Archives for category: California

Jeff Bryant: Voters Reject the Rightwing Push for School Privatization

November 24, 2018 //

Jeff Bryant reviews the victories for public education in the last elections.

The big victories were the overwhelming defeat of voucher legislation in Arizona and the Tony Thurmond’s election over the charter lobby’s candidate Marshall Tuck in the Califotnia race for state school superintendent, despite Tuck’s more than 2-1 funding advantage.

And there were many more victories, especially in governors’ races.

In gubernatorial races across the Midwest, Democrats ran and won with strong oppositional messages against school privatization.

In Michigan, Gretchen Whitmer won a governor’s seat formerly occupied by Rick Snyder after campaigning to “end the [Betsy] DeVos agenda in Michigan,” close for-profit charter schools in the state, and propose additional oversights for charters.

In Minnesota, Democratic challenger for an open governor’s seat Tim Walz, a former public high school geography teacher and football coach, pledged to block any proposed voucher programs. He won decisively.

In Illinois, Democratic challenger J.B. Pritzker defeated incumbent Republican Governor Bruce Rauner, while pledging to end the state’s education tax credit voucher program, which already diverts public tax dollars to pay for private school tuition for 5,600 students….

In what is perhaps the most startling of charter school turnarounds, midterm elections in New York took down a longstanding coalition of Republicans and Democrats in the state Senate who colluded with charter advocate Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo to expand these schools and keep them relatively regulation-free.

As New York City public school art teacher and citizen journalist Jake Jacobs reports for the Progressive, a faction of eight Democratic state senators calling themselves the Independent Democratic Conference (IDC) had for years shared power and donors with Senate Republicans to work with Governor Cuomo in maintaining a “favored status” for charter schools in the state.

In September primaries, six grassroots-backed Democratic candidates ousted IDC members, and then, in turn, handily beat their Republican opponents in November. Despite being vastly outspent by the Republicans, the insurgent Democrats pressed their cases to stop charter schools from taking over space in public school buildings and to block attempts to lift the cap on the numbers of charters that can operate in the state. Most supported a moratorium on new charter schools proposed by the NAACP.

Because of victories by these insurgent Democrats, who will insist on more scrutiny of charter schools, Jacobs foresees “a new landscape” in the state legislature “where evidence and research matter more than Albany’s rampant ‘pay-for-play’ arrangements” that have given charters the upper hand.

Similarly, in red states where teacher rebellions have begun to turn the tables on the school privatization industry, public school advocates are seeing a transformed political landscape where resistance is not only possible but winnable.

After midterm elections in Arizona, “we will have the most balanced state legislature since the 1980s,” says Beth Lewis, “with roughly half of the legislators having declared full support for fully funded public schools.”

Categories Arizona, California, Charter Schools, Corporate Reformers, Education Industry, Education Reform, Michigan, New York, Privatization, Resistance

Thrive Charter Schools in San Diego: Where the Founders Thrive, But Not Students

By dianeravitch

November 24, 2018 //

Tom Ultican has written several articles about the Destroy Public Education Movement; this installment examines a failing charter chain in San Diego that continues to rake in big bucks.

The Thrive charter chain, he says, is a masterpiece of marketing, but a failure at education.

When the chain was launched, the San Diego Unified School District staff said it was not ready to open; the founders appealed and were rejected by the staff of the County Board of Education. The founders appealed to the State Board of Education, where its defective application was rubberstamped by Governor Jerry Brown’s pro-Charter State Board.

Ultican says that charter schools are supposed to perform at least as well as similar public schools or show improvement over time.

Thrive charter schools did not meet either benchmark. But that did not deter funders or founders.

They were shameless and kept growing their failing charter chain. And the money kept rolling in, to expand the failure to more children.

“Once she obtained the charter authorization from the SBE, money came. The known list of 2014 donations: Buzz Woolley’s Girard Foundation granted her $108,000; Gate’s Educause sent $254,500; Charter School Growth Fund kicked in $175,000 and the Broad Foundation delivered $150,000 for a total of $688,000. The next year, Broad gave another $50,000 and the New Schools Venture Fund pitched in $100,000. There is another $144,000 promised from Educause.

“Destroy public education (DPE) careers pay well. Tax records reveal that Nicole’s start up “non-profit” has been lucrative. Her pay: year one $122,301; year two $133,747 and year three $142,541. Her husband holds a senior management position at the CCSA which means DPE money flows his way as well.”

In 2017, the charter chain added another school, this one paid for by taxpayers, but with this addendum. The property belongs not to taxpayer who paid for it, but TO THE CHARTER OWNERS! How cool is that!

