Bernie Sanders’ website has a better statement on the importance of investing public education and teachers than any other Democratic candidate so far:
Today, more than 60 years after the historic Brown v. Board of Education decision ending legal segregation in our public schools, and 50 years after President Johnson signed the Elementary and Secondary Education Act into law, poor and minority students are still not afforded the same education as their wealthier, and often whiter counterparts. This is not only unjust and immoral, it endangers our democracy.
I’m running for president to restore the promise that every child, regardless of his or her background, has a right to a high-quality public education.
Growing inequality is both the cause and the effect of our nation’s desperately underfunded public school system. Many public schools are severely racially segregated—in some parts of the country, worse than before the Brown decision. With funding for public schools in steep decline, students in low-income areas are forced to learn in decrepit buildings and endure high rates of teacher turnover. Public school teachers are severely underpaid and lack critical resources, and their professional experience is being undermined by high stakes testing requirements that drain resources and destroy the joy of learning.
Meanwhile, resource-rich private schools spend tens of thousands of dollars more per child than public schools do. They are predominantly white or intentionally diversified, and enjoy the best that money can buy—from state of the art facilities to well-paid, highly skilled teachers.
With the vast challenges facing our education system, billionaire philanthropists, Wall Street bankers and hedge fund managers are attempting to privatize our education system under the banner of “school choice.” We must act to transform our education system into a high-quality public good.
- We must make sure that charter schools are accountable, transparent and truly serve the needs of disadvantaged children, not Wall Street, billionaire investors, and other private interests.
- We must ensure that a handful of billionaires don’t determine education policy for our nation’s children.
- We will oppose the DeVos-style privatization of our nation’s schools and will not allow public resources to be drained from public schools.
- We must guarantee childcare and universal pre-Kindergarten for every child in America to help level the playing field, create new and good jobs, and enable parents more easily balance the demands of work and home.
- We must increase pay for public school teachers so that their salary is commensurate with their importance to society. And we must invest in high-quality, ongoing professional development, and cancel teachers’ student debt.
- We must protect the tenure system for public school teachers and combat attacks on collective bargaining by corporate profiteers.
- We must put an end to high-stakes testing and “teaching to the test” so that our students have a more fulfilling educational life and our teachers are afforded professional respect.
We must guarantee children with disabilities an equal right to high-quality education, and increase funding for programs that combat racial segregation and unfair disciplinary practices that disproportionately affect students of color.
I am still waiting for a Democratic candidate who will explain why we as a nation should have two different publicly funded systems of education–one that chooses the students it wants, and the other required to accept all students. One, under private management, and the other controlled by an elected school board, or a board appointed by an elected official.
I agree this is better and moving in the right (correct) direction. It’s not perfect, but absolutists and ideologues should remember that presidential campaigns and presidencies are ever changing, evolving animals. See JFK and civil rights for one of the best examples of this truth. Your voice is making a difference and I pledge to be one of your amplifiers. Your final paragraph above is the standard as far as I’m concerned.
Bernie’s statement makes it clear- It’s privatization of a common good. And, he’s categorized the barbarians at the gate.
Diane’s correct about his need to drill down. His campaign co-chair, Rep. Ro Khanna should be steering the anti-tech monopolist message. The ruthless attacks from Silicon Valley against public education are in his wheel house.
Bernie should reference the Paul Weyrich training manual that explains the purpose of dual school school systems is to destroy public schools.
Yes, Bernie’s latest statement is a step ahead but still not enough. Pls keep pushing your contact at his office on going further against charter schools, a separate privately-run system using unaccountable public funds. The statement from Bernie calls for oversight to keep charters accountable, but the jury is already in on this–they are not public schools and they can’t be accountable as funded and constituted. We’ll see how far B or any Dems go on this. Still wondering if big Wall ST funders are keeping Dems from speaking out on charters, or if its an Obama problem–Obama tilted so far in favor of privatization/charters/testing/tech that to cut loose from charters inevitably invites criticizing the icon Obama b/c he was the charter champion, and implicates two decades of Dems in the public school demise–Dems painted themselves into a corner.
