Mother Jones: "Fast Times at Recruitment High".. Arne Duncan and military schools.

[madfloridian]

Since Arne Duncan was chosen to be the new Secretary of Education, he has been strongly advocating more testing of students to grade teachers, more charter schools, and has been setting up confrontations with states and teachers' unions who challenge his thinking.

I believed in public schools the many years I taught, and though I am not against military schools per se....I don't like seeing public education heading that way. I realize even while posting this that advocating for strong public schools is a losing battle. I still intend to point out where we are going.

From Sunday's Mother Jones:

Fast Times at Recruitment High


From Mother Jones Photo: Chicago JROTC

Nearly 10,500 of Chicago's 203,000 sixth- through twelfth-graders participate in some kind of military program on campus, from joining the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps to enrolling in Pentagon-sponsored JROTC academies. As the district's CEO (and previously as deputy chief of staff to his predecessor, Paul Vallas), Duncan oversaw the controversial move to bring full-fledged military academies to the Windy City. The district's first, the Chicago Military Academy at Bronzeville, opened in 1999, and three more followed during Duncan's tenure. Today, Chicago has six military high schools run by a branch of the armed services. Six smaller military academies share buildings with existing high schools. Nearly three dozen JROTC programs exist in regular high schools, where students attend a daily JROTC class and wear uniforms to school one day a week. And at the middle school level, there is a JROTC program for sixth, seventh- and eighth-graders.

Chicago may have the nation's biggest JROTC program, but it is no longer an anomaly. Due to increases in federal funding for JROTC programs, the military's presence in public schools is greater than ever before. More than a dozen academies partly funded by the Department of Defense have sprouted up from Philadelphia to Oakland, and the National Defense Authorization Act of 2009 passed last year will increase the number of JROTC units nationwide from 3,400 to 3,700 by 2020, at a cost of $170 million. (Peacework magazine obtained a list of schools that have requested JROTC programs.) The Marines are in discussions to open new JROTC academies in Atlanta, Las Vegas, and New Orleans, helping to expand a program that critics contend has blurred the line between education and recruitment.

Now that Duncan is the nation's top education official, anti-recruitment activists worry that he will use his position to promote the expansion of JROTC and military academies as solutions for cash-strapped or underperforming school districts. "We see he has been promoting military academies," says Darlene Gramigna, program director for the American Friends Service Committee's Truth in Recruitment Program. "Around the country, that's what going on—Arne Duncan believes in these military academies."

He admires these schools for the discipline and leadership they offer students. The Pentagon funds many of the schools.

Back in Chicago, Duncan praised military academies, the pillars of the district's JROTC program, for the "leadership" and "discipline" they offered students. Enrollment in JROTC is mandatory for the 2,100 or so students attending the six academies, all of which are located in predominantly low-income and/or minority areas of the city. Students are referred to as "cadets," wear military uniforms, undergo daily dress inspections, and take classes on military history, drug abuse prevention, orienteering, and the armed services, among other subjects, alongside their regular high school course load. Cadets can study marksmanship, march on the drill team, and, at some schools, even earn a spot in the school's "chain of command." JROTC teachers and administrators are often retired military service members, many of whom lack standard teaching credentials. The Pentagon has provided millions of dollars in funding to Chicago's military academies. A loyal backer of Chicago's military programs, Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) has secured $2.1 million for the Rickover Naval Academy and $5 million for the Chicago Military Academy at Bronzeville.

Equally concerning to me is that Duncan is taking an educational road trip with Newt Gingrich.

He is using the policies long advocated by Gingrich.

Here are a couple of those policies.

Replace multiculturalism with patriotic education

In the classroom, the very concept of America is under assault. The traditional notion of our country as a union of one people, the American people, has been assaulted by multiculturalism, situational ethics, and a values-neutral model in which Western values and American history are ignored or ridiculed. Unless we act to reverse this trend, our next generation will grow up with no understanding of core American values. This will destroy America as we know it, as surely as if a foreign conqueror had overwhelmed us. It is absolutely necessary to establish a firm foundation of patriotic education upon which further knowledge can be built; otherwise, Americans will lack understanding of American values & how important & great it is to be an American.

