Reply #9: Morning Joe Scarborough's big time into this movement - had show on last Thursday w/ Ex-Gov Bush on [View All]

[1776Forever]

'Morning Joe' on MSNBC puts Tampa elementary school in spotlight
By Rebecca Catalanello, Times Staff Writer
Posted: Mar 25, 2010

http://www.tampabay.com/news/education/k12/tampa-elementary-school-lands-in-television-spotlight/1082756

TAMPA — It's not every day that an elementary school cafeteria is transformed into a television studio for a nationally broadcast cable talk show.

But on Thursday morning Alexander Elementary became the well-lit backdrop for MSNBC's Morning Joe, the show featuring former Florida congressman Joe Scarborough.

The topic of the "town hall" was a no-brainer: education. The panel of guests appearing on the school stage included big names.

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg was there. So was R&B singer John Legend, who works with Harlem Village Academies, the Rev. Al Sharpton, Los Angeles Urban League President Blair Taylor and longtime newspaper columnist turned commentator Mike Barnicle.

Beamed in from other spaces: former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, Newark, N.J. Mayor Cory Booker and Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz......

Bloomberg, a Republican and millionaire who has long been discussed as a potential presidential candidate, said New York's success stories have been built in part around good union relationships and rewarding good teachers with good pay.

"It's one word. Teachers," Bloomberg said, "You have to have a great teacher in front of the child."

In an audience filled with parents, students and educators, Alexander first-grade teacher Rayanne D'Auria, listened with interest.

In her third year of teaching, she said she's becoming more and more familiar with the political interest in what she does every day.

"It would be nice," she said, "if sometimes people would just come and see what we go through day in and day out."

Ashley Danley, 16, a sophomore at the Urban Teaching Academy in Hillsborough, said the charter-heavy panel discussion left out educational programs for which she has a special affinity.

"They didn't really mention magnet programs," she said. "They help out schools more than they get credit for."

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He has harped on Charter Schools being the answer and of course ex-Gov. Bush agreed! They want control of everything, teachers, students, curriculum - everything.