I don’t believe it is the job of the federal government to govern our schools. Teachers in NY are some of the highest paid in the country, yet still face many of the same problems as their counterparts in other states. And in a state as diverse as NY, our problems in rural upstate NY can be vastly different than in NYC. Let the states do their job and leave it up to them to govern our schools. I don’t believe the federal government can ever be the savior for our public schools when they are so vast & diverse. Allow the states use federal funding to create programs that answer local problems… for example community engagement, smaller class size
You speaking for the Koch’s ALEC, Jessica?
One out of $5 spent on local school board elections was by outsiders.
Bill Gates, the Koch’s ideological twin, lives in the state with the most regressive tax system in the nation.
It’s cheaper and less visible for the richest 0.1% to control at the local level.
I wonder if you are repudiating the fundamentals of NCLB and ESSA here? What we don’t need is federal support for social impact bonds and privatization. What we need is a progressive federal role that allows state involvement, local control and federal support for what (almost) everyone who uses public schools wants, like smaller class sizes, well-maintained buildings, and support services.
Outstanding. This is by far the most progressive policy statement on education that we’ve seen from a presidential candidate. Getting rid of standardized testing, by itself, would be a MASSIVE step forward, and miracle of miracles, the statement takes a stand against privatization of public schools. That’s huge!
Feel the Bern.
I wholeheartedly agree with you! It is THE number one destroyer of any educational system, especially when so many kids (and parents) are immersed in meaningless technology. Our kids need more experiences that they are not often exposed to at home anymore. The amount of time, resources, and money, and sanity that these tests are taking away from students and teachers would be so much more useful if applied to experiences that aim to create a wholistic approach to guiding students in discovery and learning.
Here’s something from Buttigieg…
https://www.educationnext.org/pete-buttigieg-talks-charter-schools-warns-free-college-less-progressive-than-it-sounds/
“Buttigieg initially dodged the charter school part of the question, but a columnist of the Boston Globe, Scot Lehigh, followed up, generating the “have a place” language. Buttigieg’s complete answer fell short of an enthusiastic charter endorsement, but neither was it a wholesale condemnation. Buttigieg said he was “concerned” about “disinvestment” from public schools. “I don’t think they can excuse us,” he said of charters.”
Good for Boston Globe columnist Scott Lehigh. I have no idea if Lehigh is a charter lover or a real journalist, but he is right on in getting the candidates to offer more than mush.
I would love to see Bernie, Harris, Warren and Buttigieg in a debate in which Diane Ravitch could ask them questions AND follow-up questions to pin them down on where they stand on non-profit charters and their lack of oversight that led to the NAACP calling for a moratorium.
I won’t hold my breath – but it would be a good thing for this country if candidates had to address this.
Lehigh is an avowed privatizer. He spends an inordinate amount of time denigrating the public schools, the Boston Teachers Union and the students and families they serve. Diana described his attitude when he interviewed her as “snarky”.
Christine Langhoff,
Thank you for letting me know Lehigh is a privatizer. I’m sure he followed up because he wanted to know whether Buttigieg was going to be a DFER or not because people who are pro-charter want more than platitudes to know a candidate’s position. Good for him. I find it a sad statement about the terrible education journalists in this country that none of them seem to ask follow-up questions to pin down a politician on education.
It’s a shame that progressive politicians can still support “public charters” and give the entire non-profit charter movement progressive credibility, while making vague statements about “oversight” and “accountability”.
Anyone who cares about real oversight and accountability would support the NAACP’s moratorium on charters until there is real accountability and not the “SUNY Charter Institute is the best oversight agency ever” progressive view of what “accountability” means.
To me, the above is a very clear statement that Bernie still believes in charters — he wants to make them better but he embraces them as long as they are “public” and not “for-profit”.
Bernie’s position on the non-charter education issues is excellent, so that’s good. But I hope another candidate in the primary realizes that they have a chance to really distinguish themselves by embracing the NAACP moratorium on charters instead of giving false progressive credibility to the DFER position.
Ralph Northam did this in Virginia and I think that’s why he won the Democratic primary for Governor. I hope one of the candidates in the Democratic primary for President does the same. Even if they lose, they may force the other candidates to take a real position and stop giving progressive credibility to DFER-approved charters.
The Boston Globe serves the richest 0.1%’s agenda.
The largest “independent” press in Boston rejects democracy’s will.
Mass. citizens, when allowed to vote, rejected charter schools.
Yep.
Now accepting advertising revenue from the Kochs.
