In Arizona, the legislature wants to remove all limits to the expansion of vouchers. Despite the many voucher plans already enacted, 85% of students are still enrolled in public schools. This past summer, parents, teachers, and public spirited citizens collected over 100,000 signatures on petitions to halt the implementation of the new law until a referendum is held. The referendum is scheduled for the spring of 2018.
Voucher advocates are desperate to stop the referendum. They expect that vouchers will be rejected, as they have been in every state where a referendum on vouchers was conducted. Pro-voucher groups are funding lawyers who are trying to find a way to block the vote.
Meanwhile, groups funded by the infamous Koch brothers have launched an advertising campaign targeted at Hispanic voters called “the Libre Institute.”
Laurie Roberts of the Arizona Republic describes their efforts here:
“The Koch network is stepping up to protect its investment in Arizona.
“An out-of-state group called the LIBRE Institute on Thursday launched a “six-figure grassroots initiative to empower and educate families in Phoenix about the policies increasing their educational opportunities.”
“Translation: Charles and David Koch and their conservative/libertarian network of zillionaire donors are prepared to spend whatever it takes to ensure that Arizona voters can’t – or won’t – kill the expanded voucher program approved earlier this year by Gov. Doug Ducey and the Arizona Legislature.
“Koch involvement is nothing new
“Already, the Koch network and associated dark money groups have spent millions to get a governor and Legislature that would push for and pass universal vouchers.
“Already, the Koch-funded Americans for Prosperity is suing to try to knock Prop. 305 – the citizen referendum aimed at vetoing our leaders’ universal voucher law – off the 2018 ballot.
“Now comes the plan the Koch-funded LIBRE Institute to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars targeting Arizona Latino families with ads, mailers and phone calls about the wonders of educational choice. Given that we already have plenty of educational choice, I’m guessing the campaign is really about the state’s new universal voucher law – the one that’s on hold thanks to a true grassroots referendum effort by a citizen group called Save Our Schools Arizona.”
I have opened the link to Roberts’ article three times.
The first time I opened it, I encountered two video ads promoting vouchers.
The second time, the ads were for commercial products.
The third time, the voucher ads were back.
Ironic that a story criticizing the fake “Libre Institute” contains ads funded by the same organization.
Yet again, we will discover whether big money can cancel and control democracy.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Diane “Yet again, we will discover whether big money can cancel and control democracy.”
That’s at least in education. I say “at least” because: watch the tax bill. Never has the directive to “follow the money” been so clear. And their double-speak twist on “libre” . . . I cannot decide whether to laugh like a maniac or just go ahead and throw up.
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Pretty much how I feel each and every time I hear the double-speak blurb from Walmart on NPR and PBS wishing each and every child to have the choice of attending a great school.
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Sickening GREED and they know nothing and only want to get richer and control us even more. After all, they do need slaves to do their work, because they are too daft and lazy to do their own work. Thus, the oligarch uses us. Wonder how this is different from out and out slavery?
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The Libre Institute “research” program will pay $10,000 to academics and fellows who will offer the Institute papers that offer an “analysis and proposed policy initiatives rooted in values such as economic freedom and well-being, fiscal discipline, limited government, market entrepreneurship, and personal accountability.”
“To the extent possible, each analysis should examine federal and state-level policies related to each topic and the respective impact to Hispanics in those states. Particular states to be highlighted are Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, and Virginia. “
The academics who are enlisted to do research on education for the Libre Institute are asked to “review School Choice regulations and their impact on closing the achievement gap between Hispanics and other demographics.”