Let that "patriotic education" sink in.

Just one more among many of Gingrich's policies that Arne is following almost to the letter.

Introduce competition among schools and teachers

We should apply the free enterprise system to our education system by introducing competition among schools, administrators, and teachers. Our educators should be paid based on their performance and held accountable based on clear standards with real consequences. These ideas are designed to stimulate thinking beyond the timid “let’s do more of the same” that has greeted every call for rethinking math and science education.
Source: Gingrich Communications website, www.newt.org Dec 1, 2006

It took years to get Newt's policies in place, but looks like it's happening now.

[PM Martin]

1. America is just getting more militarized by the second.

America's prime has far passed.

[Echo In Light]

29. But if you state the obvious you're thought by many to be from Neptune.

[omega minimo]

227. Well honey

you are from Neptune.

Not that there's anything WRONG with that.

:hi:

Your post gave me a visual of who those "many" are.

[joeycola]

2. I knew Arne Duncan was trouble when he promoted so many charter

schools---teachers without unions. More of the same from him. Thanks for the post.

[madfloridian]

5. Trouble is that he's not in trouble....he has huge power over schools.

It doesn't bother him to aggravate teachers and unions to use it either.

[mzteris]

6. more public charter schools are becoming unionized

every day.

BTW - did you know that many school-board-run-public schools are NOT unionized?

[madfloridian]

7. In our state the teachers union is county-wide, then state, then national.

Most public schools, traditional, have teachers' unions available. Most teachers join, a few choose to reap the benefits worked for by the others.

Not many charter schools are going to be unionized. That is one of the reason they are being formed...not to have unions.

A few might, a few are trying.

[mzteris]

23. There are 50 states, not just yours . . .

One - many school-board-run-public schools are NOT unionized.

I posted somewhere on the #'s - a few states have NO teachers unions at all, and some very very few.

and

TWO - quite a number of Charter public schools ARE Unionized - though they seem more in the AFT union than the NEA.

THIRD - and most importantly -

Public Charter schools are NOT being formed to "not have unions" - what an absolutely LUDICROUS claim. They're being formed to offer innovative educational options to children.

That many public charter schools are not unionized, is, however the reason that the NEA has been at odds with them - so far. AFT is becoming quite active in the public Charter schools, and - in fact - run a few Charters themselves. And didn't I read somewhere that the NEA is looking into starting some of their own public Charter schools?


I posted quite a bit on Unions and school-board-run-public schools and unions and Charter public schools in the education section - you might want to take a look at it.

[madfloridian]

25. Since my tax dollars are going to these schools...

and since there seem to be many problems in financing...then I will continue to speak out.

I am not happy about my tax money going to advertisements for charter schools.

Old fashioned me, I think the money would be best spent on learning and teaching.

I will continue to write about these schools, and you continue to write in favor.

Teachers have been pretty much kept silent by threats of bad evaluations, so I guess if the parents are tired of public education, want more testing and more testing...then they will get it.

:shrug:

[mzteris]

31. you know, it's been my experience

that the really good teachers aren't afraid of "threats of bad evaluations" . . .

[Hannah Bell]

34. it's been my experience that walmart pays people to promote charters.

[madfloridian]

38. Your statement shows how public schools have been brought to their knees.

Through ugly statements like that, through undeserved blame and attacks while they were stripping our public schools of money and giving it to charter schools.

Really good teachers are intelligent enough to know if they want to keep their jobs they do what they are told or they will be marked down and gotten rid of soon.

That's not a healthy situation, when intelligent people are shut up so the idiots can stand up and shout.

[mzteris]

40. what was ugly about it?

It's the truth and you know it.

Sorry if you tend to take everything anyone ever says about anything so personally.

