Bush Inc. and Corporate Friends

[LWolf]

We all know about Halliburton, etc.

What much of the public doesn't seem to realize are the cozy ties operating in the public ed arena these days. This is a long post, but please check it out.

http://www.broadfoundation.org/

(Click on media center, news releases, sept. 9)

PRESIDENT BUSH ANNOUNCES
PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE BROAD FOUNDATION
AND THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
TO IMPROVE OUR COUNTRY'S PUBLIC EDUCATION SYSTEM
Student achievement data: Easy Access and Efficient Data Now Available To All

Jacksonville, Florida -- The Broad Foundation announced today with the White House an unprecedented public/private collaboration with the U.S. Department of Education, Standard & Poor's and Just for the Kids to improve our country's public education system. This announcement was made today by President George W. Bush in Jacksonville Florida, at 1:30 p.m. at the Hyde Park Elementary School.

This historic school information partnership significantly assists states in improving student performance by providing -- to all states for two years -- an easy-to-use website that transforms disaggregated student achievement data into useful decision-making information. This national website provides access to student test results and uniquely powerful data analysis for parents, educators, policy makers and business and community leaders. In addition, this initiative will facilitate the sharing of best practices across the state by making it easy to search for high performing schools and districts, compare how schools and districts are performing across a state, and understand the rate at which schools and districts must improve to meet the federal standards of the No Child Left Behind Act ("NCLB").

"The Broad Foundation is proud to be a lead partner in this national effort to demonstrate the power of a cross-sector collaboration between public, private, and non-profit entities maximizing resources to successfully improve our country's public education system," said Eli Broad, founder of The Broad Foundation and public school reform advocate. "This initiative is an example of educational innovation, resourcefulness and creativity in our national efforts to improve student achievement and make useful information more available to parents, educators, policy makers and community leaders."

This groundbreaking effort combines $4.7 million of federal funds with $50.9 million in private philanthropy to effectively lower the cost barriers associated with the data collection, analysis and reporting mandates of NCLB. By offering these powerful data tools to states for two years, the partnership intends to mitigate any additional unnecessary budget demands for states facing severe fiscal crisis and aims to fast track the building of a common national platform for parents to view and understand student achievement data.

<Big Snip>

You know, helping us teachers gather data to inform instruction doesn't sound like a bad idea on the surface, does it? I have a few concerns, though. Concerns with the manipulation of data aside, I'm even more concerned with the private/public relationships.

Take a look at the Broad "history" page; the founders make an interesting read.

The first Broad Foundation Prize for Urban Education, awarded just last year, went to none other than the Houston School District and was accepted by . . . . .Rod Paige. Who is on that list on the history page. Of course, this all took place before the recent set of exposes demonstrating that the Houston Miracle was just another Texas Tall Tale!

And more related news:

http://www2.standardandpoors.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=sp/Page/HomePg

(Click on "S&P School Evaluation Services Tapped for National Educational Initiative Announced by President Bush" under the "Global" heading)

New York, Sept. 9, 2003 -- Standard & Poor’s School Evaluation Services (SES), a leading provider of data and analysis for the education community, will play a key role in the unique public-private initiative announced today by President George W. Bush at the Hyde Park Elementary School in Jacksonville, FL.

This public-private collaboration, funded by the Department of Education and a philanthropic partnership led by The Broad Foundation, will include funding of a 50 state roll out of SES information and analytical services. As part of this initiative, SES will also develop a national No Child Left Behind (NCLB) website to assist all states with the data analysis and reporting needs mandated by the NCLB legislation. Just For The Kids, a Texas based research group, will also be part of the NCLB project.

“Standard & Poor’s reputation is built on analytical rigor, independent and objective opinions and integrity -- key components for such a critical initiative,” said Leo O’Neill, president of Standard & Poor’s. “We believe that our comprehensive, easy to
use information and analytic insight can provide education decision makers with the type of tools they need to effect positive change in our educational system."

<Big Snip>

About Standard & Poor’s
Standard & Poor’s, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE: MHP), provides independent financial information, analytical services and credit ratings to the world’s financial markets. With 5,000 employees located in 19 countries, Standard & Poor’s is an integral part of the global financial infrastructure. For more information, visit www.standardandpoors.com.

Standard & Poor’s School Evaluation Services provides the education community, public officials, business leaders, parents and taxpayers with objective analyses on schools. The information is available free of charge at www.sp-ses.com and is designed to help users make informed decisions that will improve school performance and management.

About The McGraw-Hill Companies
Founded in 1888, The McGraw-Hill Companies is a global information services provider meeting worldwide needs in the financial services, education and business information markets through leading brands such as Standard & Poor's, BusinessWeek and McGraw-Hill Education. The Corporation has more than 320 offices in 34 countries. Sales in 2002 were $4.8 billion. Additional information is available at www.mcgraw-hill.com.


The Bush family has a 3-generation relationship with McGraw Hill also produces text books and standardized tests.

The incestuous relationships and the money laundering continue.

[ikojo]

1. Bushco, Inc is allowed to get by with these cozy

corporate relationships because there is no effective opposition party in DC nor will the media call him on it.

The Dems need to collectively visit a chiropractor (the husband of one of my co-workers is a chiropractor so I am sure he can make recommendations) and have their spines realigned (to the left I hope) and start attacking this imposter to the presidency.

Isn't fascism defined as the union of government and business?


Absent an effective and vocal opposition party Bushco, Inc will do as it pleases.

[Brucey]

2. It was Eisenhower who used the term

military industrial complex (written by Malcolm Moos), but it is amazing how deep this has become, how broad (now includes the media and entertainment), and how ignored by the boorish public. They only understand their pocketbook (bribery has been the chimp's MO), so now that it's clear how big the deficit will be and the billions poured into the Pentagon's money pits, the tide is about to turn.

[LWolf]

3. I hope so.

I hope so for the entire country, of course.

As a teacher, I yearn to be able to work on making public ed a positive, healthy, supportive, and successful environment for all of our kids without the continuous interference and manipulation of big business and the politicians who pander to them.

[Brucey]

4. Yes to public schools and teachers!

It's unbelievable and pathetic how the right has attacked teachers and public schools in recent years. Shameful. Apparently they want a society in which only the rich will be educated.

[LWolf]

5. I think you've got it!

You keep plenty of cheap labor around by making sure they aren't educated. And then you tell them how to vote....