Paul Thomas has gathered a reading list about the Recovery School District and claims that it was proof positive that “disaster capitalism” (Naomi Klein’s term) works.
Since Reformers have experienced failure in everything else they have attempted, the New Orleans “miracle” is their last best hope for proving the “success” of privatization. David Leonhardt of the New York Times called his one-sided review of the New Orleans “miracle” fact-based while ignoring the inconvenient facts that disproved the claims. He should read Paul Thomas’ list and try again.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
David Leonhardt needs to be outed as a high-profile propagandist for the charter-ists who insist there was a miracle in New Orleans when there was not anything close to that. He failed to check facts and neither he or the NYTimes cares.
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Mitt Romney could not have written a better paean to vulture philanthropy than Leonhardt did. Spare me from “centrists” dressed in sheep’s clothing asking “both sides” to come together to solve the big problems in education…caused by those very “centrists”.
How about an apology for the failures of 20+ years of “education reform”?
How about acknowledging that “education policy analysts with no education degrees, and never taught, and hate public education just may not be in it for the kids, teachers, schools, or learning?
How about admitting that the charter/choice/voucher/privatization agenda has nothing to do with “providing alternatives to failing government schools”, and everything to do with defanging the unions that support progressive politicians and turning schools into ATMs for venture capitalists (like Mitt Romney and Bain Capitol), investment bankers, and hedge fund managers (like the ones behind KIPP, Success Academies, Relay Graduate School of Education, Democrats for Education Reform, Education Post, The74, Teach for America, and Teachers of Tomorrow)?
Using New Orleans as as an example of the glories of “ed reform” is like using a storm window on a submarine…and deeply insulting to the citizens of New Orleans.
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Well stated. They venture capitalists are lining up to exploit the funding in ESSA, and the fact that DeVos will fund any unsound, unsubstantiated program from non-educators that moves public money into private pockets. Lots of foundations and non-educators are looking at ways to embark on a “pay for success” scheme. Like charters there is no way to get accurate measures of results. When private companies do the “research,” we are more likely to see companies trying to game the system than employ legitimate research methods. http://inthesetimes.com/article/20174/pay-for-success-private-investment-education
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I’m starting to think Mr. Leonhardt did the Ed Reform community no favors with his misreporting. So appreciate those willing to actually do the necessary research to reveal the facts.
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