You will not be surprised to learn that the pro-privatization website “The 74,” is wild about Thrive. Nor will you be be surprised to discover that Thrive loves putting kids on computers and that one of its cheerleaders is Tom Vanderbilt Ark, a leading salesman for edtech.

Ultican reminds us that the Thrive charter chain calls itself “public schools,” but it is a private contractor that runs lucrative but failing schools. All that keeps them going is this formula:

“Bad schools like TPS survive because they are good at marketing; have deep pocketed benefactors and political allies.”

Thrive is not thriving.

Ultican says Thrive is evidence that California needs a moratorium on charter schools until lawmakers systematically root out fraud, self-dealing, waste, and abuse. That’ll be the day.

Categories Accountability, California, Charter Schools, Education Industry, Education Reform, Failure, For-Profit, Privatization, San Diego

Jan Resseger: Is the Charter School Romance Winding Down?

By dianeravitch

November 20, 2018 //

Jan Resseger notes a few straws in the wind that suggest a lessening of enthusiasm for charter schools.

First, she says, is the close race between Tony Thurmond and Marshall Tuck in California. The usual charter-loving billionaires poured millions into Tuck’s campaign, who had twice as much money to spend as Thurmond. The polls predicted a romp for Tuck, given his name recognition (he ran for the same position four years ago, but especially his money in hand. Early returns showed Tuck winning. But then the results reversed, and Thurmond has been leading. Are Californians waking up to the threat posed by charter schools, where accountability is minimal?

Then there was the legislative elections in New York State. Governor Cuomo had a $35 million campaign chest, largely from the Wall Street-Hedge Fund crowd who want to privatize everything. Cuomo rewards his donors. But woe to the charter industry, Republicans and fake Democrats were booted out of the State Senate, and the New Democrats want to improve public schools, not charter schools.

Important straws in the wind.

Categories Accountability, Billionaires, California, Charter Schools

CTA congratulates Tony Thurmond

By dianeravitch

November 17, 2018 //

No one worked harder for the election of Tony Thurmond as State Superintendent of Public Instruction Than the California Teachers Association. The teachers knew what was at stake. In their view, Tony’s opponent, Marshall Tuck, promised to manage the decline of the state’s public schools, whereas Tony promised to fight for them.

Here is the CTA statement:

NEWS RELEASE
November 17, 2018

California Teachers Association
1705 Murchison Drive
Burlingame, CA 94010
http://www.cta.org
(650) 697-1400

Contacts at CTA: Mike Myslinski at 408-921-5769 or Claudia Briggs at 916-296-4087.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tony Thurmond Wins Historic State Superintendent Race — All Students Gain with His Victory
Despite Billionaires Bankrolling His Opponent, Thurmond Takes Tight Race at Last, Vows to Fight for All Students

BURLINGAME – Asssemblymember and former social worker Tony Thurmond will be California’s next Superintendent of Public Instruction. In an historic victory for the millions of public school students across California, Marshall Tuck called Tony Thurmond 11 days after Election Day to concede in a race where every vote mattered.

The most recent results from the Secretary of State are available here.

Despite being outspent by more than 2-to-1 by billionaires backing former Wall Street banker Tuck and his scheme to privative our public schools, Thurmond prevailed in what was the most expensive race for a state schools chief in U.S. history thanks to the work of thousands of educators, parents and public education supporters.

“Congratulations to Tony Thurmond, California’s next Superintendent of Public Instruction. Tony has always been a winner in the eyes of educators who were inspired by his character and genuine support for all the students of our state,” said Eric C, Heins, president of the 325,000-member California Teachers Association. “It’s clear that educators played a pivotal role in this election. We sent a loud message to the billionaires and corporate special interests who spent nearly $40 million trying to buy the state superintendent’s office: Our public schools are not for sale!”

“Never underestimate the power of public school educators, who stood together in unity to do what’s right for our students. We phone-banked, texted, canvassed and volunteered for candidates like Tony who want quality public schools and an equal opportunity to higher education for all children. I want to thank all CTA members for their hard work in this election. We look forward to working with Tony to ensure all students succeed.”

“Electing Tony Thurmond as state superintendent and Gavin Newsom as governor were our top priorities. Tony prevailed in the most expensive race for a statewide schools’ chief in the history of U.S. politics because California voters know he will advocate for all students. The misleading attack ads against Tony by the billionaire allies of Marshall Tuck backfired as voters rejected their agenda to take money from our neighborhood public schools to give to their corporate charter schools. Both Thurmond and Newsom will treat our schools as community centers, not profit centers.”