[madfloridian]

42. It was a statement that shows your ignorance of how teachers are evaluated.

Keep on with the insults. Everyone here does it now.

Since Obama and Duncan love charter schools, there is to be no criticism

But at least inform yourself then let the insults fly.

[Hannah Bell]

44. don't be disingenuous; it was an attempt to discredit the poster by

implying she & her fellow teachers fear evaluation.

[madfloridian]

45. Thanks for that. Yes, there are several attempts here to discredit what I say.

It goes on and on when I post about charter schools.

I guess it is considered ok to attempt to discredit as it goes on and on.

[Hannah Bell]

47. Walmart has a well-funded organization promoting charter schools in the US.

They train people to promote charters at the grassroots.

Just as paid Walmart minders jump in to stomp out any criticism of their business practices in local communities & promote WM as some big "philanthropist" for their minimal local "charity" (many of which benefit WM, e.g. their back-to-school drives to buy school supplies (at WM) for the poor)...

[madfloridian]

49. They gave over 50 million toward charter schools and vouchers

And Gates didn't do so bad either.

Millions from corporations to support charter schools.

"The Walton Family Foundation of Wal-Mart is the single biggest investor in charter schools in the United States, giving $50 million a year to support them.21 The Waltons specialize in giving money to opponents of public education. “Empowering parents to choose among competing schools,” said John Walton, son of Wal-Mart’s founder, “will catalyze improvement across the entire K–12 education system.”22 According to a National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy (NCRP) report, “Some critics argue that it is the beginning of the ‘Wal-Martization’ of education, and a move to for-profit schooling, from which the family could potentially financially benefit. John Walton owned 240,000 shares of Tesseract Group Inc. (formerly known as Education Alternatives Inc.), which is a for-profit company that develops/manages charter and private schools as well as public schools.”23 Wal-Mart is a notorious union-busting firm, famous for keeping its health-care costs down by discouraging unhealthy people from working at its stores, paying extremely low wages with poor benefits, and violating child labor laws. The company has reportedly looted more than $1 billion in economic development subsidies from state and local governments.24 Its so-called philanthropy seems also to be geared to the looting of public treasuries.

As for a coordinated effort, the private incursion into public schools is being pushed by a band of jackals grouped around Bill Gates and the $2 billion that his Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation have sunk into the education “reform” movement. The foundation funded a 2006 study by the New Commission on the Skills of the American Workforce called Tough Choices or Tough Times, “signed by a bipartisan collection of prominent politicians, businesspeople, and urban school superintendents,” which "called for a series of measures including: (a) replacing public schools with what the report called “contract schools,” which would be charter schools writ large; (b) eliminating nearly all the powers of local school boards—their role would be to write and sign the authorizing agreements for the contract schools; (c) eliminating teacher pensions and slashing health benefits; and (d) forcing all 10th graders to take a high school exit examination based on 12th grade skills, and terminating the education of those who failed (i.e., throwing millions of students out into the streets as they turn 16)"

[Hannah Bell]

56. yep. Foundations are the biggest force pushing charters, despite the disingenuous

who pretend pressure comes mainly from the grassroots.

[Maat]

55. Hi, Mzteris!

I home-study my kid through a charter school. It is chartered through a public school district, and the teachers are part of the union. It's been so very important to us.

[Jakes Progress]

57. So glad your child got his/hers.

Of course, the charter movement is a first step toward corporate education. So millions of children will be indoctrinated by Pfizer, Exxon, and the like. But you got yours. That's all that counts.

[mzteris]

61. Most public charter schools

are run by locally organized groups of parents, teachers, educators, and others who believe that the kids in their districts deserve alternatives not available to them through the school-board-run-public schools.

[madfloridian]

70. Where do they get their money to start up?

Please give some links.

I know there have been many millions given by groups like Walmart and Gates for these schools.

Did you see my post about Imagine Schools?

