Archives for category: Betsy DeVos
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Diane Ravitch Launches the NPE Video Series on the Fight for Public Education

By dianeravitch
September 17, 2017 //
9

The Network for Public Education commissioned a series of short video clips to explain the issues in education today. The filmmaker is professional filmmaker Michael Elliot, who is a parent of children in the New York City public schools.

NPE is fighting for the future and the very existence of public education. We oppose the relentless attacks on public schools, teachers, and the teaching profession by unaccountable billionaires, entrepreneurs, and public officials like Betsy DeVos. We oppose the status quo, in which privatization is offered as the remedy for inequitably funded public schools.

We believe in the importance of democratically controlled, adequately resourced public schools staffed by professional educators. Good public schools are essential to democracy. We want to improve them, strengthen then, make them better for every child.

This short clip, in which I am the speaker, is the first of a series of eight, each addressing different reasons to fight for our schools.

The audience consists of parents, educators, and other citizens. It was filmed in a warehouse in Brooklyn.

We want our message to reach the largest possible public. Please put it on Facebook, tweet it, share it with your friends and family.

Categories Betsy DeVos, Citizenship, Democracy, Network for Public Education, Supporting public schools

Steven Singer: What Betsy DeVos Needs to Know About Rape Victims

By dianeravitch
September 16, 2017 //
19

The U.S. government spends $1 million a month to protect Betsy DeVos. Her brother has a private army. We may safely assume that she will never be threatened with bodily harm.

Steven Singer feels certain that she has never had any contact with rape victims. Maybe she met a few in an official capacity, but he meets them with frequency in his classroom. They are just kids. They are afraid.

He is furious that she wants the word of the victim to have equal weight with the word of the accused. There is a problem. Rape has no witnesses, as a rule.

DeVos thinks that accused should have to face the accuser.

She and her deputy Candace Jackson feel that men accused of rape have gotten a raw deal.

He writes:

False accusations do happen, but they are much less frequent than sexual violence. Only between two and ten percent of rape allegations are untrue, according to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center.

Moreover, the same report found that 63 percent of sexual assaults are never even reported to police. Survivors of this heinous crime rarely come forward because of shame, fear and embarrassment.

That’s something I saw first-hand from my students.

They weren’t bragging about an experience they’d lived through. They wanted more than anything to forget it, to ignore what had happened, to get on with their lives. But they just couldn’t. They felt so betrayed, so vulnerable, so guilty, so frightened.

DeVos’ new policy will do nothing to change that. If anything, it will only embolden would-be attackers to attempt more assault – a crime that already affects nearly a quarter of college women.

According to a National Institute of Justice report, 20 percent of young women will become the victim of a “completed or attempted sexual assault” while in college. And more than 6 percent of men will also be assaulted.

We shouldn’t be making it harder for people who have been brutalized to seek justice. The accused should have due process, but that’s what an investigation is. In the rare instance of false allegations, those unduly impugned should be exonerated.

Despite what she says, DeVos’ recent actions have nothing to do with that. Before passing down her decision, she met with “Men’s Rights” groups like the National Coalition for Men – organizations that I can honestly say, as a red blooded American male, certainly don’t speak for me.

This is politics, not any concern for justice. It’s no accident that DeVos serves at the pleasure of a President who was caught on a hot microphone bragging about engaging in sexual assault. It’s no accident that his base includes white supremacists. It’s no accident that his party continually stomps on women’s rights.

There is a culture of binge drinking and sexual assault on many campuses. Read John Hechinger’s True Gentlemen if you doubt it. It is a factual account of fraternity life today.

Betsy DeVos should read it. So should Candace Jackson.

Categories Accountability, Betsy DeVos

Peter Greene: Uh-Oh, DeVos Went Off-Script on the Illinois Voucher Deal

By dianeravitch
September 15, 2017 //
26

The allegedly bluestate of Illinois, the one with a Republican governor (who hates public schools) and a Democratic legislature (which is supposed to support public schools) passed a school funding deal with a generous voucher package.

According to the script, everyone was supposed to declare the deal a “bipartisan compromise,” not a victory for Betsy Dezvos and privatization.

But Peter Greene points out that DeVos didn’t get the memo. She celebrated her victory.

