In this article, a writer for the libertarian Reason magazine–which supports free-market solutions to all government problems–praises Cory Booker for his advocacy on behalf of charters and vouchers, and even dares to mention that he worked closely with Betsy DeVos, his ideological ally on education issues.
Booker is proud of his record as an advocate of privatization and a supporter of non-union schools.
Real Democrats don’t support charters and vouchers. These are Republican issues.
Public schools belong to the public, not to entrepreneurs or privatizers or profiteers or corporate chains or foreign entities.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
The question, what came first, the egg or the chicken, also applies to what came first, Milton Friedman or the Koch brothers greed based brand of libertarianism?
Why hasn’t anyone written and published this book: “Libertarianism is for Dummies”?
Good one, Lloyd: ““Libertarianism is for Dummies.”
Agree, Yvonne.
The “professors’ hired with Koch money and shilling for libertarianism are the “dummies” that the book would appeal to.
“Lliberty and freedom” are the slogans that act as a gateway drug to oligarchy.
And NO Booker for me. Sad that he can’t see what the DEFORMS have done to those he says he represents. Double TALK.
Booker is way out of sync with most Americans on education. He should drop out of the race.
I HOPE there will be a stringent look at public school support or lack of support in the pres. debates next year: if he doesn’t see that coming and drop out, he will deserve the treatment he is likely to face.
Yesterday Sherrod Brown posted a selfie with Booker. Of course, I reminded him that #BookerHatesPublicEducation. But the other comments made me realize how many Dems really know nothing about his education record or how it undermines everything Dems profess to stand for. I think we share part of the blame for not getting the message beyond our echo chamber. Let’s start doing a better job.
I think that the Dems have swallowed whole the propaganda that charter schools and TFA (many moved into staff for legislators) are ok and tests are needed for accountability. I think that many are also inclined to swallow the line that STEM and “personalized” learning are needed for job preparation and the purpose of public schools is to improve the economy. The values promoted in ESSA are not that different from NCLB. I’d bet most in Congress are unaware that the Common Core is a farce paid for by Bill Gates. I will not support anyone running for Office who thinks that continuing Obama’s policies for education is just fine.
Yes: Neo-liberalism has all
but gutted public education. Teach for A While, then get a non-profit management masters, then head into policy before age 30. I hope I represent the sane portion of the Democratic Party as a 35-year Latin teacher in a public school—but we’ve got to reach legislators, y’all.
A lot of legislators get slanted information from lobbying groups for testing companies, billionaires, Silicon Valley, TFA and other monied groups representing “reform.” Unless they hear from citizens with a counter narrative, they are inclined to believe the lobbyists. Of course, money for campaigns is a big influence too.
DINO. Cory Booker = colorism
Booker is an economic right winger. Prof. Hernandez of Fordham distinguished authentic Blackness from strategic Blackness in a recent article at CNN. The stock and trade of Dem establishment (CAP) is identity politics. Their strategy is to enact right wing economic positions, for their backers, by casting corporate-funded candidates like Susan Davis and Corey Booker as Democrats.
By design, Sherrod Brown’s actions don’t offend billionaires of either party. He’s talk, not walk.
Last week he said Medicare for all wasn’t possible. Odd that so many nations including Canada make it work. Bernie reminded us on Friday, that many right wingers from both parties claimed $15 an hour minimum wage wouldn’t work. Yet, 6 states have passed it and the richest man in the world, Bezos, implemented it at his corporation.
It will come as a surprise to a great many of the parents, who send their kids to charter schools, that they are not “real Democrats.” And I suspect that the many of the educators who work in the charter school sector will take offense at the insinuation as well.
Those who want to rigorously apply this new litmus test to Democrats should first brush up on the great election of 2016. Personally, I have no appetite to eat my children, my siblings or my fellow Democrats.
Steve, the Waltons, the DeVos family, and the Koch brothers love having your support.
Does Steve Zimmerman believe that Eva Moskowitz — one of the most celebrated charter CEOs in the non-profit charter world that he is part of — is a real democrat? Moskowitz says she is a “real democrat” and apparently that includes not just endorsing Betsy DeVos, but giving interviews and writing op eds demanding that DeVos be confirmed by the Senate.
I noticed that not one of the “real Democrats” in the charter movement will ever say one word of criticism of the “real Democrat” in the charter movement who worked so hard to insure that Betsy DeVos was confirmed. They sound like the Republicans in the Senate who sometimes “tut tut” at Trump while they enable all the lies Trump spews. I guess that is what “real Democrats” in the charter movement do.
It will come to a surprise to a great many of the parents who send their kids to charter schools that charters claim that they are superior to public schools because they get better results with absolutely the exact same kids that are found in failing public schools. Those parents may send their kids to charters but they certainly know a lie when they hear one.
I challenge you to find a group of parents at one of your charters who will publicly claim that their charter school teaches the exact same kids found in the worst NYC public schools. Only the charter CEOs — who are the ones who are NOT real Democrats — are willing to state such absurd things publicly.
Someone should ask Booker if he supports this:
“Speaking alongside DeVos, Cruz said Thursday that he believes in public schools, but he argued that providing options will spur improvement at all schools.
“Competition improves,” he said. “And in this case, injecting new money to give that freedom, to give that competition, to give that power of choice, will enhance the quality of education to kids all across the country.”
The proposal drew applause from some groups that support school choice, including the Center for Education Reform. Jeanne Allen, the group’s CEO, called it “a welcome sign in the battle for more opportunities for students.”
If nothing else, people should know what he supports, and this federal voucher is a specific proposal that the ed reform echo chamber have been promoting since Trump took office. Indeed, they do NOTHING ELSE other than push vouchers.
Don’t let him do the “great schools” dodge. There are plenty of specific voucher proposals they’re all pushing- pick one and ask him about it.
In fact, all the Democratic candidates should be asked if they support federal vouchers. After that they should be asked what they support that benefits public schools.
Specifically. What do they offer to public school students and families? If the answer is “great schools!” ask a better question.
Watch the NPE report card
We count on you to ask questions at townhalls
Reporters don’t
“Competition improves,” he said. “And in this case, injecting new money to give that freedom, to give that competition, to give that power of choice, will enhance the quality of education to kids all across the country.”
It’s amusing how ed reformers ONLY offer “competition” to public schools. That’s the single positive benefit they offer us.
Our schools are so unimportant in “the movement” that they are ONLY considered in relation to the important schools- charters and private schools.
They seem incapable of offering anything positive or of value to any public school- it’s like they get kicked out of the echo chamber if they dare to break ranks and actually affirmatively support public schools.
DeVos has not offered ONE practical or worthwhile benefit to any public school in the country, yet this is her THIRD attempt to increase public funding of charters and private schools.
Public schools get nothing.
Just think of it this way: Booker is the Dimocrap’s means of ensuring that the tRump gets re-elected.