We recently learned that Josh Shapiro, Democratic candidate for Governor of Pennnsylvania, has endorsed vouchers.
One of our readers supplied an email for this “Democrat” who has embraced the Republican agenda for education. Josh Shapiro is a hypocrite. Real Democrats support public goods. Real Democrats care about the common good. Real Democrats fight privatization of what belongs to the public.
Here’s his email: contact@joshshapiro.org, As a union public school teacher and a member of the democratic party I am absolutely outraged by your decision to endorse charter schools.
If you don’t know why you should not be supporting the same education policies as Donald Trump and Betsy Devos, then you have no business holding public office for the democratic party.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Hello Diane: I sent the below per your request:
Heading: A Note on Public Educational Institutions, or Not
Hello Josh Shapiro:
The introduction of capitalist principles is embodied in private/charter schools and vouchers (profit-making/bottom-line, pay to play thinking) . . .
. . . whereas public institutions are governed by principles of the common in the name of the commonwealth (and only THEN are budgets considered). Here, everyone benefits, and even the poor and socially marginalized are represented, from cradle to grave, and over the long term.
The mix of capitalist with public principles introduces a basic set of conflicts where: if our representatives in Congress are not aware, capitalist principles incrementally take over . . . at the highest levels of government, through “certain” omissions and directions in the curriculum (as in teacher education programs, private and charter schools, and vouchers), and by controlling the corporate “message” embedded in the content and direction of all communications (in our case today, decades of anti-public/democratic propaganda fueled by lots of dark money).
Whether such a takeover is unintended, or a conscious plan of many in corporate and political “culture” today, is a different question. But without a basic awareness of the above conflict of principles in elected officials in State and Federal Congresses (wholly public institutions), YOU and others can only remain naively obtuse about what’s going on and go with the flow of the thinking of whoever are the either ignorant or ill-meaning power brokers among us.
Of all places to forget . . .
Catherine Blanche King
Thank you, CBK.
You’re welcome, Diane. I appreciate and still enjoy reading your notes and links, and pass many along (but not the commentary).
If I may, here is an insight I had the other day about Trump running for president again and NOT winning. It occurred to me while I was watching the Ken Burns documentary on the Holocaust:
Trump doesn’t need to get more votes. He only needs an organized violent center who is willing to do anything for him, including murder. The voting numbers mean nothing if everyone against him is either dead or frozen in fear. CBK
CBK,
With so many fervent Trumpers running to be Secretary of State—in charge of elections—we are in a dangerous place. How can a close election result be trusted when the person in charge is an insane election denier. Anyone who believes the 2020 election was rigged is a nut.
Diane: Yes: “A nut.” I saw yesterday that even Mitch McConnell is quoted as saying that (paraphrased but close): We all know that Trump is crazy.
But I have to wonder how these people teach their kids life lessons, for instance, you don’t cheat to win, even if the other person does (which is not the case in THIS case) . . .or that cheating is for losers.
With Trump’s violent and organized center, coupled with election deniers in high office . . . yes, a very bad place to be in history. CBK
“I have to wonder how these people teach their kids life lessons, for instance, you don’t cheat to win, even if the other person does”
You need not wonder because “You don’t cheat to win” is certainly not one of the life lessons these folks teach.
On the contrary, “You lie, cheat, steal (and even ship immigrants to Martha’s Vineyard) to win at all costs” is the actual lesson.
I am likely being quite naive, but I suspect Shapiro’s “views” on education issues are like those of most policymakers: uninformed and not interested, regardless of whatever public rhetoric is being used. He’s just going with his paid (in more ways than one) advisors and not really giving this issue a second thought. Like most Americans. Unfortunately and to their peril.
I will write to this guy, but I am finding it hard to not be sarcastic. It is the corporate Democrats like Shapiro that are driving the working class from the party.
Mr. Shapiro attended The Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Academy in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, known when Shapiro attended it as Akiba Hebrew Academy instead of the local public schools. It is also where he sends his four children at a cost of between $30,000 and $40,000 per child per year. I just love it when politicians that know nothing about public schools pass judgment on them.
The voucher bill he is supporting will cut the cost for rich families but will not provide the tuition for any child —not a one—to go to a high quality private school.
