line that “education is the civil rights issue of our time.” This comes from the mouths of the privatizers that seek to abscond with the common good of public education. Both charters and vouchers produce greater segregation. This is a fundamental lie of “reform.”
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retired teacher,
BINGO! Your comment is so TRUE.
I nominate you to be Secretary of Education for this nation.
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Betsy Devos’ latest speech last night, is chocked full of “kids’ first” verbiage in her defense of the privatization of schools. (also the “food trucks” analogy
https://www.ed.gov/news/speeches/prepared-remarks-secretary-devos-washington-policy-center
Italics are mine)
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BETSY DEVOS:
” … The union wrote ‘Betsy DeVos says public should invest in individual students. NO we should invest in a system of great public schools for all kids.’
“The union bosses made it clear: they care more about a system – one that was created in the 1800s – than they do about students. Their focus is on school buildings instead of school kids. Isn’t education supposed to be all about kids?
“Education is an investment in individual students, and that’s why funding and focus should follow the student, not the other way around…. ”
” … We can amplify the voices of those who only want better for their kids. We can assist states who are working to further empower parents, and we can urge those who haven’t to start. … ”
” … Adults should stop fighting over students, and start fighting for students. … ”
” … We owe it to our children to be fearless.
“We owe it to them to be undeterred by the loud voices who say education in America is ‘good enough’ and by those who shout that we should ‘leave the system alone.’
“We owe it to America’s students to rethink school because they deserve a better education and a chance at a better life.
“… Let’s continue to fight for students like Austin, and Sandeep and Denisha.
“The rising generation represents 100 percent of our future; they deserve 100 percent of our effort.
“Thank you, God bless you, and God bless our future—America’s students. “
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I doubt she and Dick lose any sleep over how to “empower parents and children.” She empowers corporations and right wing Christians on how to access funds that should go to benefit students. That’s her priority. She is delusional if she believe she did great work in Michigan.
DeVos also keeps harping how systems are bad, and individuals are good. The way I see it is that systems are only as good as the individuals in it. Government is a system. If she does not support government, she shouldn’t be serving one. DeVos does not believe in the common good. It seems to me she wants individuals to be competing with each other; in other words, the essence of the marketplace, which, by the way, does not treat individuals equitably. It is the market that is failing us by splintering our resources. We cannot run parallel systems and a public system for the same dollar. Ultimately, everyone loses.
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Teachers Unions Under Attack From Republicans and Sell-Out Democrats | Alternet https://www.alternet.org/teachers-unions-under-attack-both-parties
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Kids First is a MARKETING PLOY. Should be: “Corporate Profits USING Our Young and Their Teachers for PROFITS.”
Does anyone learn about PROPAGANDA TECHNIQUES any more?
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Here’s another *”kids first” slur, this one from the utterly demented school privatizer Jeanne Allen, who links and equates opponents of school reform to … I kid you not, folks… a notorious sexual predator and alleged rapist — movie mogul Harvey Weinstein (who’s been in the news of late.)
Opponents of privatizing our schools, those who challenge Allen … why they’re all “predators”, in Allen’s deranged mind, that is.
Yep. That’s right.
Alleged rapist Harvey & parents / teachers opposed to school privatization / corporate ed. reform …
… two peas in a pod, doncha know?
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Jeanne Allen @JeanneAllen
“Her (actress Emma Thompson’s) description (of Weinstein as a “predator”) could apply as well to those celebrating Matt Damon’s ed film (who are) bullying people who put adult jobs over kids’ needs.”
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The last words of that tweet say it all. It always must come down to that false dichotomy:
Are you with the kids (like Allen is) or adults? You have to pick.
Oh, and exactly how is Allen being “bullied” by the film and its makers?” The film makers spend seven years making that film, sourcing and documenting all their claims in detail, vetting all of that with a fine-toothed comb in consultation with lawyers, so as to pre-empt and prevent any lawsuits.
Thus, BACKPACK FULL OF CASH presents facts. If Allen or any of her allies doesn’t like those facts, that doesn’t mean she’s being “bullied.”
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It IS all about kids first — their kids first. Everyone else’s kids stand in the back of the bus.
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It’s NEVER been about the kids…at all. 2.It has always been about union-busting and putting taxpayer dollars into private pockets. 3. It has also always been about maintiaining a segregated school system via the illusion that providing better “local” education options for “urban” youth. I mean seriously, how many of these charters schools have opened up in predominantly white school districts?
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Yes, yes, and yes.
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“It’s all about the KIPPs”
It’s all about the KIPPs
And not about the kids
It’s all about the trips
And all about the bids
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That’s a great thought and I’ve never heard it said so well before.
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I have heard many people of lesser power level justify poor decisions with the same phrase. This group includes teachers who favor particular methods or curriculum, administrators who were clueless as to the effect of their decision, and college professors who had a particular philosophical approach to education. Platitudes are just a distraction from real arguments. Like Common Corpse? It’s all about the kids. Like Charters? It’s all about the kids. Like anything else, this platitude may be used to avoid rational defense of policy. I probably am guilty myself.
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North Carolina is following Ohio and Michigan on for-profit charters:
“We are seeing fewer and fewer home-grown community charter schools and more and more for-profit chains and models,” Poston said.
The for-profit charter management company National Heritage Academies has opened 11 schools in North Carolina and has two more coming, giving it a presence in the state second only to Michigan, the company’s home base. Eight of the 13 National Heritage schools opened or were approved in 2012 or later, after a 100-school limit on charters dissolved.
Charter Schools USA, a for-profit, Florida-based company, opened its first two North Carolina schools in 2013. It now has six, and is set to open three more next year.”
The owners of National Heritage Academies and Charter Schools USA were two of the top four donors to ed reform politicians in North Carolina from 2011 to 2017.
This is inevitable:
For one thing, they spend less on employee salaries and benefits.
“Charters in North Carolina run by for-profit companies spent an average of $3,593 per student on employee salaries and benefits, according to federal data from 2014, the most recent year available. The data includes information for 13 charters run by management companies.
Charters run by unaffiliated boards and nonprofit networks had average employee costs of $5,672 per student.
Employee costs at public school districts were far higher – averaging $7,676 per student, according to the federal data.”
Add North Carolina to the garbage ed reform states- they join Ohio, Florida, Michigan and Pennsylvania. It’s a huge swathe of the country that ed reformers continue to insist is “the exception”.
Boston is the exception. 5 huge for-profit states are the rule.
http://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/education/article178438001.html
The Charlotte News Observer is doing a whole series on ed reform in North Carolina, so good for them. We learned in Ohio that local newspaper coverage of ed reform is much more important than national coverage because schools are LOCAL. Subscribe to your local paper. You’re screwed without it. The national ed reform flim-flammers dominate national media but as ed reform actually lands in these places local news begins actual coverage of THE SCHOOLS. It’s WHY they were discredited in Ohio.
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HEAR HEAR, MITCHELL!!!
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