Archives for category: Virginia
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Burris and Cimarusti: How “The DeVos Effect” Can Affect the Elections in 2018

By dianeravitch
November 20, 2017 //
11

Carol Burris and Darcie Cimarusti of the Network for Public Education argue here that the candidates who forcefully stand up for public schools and speak out against privatization will win in November 2018.

Their evidence is the Elections of 2017.

Start with the remarkable results in Virginia.

“The most important race of 2017 was the hotly contested race for the governor of Virginia, in which a strong public education advocate, Democrat Ralph Northam, faced off against Republican Ed Gillespie. Gillespie fully embraced the entire DeVos agenda — charter expansion, online virtual schools, home schools, and vouchers in the form of tax credits and education savings accounts. There was not an inch of policy daylight between Gillespie and DeVos.

“This should come as no surprise. Gillespie received over $100,000 in campaign contributions from the DeVos family, including a donation from the Secretary’s husband, Dick DeVos. Americans for Prosperity, which is controlled by the Koch brothers, launched a digital video in which a charter school leader criticized Northam for being the vote that stopped the neo-voucher “educational savings accounts.”

“Northam, who was supported by the teachers union, has been a strong and consistent supporter of public education. As stated on his website, “Ralph took tie-breaking votes to protect Virginia’s public education from being raided with unconstitutional private school vouchers and to keep decisions about public charter schools in the hands of local school boards.”

“The election of Gillespie would have been a game changer for public education in the Commonwealth. Virginia is one of a handful of states that allow charter schools to only be authorized by local school boards. In Virginia, charters are subject to the same transparency guidelines as public schools in the state. There are only eight charter schools in Virginia, much to the chagrin of charter advocates.”

Northam, who calls himself a “friend of public schools,” will keep privatization out of the state and instead work to strengthen and improve Virginia’s public schools.”

Friends of public schools will win. Democrats who abandon public schools will not be able to take advantage of “The DeVos Effect.”

Categories Accountability, Betsy DeVos, Charter Schools, Education Industry, Education Reform, Privatization, School Choice, Supporting public schools, Virginia, Vouchers

Our Reader Shares Good Education Books with Newly Elected Virginia Delegate Danica Roem

By dianeravitch
November 8, 2017 //
13

Our reader and commenter, known to you are Virginia Parent, is Michele Boyd. She worked very hard to elect pro-public education candidates in Virginia. In this photograph, taken before the election, she gives Danica Roem some good reading on education issues. Danica was one of the people I endorsed for election to the House of Delegates, on the recommendation of Michele, Rachel Levy, and others on the ground. She is one of the brave Democrats who has come close to taking a majority of seats in a legislature that was gerrymandered to maintain Republican control. Danica knocked out one of the most reactionary members of the House of Delegates.

In case you can’t read the print, Michele gave Danica the following: Daniel Koretz, “The Testing Charade”; Pasi Sahlberg, “Finnish Lessons”; and my last book “Reign of Error.” Can’t go wrong with those three.

Congratulations to all of those and who fought to stop Trumpism in Virginia.

You sent a message to the Nation and gave hope to people who had lost it.

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Categories Education Reform, Supporting public schools, Virginia

The Lessons of Virginia

By dianeravitch
November 8, 2017 //
59

Here are a few of the lessons I take away from the crucial Virginia elections. You may have others. Feel free to chime in.

First, the Trump message of ”American carnage” (the theme of his inaugural address) failed. Appeals to fear didn’t work. The blatant and latent warnings about crime, immigration, race, and insecurity lost. Virginians Close hope over fear.

Second, Trump phony themes of patriotism, delivered by references to athletes taking a knee and sacred Confederate statues, were not enough to overcome opposition to Trump and Trumpism. Voters are not dumb. They see through the smokescreen.

Third, Democrats win by uniting their base, including parents and teachers. Northam spoke positively about Virginia’s public schools and promised to reduce the burden of testing, to expand early childhood education, and to improve teachers’ Salaries. Not a word about charters or choice.

His pledge:

“Our kids deserve to go to schools where they feel safe and get the highest quality education. We can’t allow the Trump Administration to destroy the success of Virginia’s public schools, public universities, or community college system. Ralph will fight to defend our public schools and will support classroom innovation to develop new methods of teaching our kids the skills they need for a 21st century economy.

