Archives for category: Broad Foundation
« Older Entries
Newer Entries »

NAISON: Why I Am Speaking at Occupy the DOE

By dianeravitch
March 14, 2013 //
12

There will be a demonstration at the U.S. Department of Education from April 4-7.

One of the speakers will be Mark Naison, who teaches African-American studies at Fordham University.

Here he explains why he will be there:

I am coming to Washington because our public education system is being systematically dismantled by people whose power derives solely from the unprecedented concentration of wealth in a small number of hands. Without the Gates, the Broads, the Waltons, the Bloombergs and the hedge fund executives, the three bulwarks of current Education Reform policy- privatization, universal testing and school closings- would have never gained traction because they are unsupported by research and are abhorred by most educators.. What we are facing is not onlythe degradation of the teaching profession and the transformation of the nation’s classrooms into zones of child abuse, but an attack on what little democracy we have left in this country. Therefore, I am not only coming to Washington defend the integrity of the profession I have dedicated my life to, but to join a movement which is one of the most important fronts of resistance to Plutocratic Rule

I also come to Washington, as a scholar of African American History, and a long time community activist, to strip the false facade of “Civil Rights” legitimacy from policies which promote increased segregation, push teachers of color out of the profession, open our schools to profiteering by test companies,and promote narrow workforce preparation as a substitute for the creation of active citizens who can change the world. So I will not only be calling out the billionaires and those who are directly on their payroll, but those who call themselves “progressive- who give aid and comfort to those policies, either because of the hope of political gain or a deficit of courage.. ,

Categories Bloomberg, Michael, Broad Foundation, Closing schools, Corporate Reformers, Education Industry, For-Profit, Gates Foundation, Bill Gates, Race to the Top, Support for public schools

Melissa Harris-Perry Rips Mayor Bloomberg

By dianeravitch
March 10, 2013 //
14

MSNBC host Melissa Harris-Perry tore into New York City Mayor Bloomberg for his latest tactic: blaming teen pregnancy for causing poverty.

Harris-Perry knows that poverty is caused by the economic structure of society, by a society that allows one man–like Michael Bloomberg or Bill Gates or Eli Broad–to accumulate many billions of dollars while millions are trapped in miserable living conditions with low wages or no jobs.

Harris-Perry knows that the 1% blame the poor for their poverty.

They also blame teachers and public schools for causing poverty.

Thanks, Melissa, for nailing it.

Categories Broad Foundation, Economy, Gates Foundation, Bill Gates, Poverty

Big Money Didn’t Buy Much in L.A.

By dianeravitch
March 7, 2013 //
3

Great reporting by Howard Blume in the Los Angeles Times about the school board race.

DFER–the hedge fund managers who call themselves Democrats for Education Reform–put out a hilarious press release boasting of the victory of Monica Garcia over a field of four candidates with no funding. She outspent her closest competitor by 50-1, more or less.

But the nearly $4 million raised by the billionaire boys wasn’t enough to beat Steve Zimmer.

True, the teachers’ union spent $1 million. But why shouldn’t they? They are directly affected by the decisions of the school board, unlike Eli Broad, Michael Bloomberg, and the other tycoons who tried to buy Zimmer’s seat.

Zimmer is independent. He won’t do the union’s bidding. But at least, he won’t set out to do harm and he will understand the consequences of his actions on real teachers and real children, not computer projections thereof.

Categories Bloomberg, Michael, Broad Foundation, Corporate Reformers, Democrats for Education Reform, Los Angeles

Philly Columnist: Time for Teachers to Strike

By dianeravitch
February 28, 2013 //
42

Philadelphia columnist Will Bunch couldn’t believe the onerous, mean-spirited proposal made by school officials to the city’s teachers. They are asked to accept a cut in pay and benefits, larger classes, a longer work day, and, adding insult to injury, no copying machines or supplies, no water fountains or parking facilities, not even desks.