I just read the article, and my take-away is that Mayor Pete is trying to very delicately thread the Third-Way needle, now that Obama’s bundlers are raising money for him.
I am also troubled by what he said in this passage:
“He also acknowledged, to a largely student audience, that declining to endorse “free college” was “stopping short of what I’m sure is the right answer politically for this room.” He pointed out, though, that college graduates earn more than some of the non-college-graduates who would be taxed more to subsidize a free college scheme. He said he found that hard to square with his “progressive” outlook.”
Under a progressive income tax, those college grads who earn higher pay would then pay a higher tax, thus restoring fairness and replenishing the funding pool.
I really like Mayor Pete, but I am worried that his path to victory is now being paved with a slick coating of smooth talk, identity creds and Bundler dollars.
We saw this in 2008. We can’t afford a repeat performance.
Agree.
Third Way and CAP are the voice of corporations. They select a candidate who represents the oppressed. Their scheme relies on voters equating oppressed with progressive.
Eleanor,
“I just read the article, and my take-away is that Mayor Pete is trying to very delicately thread the Third-Way needle, now that Obama’s bundlers are raising money for him.”
This is dead-on accurate. Buttigieg, though he currently has no platform to speak of, is going to run on a warmed over Thrid Way platform while trying to pretend that he’s a progressive. Neera Tanden, Rahm Emanuel and the rest of the Third Way leaders are doing everything the can to prop up Buttigieg.
Is a matter of when, not if, that Pete utters the words, “I support public non-profit charters but not for-profit charters” and the rest of the mendacious nonsense on education that spews from CAP.
Thank you. It can never be said enough to Diane. Thank you. And go Bernie!
Indeed!!!
This statement took a lot of political bravery given the vast wealth and power behind Ed Deform. Wow. Bernie, you rock.
Yes, you got it right, thanks.
I especially like this:”We must put an end to high-stakes testing and “teaching to the test” so that our students have a more fulfilling educational life and our teachers are afforded professional respect.”
Oh, yes. Sweet music, that!!!! So incredibly important!!!
Bernie is spot on several issues. Tenure, collective bargaining, high stakes testing, privatization to name my top 4. Now we need the plan on how he is going to achieve these.
The other candidates and it seems as though the entire Democratic Party is following Bernie’s lead on the key issues. Now we wait to see what Biden says on Education.
Perhaps Biden can have his brother Frank write up his statement about charter schools. LOL. He can even do it on Mavericks Charter Schools letterhead.
Biden won’t be able to grasp why the reformers have been hurting rather than helping; he will be exactly like Booker/Obama/Duncan/Bennet — all still spouting the same tired old lines about bad teachers and bad schools.
NO BIDEN–no how, no way.
Go away, Joe.
“We must make sure that charter schools are accountable, transparent and truly serve the needs of disadvantaged children…”
I also believe that “we must make sure that public schools are accountable, transparent and truly serve the needs of disadvantaged children…”
In fact, I bet every single person who reads this blog would agree that public schools should be accountable, transparent and truly serve the needs of disadvantaged students. That is because we are all strong supporters of public schools and want them to be better.
That’s the kind of statement a strong supporter of public schools makes. It doesn’t make us “critics” of public education. It makes us strong supporters of public education.
Here is the bottom line:
We already heard Bernie Sanders refer to “public charter schools” and I assume he distinguishes “for-profit” charters from the ones he calls “public” (i.e. not-for-profit).
So when he talks about Wall Street and billionaire INVESTORS it is clear he is talking about for-profit charters.
Notice Bernie did not mention billionaire DONORS. Bernie specifically mentions “investors”, not “donors”. That isn’t just a coincidence.
“We will oppose the DeVos-style privatization of our nation’s schools”. But nothing about opposing charters or the “non-DeVos-style charterization (i.e. “public charters”).
I believe DeVos has been very harmful to public education because she allows the DFER Democrats a way to oppose for-profit charters while differentiating “non-profit” charter chains as something that is progressive.
Bernie still has many outstanding policies, but I don’t see his position on charters being anything a DFER Democrat can’t embrace. Bernie clearly opposes for-profit charters. It’s a shame he won’t embrace the NAACP’s moratorium on all charters — including “non-profits”.
If we want to know Bernie’s position on charters, there is a very easy way to learn it — ask him this question:
Is the SUNY Charter Institute — which oversees non-profit charters in NY State — your ideal for the type of “accountability” and “transparency” that you want to bring to other states?