[mzteris]

79. start up monies

Many charter school developers begin by gathering start-up funds from public or private sources, or their own pocket. Start-up funds can be obtained from federal or state planning grants or private foundation or corporate grants. Our Budget, Finance, and Fundraising page provides information on sources and strategies. Regardless of how the planning phase is structured or funded, there are a few steps most charter school developers will likely take.

. . . I. Introduction

The financial autonomy of charter schools depends on each state's charter school legislation. In states that regard charter schools as schools within a district (also known as local educational agencies ), the charter schools' fiscal responsibilities are similar to those of the other schools in the district. In states that treat charter schools as independent school districts/LEAs, charter schools have the same fiscal responsibility and autonomy as other independent districts/LEAs. Although all charter schools, regardless of status, must develop sound financial management practices, it is especially important that charter schools established as independent LEAs be able to address a full range of fiscal management issues.

Since proper accounting for the use of local, state, and federal funds is a critical element in operating and maintaining continued support for a charter school, the budget plans that charter schools develop must ensure that public funds are used properly, reflect the charter school's purpose and philosophy, and stand up to a financial audit.


. . . The majority of charter schools are start-ups, for whom securing facilities has proven to be a challenge. Scarce space in a district, limited start-up funds, and difficulties associated with borrowing money to rent space have prompted some schools to seek creative facilities solutions. Some schools have worked out arrangements with the sponsoring school district and lease building space at low prices. Sonoma Charter School, for example, rents its building from the local school district for one dollar a year. Other schools, like Leadership High, have formed partnerships with institutes of higher education to occupy unused classrooms during the day.

Federal legislation provides grants to help charters with start-up costs. A few states (AZ, CA, CO, GA, MN, PA) have made additional funds or loans available to help charter schools with facilities and other large start-up costs. The Arizona Stimulus Fund and the California Revolving Loan Fund are examples of what particular states have done. For information, see our State and School Information area or Resources section.


IV. Charter School Revenues

As public schools, charters are not allowed to charge tuition, and they are funded according to enrollment. In some states, such as Alaska, Colorado, Minnesota, and New Jersey, they receive less than 100% of the funds allocated to their traditional counterparts for the operation of public schools. In most states, charters do not receive capital funds for facilities. They are entitled to federal categorical funding for which their students are eligible, such as Title I and Special Education monies. In December, 1999, the U.S. Department of Education established new regulations to ensure that charter schools opening for the first time or significantly expanding their enrollment receive the federal formula funds for which they are eligible. You may view the Final Rule in html or PDF format.

A. Federal Funding

Federal funding is available for charter schools through a variety of categorical programs. These formula grants generally follow one of two routes before reaching schools: (1) funds are distributed directly by the U.S. Department of Education (ED), or (2) they are channeled through state or local education agencies that then make subgrants. If a state recognizes charter schools as independent LEAs, the state educational agency (SEA) may award funds directly to those charter schools that meet federal eligibility requirements. If the school falls within an existing LEA, such as a local school district or other sponsoring agency, the state distributes federal funds it receives through that "parent" education agency. To find out more about the legal status of charter schools in your state and how that affects the allocation of state and federal funds, contact your state charter school representative through our State and School Information area.

There are also federal discretionary grants available to charter schools to support school activities such as after-school programs, parent literacy initiatives, social services, and professional development. For a complete listing of federal grant opportunities, see ED's Funding Opportunities web page. The Guide to U.S. Department of Education Programs and Resources provides a brief description and application information for each of the ED programs as well as general information on How to Apply for ED Grants.

* Charter School Start-up Funds. Funds available through the Public Charter Schools Program help new charter schools pay for planning, design, and start-up costs. In most cases, state departments of education apply to be part of the program and then award subgrants to developers and operators within their state. In states that have not elected to apply to the federal program, individual charter schools may, in some cases, apply directly to ED in partnership with their chartering agency. For more information see the Public Charter Schools Program Grant Application.

