Earlier today, I posted about FUD, but I didn’t link to the article I wrote in Huffington Post in 2014.
The article was called “Understanding the Propaganda Campaign Against Public Education.”
Here is the Wikipedia history of FUD.
If you understand the purposeful uses of FUD, you can see the propaganda techniques employed by “reformers” to undermine public education.
The FUD campaign says “our public schools are failing,” “our public schools are obsolete,” “our public schools haven’t changed in a century,” but it is all disinformation.
It is FUD.
Our public schools are NOT failing. Our public schools are NOT obsolete. Our public schools have changed in many ways in the past century
The FUD purveyors will not tell you that charter schools do not get better test scores than public schools and usually get worse scores. They won’t tell you that more than 90% of charter schools are non-union, and that union-busting is part of their funders’ purpose (e.g., the Waltons). They won’t tell you that charter schools are more segregated than public schools, even in segregated districts. They won’t tell you that teacher turnover at charter schools is far higher than in public schools. They won’t tell you that suspension rates at charter schools are far higher than in public schools.
The FUD propaganda machine won’t admit that the research on vouchers shows that voucher schools harm children and lower their academic performance. They won’t tell you that children who enter voucher schools abandon their federally protected rights (e.g., students with disabilities have no IDEA rights in voucher schools). They won’t tell you that voucher schools are not required to have certified teachers. They won’t tell you that voucher schools are excused from state tests in most states and are not held accountable. They won’t tell you that many voucher schools teach racism, misogyny, and discriminate against those who do not share their religious views.
The best schools are public schools!
The way to build strong communities is to build strong public schools!
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Agree…The best schools are indeed PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
Thank you, Diane.
The purveyors of FUD are also good at positioning themselves as if victims of bad policies.
A familiar example is the claim that charter schools are “underfunded.”
I found a variant: The tactic is DARVO, which stands for: Deny the behavior, Attack the individual doing the confronting, and Reverse the roles of Victim and Offender. It’s a term coined by Dr. Jennifer Freyd at the University of Oregon.
I do not refer to them as purveyors, but as flingers. It reminds people of the zoo’s monkey island….
If the tobacco industry’s use of FUD is an example, then the school deform industry’s use of FUD should lead to class action lawsuits and the eventual prohibition of school deform advertising. People are being misled into using products that contain harmful elements without being informed of the risks, and the segment of the population being targeted is that of minors.
Government contractors in any other field would be mocked and brought before a tribunal for the fraud of calling themselves “public”.
Reblogged this on Crazy Normal – the Classroom Exposé and commented:
Learn how FUD is destroying public education.
The President wants Americans to unite in “peace and love,” but he does not see any connection between his rhetoric and the home grown terrorist bomber. While #45 sows the seeds of FUD at every rally he conducts, he remains guilt free.
This is not on topic and I hope you will not mind if I ask about the “Future Ready Schools” program. I saw their funders, one being Gates Foundation. I also saw pledges. Just would like to get a measure on this if anyone knows more about it –
Thanks in advance – DD
Doesn’t sound good. Sounds like snake oil direct from the Snake Oil Corp.
FUD
“Be vewwy, vewwy quiet. We’re hunting for reformers.”
Very good!
Nobody misses trash.
Intellectual prostitutes would lament the loss of their johns’ payments.
But, that’d be good for GDP. They could get real jobs.
🙂
IMHO, I would like to offer an easy understanding example to all young and old, inexperienced and working population, as follows:
1) In a water environment, oil and butter floats on the surface; but rock and brick sinks down
= In a civilized society, respect and kindness is recognizable in all Public Education Institutes; but bullying and harsh punishment is a regulation in all Private Institutes.
2) In a wild fire, all good and bad things/materials are consummated by fire; but all things in an ocean will be protected.
= In both material and spiritual DICTATORIAL authority, ALL living things are forced to live as being slavery; but all living things under CIVILIZED authority are well protected from love and kindness under a humanity spirit.
In short, young children and unfortunate people can tell the different truth between kindness and cruelty. Therefore, the population can recognize the wonderful beauty in all Public Education Institutes. Yes, ONLY the GREEDY and IGNORANT followers will support all privatized institutes. Back2basic
Duh? Paper covers rock. Rock breaks scissors. Scissors cut paper. Is it irony?
Thank you professor Harlan Underhill:
Ha ha ha, I truly enjoy your word “DUH”.
Pls take a look at the current “CHAOS” in all turned around and upside down in the current administration in the White House. Yes,don’t you say “duh” to all subordinates to the current US President. They must heartily support and work for Trump then and now.
What kind of scissors to cut what kind of paper? You know the original or the simple or the complicated implication in four dimensional world, ha ha ha. All is delusional to me in the GREEDY, LUSTY, and ANGRY people who treasure material more than kindness. Back2basic