The pro-charter progressives always point to the SUNY Charter Institute as the model oversight agency. If Bernie agrees that SUNY is the model for good oversight of “public charters”, then we know what we are getting.
“I’m running for president to restore the promise that every child, regardless of his or her background, has a right to a high-quality public education.” This is the same kind of rhetoric that Eva Moskowitz uses. It’s the reason Moskowitz demands the right to expand — all those children of all backgrounds who want the “high quality public education” she is offering.
How hard would it be for Bernie to include a statement that charters are not serving their share of children with special needs or that they push out the students they don’t want to serve? Why is that not allowed to be mentioned by any Presidential candidate? When one of them is brave enough to call it as it is, I will believe that they aren’t just mouthing DFER rhetoric.
Is Bernie Sanders is willing to say that the SUNY Charter Institute is a terrible oversight agency or, like all the rest of the DFER politicians, is SUNY the kind of “model” oversight agency that Bernie wants for all charters?
Al Shanker originally conceived of charter schools as temporary laboratory schools within public schools given a charter for a limited time in order to try out one or more major pedagogical or curricular innovations. As originally conceived by Shanker, these would be alternative schools within public schools or districts, with union representation, with public school oversight and management, with teachers in the leadership roles, and subject to the laws governing public schools, including those governing inclusion. Nothing to complain about there. Bernies statement is consistent with that original vision and NOT with a vision for charters as privately managed organizations that cherry pick their students, siphon off public school resources, and function primarily to stuff the pockets of the ne’er do well grifter brothers, cousins, and golfing buddies of state and federal politicians and education officials.
I supported charters, too! For a long time. I agreed with the Shanker vision which sounded great.
We don’t know if Bernie supports Shanker’s vision or the DFER vision of “non-profit” charters with billioinaire donors and opposes for-profit charters with billionaire investors. I certainly hope is is the first but I don’t assume that it is. First of all, the Shanker vision of charters doesn’t even really exist anymore. And secondly:
It would be very simple for Bernie to just say “I support the NAACP’s moratorium on new charters until we have real transparency and oversight, which we do not have now in any state, period.”
He doesn’t want to say that. It is absolutely Bernie’s right to support what he calls “good public charters” with billionaire donors who don’t “invest” but just “donate”.
I don’t see anything in his statement that tells me he doesn’t support those kind of charters. Do you?
You are absolutely right that so far the other candidates are no better and many are worse, but if someone like Elizabeth Warren were to make a clear statement that she does not support the expansion of “public charters” and that they should be under the oversight of the public school system, she will have my vote.
The end of high-stakes summative standardized testing would, in itself, be an enormous step forward. That’s enough for me, for now. That’s really, really huge.
Many are far, far worse. This statement is a HUGE step forward. It’s crazy to let perfect be the enemy of the good. I am extremely pleased to see this statement. The opposition to standardized testing is, in itself, an ENORMOUS steps forward.
I agree with you. I would never let perfect be the enemy of good.
For the record, there are many excellent positions in Bernie’s statement. He should be praised for making them.
But if another candidate has a better position on charters, I am more likely to support him or her.
I think we should be able to have conversations about candidate’s positions without attacking their character. That did not happen in 2016 and instead people turned a candidate’s position on an issue into a sign that they were corrupt or co-opted or greedy or tools of some billionaires. It was destructive and dishonest. We need to marginalize every person who attacks character in order to smear a candidate. But it is still important to discuss issues and perhaps that will move a candidate to take a different position.
I like almost everything in Bernie’s statement, but I could not help noticing that his position on charters was about making “public charters” better, not questioning why we have a completely separate system that can cherry pick and exclude students. That worries me and I want someone to ask him straight out about why he supports non-profit charters and what he considers good oversight.
Bernie believes in public charters. I think we need to accept that and put more pressure on him so that he understands why that is not a good thing — and perhaps if he realizes he has to pay a political price he will start to think about his position a little more.
Bernie also has terrific positions on other education issues.
Here is DFER president Shavar Jeffries in an op ed in “The 74”
“The progressive case for public charter schools with accountability is truly about equalizing education opportunities and giving every child — regardless of race or ZIP code or immigration status — access to a high-quality public education….