* Title I Grants to Local Educational Agencies (LEAs). Authorized by Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) as amended by the Improving America's School Act of 1994, this program provides financial assistance to LEAs and schools with high numbers or percentages of poor children to help meet the educational needs of children who are failing, or most at risk of failing, to meet challenging academic standards. A charter school that meets the eligibility requirements may receive Title I funding from the state or district, depending on how the state classifies its charter schools. To receive a "Basic Grant," a charter school as an LEA must have at least 10 "formula children" comprising more than two percent of the LEA's 5-17 year-old population. As a school within an LEA, a charter school may be eligible to participate in Title I if its percentage of children from low-income families equals or exceeds that of its district or is at least 35 percent.

Schools receiving Title I funds must abide by Title I rules and regulations unless specific waivers are granted. The Title I Guidance outlines the responsibilities and provides suggestions for schools and districts that receive Title I resources. Charter school operators, particularly of schools designated as LEAs, should take special note of the Allocation to Public Charter School Guidance, Fiscal Requirements, Use of Funds, and Schoolwide Guidance.

* Special Education Funding under IDEA. Recently reauthorized, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) aims to strengthen academic expectations and accountability for the nation's 5.4 million children with disabilities by helping states cover the extra costs of serving these children. The Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services provides information about recent publications, upcoming conferences and events, as well as grant opportunities. Both the amount of funds each charter school receives and the method by which they receive them vary. For information on whether your school is eligible for IDEA funding, contact your district or state charter school representative or special education official through our State and School Information area.

* Other ED Programs. Although Title I is the largest federal elementary and secondary education program, other ED programs can support charter school activities. For instance, the Comprehensive School Reform Demonstration Program (CSRD) awards funds to schools that are in the process of implementing comprehensive school reform based on research and effective practices. These grants are awarded and administered by the state. For more information about these funds, contact your state education agency and read the CSRD Guidance.

The 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program supports after-school programs for students and families to supplement and enrich the educational experience of students. The program is designed to support schools to implement or expand projects that address the educational and social needs of rural or inner-city communities.

There are many other resources available through the U. S. Department of Education. For additional information check our Resources section. Accessing Federal Programs: A Guidebook for Charter School Operators and Developers is a particularly helpful guide.

B. State Funding

The distribution of state and local revenues to charter schools is usually prescribed in state law and is based primarily on student enrollment counts (i.e.,average daily attendance). Actual allocations to schools may vary, however, based on interpretations or negotiations with state, district, or sponsoring agencies over administrative costs and other fees. To determine the availability of start-up funds and per-pupil amounts for charter schools, contact the charter school or school finance representative in your state department of education or your state's charter school network through our State and School Information area.

C. Other Funding Sources

Working with the private and non-profit community can yield additional financial support for charter schools and can lead to increased support for the school within the community. Some charter schools have found that rather than applying for cash awards, there are other, sometimes more productive strategies for receiving support, such as building partnerships with local businesses and organizations. For example, to solve their facilities problems, some charter schools have established partnerships with community organizations like the YMCA or local institutions of higher education in order to take advantage of under-utilized space during the day.

Many charter schools also identify student use of technology as an important goal, focusing fundraising or partnership-building activities in this area. Because of the high visibility of technology in education, there are many opportunities for Technology Funding.

Other fundraising strategies that schools may consider are presented in the Hudson Institute's Charter Schools in Action Project: Final Report. Additionally, The Policy Perils of Charter Schools describes efforts such as that of the Prudential Foundation to begin a "charter school lending program" for start-up and early operations expenses. Through Prudential, philanthropists and investors in Washington, D.C. launched a non-profit organization to support charter schools by locating capital for facilities and equipment. See our Glossary of Fundraising Strategies for additional ideas. http://www.uscharterschools.org/pub/uscs_docs/r/budget.htm



A core founding group is a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens. They
are the ones who move the charter school from a shared educational dream to
a shared educational reality. They work together to plan for the charter school
and complete the charter school application process. Their level of involvement
may vary a great deal during the process of creating the charter school. Some
members may become staff or board members of the charter school once it is
in operation. Others may move on to different projects. This section will help
you to understand the importance of creating a strong core founding group and
give you some strategies for finding and developing the members of your group.

