The Koch brothers have decided to target K-12 public schools.
The multi-billionaire Koch Brothers have spent hundreds of millions of dollars to purchase control of departments in America’s colleges and universities, to spread their libertarian gospel of greed and undercut any commitment to the common good. At their recently concluded meeting of like-minded donors, the Koch’s announced that they are expanding their ideological campaign to include the destruction of the K-12 public schools in America. Choosing a school will be like choosing a pair of shoes in their vision, which is shared by Betsy DeVos,a member of their donors’ Network.
Arizona is ground zero for the Koch Brothers this spring. Steve Perry, the African American entrepreneur from Connecticut appeared at the meeting to urge the privatization on. The Washington Post was lowed to send a reporter on condition that the donors’ names were kept secret.
“Making a long-term play, the billionaire industrialist Charles Koch and his like-minded friends on the right are increasingly focused on melding the minds of the next generation by making massive, targeted investments in both K-12 and higher education.
“Changing the education system as we know it was a central focus of a three-day donor seminar that wrapped up late last night at a resort here in the desert outside Palm Springs.
“We’ve made more progress in the last five years than I had in the last 50,” Koch told donors during a cocktail reception. “The capabilities we have now can take us to a whole new level. … We want to increase the effectiveness of the network … by an order of magnitude. If we do that, we can change the trajectory of the country.”
“Leaders of the network dreamed of disrupting the status quo, customizing learning and breaking the teacher unions. One initial priority is expanding educational saving accounts and developing technologies that would let parents pick and choose private classes or tutors for their kids the same way people shop on Amazon. They envision making it easy for families to join together to start their own “micro-schools” as a new alternative to the public system.
“The Charles Koch Institute distributed roughly $100 million to 350 colleges and universities last year, up sevenfold over the past five years. What’s newer is the emphasis on elementary and secondary education. The network declined to offer exact figures but said it will double investment in K-12 this year, with much more planned down the road.
“There are about 700 people who each contribute a minimum of $100,000 per year to the constellation of organizations that comprise the Koch network. For years, many of these megadonors have urged Koch to wade into the battles over what they call school choice. Charles resisted, believing that his network had no special comparative advantage to move the needle in this area.
“Then he commissioned Meredith Olson, a vice president at Koch Industries, to interview members of his network about what they are doing in their home states to explore whether there is a way to scale their education efforts nationally. She developed a three-prong strategy: “reform, supplement, innovate.”
“The lowest hanging fruit for policy change in the United States today is K-12,” said Stacy Hock, a major Koch donor who has co-founded a group called Texans for Educational Opportunity. “I think this is the area that is most glaringly obvious.”
“In 2018, Koch donors see Arizona as ground zero in their push. Doug Ducey, the former chief executive of Cold Stone Creamery, became a member of the Koch network in 2011. Since 2015, he’s attended the seminars as governor of Arizona. Last year, he signed legislation to dramatically expand the state’s Empowerment Scholarship Accounts program so that students can use taxpayer dollars that would be spent on them in public schools to cover private-school tuition or other educational expenses.
“Teacher unions, worried that this will undermine the public system, collected enough signatures to put the law on hold and create a ballot proposition to let voters decide in November whether to expand vouchers. [Note: Signatures for the referendum were collected by parents and SOS Arizona, not teachers unions.]
“Addressing the seminar yesterday, Ducey touted the measure as further reaching than anything that’s been tried in other states. He warned that, under Arizona law, if advocates lose at the ballot box, they will not be able to legislate on the topic in the future. “This is a very real fight in my state,” Ducey said. “I didn’t run for governor to play small ball. I think this is an important idea.”
“The Koch network is likely to spend heavily to support the voucher law, setting up a battle royal with the labor movement.
“Ducey introduced Steve Perry, the headmaster of Capital Prep Charter Schools, who has been traveling Arizona to speak in support of the law. “The teacher unions are unencumbered by the truth,” he told the Koch donors. “It is a distant relative that is never invited to dinner.”
“Tim Phillips, the president of Americans for Prosperity, highlighted field operations that the network has built in 36 states to advance its agenda, including on education. “We have more grass-roots members in Wisconsin than the Wisconsin teachers’ union has members,” he said. “That’s how you change a state!””
Reblogged this on David R. Taylor-Thoughts on Education.
Everyone attacks public schools. It’s the favorite hobby of our ridiculous elites.
They’ll have to push all the other ed reformers out of the way when they get to the microphone.
Imagine if they didn’t have public schools to bash. They’d have to actually work on some of these problems and no one wants to do THAT.