“As a member of the Children’s Cabinet, Dr. Northam and the McAuliffe administration are helping our most challenged schools combat chronic absenteeism and poor academic performance — but there’s still work to do. The commonwealth of Virginia spends, on average, $80 million per year to remediate students in kindergarten through third grade. We need to reevaluate how we test our youngest students and ensure we’re putting them on track for success at the beginning of their academic careers. A big part of addressing this issue is making sure quality pre-K is available to all young Virginians — though it also involves challenging conventional methods of student assessments and alternatives to having students repeat grades at early ages.”

There is more.

Every Democratic Candidate in 2018 should read Dr. Notham’s commonsense approach to education.

Categories Early Childhood Education, Support for public schools, Teacher Pay, Virginia

Northam Wins!!! Democrats Sweeping Virginia! Trumpism Repudiated!,

By dianeravitch
November 7, 2017 //
84

Fantastic news!

Lt. Governor Ralph Northam won the governorship in Virginia, beating Ed Gillespie, who ran a dirty Trump-like campaign, accusing Northam of allying with criminal immigrant gang MS-13, wanting to remove Confederate statues, and supporting unpatriotic athletes.

The major networks just called the race for Northam. They say it is 51-48, but the margin seems likely to grow as the votes roll in from the DC suburbs. Now it is up to 52-47. It will grow. It is currently a 54-45 blowout. Nine points.

Democrats are also picking up seats in the House of Delegates. The GOP author of the phony transgender bathroom bill was defeated. An openly transgender candidate beat him.

The House Majority Whip was defeated. Our friend and reader “Virginia Parent” says that the “charters and choice” issue is dead in Virginia.

It is a wonderful win for a good man who refused to pander.

Dr. Northam went to public schools, supports public schools, does not support charters or vouchers.

Teachers and public school parents turned out in full force for Dr. Northam.

Message to the Democratic Party: Support public schools, and you can win again!

Categories Charter Schools, School Choice, Supporting public schools, Virginia, Vouchers

Virginia: A Busload of Volunteers from Manhattan Went Door to Door for Northam!

By dianeravitch
October 23, 2017 //
4

I received the following note from a Virginia public school parent:

“Pleasant surprise today when we went to canvass for the pro-public education Democratic team of Ralph Northam, Justin Fairfax, Mark Herring & Danica Roem in VA13 Prince William County….a bus load of volunteers from New York City! They knocked on 549 doors!

“#ManhattantoManassas”

This is the first statewide election since the 2016 election.

It is widely seen as a referendum on Trump, since Lt. Governor Northam’s opponent is running as a Trump devotee. His big issue is Confederate statues.

Northam is running as a champion of public education, the environment, gun safety, affordable healthcare for all, justice and equality for all Virginians.

It’s time to restore American values of fairness, justice, equality, and decency.

If you can’t go to Virginia and knock on doors, send a donation to help turn America into America again, a land of hope, not fear.

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Categories Education Reform, Supporting public schools, Virginia

Virginia: Koch Brothers Launch Campaign Against Ralph Northam for Governor

By dianeravitch
October 23, 2017 //
82

The arch-conservative billionaire Koch Brothers have unleashed campaign ads against Lt. Governor Ralph Northam in the Virginia governor’s race.

The Washington Post reported that the Koch Brothers have spent nearly $3 Million Against Northam.

“Americans for Prosperity, the heart of the billionaire Koch Brothers’ conservative political network, plans to ramp up its campaign against Ralph Northam, the Democrat in Virginia’s governor’s race.

“The conservative group announced Friday that it would spend at least $1 million on mailers and digital ads targeting Northam’s record on taxes, education and economic development.

“It follows at least $1.8 million in anti-Northam television commercials and mailers to date, according to data collected by the nonpartisan Virginia Public Access Project. The group also says it has contacted hundreds of thousands of Virginia voters through its phone-banking and canvassing efforts…

“Americans for Prosperity is also launching a digital video featuring a charter school administrator criticizing Northam for voting against a bill to establish “educational savings accounts” that allow parents who remove children from public schools to receive 90 percent of the state funding that would have been spent on their child. They would be able to use the funds for private-school tuition, tutoring, books and other educational costs. Critics say such accounts are similar to vouchers in that they drain resources from public schools.”

The Koch Brothers despise public education and are eager to elect a governor who will promote the DeVos agenda of school privatization via charters and vouchers.

If you live in Virginia and you love your local public school, get active in the campaign for Ralph Northam.

Categories Billionaires, Charter Schools, Corporate Reformers, Education Industry, Privatization, Virginia, Vouchers

Paul Krugman: Virginia Governor Race is Now the Most Important Race in the Nation

By dianeravitch
October 10, 2017 //
30

Paul Krugman has an ominous article about the Governor’s race in Virginia.