. . .

A. Loans

Bank loans—Secured loans have the borrower putting up collateral,
such as real estate, negotiable stocks, or other assets, which
the bank can seize if the borrower defaults on the loan; unsecured
loans do not take a pledge on collateral, they just require the good
credit of the borrower

Ask about eligibility for tax-exempt loans

Try to finance as little as possible

B. Form a private investment group and do your own financing. In this
option, teachers may invest in the school and take money out later as
a part of their retirement/severance package.

C. Foundations/grant money—Books of all registered foundations are
available at libraries, government offices, and online.

Grants amounts vary

Beware that some foundations will want to take a large part in the
decisions made about your school if you accept their funding

D. Federal funding2

Beware of reporting requirements and regulations

ADA funding for easy-access improvements

E. Lease-aid (e.g., Minnesota provides lease-aid to charter schools)

F. Private “angel” investors. Warning: These investors generally want to
get their money back quickly. The other side is that they often do not
expect too much in return (i.e., interest or control over decisions).

G. Issue municipal bonds—These are securities issued by states and local
government agencies. A primary feature of these securities is that interest
on them is generally exempt from federal income taxation, and, in
some cases, state income taxation; this is what makes them attractive
to investors. However, because of this feature, the interest rates on
municipal bonds are lower than interest rates on other types of investments.
Currently, most charter schools do not have the authority to
issue bonds, but with agreements may benefit from bonds issued by
school districts and other local governments.

H. Start-up funds—Some states (e.g., Florida) give start-up facilities funding.

I. Public financing companies

J. Utilize personal finances of the founder(s) for down payment, then
lease from founder(s).

K. Fundraising—Hosting events (e.g., auctions or fairs) can generate
varying amounts of funds.



The exact legal status of charter schools depends on the specific terms of the
state laws under which they are established. The three most common options
are arm of the district, for-profit corporation, and nonprofit corporation. In
many states, charter schools are highly independent legal entities with a legal
status separate from that of the sponsoring agency. For example, Minnesota
charter schools must be created as independent nonprofit or cooperative corporations.
By contrast, Wisconsin charter schools generally must function as a
legal arm of the district. Successful charter school developers need to be aware
of the legal status options and obligations provided by their state’s laws.


Arm of the District
The legal status of a charter school that is legally a part of the sponsoring school
district is often referred to as “arm of the district.” These charter schools enjoy
some autonomy granted by the district, but also have the extra protection of
the school district’s liability insurance and legal counsel. In charter schools
that are considered an arm of the district:

Powers are delegated by the school district governing board to a person
(school operator) or public body (board of directors) charged with
responsibility for managing the operations of the school

For profit corporation
Some states allow charter schools to operate as private, for-profit businesses. In
these cases the school is legally a business entity (i.e., corporation) independent
from its sponsor (e.g., school district, university, state board of education).
The school is, essentially, a private provider of a public service—education.
Just like nonprofit corporations, a for-profit charter school is an autonomous
organization with the legal authority to own property, contract, and incur liabilities.
For-profit corporations do not qualify for tax-exempt status and may
not receive tax-exempt donations. For-profit charter schools may not be eligible
for certain types of grants. On the other hand, for-profit charters may enjoy
more flexibility. A for-profit school has the ability to respond quickly to market
needs and offer the most highly desired educational services. A for-profit
charter school’s relationship with its sponsor is defined by the terms of its charter.
Typically, the school’s governance structure is defined in the bylaws of the
organization that holds the charter.