Students will be in larger classes, in schools with no libraries, no librarians, no guidance counselors, and a corps of beaten-down teachers.

Way to go, School Reform Commission! I am reminded that the best corporations in the United States pamper their employees and make sure they have excellent working conditions. They want their employees to have high morale. In Philadelphia, they want to crush their teachers’ morale. The school officials are not employing a business model, unless they have in mind the 19th century idea of treating workers like scum.

If ever there were conditions for a strike against witless, cruel management, this is it.

Bear in mind that Philadelphia has not had an elected school board in over a decade. The School Reform Commission is appointed by the governor and mayor.

Will they care if there is a mass exodus of teachers? Will they happily employ scabs? Do they care about the quality of education? Or is driving down the cost of teachers more important than anything else?

Categories Broad Foundation, Budget Cuts, Corporate Reformers, Education Reform, Philadelphia, Teachers and Teaching, Unions

Pity Our Pitiful, Worried Billionaires

By dianeravitch
February 25, 2013 //
11

Remember reading about how the billionaires have tossed nearly $3 million in campaign funds to elect their slate in the Los Angeles school board race?

Monica Garcia, their favorite incumbent, will be able to fend off the terrifying challenge from Robert Skeels, who has intimidated her with a bankroll of $17,000. By now, he may have raised $18,000. That’s the kind of funding that frightens the 1%.

Kate Anderson, their other favorite, is not well versed in education issues according to the LA Times, but it is awfully important to oust incumbent Steve Zimmer, who is generally recognized–even by the LA Times–as thoughtful, independent, and an experienced teacher. But–good grief–he must be defeated because he was endorsed by UTLA, which makes him anathema to the billionaires and the LA Times. He is independent even from the UTLA, and he was TFA, but no way will Eli Broad and Michael Bloomberg tolerate a board member who has the nerve to be thoughtful and independent.

But pity the poor billionaires. They have to raise millions for their slate because otherwise they might be overpowered by the mighty and scary UTLA. And after all, what do teachers know about education?

Read Anthony Cody’s brilliant column here. He says, “Yes, Virginia, there really is a Bilionaire boys’ club.”

Categories Bloomberg, Michael, Broad Foundation, Los Angeles

Is This What Democracy Looks Like?

By dianeravitch
February 20, 2013 //
29

In Los Angeles, Robert Skeels is running against Monica Garcia, the school board president.

Garcia and two other candidates (including Kate Anderson, who is opposing Steve Zimmer), have received $1 million from NYC mayor Bloomberg, $1.5 million from Eli Broad and friends, and $250,000 from Michelle Rhee’s group.

Here is what Skeels says, responding to another reader, as he watches the massive campaign fund grow:

“…the ratio of plutocrat to union spending in this race is in orders of magnitude. All bidders indeed. My campaign has raised $17,245.22 with just contributions from working class families and community members of $25—$50. One big check from AALA of $500. UTLA hasn’t even sent me their promised $300 check yet. But these billionaires are giving my opponent millions upon millions to offset some phantasmagorical union advantage? You’re more than a liar Mr. U., you’re a shill for power and privilege. Essentially, just a single donor to the CSR corporate slush fund has more say over the election than all the families in my district. That’s some kind of democracy.”

Categories Bloomberg, Michael, Broad Foundation, Corporate Reformers, Los Angeles

An Outrage in Sacramento

By dianeravitch
February 20, 2013 //
12

The Sacramento school board is rushing to shut down 11 elementary schools. That’s 20 percent of the elementary schools run by the Sacramento City Unified School District.

The process has been indefensible. Board members and the Superintendent have short-circuited the usual decision making process on school closure in order to jam these through. The California Department of Education recommends a 6 month process, which includes formation of a citizen advisory committee. But the district has given just five weeks between announcing the list of schools on the chopping block, and the final vote on Thursday. There is no citizen committee.

The fierce urgency of now requires immediate action, and no democratic process whatever.

