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Advice for Molly Ball, The Atlantic

By dianeravitch
September 10, 2012 //
4

Sharon Higgins, Oakland parent activist, suggests some reading for Molly Ball, who wrote about Michelle Rhee “taking over the Democratic Party.”

Ball must not be aware of the conversation between Bill Moyers and Bernie Sanders of a few days ago about what’s happened to the Democratic Party.
http://billmoyers.com/segment/bernie-sanders-on-the-independent-in-politics/

Sanders explains: “So what you are looking at is a nation with a grotesquely unequal distribution of wealth and income, tremendous economic power on Wall Street, and now added to all of that is you have the big money interests, the billionaires and corporations now buying elections. This scares me very much. And I fear very much that if we don’t turn this around, Bill, we’re heading toward an oligarchic form of society.”

What Sanders did not touch on is how the billionaires and multimillionaires of both parties not only buy elections but use their foundations to control U.S. public education policy.

More and more everyday people are disgusted with the takeover of this country by the super-rich and realize that the Democratic Party, which traditionally served their interests, has apparently been replaced by a Big-Money Democratic Party that has interests more closely aligned with those of the Big-Money Republican Party. The narrow gap in ideology between these two Big-Money fraternal twins explains why Michelle Rhee, spokesmodel for corporate ed reform, calls herself a Democrat but happily, and very naturally, swings both ways.

Bernie Sanders, a self-described democratic socialist, and this former Republican staffer view what’s happened in a similar way. Ball should at least read down to paragraph seven.
http://www.theamericanconservative.com/articles/revolt-of-the-rich/
Categories Democrats, Education Reform, Rhee, Michelle

An Answer from Molly Ball

By dianeravitch
September 9, 2012 //
12

Yesterday I responded to an article in The Atlantic claiming that Michelle Rhee was actually a “lefty” and was “taking over” the Democratic party.

I responded to the article.

Others have said that the writer, Molly Ball, was sending out an automated reply, but I got something slightly different.

What she says here is that she doesn’t understand why a Democrat would not support for-profit charter schools; or work closely with Governor Chris Christie to strip teachers of tenure and seniority; or work with Governor Rick Scott to promote privatization of public schools; or work with Governor Mitch Daniels to push vouchers through the legislature; or accept an award from the rightwing American Federation for Children in company with Governor Scott Walker.

What she says is that there is no difference between Democrats and Mitt Romney on education.

I hope that President Obama makes clear what the differences are.

Here is our exchange:

Hi Diane, thanks for the feedback. My intent with the story was not to mediate 
yet another round of the education-reform debate, but to illustrate the 
political inroads Rhee and her ideas have made, while noting, as you do, that 
they remain quite controversial. 

To answer your rhetorical questions, I don't see why a Democrat can't do any of 
those things. 

Best,
Molly
________________________________________
From: Diane Ravitch [gardend@aol.com]
Sent: Saturday, September 08, 2012 6:05 PM
To: Ball, Molly
Subject: From Diane Ravitch re Rhee

Would a Democrat work to promote a for-profit chain?

Would a Democrat work with Republican governors Rick Scott, Chris Christie, and 
Mitch Daniels?

What part of Rhee's agenda differs from that of the most rightwing Republicans?

What Democrat would have accepted an honor from the far-right voucher-loving 
organization American Federation for Children, which simultaneously honored 
Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker?

Nothing that Rhee advocates has ever succeeded.

Neither charters nor vouchers nor merit pay nor evaluating teachers by test 
scores has any evidence of improving education.

Diane Ravitch
Categories Democrats, Education Industry, Education Reform, For-Profit, Indiana, Obama, Privatization, Rhee, Michelle

Is Michelle Rhee Taking Over the Democratic Party?

By dianeravitch
September 8, 2012 //
52

An article in The Atlantic by a political reporter named Molly Ball claims that Michelle Rhee is “taking over” the Democratic Party.

It curious that Rhee owns the party but was not invited to speak and explain her views. So many speakers ridiculed Mitt Romney because, they said, he likes to fire people. Funny, Rhee likes to fire people too. When she ran the DC schools, she invited a PBS camera crew to watch her fire a principal.

I wrote to the author of this article. You should too. Post a copy here if you do. Her email address is in the article.