“Oh, no, Secretary! You forgot to call this a compromise. You forgot to say that these “savings accounts” aren’t really back door vouchers! You forgot to say what a great funding victory this was for public schools! You forgot to pretend that this bill helped ALL schools through its awesome compromisiness. You could have called it a victory on many sides… on many sides.

“Part of the deal in Illinois was supposed to be that voucher fans (of all parties) would refrain from doing a victorious happy dance, that they would avoid saying out loud “We are one step closer to replacing public schools.” But no– there’s DeVos, down in the end zone, doing her victory dance and spiking the ball and hollering, “In your FACE, public schools!!” Next time someone better make sure she gets the memo.”

Categories Betsy DeVos, Illinois, Vouchers

What Betsy DeVos Saw in Omaha

By dianeravitch
September 14, 2017 //
17

Betsy DeVos did not visit a public school in Omaha, somewhat strange since almost all children in Omaha attend public schools.

She visited the Nelson Mandela Elementary School, then visited a Catholic school. Her snub of public schools was blatant.

At the Mandela school, she was greeted by the founder, Dianne Seeman Lozier and by students and teachers wearing pro-public school stickers.

Several teachers and students wore “NE (Heart) Public Schools” stickers.

While Mandela is a private school funded by the Lozier Foundation and William and Ruth Scott Family Foundation, Lozier said in a release that school officials do not support charter schools, which DeVos has championed. The school has a strong cooperative relationship with OPS [Omaha Public Schools], she said.

“We agree with Secretary DeVos on rethinking how schools engage and teach students, however, we want to be clear that we are not advocates for charter schools,” Lozier said. “We don’t think taking money away from public schools is the right decision and are adamant that public school systems need those dollars to educate all students.”

In February, Mandela Principal Susan Toohey told The World-Herald that she was “extremely disappointed” by DeVos’ confirmation, which came on a razor-thin 51-50 Senate vote.

“We absolutely don’t think taking money away from public school systems is the right decision,” Toohey said then.

Nebraska was not fertile ground for DeVos’ message of all-choice-all-the-time.

Nebraska Loves Public Schools!

Categories Betsy DeVos, Charter Schools, Nebraska, Supporting public schools

Betsy DeVos Visits Omaha! No Charter Schools! Nebraska Loves Public Schools!

By dianeravitch
September 14, 2017 //
9

Betsy DeVos visits Omaha today.

She must be upset that Nebraska has no vouchers and no charters.

Nebraska has great public schools!

What she doesn’t know:

NEBRASKA LOVES PUBLIC SCHOOLS!!

Categories Betsy DeVos, Education Reform, Nebraska

AFT Poll: What Parents Think About Public Education

By dianeravitch
September 12, 2017 //
34

A new poll of parents, commissioned by the American Federation of Teachers and carried out by the independent and respected Hart Associates, finds that American parents do not share Betsy DeVos’s dim views about their public schools. Parents want better public schools, not school choice.

Big takeaways from the parent poll:

· Parents want good neighborhood schools over increased choice of schools

· More investments in traditional public schools, rather than diverting funds to charters/vouchers

· The biggest problems parents have with schools is inadequate funding, too much testing, bigger class size, and lack of support for teachers. DeVos’s agenda is at the bottom of the polling results in every way.

The poll of 1,200 parents of public school students includes African-American parents, Latino parents, and parents in 10 major cities: Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, New York City, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Antonio, San Diego and San Francisco.

The results are the latest in a series of polls released this summer and fall on people’s priorities for public education. Gallup released a survey last week showing support for public schools was up by seven points compared to 2012; PDK’s annual poll showed deep support for public schools and investments in wraparound services such as mental health services and after-school programs and resources to prepare students for successful lives and careers and strong opposition to funding vouchers for religious school; and the Education Next poll showed public support for charter schools fell by 12 percentage points over the past year

And then there is that nettlesome fact that the states with voucher plans have few takers. In Louisiana and Indiana, only 2-3% of students apply for vouchers for private and religious schools, and some of those students already attend nonpublic schools.

Hello, Betsy: Pay attention to the nearly 90% of American students who attend public schools.