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The 325,000-member California Teachers Association is affiliated with the 3 million-member National Education Association.

Government Action

Categories Administrators, superintendents, California, Teachers, Unions

California: Official Announcement from Tony Thurmond Campaign

By dianeravitch

November 17, 2018 //

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Madeline Franklin
209-210-8950

THURMOND WINS HISTORIC RACE FOR CA SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION

Pledges to be a champion of public schools and a Superintendent for all California students

California – Saturday, November 17, 2018 – Assemblymember Tony Thurmond is the projected winner of the California State Superintendent of Public Instruction election. More than a week after Election Day, Thurmond has overcome an 86,000 vote deficit on Election Day to win the election. On Saturday, his opponent Marshall Tuck conceded.

“I want to thank the voters of California for electing me to serve the 6 million students of California, I intend to be a champion of public schools and a Superintendent for all California students,” said Superintendent-elect Thurmond. “I ran for Superintendent of Public Instruction to deliver to all Californians the promise that public education delivered to me – that all students, no matter their background and no matter their challenges, can succeed with a great public education.”

Thurmond was born in Fort Ord, California, and overcame humble beginnings. His mother was an immigrant from Panama who came to San Jose, California to become a teacher. Thurmond’s father was a Vietnam veteran who Tony met when he was almost 40 years old. After Thurmond’s mother died when he was 6 years old, Thurmond moved to Philadelphia with his sibling and was raised by a cousin whom he had never met before. With the help of the public education system and public assistance, Thurmond went on to attend Temple University, where he became student body president.

Thurmond has devoted his career to public service, specifically to at-risk young people. As a social worker, Thurmond spent 20 years working directly with families and youth in education, running school-based mental health services and teaching civics, life skills, and career training.

Thurmond later served on his local city council, school board, and was elected to the California State Assembly in 2014. In the State Assembly, Thurmond authored legislation that expanded the free lunch program and moved funding directly from the criminal justice system to school districts. He served as Chair of the Assembly Select Committee on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math Education.

In his campaign for Superintendent of Public Instruction, Thurmond was supported by Senator Kamala Harris, the California Democratic Party, and California’s teachers.

“We talked to voters across the state, and told them what this election means for each of us: It means giving every kid the opportunity to succeed in the 21st century, not just the ones that show the most potential. It means funding our public schools at the levels they deserve, not pouring money into our jails and prisons. It means providing mental health treatment for kids, not arming them with guns. It means supporting our teachers, not demonizing them. It means ensuring every child starts school on the same foot, and providing universal preschool to California’s children. And it means stopping Donald Trump and Betsy DeVos’s anti-education agenda from coming anywhere near California’s public schools.”

Thurmond went on to promise, “As Superintendent of Public Instruction, I’ll fight for these values every day. Because these are the values that will create a better life for all through the power of public education in the great state of California.”

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Categories California, Hope

California: Tony Thurmond Wins Election as State Superintendent of Instruction!

By dianeravitch

November 17, 2018 //

Tony Thurmond tweeted that Marshall Tuck called to congratulate him on his victory in the race to become State Superintendent of Instruction in California.

At last count, Thurmond was leading Tuck by 4,632,425 (50.8%) to 4,480,240 (49.2%).

There were not enough votes outstanding to change the outcome.

First of all, congratulations to Tony Thurmond for winning and fighting clean.

Second, condolences to Marshall Tuck.

Above all, a Bronx cheer for the billionaires who thought that they could buy this office by heaping millions on the Tuck campaign, twice as much as Tony Thurmond was able to raise.

It is no secret that most of the money for Tony Thurmond was contributed by the teachers’ unions. Their money was not inherited, nor did it come from speculation on Wall Street. Their money came from the dues paid by teachers and other members of the union, as well as other unions.

This race was not between two men, but between two competing ideologies.

On one side, behind Thurmond, were the hardworking women and men who teach every day, most of them in the classrooms of California.

On the other were billionaires, who want to impose their DeVosian ideas about the free market on the public schools. They make no bones about their desire to encourage more privatization of public schools.

Tuck’s leading contributor, who gave more than $6 million, was billionaire Bill Bloomfield, a venture capitalist and a Republican. Close behind him were the Walton family (who don’t believe in paying their 1 million workers at minimum wage), Eli Broad, Doris Fischer, Arthur Rock, and Richard Riordan. It is likely that none of these people have entered a public school since they were children, if then.

In time, the full list of contributors will be published, and it is sure to include other billionaires who have taken it upon themselves to inflict their wrongheaded ideas on America’s children.

My wish is that their loss in this election humbles them, but in reality, I know that those who are billionaires never learn humility.