“We progressives have a long, proud legacy of fighting for equal educational opportunities for all children, and empowering low-income families with the option to choose the best public school for their individual child has been an essential element of that legacy for decades. Because of what pro-charter progressives started, public charter schools today are providing students with a high-quality public school option previously unavailable to them. Parents need more, not fewer, of those kinds of choices.”
https://www.the74million.org/article/jeffries-what-school-choice-means-for-democrats-in-the-age-of-trump/
I’m with you about the end of high stakes testing and I’m thrilled Bernie is taking a position. But I wish he’d also take a strong one on charters and not sound so much like Jeffries.
When the progressive position is to support non-profit charters, who is left to speak for public schools? I don’t think we should remain silent and let support for “public charters” be the default progressive position.
I’m totally with you. Here’s my concern–after someone has gone this far–has made such enormous progress–I don’t want him or his people reading this and saying, well, you just can’t please these members of the Ed Deform Resistance. They will still attack you if you don’t give them 100 percent. This statement from Senator Sanders is huge. I am so, so grateful for it. Thank you, Bernie! What a visionary you are! It’s such a relief to encounter a representative of the people who actually gives a damn about ordinary people.
Bob, you make a good point!
Sen. Sanders, I’m grateful you have come this far. Thank you!
(But I wish you would re-think your position on charters and consider why it is those very same billionaires who fight progressive legislation who are the biggest financial supporters of “public charters” that claim to care about poor kids while they embrace policies that exclude so many of them.)
That exclude the kids who need the most help–English language learners and kids with disabilities!
It is an improvement. Thank you for that. I wish that the first bullet point were not about charters. The funding model is completely unacceptable. But I am happy that there is movement in the right direction.
Reblogged this on Crazy Normal – the Classroom Exposé and commented:
Finally, a presidential candidate speaking up for the schools and teachers of the nation instead of demonizing them. Is this a first?
It is.
I am saving Berrnie’s statement and waiting to see what the positions of the rest of the candidates. So far, his is the strongest statement I read.
Is it perfect? No.
But with what we’ve been going through (especially after Obama/Duncan ratcheted up the Deform movement), I will gladly support Bernie.
I am going to be the skunk at the party. Bernie is from a state that does not even have charter schools!!! He can do much better than this. He is resisting. Actually the best statement so far has been from Kirsten Gillbrand. (This is NOT an endorsement by me). She made it on CNN. You can see the video on our NPE Action website.
Thanks for adding comment.
Bernie deserves our praise for calling out CAP for the shill that it is.
The litmus test for a Democratic candidate is his/her rejection by CAP and Third Way.
Corey Booker may be rejected by CAP but he is still a shill for charters.
I prefer that this election, we make the litmus test the positions that the candidates are actually espousing. Let’s take them at their word. There is no reason for Bernie to resist taking a strong anti-DFER position except his own views and I’m not going to smear him by implying he is doing it for corrupt reasons.
Everyone here probably has a different litmus test and we shouldn’t expect any candidate to be perfect. Bernie isn’t. Either someone likes his position on other issues enough to vote for him in spite of his choice not to oppose charters, or someone likes a candidate who opposes charters in spite of their position on other issues. There is no wrong or right choice.
NYC
An analogy-
A candidate has a long history of backing privatization and association with others who advance the agenda.
That candidate is endorsed by Americans for Prosperity and/or CAP and receives money from the Koch’s, John Arnold, etc. The candidate recognizes he/she can’t win enough votes with a platform of cuts to S.S. and Medicare, school privatization, unbridled capitalism so, he/she espouses the opposite. After elected, the candidate reverts and serves the original supporters. Would it be reasonable to tell those voters that they should have been smarter?
p.s. Hillary wouldn’t say no cuts to S.S. Her opponent did and he won. Has Trump abandoned Wall Street’s agenda?
Thank you, Dr. Burris. I think that this is the video you are discussing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=89&v=Pb_kGQWT1qE
Here is the NPE Action page on the Presidential candidates: https://npeaction.org/npe-action-2020-presidential-candidates-project/
Thanks for the link.
Public Education is going to be an extraordinarily important issue this election. The centrist, we gotta find a way to win in Pennsylvania and the midwest gang with Buttegeig and Biden are not ready for it. They will be frustrated if it is an issue which takes too much time.