This is what I wrote:

Would a Democrat work to promote a for-profit chain?
Would a Democrat work with Republican governors Rick Scott, Chris Christie, and Mitch Daniels?
What part of Rhee’s agenda differs from that of the most rightwing Republicans?
What Democrat would have accepted an honor from the far-right voucher-loving organization American Federation for Children, which simultaneously honored Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker?
Nothing that Rhee advocates has ever succeeded.
Neither charters nor vouchers nor merit pay nor evaluating teachers by test scores has any evidence of improving education.
Diane Ravitch
Categories Democrats, Rhee, Michelle

Why The Chicago Teachers Union Deserves Support

By dianeravitch
September 8, 2012 //
37

http://withabrooklynaccent.blogspot.com/2012/09/press-statement-on-chicago-teachers.html


Press Statement on Chicago Teachers Strike
Dr Mark Naison, Fordham University

The Chicago Teachers strike is an incredibly important development because it is a the first time a union local has threatened to strike against education policies pushed by the Obama Administration through its Race to the Top initiative, policies, in my judgment, that have had incredibly destructive consequences for Urban school systems and distressed urban communities

The policies pushed by Rahm Emmanuel, which are being simultaneously implemented in New York and many other cities, involve evaluating teachers and schools on the basis of student test scores, closing schools whose test scores fail to meet a certain standard and firing half their staffs, replacing public schools with charter schools, some run as non profits and some run for profit, and trying to weaken teacher tenure and introduce merit pay

The first three components have been already introduced in Chicago and the mayor wants to intensify them and legnthen the school day. The union is saying enough is enough.

I support the union in taking this stand for the following reasos

1. Closing schools, many of which have been a bulwark of neighborhoods for generations, has been a complete disaster. It has destroyed one point of stability in the lives of young people who have precious little. It removes teachers who have been a part of students lives. It is not an accident that Chicago has seen a serious uptick of violence since Emmanuel became mayor. Young people in distressed neighborhoods need to see community institutions strengthened and teacher mentors protected. School closings and staff turnover take away needed anchors

2. Rating teachers and schools on the basis of student test scores, and threatening to close schools and fire teachers if the proper results aren’t achieved have not only ratcheted up stress levels in schools, they have led to the elimination of art music, sports, school trips and even recess for test prep. The result is that more and more teachers hate teaching and more and more young people hate school, increasing the drop out rate in neighborhoods which desperately need schools to become community centers where young people want to go. The union wants to make schools welcoming places where students want to come by reducing class size, and bringing back sports and the arts, and strengtheining struggling schools rather than closing them. That makes a lot of sense to me

3. Favoring charter schools over public schools has resulted in the systematic creaming off of high performing students by the charters and the warehousing of ELL and special needs students, along with students who have behavior issues, in the remaining public schools. The result is that overall academic performance in the district has not improved

4. Removing teacher tenure and job protections has resulted in the most talented teachers leaving the city system or trying to move from low performing schools to high performing ones where they are less likely to be fired. The result is an accentuation of racial and economic gaps in performance

Basically, what the union wants is to strengthen neighborhood schools an invest in making them places where students are nurtured and want to come, rather than stress filled test factories which the Emmanuel plan and Race to the Top guarantees

The union, in this instance is far better advocate for the children
of Chicago than the mayor

I am available for interviews on my cell all weekend (917) 836-3014

Mark D Naison
Professor of African American Studies and History
Fordham University
“If you Want to Save America’s Public Schools: Replace Secretary of Education Arne Duncan With a Lifetime Educator.” http://dumpduncan.org/

Categories Chicago, Democrats, Emanuel, Rahm, Obama, Privatization, Race to the Top, Unions, US Education

Democrats Abroad Wrote Great Platform!

By dianeravitch
September 7, 2012 //
5

The Democrats Abroad platform unequivocally supports the strengthening of public education and the education profession. It opposes privatization of public education. It opposes charter schools and vouchers. It supports the use of tests for diagnostic purposes and opposes the use of tests to evaluate teachers and schools. It opposes the outsourcing of any aspect of educational leadership. It supports the right of education employees to bargain collectively and opposes efforts to curtail that right.

It is refreshing to see that Democrats abroad are in touch with the historic ideals of the Democratic party.