My wish is that they learn that the voters and parents don’t like what they are offering.

My wish is that they would find a new hobby and make a pact to pay higher taxes so that teachers might have a good salary, not only in California but in every state.

Here are some suggestion for what they might do instead of pushing charter schools: build health clinics in every poor community; support school nurses for every school; establish well-supplied libraries in every school; give schools money dedicated to buying musical instruments and hiring someone to teach music, band, and orchestra; build playgrounds where they don’t exist and pay schools to set aside time for recess and play. The best idea of all: Insist on paying higher taxes to support education! You can’t take it with you, and your children don’t need to inherit billions of dollars. It will make them lazy and ruin their lives.

There are so many useful ways that these very rich people could spend their money, ways that would help children and communities.

If they care about our national future, they would invest in good ideas instead of spending hundreds of millions to privatize public schools.

They would be revered instead of wasting their money trying to gain control of something they do not understand.

And, yes, one more thing!

Congratulations, Tony Thurmond for a race well run!

Categories Billionaires, California, Charter Schools, Education Reform

California: Tony Thurmond’s Lead over Marshall Tuck Just Grew to 160,000

By dianeravitch

November 16, 2018 //

The vote totals have been growing.

The last report, published by the Secretary of State at 4:59 pm PST, shows a big increase for Tony Thurmond. His total is now nearly 160,000 more than Tuck’s.

https://vote.sos.ca.gov/returns/superintendent-of-public-instruction

This is nearly a two-point lead.

The charter billionaires spent twice as much on Tuck’s campaign as Thurmond received, mostly from teachers and unions.

Passion beats money. Not always. But maybe in this race.

Wow!!

Categories Accountability, Administrators, superintendents, Billionaires, California, Charter Schools, Education Industry, Privatization

California: Tony Thurmond Vs. Marshall Tuck: More Than $50 Million Spent

By dianeravitch

November 15, 2018 //

I have been watching the website of the California Secretary of State to follow the close contest between Tony Thurmond and Marshall Tuck. The polls and pundits predicted that Tuck would win.

When the polls first closed, Tuck had an early lead, but millions of votes had not been counted. In California, mail-in ballots postmarked on the day of the election must be counted, and they are still being counted.

After election day, Thurmond went into the lead, then Tuck came back, then Thurmond opened up a lead of 65,000-85,000 votes. That lead has held steady over the past couple of days as the vote total grows.

The vote is not final, and the numbers obviously could change in the days ahead.

Thurmond is winning heavily in Los Angeles (the city that should be Marshall Tuck’s base, where the most charters are located) and in San Francisco, which is Thurmond’s base.

On October 28, EdSource in California reported that at least $50 million had been raised for the race, and that Tuck had outraised Thurmond by 2-1.

When all the reports are in, the total amount of spending will surely be even more.

Thurmond was backed by the California Teachers Association and labor unions, meaning that his campaign was paid for by the dues of working people.

Here is a partial list of Tuck donors, a veritable Who’s Who of the school choice movement:

Bill Bloomfield: $6.761 million

Bloomfield is a billionaire Republican mega-donor who has become a charter school advocate.

The Walton Family: $5.138 million

Walmart billionaires

Eli Broad: $3.2 million

The Los Angeles billionaire who believes in closing public schools and privatizing them into charters.

Arthur Rock: $3.2 million

A California venture capitalist and billionaire who gives millions to Teach for America

Doris Fisher: $3.1 million

A billionaire, thanks to The Gap and Old Navy; the family gives heavily to KIPP

Richard Riordan: $2 million

The former Mayor of Los Angeles

These were the totals as of October 28. We will have to wait a few weeks for a complete accounting.

Undoubtedly these donors could have given twice or three times as much, but must have decided that it might embarrass Tuck to have three times as much money as Thurmond. Twice as much should have been enough.

One thing is certain. This is the most expensive contest in history for the job of State Superintendent of Public Instruction, a job that pays $175,000 and has limited authority.

The symbolic importance of this race, however, cannot be overstated. If the charter lobby prevails in a deep blue state, it can prevail in every state. It already owns Governor Cuomo in New York (but lost control of the State Legislature, when progressive candidates ousted fake Democrats in the State Senate). It tried and failed to lift the charter cap in Massachusetts in 2016, routed in a public referendum, even though the Governor and the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education is in the hands of the charter industry.

So, we will continue to keep a close watch on California, where the teachers and the charter billionaires are in a face-off.

Categories Accountability, Administrators, superintendents, Billionaires, California, Charter Schools, Education Industry, Education Reform, Privatization