Categories Betsy DeVos, Charters

Peter Greene: When Democrats Echo DeVos

By dianeravitch
September 12, 2017 //
35

Peter agreement has noticed a Democratic think tank in D.C. that sounds like an echo chamber for Betsy DeVos. It is called the Progressive Policy Institute, and back in the 1990s, it inspired many of the Clinton administration’s flirtations with privatization.

It’s back, and it sounds like a np mouthpiece for a Betsy Dezvos. Even DFER and other charter-loving Dems have tried to distance themselves from the Trump administration. But not PPI.

Its spokesman on education is David Osborne, and he adores privatization. He is yet another non-educator who wants to reinvent schools. And of course, he loves charters. Like ALEC, like the Walton family, like the whole privatization industry, he loves deregulation without accountability.

Peter writes:

“You may not have heard of the Progressive Policy Institute lately, but they’ll be coming up more often as their Education Honcho releases his new book. PPI is worth paying attention to, if for no other reason than the organization provides Exhibit #1,635 of Why Teachers Can’t Trust Alleged Democrats….

“I have not read the book (and it’s not high on my list), but I am curious where he stands on the charter characteristics of non-transparency, non-accountability, and generating profits for private corporations and individuals. Nor do I see any signs of Osborne grappling of what happens to “undesireable” students in a charter world in which no charter has to take a student they don’t want (a serious issue in New Orleans).

“There’s a whole world of charter mis-information here, coupled with the tone of someone who has no interest in a serious conversation about any of the issues that charters raise. That’s all just another day at the education debates.

“No, what I want you to notice, and remember as this group pops up, is that these are self-labeled progressives, folks with long and strong Democratic ties. The GOP is no friend of public education, but at least they never pretend otherwise. But here’s evidence once again that when it comes to education, some Democrats are completely indistinguishable from the GOP.”

Categories Accountability, Betsy DeVos, Charter Schools, Corporate Reformers, Democrats, Education Industry, Education Reform, Privatization

Anita Senkowski to the New York Times: Please Look at Charter Rip-Offs in Northern Michigan

By dianeravitch
September 12, 2017 //
2

Anita Senkowski is a blogger in northern Michigan who has written numerous posts about a for-profit charter operator who ripped off taxpayers and is now serving a term in jail for his financial crimes. She read Mark Binelli’s piece in the New York Times about charter schools in Detroit and its surroundings and hopes that he will come to Northern Michigan to see how the fraudster mentality permeates the DeVos charter industry throughout the state.

She writes:

Binelli’s fine piece, focused primarily on districts south of Eight Mile Road, the northern border of Detroit made infamous by former Detroit Mayor Coleman Young in his 1973 inaugural address. Telling “rip-off artists and muggers” to “hit Eight Mile Road” and leave Detroit, Young made few friends in suburban Detroit, especially Oakland County.

As they say in Las Vegas, the house always wins.

And although Michigan gambled on charter schools and its children lost, there have been winners.

One, former optometrist Steven Ingersoll, (whose story I’ve beaten like a rented mule for three years), walked away with millions. Although he’s serving a 41-month federal prison term, no Michigan authority (state or local law enforcement) has expressed any interest in prosecuting Ingersoll for his admitted fraudulent conversion of approximately $5.0 million from the Grand Traverse Academy and another roughly $1.4 million from the Bay City Academy.

If Ingersoll had lived in Mississippi and not Michigan, John Grisham would have already written a not-very-fictitious-sounding novel about him.

In its theory of the case, the federal government asserted Ingersoll’s federal tax evasion case demonstrated the truth of the sayings that “money gives power” and “unchecked power corrupts”.

“Steven Ingersoll obtained control over millions of dollars by creating and running the public charter schools known as the Grand Traverse Academy. The power of that money enabled Steven Ingersoll to corrupt himself, his wife Deborah Ingersoll, his brother Gayle Ingersoll, Roy Bradley, Sr., and Tammy Bradley.

As the person who controlled the accounting books and public funds intended for the operation of the Grand Traverse Academy, Steven Ingersoll ignored his obligation to separate his personal finances from the finances of the Grand Traverse Academy.

Instead, Steven Ingersoll treated the tax dollars provided for public education as his personal piggy bank, ultimately diverting approximately $3.5 million from the Grand Traverse Academy to uses other than the operation of the Grand Traverse Academy.