*******************************************

III. AMERICAN DOMESTIC ISSUES

We applaud our Administration’s accomplishments and encourage greater efforts to ensure equality of opportunity through public support

1. Education, Arts and Sciences

Education is a basic human right according to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and a public responsibility. We must pro-actively develop a population that is globally aware, globally sensitive, globally responsible and globally engaged. We therefore:

SUPPORT strengthening quality public education for all American young people based on the following enduring American values and internationally-recognized best practices:

The purpose of education is to enable all children and young people to reach their full potential as individuals and to become socially responsible citizens of our country and the world;

Equality of opportunity and non-discrimination are the foundation of our democratic society and must be reflected in all aspects of educational governance, management, finance, school facilities, teaching and support professions;

Quality primary and secondary education are the basis on which all further learning takes place and young adults are equipped with the critical thinking, skills and knowledge to make further educational and professional choices throughout their lives;

Equal access, academic freedom and quality in higher education are national priorities. A key characteristic of successful individuals and societies is the quality of higher education;

America should protect education as a public good in a period of economic austerity. We need informed citizenry to preserve and strengthen democratic values and institutions that respect them;

SUPPORT the diagnostic use of formative evaluation and assessment to encourage learning.and OPPOSE the misuse of assessment regimes to evaluate teachers or schools as institutions. Evaluation of schools should celebrate community ownership and improvement.

URGE that all levels of government view teachers and their organizations as equal partners, independent but committed to the common endeavor of achieving successful education systems.

FAVOR policies that require that personnel in school leadership, governance and management have professional knowledge, specific to public service in education, and OPPOSE the outsourcing of any aspect of educational leadership. This disturbing trend de-professionalizes key foundations of our education systems and decision-making based on knowledge, experience, trust and democratic principles.

Page 14

SUPPORT the strengthening of education professionals’ collective bargaining rights, acquired over many years, and DEPLORE the threats to those rights that are currently posed by well-funded and irresponsible special interests.

FAVOR a concerted effort by national and state governments to undertake urgent rehabilation and upgrades of our school infrastructure, to ensure that our nation’s educational facilities are quality construction, safe and environmentally friendly.

FAVOR Federal assistance to states for the creation of free, universal, voluntary pre-kindergarten programs, integrated into the public education system, while ensuring that states require the licensing and certification of all preschool instructors. Early childhood care and education are intended to meet the needs of the whole child.

URGE the reform and renewal of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, based on the principle that the Federal government’s first responsibility is to set the bar higher than it has ever been in terms of equality of access and service, rather than lowering it to enable ‘market’ forces to play.

APPLAUD President Obama’s efforts to provide more federal funding for higher education and his support of community colleges, including the 2012 creation of the Community College to Career Fund. Further action must be taken to improve equal access to all forms of tertiary education and to reduce the cost of higher education.

DEPLORE trends towards privatization and outsourcing of our children’s future, which undermine democratic institutions at home and internationally. An informed citizenry is the bedrock of democratic values and the institutions that respect them.

FAVOR restoration of public funding for education for states that have recently cut back spending and APPLAUD President Obama’s insistence that the Recovery Act save the jobs of hundreds of thousands of teachers and support staff as well as contribute to the rehabilitation of poorly maintained public schools in disadvantaged areas.

OPPOSE policies that rely on corporate management practices, competition without proven benefits, or the privatization of public education, all of which thoughtlessly privilege corporate values over America’s commitment to equal opportunity, alleviation of poverty, civil rights and respect for linguistic, social and cultural diversity.

FAVOR Internet access and training in new computer-based technologies in all public schools, which allow students from all background to engage critically in the information revolution and knowledge economy.

FAVOR more rapid integration of immigrant workers and students in tax-supported educational programs and schemes, and OPPOSE the short-sighted attempts of some states, such as Arizona, to eliminate English Language Learner programs.

OPPOSE any Constitutional Amendment mandating or permitting organized prayer in public schools. OPPOSE the teaching of creationism, intelligent design or any other programs understood to comprise the

notions of creationism, within the science curriculum in public schools.

FAVOR the adoption of education policies, curricula and international exchange programs for students and professionals that promote stronger awareness and appreciation of current events, global affairs, geography, foreign cultures, international understanding and foreign languages in order to help the U.S. in the increasingly globalized world.