Dr. Ralph Northam, who is Lt. Governor, is running against GOP operative, Ed Gillespie, who is running as a white nationalist candidate.

Krugman writes:

Ed Gillespie, the G.O.P. candidate, is trying to pull off an upset by going full-on Trumpist, doing all he can — with assistance from the tweeter in chief — to mobilize the white nationalist vote. He’s accusing Ralph Northam, his Democratic opponent, of dishonoring the state’s Confederate heroes. (Funny how people who accuse their rivals of being unpatriotic worship men who engaged in armed rebellion against the United States.) He’s not only accused Northam of being soft on illegal immigration, but he’s insinuated that this somehow makes him an ally of a violent Central American gang.

These cynical ploys probably won’t change many minds in a state that disapproves strongly of Trump and all his works. But they might mobilize enough angry white voters to swing the election if Democrats don’t come out in equal force.

Whatever happens in Virginia, the consequences will be huge. If Gillespie pulls this off, all the worst impulses of the Trumpist G.O.P. will be empowered; you might think that things can’t get even worse, but yes, they can…

Folks, right now this is where the action is: Virginia is now the most important place on the U.S. political landscape — and what happens there could decide the fate of the nation.

Dr. Northam is a strong supporter of public schools. He is a graduate of Virginia’s public schools.

I just sent him a contribution. I hope you will too.

Betsy DeVos and family gave $100,000 to Gillespie to keep white nationalism strong. Don’t let them win.

You can also help flip the Virginia legislature from red to blue by supporting these 9 candidates with one gift.

Categories Betsy DeVos, Education Reform, Virginia

Virginia: DeVos Funds Republican Candidate in Governor’s Race

By dianeravitch
October 10, 2017 //
18

In Virginia, the governor’s race will determine the future of public schools in the Commonwealth. Teachers unions are supporting Dr. Northam, who is currently Lt. Governor and also a pediatrician. Dr. Northam is a graduate of public schools in Virginia. The unions spend their members’ dues, the dues of people who work in classrooms daily. The billionaire DeVos family has spent money for Gillespie, a Republican operative and lobbyist with no experience in education or elected office.

“The Democratic Candidate Dr. Ralph Northam is a strong supporter of public schools. His opponent Ed Gillespie wants to introduce school choice with privately managed charters and public funding of religious schools.

“The outcome of Virginia’s race for governor, the country’s marquee statewide election this year, will have widespread significance for the state’s roughly 1.29 million schoolchildren, political observers and education experts say.

“The governor’s race matters a whole lot for what public education will look like in Virginia in the days ahead,” said Sally Hudson, an assistant professor of public policy, education and economics at the University of Virginia.

“The contest pits Republican Ed Gillespie, who has received more than $100,000 in donations from the family of U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, against Democrat Ralph Northam, who has accepted at least $465,000 from teachers unions.

“Gillespie and Northam both want to boost teacher pay — Virginia ranks 32nd in the nation in that category — support more workforce training and rework the state’s Standards of Learning tests, a measure for school accountability and student achievement.

“But they diverge sharply when it comes to public charter schools and using tax dollars to help parents pay tuition at private schools.

“Gillespie wants to expand the state’s charter schools beyond the eight in operation. As a state senator Northam voted against loosening restrictions that govern the establishment of charter schools, and as a candidate for governor he has advocated investing in traditional public schools.”

When Betsy DeVos says she wants to leave decisions to the states, she forgets to mention that she is trying to buy control of States that have not yet turned red.

The good news: Dr. Northam is leading in the polls. Virginia parents are alert to the threat to their public schools.

Categories Accountability, Betsy DeVos, Charter Schools, Corporate Reformers, Education Industry, Funding, Privatization, School Choice, Virginia

Betsy DeVos and Her Family Are Funding the Republican Candidate for Governor in Virginia

By dianeravitch
August 23, 2017 //
21

Politico reports that the DeVos family is funding the campaign of the Republican candidate for Governor in Virginia.

According to Politico:

TEACHERS UNIONS TARGET GILLESPIE IN VA GOVERNOR’S RACE: Teachers unions are stepping up their opposition to Virginia Republican gubernatorial candidate Ed Gillespie – and they’re using an emerging tactic on the left: linking him to Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. National and local union leaders said on Tuesday that they would be mobilizing against Gillespie by highlighting his ties to DeVos, as they back his Democratic opponent Ralph Northam. Gillespie has accepted more than $100,000 in campaign contributions from the DeVos family. “Ed Gillespie can dress it up in any which way he wishes to, but the bottom line is he is a clone of Betsy DeVos. The agenda that Gillespie is pushing for is an agenda that hurts kids,” said Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers.