I did not notice until now…..Joe Biden has a younger brother with a history of charter school management…..r
Company NameFlorida Charter School Alliance
Dates EmployedSep 2012 – Present
Employment Duration6 yrs 8 mos
LocationWest Palm Beach, Florida Area
State and Federal legislative advocacy
He should know just what levers to yank for federal help for charters.
Frank Biden has run a for-profit charter chain in Florida for several years.
Not sure that Joe should be held responsible for what his brother does. I would not want to held responsible for my brothers’ actions.
Let’s hope someone asks him the questions where we want answers.
You make a good point, Diane. It is disturbing, however, that Biden was part of a rapidly pro Ed Deform administration.
I don’t know if Biden can break free of Race to the Top stupidity. We will see.
hard to imagine from his past words and actions that Biden would even try to grasp why charter schools are problematic; K-12 education is NOT on his radar
NPE will search for any indication of his views on education. So far, nothing.
Today is NJSLA (formerly known as PARCC) at my school. You can put lipstick on a pig but it’s still a pig! I have been watching and listening to the myriad of democratic hopefuls, but after reading this from Bernie, none of them will get my vote without fighting for the things that Bernie advocates in his list!
Why’s the first blurb about charter schools? Who gives a rip about them.
First blurb, fund neighborhood public schools open to all.
Lets hear more about promoting the schools that are the BACKBONE of the system.
many of us give a rip about a couple of things: Promoting the schools that are the BACKBONE of the system……….and fighting the conscious efforts by powerful people to damage the Backbone of the system by their efforts on behalf of charters. The more success…..the greater the liklihood of damage.
Just received an e-mail RE: to sign a petition to stop the DNCC from interfering w/primaries (i.e., keeping down candidates like Sanders & Warren, specifically, esp. given that Bernie is on top of the polls right now, surpassing Biden (& that Biden has thrown his hat into the ring). People, make no mistake about it: we are in for the same-old-same-old
(& certitude of Einstein’s definition of insanity) if we allow the Dem DINO/DFER old-school-party (that’s right–they remind me exactly of the Chicago Machine) to run w/the ball. We–Diane’s readers–know better than anyone about what Obama (he came from the Joyce Foundation, after all) Administration did to American education–stabbed the publics in the back–not once, but twice (maybe even 3 times, if we count RT3 & not just the Secy. of DoEd.–more “standardized** testing; MORE charter schools)–Arne, then John King. As said Bernie, “ENOUGH is ENOUGH!”
What I urge you all to do: please be involved/work for a local election protection group.
There is no question, no doubt that the 2016 Dem Primaries were–all over the country–rigged–there was rampant election fraud (NOT voter fraud–there’s a big difference & there is, statistically, very little voter fraud–that is a voter suppression, GOP sort of thing; &–let me be clear–I am not referring to Russian interference–I am referencing Stacey Abrams’ situation, for a clear example of election fraud perpetrated by local & state officials, et.al.)–remember, voter rolls were scrubbed in NY; caucusing in IA was not done properly (esp. in Polk County); Bill disrupted several polling places (in fact, there was talk of charges against him) & I could go on & on. For those of you in Chicago/Cook County, go to the Clean Count Cook County website to find out more.
For those in IL, go to the Illinois Ballot Integrity Project.
For those in other states, simply search for election protection groups.
Voting is not enough anymore; we have to protect our votes!
Thanks for the info.
Oh, & ALWAYS vote ON Election Day, the only day you can vote on a paper ballot.
Paper is safer. Cook County just piloted new touch screen machines (Chicago has ancient ones), & there’s already a huge problem w/them.
Biden’s announced his run and he’s anchored his platform to the clear and present danger facing American democracy. If Biden fails to understand the essential role of public education in democracy he is either stupid or self-serving.
https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/put-aside-your-purity-politics-and-embrace-my-feckless-centrism
Great title for the article.
Justice Democrats weighed in today on Biden’s legacy.
Both, especially the last. Also, read somewhere that there’s stuff afloat about his role in the Anita Hill hearings.
So he’s tainted from the get-go*…his run is especially self-serving.
*Aside from the fact that by not speaking out, by doing pretty much nothing as veep (compare to Al Gore), he was complicit in the Obama Administrations destruction of public education, the expansion of “standardized” testing & the expansion of charter schools. How can he explain that away?