I would bet 50 dollars right now that the President will take a nasty, unfair shot at public schools in his speech later. It’s what they do.
It’s political and it’s ideological. It isn’t really about public schools at all.
An even easier target than public schools is teacher unions. Ed Reformers have gotten more mileage out of “teacher unions” than any other phrase I can think of.
You are so correct. I never cease to be flabbergasted by people who claim to value public education and then denigrate teachers and teachers’ unions. The idea that teachers who belong to unions can actually care about their students and their communities seem to be mutually exclusive issues for these folks. And what’s even scarier is that some of those teacher actually buy into that argument and fail to recognize their hypocrisy and intellectual dishonesty. They want to believe in their preconceived notions so much that reality becomes malleable to their ideology, not a set of objective facts.
Ed reform lobbyists may still be conducting national anti-public school campaigns, but the local environment in Ohio has changed.
All our state politicians are once again declaring they support our schools. They seem to be afraid people might find out they don’t actually add any value to 90% of schools in the state. Public schools in Ohio, while still unfashionable in national circles, seem to be enjoying a kind of revival among politicians campaigning for state positions.
It’s the craziest thing. It’s like they all suddenly remembered 90% of families in this state attend the schools they all loathe and want to eradicate 🙂
This is great news, Chiara! This is what we’re seeing in Virginia, too.
During the 2017 Virginia state elections, the Koch Brothers opened up an office in our county, sending out pro-school choice mailers & videos. I’m happy to report that their effort was a huge failure. As we all know by now, it was a wipeout for their candidates. This happened because of the grassroots pushback. Many teachers and parents fought back by holding well-attended education townhalls with pro-public education candidates, receiving publicity in the local press, our writing editorials & canvassing efforts.
We can and we must pushback!
Their reputation took a real hit in Ohio. Gone are the days when every newspaper in the state promoted privatization.
The cheerleaders won’t mention this, but charter growth is actually slowing nationwide. I think that’s why we’re seeing this all-out national marketing campaign and the Koch’s are stepping in to boost “the brand”.
Even 5 years ago ed reformers were boasting about “flooding” Ohio with charter schools. They bragged about how many they were opening. Now they can’t even mention charter schools without turning off half their voters.
They did it to themselves. It was arrogance. They rolled over every Ohio city until they got to Youngstown and Youngstown slowed them down. I knew it would. It’s a funny place, Youngstown. It has a real identity. They don’t like outsiders bossing them around.
We need to be as vigilant as possible since it seems Koch and others really think they should control education. They have worked at for years.
People like Steve Perry are just useful since they can persuade minorities.
Dirty money!
News reports say the Koch brothers will put $400 million into the midterm elections. They want a corporate state with no restrictions on profit-seeking.
Schools are a source of profit and if not through vouchers or other subsidies, then through any marketing scheme that will be Koch approved, including the climate change is not real curriculum and a civics program inculcating market-based everything.
Also, congrats to ed reformers. Now that they’ve linked arms with the Koch’s they’ll really be in line for some big bucks.
Add the Koch money to the Walton money they’re already taking and they can destroy every public school in the country, I reckon, along with every remaining labor union.
Don’t forget Gates money.
“Leaders of the network dreamed of disrupting the status quo, customizing learning and breaking the teacher unions. One initial priority is expanding educational saving accounts and developing technologies that would let parents pick and choose private classes or tutors for their kids the same way people shop on Amazon. They envision making it easy for families to join together to start their own “micro-schools” as a new alternative to the public system.”
I told you the goal was to push cheap ed tech and replace teachers and schools.
But not for the upper classes. Their schools will stay the same. This low quality garbage will be foisted on middle and lower classes, not because it’s better, but because it’s cheaper and they can turn a profit on it.
I feel sorry for young people. They’re about to get robbed. Again.
The toxic twosome want to destroy public education with their free market madness, and they will be dumping tons of money to do it state by state. They will start with the “easy pickins” of Arizona and work their way out. This is a strategy that ALEC has used successfully before in Wisconsin. The public needs to be ready for the assault.
I hope citizens are ready to defend their schools against these billionaire carpetbaggers now that many in the public understand that “reform” is not about improving education. “Reform’s” goal is to drain pubic schools dry. Parents and concerned citizens need to organize and stop voting for those in favor of privatization. They need to vote for those that understand the value of the public asset of public schools and cannot be corrupted by easy cash. Only informed, active voters can rebuff the Koch brothers.
