Privatizers cannot destroy the great public common school system
Super rich folks and foundations have poured billions into the subsidization and promotion of charters, vouchers, education savings accounts, tuition tax credits, state takeover mechanisms and portfolio districts. Federal and state governments, contrary to education provisions in state constitutions, have poured hundreds of billions of dollars into these private ventures that undermine the fiscal and civic integrity of school districts. The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) has churned out hundreds of anti-public school model bills copied by state legislatures throughout the nation.
But, like Old Glory (our flag), the great American public common school system is surviving and thriving in spite of the bombardment from powers foreign to it. An overwhelming majority of the American people love the common school.
Americans are awakening to the reality that the private alternatives are parasitic on the public system. Citizens are finally pushing back. At the same time, privatizers are ramping up their efforts. They see their cash cows and the subsidization of their private agendas melting away and thus are in a panic mode.
The privatizers can’t win the battle. Most Americans love the great American public common school system.
it’s up
I think the big push for vouchers in Florida and elsewhere is a “Hail Mary” move by privatizers that know the “force is not with them.” They are totally ignoring state laws to try to move public money out of public schools in a desperate attempt to undermine public education.
There is much work yet to be done to rebuild public education. There are still many battles to be fought against useless, high stakes testing, imposed cyber instruction and acceptance of outside watered down credentials in many states.
and to those who wish to play, the school reform game is really just ‘get what you, personally, can, while getting it is possible…’
The wheels started to come off the charter school bus in 2014 and then, Betsy’s Senate confirmation hearing broke the axles.