The district has wildly exaggerated the under-enrollment numbers at these schools, cherry-picked numbers regarding costs and revenue, and refused to take into account the impact that displacing so many students will have on enrollment–as students leave the district for charter schools and other districts. Charter operators are already checking out some campuses, eager to take them over. The superintendent is a graduate of the Broad Academy, which suggests that the mass closure is more about about ideology than cost savings or efficiency.

This is an outrage.

Why don’t they hold hearings?

The lights are going out on public schools in city after city because some billionaire thinks it is a good idea.

Some smart and sophisticated young activists in the Hmong and Latino communities have organized to fight this plan. Listen to them here.

Are there no public-spirited citizens on the Sacramento school board? Don’t they feel a civic obligation to protect public education against privatization?

Categories Broad Foundation, Budget Cuts, California, Charter Schools, Corporate Reformers, Education Industry, Privatization

Inside the Interlocking Directorate of Corporate Reform

By dianeravitch
February 18, 2013 //
5

In this installment of her investigative analysis of the National Council on Teacher Quality, Mercedes Schneider reviews the career of Deborah McGriff.

This provides a fascinating insight into the tangled web of the corporate reform movement.

Categories ALEC, Broad Foundation, Bush, Jeb, Education Industry, Gates Foundation, Bill Gates, National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ)

Incoherent L.A. Times Editorial Okays Sale of School Board

By dianeravitch
February 17, 2013 //
12

If you can make sense of this editorial in the Los Angeles Times, you are a whole lot smarter than me. It speaks disparagingly of the board president, then endorses her.

It chastises the school board for failing to exercise oversight of the city’s booming charter sector, but then rejects Steve Zimmer, the only school board member who had the courage to propose responsible supervision of the charter sector. The Times is flabbergasted that Zimmer called for a moratorium on new charters until the board developed a policy for determining whether they were meeting their obligations to students and the public. L.A. already has more charters than any other city in the nation, so it would hardly have been a burden to delay adding more until the board figured out how to manage its portfolio.

The Times cares not a whit that Eli Broad, Michael Bloomberg, and their allies came up with $2.5 million to choose the next board. In their eyes, it’s okay for big money to overwhelm the political process. They worry not at all about the corruption of democracy.

They pay lip service to “reform.” But what do they mean by “reform.” More private entrepreneurs taking public dollars without supervision? More deregulation of the monied interests? More teachers fired because they teach students with disabilities or English language learners? More destabilization?

In 2010, the L.A. Times covered itself with shame when it concocted its own value-added methodology, rated thousands of teachers, and then published their names. The president of Math for America,, John Ewing, described this farce as “mathematical intimidation,” in an article in the journal of the American Mathematical Society.

The paper’s present indifference to the corporate purchase of the local school board multiplies its shame.

Categories Bloomberg, Michael, Broad Foundation, Charter Schools, Corporate Reformers, Los Angeles

When Big Money Started in L.A. School Board Races

By dianeravitch
February 15, 2013 //
11

This interesting article traces the rise of big spending in Los Angeles school board races.

In 1978, a candidate was elected after spending only $56,000.

This year’s election will break all records.

The big spending began with Mayor Richard Riordan, who decided he needed to shake things up.

He and his fellow zillionaire Eli Broad won control of the board in 1999, promising to guarantee quality education for every child.

And now Eli Broad, Michael Bloomberg and other super-rich are pouring over $2.5 million into the school board races.

To what end?

Is it about power? control?

Do they think they know how to produce a great education for every child? Where have they done it?

Certainly not in New York City, where Michael Bloomberg has exercised autocratic control for more than a decade.

In the latest poll, only 18% of New York City voters want the next mayor to control the schools.

Some affirmation.

Where are Eli Broad’s success stories?

If these guys don’t know how to improve schools, why do they keep meddling?

Categories Accountability, Bloomberg, Michael, Broad Foundation, Los Angeles
« Older Entries
Newer Entries »