The proposed voucher sounds like an ESA since it can be used in a variety of ways with zero accountability. https://www.psea.org/news–events/newsstand/press-center/news-release—april-27-2022/
BTW, here’s is a link to the latest Gallup Poll about satisfaction with public education. The parent poll is currently at an 80% approval rating, but the national poll is 42%. The problem with public schools is that they are being unfairly belittled and bashed by the media and right wing policy wonks. Those that know actually see the progress in their children and have an appreciation for all that they do value them.https://news.gallup.com/poll/399731/americans-satisfaction-education-low-side.aspx
The most important thing in the next elections is that moderates, independents, and undecideds vote for the Democratic candidate. They can’t just stay home if they don’t like the GOP candidate, they need to vote Democratic.
Any election that is not a landslide will be contested. Stay-at-home “I just won’t vote” voters means close elections to be contested.
On this issue – write to Josh Shapiro. Raise heck. Give him an earful.
But please do not give an ounce of fodder to undecideds to vote GOP or stay home.
If they read and hear Democrat division or dissonance they’re thinking “well, might as vote for the GOP guy because the democrats aren’t that crazy about their candidate.”
Crazy? People wrote criticizing Candidate Obama’s positions on ESEA and other educational issues and were serious about not voting for him or just not voting.
If folks wish to learn about Josh Shapiro’s opponent Doug Mastriano, the Wikipedia entry about him: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doug_Mastriano . Here is a little taste: “Mastriano is a prominent figure in fundamentalist Christian nationalism and has called the separation of church and state a myth. He has made social media posts referencing QAnon and has spoken at events that promoted QAnon and 9/11 conspiracy theories. A self-professed close ally of former president Donald Trump, Mastriano received national attention for his efforts to overturn the 2020 United States presidential election. He attended Trump’s January 6 rally in Washington D.C. prior to the Trump supporters storming the United States Capitol and was seen on video passing through Capitol Police barriers after they had been breached by others in the crowd. Mastriano was subpoenaed by the United States House Select Committee on the January 6 Attack in February 2022; he stopped cooperating with the select committee in August.” , There is more in Wikipedia.
People who do not vote for Josh Shapiro because he is not a “democrat” increase the chances of Doug Mastriano becoming governor of Pennsylvania.
Yes, Doug Mastriano is a horrible man and should not be elected to any office. I’m not sure if he’s wicked or stupid or both.
But I’m still very disappointed that Josh Shapiro, like Mastriano, is supporting vouchers.
Doctor Ravitch,
I am glad that you are not a supporter of Doug Mastriano. I was not sure given your posts about Josh Shipiro.
I hope that you will urge every reader who is eligible to vote in Pennsylvania to go to the polls and vote for Josh Shapiro. It would be a terrible thing if Doug Mastriano won because readers here believed that there was no difference between the “democrat” Josh Shipiro and Doug Mastriano.
Doug G is a seditious nut.
There is no inconsistency with criticizing someone for their policy on one issue and still voting for them.
And assuming that simply because someone (in this case Diane) has criticized Shapiro , they believe he is not a Democrat and will therefore not vote for him is just stupid.
But it’s no surprise that TE would make that assumption.
But he’s an economist, so I suppose we should cut him some slack.
So what is the deal with Shapiro and vouchers? Is he a fundamentalist himself? I can’t see any other reasons for this other than religion or racism.
And, no, this is not an endorsement for any Republican. If Shapiro wore an ugly tie, I would call him out on that but still vote for him over a Republican (unless that Republican were Bernie!).
I wish Josh Shapiro would explain his support for vouchers. Instead, he restates Betsy DeVos’ propaganda.
Let me be clear.
If I lived in Pennsylvania, I would vote for Shapiro. His opponent is a Trumpian fruitcake. But I would still complain about the absurdity of endorsing vouchers.
I don’t live in Penn (that might be obvious from my name) so my information on Shapiro has been limited. He is said to be a “devout Jew” and has attended religious schools himself. My conclusion is that he is an advocate for teaching religion in school or having education be the purvey of organized religion. Instead of training children to be Christian ignoramuses, he might advocate teaching them to be Jewish ignoramuses.
Nice fucking choice for the people of America! (assuming I am correct).
If I still lived in Pennsylvania, I would also vote for Shapiro as he is a far better choice. When the chips are down, I will vote for a corporate Democrat over a lunatic any day. I have asked my cousins to support Shapiro and Fetterman. Voting for most GOP candidates these days is voting for bigots, misogynists, liars and vandals.
My issue is the potential for Shapiro being a bigot and a misogynist. Is he an orthodox Jew? Why is he pro-voucher?
The choice remains clear cut, but this does not absolve Shapiro from being a racist or a religious zealot until someone explains the whole voucher thing to me.