Other topics for the research initiative are:
“Health Care – explore the current Medicaid system and its ability to provide adequate health care services to Hispanics in the U.S.; alternatively, or in coordination with, an analysis of the regulations and taxes under the
Affordable Care Act and its impact on U.S. Hispanics’ ability to access care, choice and overall economic impact;
Regulation – examine impact of regulations on Hispanic small business owners and entrepreneurs’ ability to enter markets and succeed;
Poverty – evaluate the success of current government policies and their ability to move Hispanics out of poverty;
Immigration – study the economic goals behind Hispanic immigration to the U.S. and determine whether immigrant populations are achieving those goals and whether current policies are an impediment to success;
Labor / Employment – investigate the current employment situation of Hispanics in the U.S., explore any changes in employment throughout the economic recovery as compared to other demographics, and analyze polices which may further exaggerate any differences.”
Now here are a few of the strings attached to becoming a shill for the Libre Institute.
“Each paper will be peer reviewed by at least 2 scholars in the community prior to publication. ” (“In the community” scholars are not identified but it is obvious they must meet ideological criteria).
“Once released, each paper will be the subject of a roll-out campaign highlighting the topic of the analysis, and may include additional efforts including op-ed publications, local-level town halls and legislative briefings. It is envisioned that the author of the piece will participate in a select few of these efforts. ”
Authors will be expected to provide a non-exclusive, but otherwise unlimited license to The LIBRE Institute so that it can publicize and otherwise use the material as part of its public education activities. Authors will be encouraged to submit their pieces for publication in other journals after the paper has been published and released by The LIBRE Institute.”
https://thelibreinstitute.org/research/
The Libre Institute is not really interested in research. It want propaganda points annotated with some references.
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The Koch brothers like most wealthy have no interest in the ordinary folks. All about money, power and greed!
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The billionaires have so much money they can afford to build a better propaganda machine and saturate the public with their message to get their way. They will call this the “free market.” There is nothing free about it. It is a rigged system that gives the wealthy a distinct advantage as they have the resources to pay for blanketed advertising. If laws need to be tweaked to support their will, they can buy the appropriate representatives. This is the rule of the oligarchy, not the people.
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This is cross-posted at https://www.opednews.com/Quicklink/Arizona-Koch-Brothers-Fun-in-Best_Web_OpEds-Advertising_Arizona_Diane-Ravitch_Education-Vouchers-171122-552.html
See my comment at the above address so that you can go to the links which are embedded there, but not here.
New National Map Shows That Education Privatizers Have Burrowed into Almost All 50 States
With almost SIXTEEN THOUSAND SEPARATE SCHOOL SYSTEMS IN 52 STATES, they can get away with handing over the schools to the legislators, with not an educator on board… see my series.
In 52 states dark money is changing what our children know about everything.
The privatization movement is working!!!
Our schools are under attackand the people need to watch what is happening. The demolition of Americna educationis taking out our schools state by state– but “Over the past three decades, public schools have been the target of a systematic assault and takeover by corporations and private foundations. The endeavor is called “school reform” by its advocates, while critics call it corporate school ‘reform!'”
Pure Orwellian!
ARTHUR CAMINS explains the fraud of school choice, the same wolf in sheep’s clothing.
David Safier writes in the Tucson Weekly about well-funded efforts by the billionaire Koch Brothers to promote their anti-government, free-market libertarian views into local high schools. North Carolina Plans to Adopt Koch-Funded Social Studies Curriculum
What better way to end real history. They know democracy depends on shared knowledge.
Arizona is not the only state under attack by dark money. This article is about a Dark Money passing through called Stand for Children, which began its life as a pro-public school group but turned into a pro-Privatization, anti-union, anti-teacher organization. It highlights the role of Stand for Children in Massachusetts. It does not explore its national activities, where it plays a pernicious part in the attack on public schools, unions, and teachers.
Florida: The Legislature’s Plan to Destroy Public Schools and Enrich Their Cronies
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The support for school choice, extends across many ethnic groups. It is not at all a surprise, that Hispanic families in Arizona, are supporting expanding school choice. In California, 82% of Hispanic school children, failed to meet proficiency (in a recent study). see
http://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/education/331753-the-majority-of-californians-want-school-choice
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Charles,
If you are so sure that Hispanics and everyone else wants vouchers, why are the Koch brothers spending millions to prevent a referendum on vouchers in Arizona?