Page 15

OPPOSE ineffective “choice” measures such as school vouchers, tax-credit programs and semi-public or for-profit charter schools that divert public funds to private initiatives. Parents in disadvantaged areas, and indeed most parents, prefer the improvement of existing neighborhood public schools to re-locating their children outside local communities.

FAVOR more objective, fact-based news coverage on Voice of America, Armed Services radio and other U.S.-funded globally based broadcasters, not only to improve our nation’s image but also as a contribution to the liberalization of cultural values in the global commonwealth.

FAVOR more and improved funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the National Endowment for the Humanities as these organizations are critical to the encouragement of cultural and creative expression in our country. We applaud the increase in funding for the National Endowment for the Arts to the highest level since 1992.

SUPPORT freedom of expression in the arts, within the U.S. and through our foreign policy.

FAVOR increased funding for the National Science Foundation and additional grants and tax credits for universities and businesses for specialized training programs.

Categories Democrats

The Real Turnaround School in Massachusetts

By dianeravitch
September 6, 2012 //
3

Andrea Gabor wonders why Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick drew national attention to Orchard Gardens while ignoring the true turnaround at Brockton High School, the state’s largest high school?

Orchard Gardens fits the Duncan script: Blame the teachers, fire 80% of them. But the school made modest gains and still has low scores. Contrary to what Governor Patrick claimed, it is not “one of the best schools in the state” in only one year. He neglected to mention that the school has had six principals in seven years.

Brockton High, however, is truly a remarkable story of collaboration and success. And it does not follow the Duncan script. There were no mass firings. There was no blaming teachers. Instead there was a focused effort to improve literacy, not by testing and test prep, but by reading, writing, and discussion. The change did not occur in a single year. And the results are impressive.

Why didn’t Governor Patrick tell the story of Brockton High?

Categories Accountability, Democrats

Democrats tell DFER to Stop Using Party Name

By dianeravitch | Aside
May 17, 2012 //
7

Two Democratic party groups in California have publicly protested the use of the word “Democrats” by the hedge-fund managers’ charter advocacy group Democrats for Education Reform.

The Los Angeles Democratic Party and the Democratic Party of San Fernando Valley have complained that the Wall Street group–whose education policies are indistinguishable from those of the GOP–should cease and desist using the word “Democrats” in their name as it confuses voters. Here is the LA complaint: http://www.lacdp.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/LACDP-2012-DFER-Cease-Desist-Final.pdf.

The Democratic Party of San Fernando Valley distributed a flyer, but I don’t have a link for it.

The complaint is the same. DFER is supporting conservative candidates who are not the candidates of the Democratic party. DFER, of course, advocates for charter schools and for evaluation of teachers by test scores. The Democratic party has traditionally supported public education, not privately managed charters (of course, President Obama has broken new ground by endorsing GOP education policy).

But what is clear in these complaints is that the grassroots Democrats are not yet ready to embrace, as the President has, the Republican program of testing, accountability, and school choice.

Categories Democrats, Democrats for Education Reform

California: Two Democratic Party Groups Protest DFER Use of “Democrats”

By dianeravitch | Aside
May 17, 2012 //
0

Two Democratic party groups in California have publicly protested the use of the word “Democrats” by the hedge-fund managers’ charter advocacy group Democrats for Education Reform.

The Los Angeles Democratic Party and the Democratic Party of San Fernando Valley have complained that the Wall Street group–whose education policies are indistinguishable from those of the GOP–should cease and desist using the word “Democrats” in their name as it confuses voters. Here is the LA complaint: http://www.lacdp.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/LACDP-2012-DFER-Cease-Desist-Final.pdf.

The Democratic Party of San Fernando Valley distributed a flyer, but I don’t have a link for it.

The complaint is the same. DFER is supporting conservative candidates who are not the candidates of the Democratic party. DFER, of course, advocates for charter schools and for evaluation of teachers by test scores. The Democratic party has traditionally supported public education, not privately managed charters (of course, President Obama has broken new ground by endorsing GOP education policy).

But what is clear in these complaints is that the grassroots Democrats are not yet ready to embrace, as the President has, the Republican program of testing, accountability, and school choice.

Categories California, Democrats, Democrats for Education Reform
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