The Network for Public Education Action is one of the pro-public education groups that will participate in the forum on Public Education Issues in Pittsburgh on Saturday.
The event will be livestreamed on MSNBC.
Since the event was announced, candidates Cory Booker and Michael Bennett have joined the list of speakers.
Each group will have the opportunity to ask one question of one candidate.
Please note that the event will start at 9 a.m.
NPE Action will be there with a stellar group of supporters of public schools.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
I’m really pleased about this. I know it’s not the top issue for candidates and the federal government has a limited role, but I think it deserves a forum- one that includes public schools, so not just the expansion of charters and vouchers.
I know they have to discuss charter/vouchers and that’s the “hot” issue, but could we please, please remember to at least mention children who attend public schools?
They’re the vast,vast majority of students of ALL income levels and outside of testing them no one talks about them at all. 90% of students should not be dismissed as “students who remain in district schools”. They won’t possibly be well served by that. They’re not a control group to be compared to charter or private students or some mass “default” population. Public schools, and public school students, have value in their own right.
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I guess Cory has chosen to double-talk his way through the forum as he won’t be on the debate stage Thursday (or, perhaps he’ll just squeak in in time).
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At least with Cory you would know what you’re getting- market based ed reform- a continuation of Bush, Obama, Trump education policy.
The ones to watch are the ones who won’t admit it. I prefer truth in advertising to ending up with another Duncan. DeVos has a lot of faults but she never pretended to support public schools or public school students and I give her credit for that.
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Agreed, Chiara, but I’d rather not have any time wasted w/candidates who will say what they think we want to hear; he will be “measuring” the audience, & I’m pretty sure his answers will either be skewed to we educators & parents as the larger audience or will be totally mealy-mouthed, just in case his pro-charter minions are in the audience. Additionally, this gives him another arena/chance to “win people over.”
After the climate crisis town halls, I received a # of e-mails from c.c. activist friend of mine who found his ideas “impressive.” I had to e-mail or talk to them quickly & tell them his whole story–not one of the good guys. That’s what we have to avoid here. After all this time, it’s tough to come to grips with the fact that most Americans don’t know anything about ALEC…even though it’s slowly been ruining American
democracy since 1971. When they celebrated their 40th anniversary in Chicago (at the swanky Palmer House Hilton, no less), there was quite a large street protest, w/some prominent speakers.
It didn’t even make the local news, let alone national.
As to your comment about DeVos: I find it interesting, because a # of commenters here (who are roundly criticized every time) say the same thing about IQ 45: there’s no pretense–he’s blatantly who he is (not good & worse).
I do blame Obama & Duncan for sticking a knife in the back of American public education. (& the Obama twisted it, again, by appointing John King Duncan’s successor.) &, then, again their condemnation of Central Falls H.S. (back to one of Diane’s posts yesterday–think it was “Chicago: No New Charter Schools”) w/comments RE: the film Won’t Back Down, Viola Davis & Central Falls H.S. No.More.Of.That!!!
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It should be interesting watching elitest, Michael Bennet, defend his record. Booker will have a compadre of double-talk.
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Isn’t it at 9:45 AM? (That’s what the P.R. ad says, am I right?) & that’s ET, correct?
(So it’s on at 8:45 AM CT & 6:45 AM {on a SATURDAY?!} PT, right?)
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