Why has no voucher referendum ever passed, anywhere?
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I am not at all sure that “Hispanics and everyone else” want vouchers. That is ridiculous. There is a divergence of opinions, across all ethnic groups. The fact is that SOME Hispanics in California (and elsewhere), support school choice. Many (not all) Hispanics are Roman Catholics, and would like to enroll their children in Catholic schools. This should be obvious to anyone. The fact that 82% of Hispanic children, (in the study mentioned) failed to meet proficiency in mathematics, should show to anyone, that the publicly-operated schools in California, are NOT meeting the educational needs of Hispanic (and other) children. Maybe it is time to “bail out” of the publicly-operated California schools, and give parents the ability to select an educational option, that will produce more favorable results.
I am not sure why the Kochs, have spent their money, to keep the referendum off the ballot in Arizona. This is only a guess, but I would think that it would be easier and less costly, to prevent the referendum from getting on the ballot, than to mount a campaign to prevent the referendum from passing. (You are going to have to pose your questions, directly to the principals, I cannot speak for them). Again a guess: The supporters of ESAs in Arizona, would rather the program go ahead and expand, and not have to deal with the pesky voters!
Again, I am not certain as to why no voucher referendum has ever passed, anywhere. I just do not know for certain. But, I can make some educated guesses.
This is a wide and diverse nation. There are all types of families, urban and rural, Protestant and Catholic, wealthy and less-wealthy. The reasons why some people support school choice, and some do not, vary wildly.
Some states (about 35), have brought in some type of school choice, including home-schooling, magnet schools, charter schools, etc. Every state (so far) has brought in school choice by legislative act. Not all states have a mechanism for referenda (Wyoming and Indiana, for example).
It should be obvious to anyone, that when a school choice program has had to face the voters, the opponents have done a better job of “selling” their arguments, than the proponents have done “selling” their arguments. As I have seen here on this blog, that people who wish to continue the public school monopoly, often use bogus arguments. Example: Public schools are a “cornerstone” of our democracy (Even though there is no mention of education in the US Constitution).
As to the success or failure of referenda, it all comes down to salesmanship.
While it is quite true, that no state has ever brought in school choice by referendum, all states that have enacted school choice, have done so legally and constitutionally, through their legislative process.
It is also true, that no state has ever reduced or eliminated school choice through the referendum process. Every state that has brought in school choice, has either kept the program or expanded it. This shows, that once the programs are enacted, the citizens want to keep it.
The referendum coming up in Arizona, is the first time (that I am aware of), that voters will be able to choose to expand an existing program. This is going to be interesting.
“The difference between rape and seduction, is salesmanship” -Author unknown.
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Charles,
Time for you to remind us how much you love public schools.
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I have never said that I “love public schools”. I wish you would just let that die, since you are the person who keeps pushing honesty.
The fact is ,that there are many, many fine public schools in this nation (Fairfax county, va, demands and supports excellent public schools). Most (not all) of these excellent schools, are located in wealthy areas. Districts with a solid tax base, and political support, can establish excellent schools.
Sadly, schools in economically depressed areas, without a solid tax base, cannot afford to provide quality education to their students.
Wealthy people, can move to districts with excellent schools, and poor people are stuck with “crap”.
The financing our nation’s public schools, is an abomination, and a disgrace to our most needy children.
I am proud to support the excellent schools here in Fairfax, but that does not mean that I “love public schools”. Got it?
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The Koch bros are the puppet masters of the gov of wisconsin dwarf scott walker. These people live in this country but should be deported to syria where we could all witness these types living in a hut caged jail cell.
Would that be must see tv?? Scott Walker with grime and dirt all over his face with the Koch Bros. sipping water out of a mud bowl. OMG this would be a block buster show and even CNN would carry this, excuse me, Fox. But then again, all media suc and all media are corrupt and browse around like the devil living in society just poking for dirt.
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