Steven Ingersoll also manipulated the books of entities he controlled, including Smart Schools Management and Smart Schools Incorporated, to hide his diversion of the public money that had been entrusted to him.”

And Ingersoll, on who reported to FCI Duluth on February 2, 2017 to serve a 41 month sentence for his federal tax evasion and conspiracy convictions, filed a “pro se” motion to vacate on January 24, 2017, seeking “post-conviction relief” based on attorney Martin Crandall’s alleged “ineffective assistance of counsel” — an attorney who’d sued him for nonpayment of nearly $362,000 in outstanding legal fees.

Ingersoll’s motion was denied, and he’s sitting in stir until January 22, 2020 — ironic, since he was an optometrist.

Let’s hope Binelli takes a look back here in Michigan…about 250 miles north of Eight Mile Road.

Categories Accountability, Betsy DeVos, Charter Schools, Corporate Reformers, Detroit, Education Industry, For-Profit, Fraud, Michigan, Privatization

Viola Davis: Don’t Forget the Teachers and Public School That Changed Your Life

By dianeravitch
September 9, 2017 //
13

Viola Davis is one of the most gifted actors of our time. She has won the Tony Award, the Academy Award, and many other awards. She has never forgotten her humble origins and those who helped her rise to the top.

When she received the Tony award in 2010, she gave a powerful speech. She thanked God, her parents, and her teachers at Central Falls High School in Central Falls, Rhode Island. In that order.

I recall leaping to my feet when I heard her speak in 2010, because that was the very time when the city of Central Falls and the state of Rhode Island threatened to fire the entire staff of the High School that Viola Davis attended. To fire them en masse, from the principal to the lunch room staff. Arne Duncan congratulated the state officials for having the “courage” to fire everyone, and President Obama echoed Arne’s insult.

It was also the year of “Waiting for Superman,” and the corporate assault on the public schools went into high gear.

But then there was Viola Davis, thanking her teachers. I learned later that her own sister was a teacher at Central Falls HS.

But…but…but…then, Viola Davis took a leading role in the film “Won’t Back Down,” funded and produced by arch-evangelical billionaire Philip Anschutz (one of the “Superman” funders). “Won’t Back Down” celebrates the parent trigger, telling the fictional story of a parent and a teacher who were so disgusted with their public school that they gathered signatures and flipped the school over to a charter operator. I didn’t get to see the movie because it opened in 2,500 theatres (Anschutz owns the Regal theatre chain) and its receipts were so bad that it closed within a month and disappeared.

Last night, Viol Davis moderated Laurene Powell Jobs’ XQ extravaganza, which asserted that high schools are obsolete and need to be reinvented.

Viola Davis, please watch the speech you gave at the Oscars at 2010.

We need a real champion for public schools.

Trump and DeVos want to eliminate the schools that made you who you are today. Our public schools need your help. They are far from perfect. They need real reform, not a wrecking ball and disruption.

Viola Davis, help us. Join the millions of parents and educators who want better public schools.

The billionaires don’t need your help. We do. They are using you.

Join the Network for Public Education. Help the children and teachers whom the billionaires despise.

Categories Betsy DeVos, Billionaires, Charter Schools, Corporate Reformers, Education Industry, Education Reform, Network for Public Education, Parent trigger, Parents, Privatization, Propaganda, Rhode Island, Students

Missouri: New Push to Expand Charters Despite Lack of Success

By dianeravitch
September 8, 2017 //
10

Missouri legislators are gearing up for a renewed battle to expand charters, despite a lackluster record of existing charters.

http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/missouri-lawmakers-prepare-to-spar-again-over-charter-school-expansion/article_6ae01784-c517-5a65-b5ed-8736671d31c9.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=user-share

When there was a Democratic governor, charter expansion went nowhere.

Now with a Republican governor, the pro-charter forces are ready to push for more.

One of the major out-of-state lobbying groups is Betsy DeVos’s American Federatiob for Children, which has hired a herd of lobbyists to replace public schools with charters and tax credits for vouchers.

Categories Betsy DeVos, Charter Schools, Corporate Reformers, Failure, Missouri, Privatization
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