Does some high profile Democratic ed reformer want to explain to us how their agenda differs from that of the Koch’s?
It looks identical to me. Replace “Koch” with “Arne Duncan” and it’s the same damn thing.
That’s where the national Democratic Party is now? Their policy is identical to the Koch family? And they’re PROUD of this?
The DFERS sold out pubic education for $$$$$ and votes.
Doesn’t the national Democratic Party run against the Koch’s?
THAT will be awkward, considering their education platforms are identical.
Why are you saying that the national Democratic Party has the exact same education platform as the Koch’s?
There was just an election in Virginia and the Governor was a mainstream Democrat. He was also far more pro-public education than the so-called “progressive” Democrat he ran against in the primary, who was the DFER candidate of choice.
Some Democrats are DFER members and some aren’t.
Some of the politicians I admire the most — progressives — are far too charter-friendly and seem rather ignorant (intentionally?) about the harm they are doing when they repeat the pro-reform talking points.
And some of the strongest supporters of public education are Democrats who are more conservative than I like on other issues.
There are complexities in this that are not just “all Dems are DFERs”
“Koch or Arne?”
Coke or Pepsi?
Taste the name
Koch or Arne?
Just the same
Breaking news: Koch brothers declare war on public.
In other breaking news: scientists discover that water is wet, sand is gritty and so is sand paper.
Embarrassing for Vallas:
Chicago State University bitterly parted ways with Paul Vallas on Monday after revelations that he planned to leave the temporary job to potentially make a run at mayor in 2019.
In casting out Vallas, the board Vice President Nicholas Gowen said he felt that Vallas had used the 150-year-old university solely to further his political ambitions. Gowen said Monday that Vallas never informed him about plans to leave the job early or to seek political office. Had he known that, Gowen said, his decision to vote in favor of hiring Vallas, 64, for a position that was essentially created for him would have been different.
“I find it unfortunate that he would attempt to use Chicago State University as a platform to run for the mayor of the city of Chicago,” Gowen said. “It is not the role of Mr. Vallas to try to use Chicago State University to try to bolster his bona fides to the black community.”
Remember folks, it’s all about The Kids! No adult interests here! No sir! 🙂
Mr. Gowen sounds like a potential mayoral candidate himself. Better than many of the others on offer right now anyway.
It sounds like hiring Vallas was controversial and they really went out on a limb for him.
Hence, the “bitterness”.
As a retired teacher from the Hartford Public School system, I can say that Steve Perry’s only interest in education is financial. He once reported a large number of students in one class from his school went on to college. He failed to mention they were family. He is a watered-down Michele Rhee (and where is she now, BTW). Sadly, Bill Gates started all of this, and there appears no end in sight.
Their huge fortune allows them to contribute millions to elected officials. Obviously, they’ll have a voice and I won’t.
We are millions and we vote.
The only way to beat them is with the tools of democracy.
Right now, they are airing Spanish language TV ads in Arizona featuring moms who love vouchers.
“Choosey mothers choose vouchers”
It used to be that choosey mothers
Chose the product “Jiff”
But now if mothers had their druthers
Vouchers would be picked
so much big money strategically spent in wooing the clients: this is where, for many reasons, public school supporters fall short
Coincidentally, I watched “Citizen Koch” on Amazon Prime last evening. This was the documentary about the role of Charles and David Koch, Koch Industries, and the myriad of fronts they use to subvert democracy in the United States. The film focuses mostly on one of their most prominent sycophants, the wrecker of my home state, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker. This was the film originally slated to appear on PBS, but was then suppressed.
These two have an awful lot of power given that they’ve never run for office.
Koch bros don’t need to run for Office. Easier to buy politicians
Actually David Koch once ran as VP candidate on Libertarian ticket.
Easier to buy politicians like knucklehead Scott Walker and Paul Ryan
Diane they are not going to win
💰MONEY WAR💰
They have the money 💰 BUT with have
The knowledge and wisdom .
I hope you like my quote !
By the way congratulations great speech in the State of California you did 👍
.Miami Dade FL need you .
The sunshine State .
That’s right, I forgot about David Koch’s VP run. Thanks for keeping tabs on these dangerous people.
Anyway, it’s worth a look.
💰MONEY WAR 💰
THEY HAVE THE MONEY WE HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE 📗 THE ARE NO WISE📗
It is the best bet that all educational gurus and all public education activists unite and invite all first generations of immigrants who are more than 60 years old and are professionals in all fields to VOICE and SPEAK on two topics
1) Why do they risk their lives to escape DICTATORIAL GOVERNMENT/POLICY?