– Gillespie campaign spokesman David Abrams told Morning Education: “Ed appreciates his support from members of the DeVos family, and is laser-focused on policies that ensure every child in Virginia has access to a high quality, safe and student-focused education. National teachers unions oppose innovative reforms that empower parents like Ed’s plan does, and want a governor who will maintain the education status quo like Lt. Governor Northam would.”

It is startling to see a member of the Cabinet spending money freely on state political campaigns.

Is DeVos violating the Hatch Act?

It was clear that her nomination for Secretary of Education was approved by Republicans who had received large donations from her and her family. But will she now hand out hundreds of thousands of dollars to determine races for governor, for Congress, for state and local school boards, even as she serves as Secretary of Education?

In another era (like a year ago), this behavior would have been roundly condemned as unseemly and inappropriate. In the Trump era, anything goes.

Categories Betsy DeVos, Virginia

On June 13, Virginia Will Pick a Democrat to Run as Governor: Public Schools Matter

By dianeravitch
June 8, 2017 //
16

Virginia is one of the few states that has held the line on charter schools. Governor Terry McAuliffe vetoed efforts to loosen restrictions on new charters. The state has only 9 charters, and new ones can’t open without the endorsement of the local school board.

Two Democrats will be in a run-off on June 13: Lt-Governor Ralph Northam and former Congressman Tom Periello.

Northam, a physician, has been endorsed by most of the state and local Democrats.

Periello is running as a progressive, with the endorsement of Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, and about 30 Obama Democrats. He is portraying himself as a man of the left.

But: Petriello worked for the Podesta Center for American Progress and he was selected as one of DFER’s favorite reformers in 2010. As a one-term Congressman, he voted to remove federal funding for abortion from the Obama healthcare bill. And he got an A from the NRA.

DFER, the lobbying group for hedge funders and charter schools, raised money for Periello in 2010, when he was running for re-election. It said, “Rep. Tom Perriello ‐ He represents a new generation of progressives in the U.S. Congress, the ones who understand education in the context of civil rights. He’s a critical supporter of President Obama’s education agenda but is facing a tough re‐election bid against a Republican state senator.” Worse, DFER chose Periello as its Reformer of the Month in June 2010.

In announcing that honor, DFER’s Whitney Tilson wrote: “Perriello was a strong supporter of Rep. Jared Polis’ All-STAR Act, which helps to replicate high-performing charter schools that serve at-risk students. The bill establishes new thresholds for data-driven accountability and transparency, helping to ensure that new charter schools maintain the high level of performance that today’s most trusted ones achieve.”

Periello has said his votes against gun control and against abortion funding were mistakes. But what about charters and high-stakes testing? Is he really changed? I’m not sure.

Northam, on the other hand, voted twice for George W. Bush.

Neither of these candidates is perfect.

But one of them, Ralph Northam, has made support for public schools a central pillar in his campaign. I have not found anything on the web about Periello’s views on privatization and school choice and charters.

Here is Ralph Northam’s commentary on the importance of public schools.

He writes here:

“I grew up on the Eastern Shore during desegregation. A lot of white parents chose to send their kids to private schools rather than integrate — but not mine. My brother and I both attended and graduated from public schools. It’s one of the best things that happened to me.

“After high school, I attended the Virginia Military Institute and then Eastern Virginia Medical School — both great public schools that prepared me well for my career as a physician and didn’t saddle me with a load of debt.

“My wife Pam taught elementary science, and both my kids are Virginia public school graduates, too. My son Wes graduated from the College of William & Mary, and my daughter Aubrey graduated from the University of Virginia. With all the bumper stickers we’ve collected over the years, you should see the back of my Prius!

“Public schools have given so much to our family — I’ve been proud to fight for them as a state senator and lieutenant governor. Some of the highlights of my political career include working with Governor McAuliffe to invest a record $1 billion in our K-12 public schools and leading the effort to win a federal grant that opened up 13,000 new spaces for our youngest Virginians to attend quality early childhood education programs.”

Given a choice between the two, I support Dr. Ralph Northam. In this crucial time for public schools, when the Trump administration is committed to privatization, the nation and Virginia need a governor who is able to stand up for public schools, with no ambivalence. I hope Northam wins the primary and goes on to become governor of Virginia. That should gladden the hearts of public school parents and teachers across the country.

And Senators Warren and Sanders should check into public education issues when deciding who gets their endorsement.

Categories Supporting public schools, Virginia
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