2) How do communists and fascists KILL the RICH and the INTELLECTUALS?
Westerners are very gullible regardless how genius they can be. Being smart, intelligent and genius is far different from being tricky, weasel and streetwise.
IMHO, the middle class is the only class where capitalist, communist and fascist leaders come from.
The true capitalist leaders are sharing and caring about humanity.
The true communist leaders suppress both the rich and the intelligent class.
the true fascist leaders enjoy terrorize both the middle class and the intelligent.
Russian government use the rich to control the middle class and the intelligent
Chinese government use capitalist tactic to lure citizens into their death trap (= feed the pig then kill it).
Today, it seems to me that US corporate buy and use politician puppets to achieve their goal in practicing all of the above: suppress the intelligent, and then terrorize the middle class and the intelligent.
In short, what is their goal? Chit Chat? Sarcasm? Complain? Taking action to control the population of sheep? Are westerners and all first generations of immigrants gullible sheep? Ha ha ha, hello Texans, who can suppress Texan middle class? Where are your guns? Hello Californians, where are all first generations of immigrants? Americans will be fine as long as public education stands tall. Back2basic
They called public education “low hanging fruit”. Repeat: They called k-12 public education “low hanging fruit”. To eat.
In 2002 I visited a hybrid home school in California and wrote an article about it that was published in Education Week: https://waynegersen.com/2011/08/29/the-networked-school/. The article predicted the impacts of NCLB and concluded with this:
In Calaveras County, the School Board and administration found a way to merge the homeschooling movement with public schooling and they encouraged homeschooling parents to design their own learning environment. If public schools hold fast to the factory school model, their school buildings will soon be as empty and forlorn as the steel mills in the Rust Belt. If public schools are open to new ideas, they may redefine “school” and find a powerful way to connect with students and parents. It happened in the foothills of the Sierras. It can happen in your community.
I believe that public schools could still get in front of this emerging trend— which the Koch brothers have now branded as “micro-schools”— by focussing on the need for uniformity in graduation standards and assurances that all “micro-schools” are convened in safe spaces overseen by qualified teachers. If public schools do not find a way to work collaboratively with homeschoolers who are not motivated by religion, it isn’t hard to imagine “chains” that could capture this potentially emerging “market”.
Sorry to comment again… but this is the scariest article I’ve read over the past several months. Here’s why:
=> The Koch brothers are correct in their assessment that support for vouchers is growing and the public appears to be indifferent to legislation that enables vouchers— like the ESA legislation under consideration in many states thanks to ALEC
=> There is a throwaway statistic in the article that needs to be put into context. Mr. Hohman writes that “700 people… contribute a minimum of $100,000 per year to the constellation of organizations that comprise the Koch network”. That adds up to $70,000,000 per year. In 2016 the 4.6 million members of the AFT and NEA contributed $32,000,000. If half of the Koch network’s $$$ go to K-12 education they will outspend the unions!
=> The Koch brother donor from Texas is right when he says “The lowest hanging fruit for policy change in the United States today is K-12”. That’s because the general public ignores local school board races and state legislature races.. and that’s where policy changes occur in K-12. When this fact is combined with the recent trend to inject dark money into local school board races it becomes clear that EVERY race for EVERY level of the government is important.
=> Your note correcting the mis-reporting on the voucher initiative is indicative of the media’s tendency accept the “union” vs. “general public” narrative the Koch brothers promote. This enables the Koch brothers to cast the “the union” as a monolithic power with lots of money and the “the public” is a scattered group of penurious home owners when the REAL battle is between the plutocrats and democracy.
=> Finally, though this article doesn’t say so, I fear that the “government school” label has stuck with voters who watch Fox News and support Betsy DeVos… and even among those “reformers” from BOTH political parties who promote “school choice”. If “the unions” and those of us who treasure public education are to prevail, we need to emphasize that in a democracy the voters are the government… and the marketplace doesn’t care a whit about the voters— they only care about shareholders. https://wp.me/p25b7q-23C
It was MUCH harder to fight back against school privatization, charters, vouchers and ultra TTBTB (Testing To Beat The Band) when President Obama was in office. It was confusing to so many people and I’d frequently hear, “But…if this is so bad, why would Obama be in favor of it?” and the explanation took more than a quick slogan you’d see on a bumper sticker.
Now, all I have to say is, “This is the Trump-DeVos plan” and people “get it” in approximately a nanosecond. Even many conservatives recoil at the idea of the Amway Heiress being in charge of every school in the country.