Non-profit Organization
Many charter schools have little or no choice about their legal status. Some
states may require charter schools to operate as nonprofit corporations. Others
choose to incorporate as a nonprofit organization so they can:

Qualify for tax-exempt status and tax-exempt donations

Have a governing board of directors and a CEO

Have the ability to contract for services

Obtain liability protection from the corporation
See Tool I: How Do We Become a Nonprofit Organization?
(Page 61)
This will vary depending on your state law and on the formal structure selected
by your school’s developers. Basic suggestions in forming a nonprofit organization
include:

Establish a school (corporate) name—make sure the one you choose is
not taken

Draft bylaws—bylaws outline how the school is to be governed and
operated

Draft and file articles of incorporation—this step may require an attorney
to first review your bylaws and then help draft articles of incorporation;
the articles of incorporation are formally filed with the
secretary of state and establish the corporation as a legal entity

File for tax-exempt status—may need to file with the state and federal
government

http://www.nwrel.org/charter/Workbook/cs_workbook1.pdf




oooo - Bill and Melinda Gates - they're so awful, aren't they?


United States Program

We believe that when all people in the United States have the opportunity to develop their talents, our society thrives.

Our mission: Help ensure greater opportunity for all Americans through the attainment of secondary and postsecondary education with genuine economic value.
How We Work

We work with partners to tackle some of the difficult problems we face in the United States. Our primary focus is on improving public education.

We focus on these priority areas:

* Education: We work to make sure high school students graduate ready for success and prepared to earn postsecondary degrees. We fund college and graduate school scholarships. We support high-quality early learning programs in Washington state.

* Libraries: We support efforts to supply and sustain free public access to computers and the Internet through local public libraries.

* Pacific Northwest: We assist struggling families by supporting innovative community organizations located in the Pacific Northwest and efforts that help break the cycle of homelessness.

* Special Initiatives: We explore new ways to increase opportunities or respond to unique challenges in the United States. These currently include grants that support Postsecondary Education and Emergency Relief efforts. We also offer support to many dedicated and innovative community organizations in the Pacific Northwest.



Our Approach: High Schools
With many public and private partners, we’re working to increase high school graduation and college-readiness rates in the United States. We support the following strategies:

Improve high school education nationwide.
High-quality schools can take many forms, but they share common elements. All have strong leadership, effective instruction, rigorous curricula, the systematic use of data to improve the classroom experience, and broad support to help all students achieve. Our efforts in high school reform date back to 2000. We continue to adapt and refine our strategies to raise the expectations and achievement of all students nationwide.

Enhance teaching and learning in classrooms by working closely with states and districts.
We’re supporting public-private partnerships with school districts and state governments committed to comprehensive school improvement. No school exists in a vacuum and, with a supportive environment, more schools can improve more quickly. Stories of successful district-wide and statewide reform inspire others to join in the effort to improve high schools.

Encourage commitments to common state standards and goals nationwide.
We’re working to ensure that schools and government define and measure graduation and college-readiness rates in similar ways. For example, for many years there has been no universal way to count students who drop out and those who graduate. To set goals and measure progress accurately, education stakeholders need to use a common language and arithmetic. We also support efforts to develop common state standards so that students in Massachusetts will learn the same key skills as students in Mississippi.

Increase public and political support for improving high school education.
For high schools to succeed, communities must support their efforts to improve. We’ve observed how bold leaders—at the federal, state, and district level—can use policy to align reform efforts and produce real improvement in student achievement. We’re supporting efforts to educate people about the problems facing our schools and help them find ways to help fix them. We remain optimistic that our nation can meet the challenge of preparing all high school students to succeed in high school and beyond.


. . .

NEW YORK -- The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and DonorsChoose.org, the online charity that connects individual “citizen philanthropists” with classrooms in need, today announced a landmark grant that enables DonorsChoose.org to fund up to 50 percent of the cost of individual classroom projects developed by teachers to promote college-readiness among students in high-need and underserved urban and rural public schools.

TV personality Stephen Colbert, a DonorsChoose.org board member, moderated the event where the announcement was made. “Double Your Impact” will be funded with a $4.1 million investment from the Gates Foundation and is expected to support more than 17,000 classroom projects, touching more than 300,000 students across the nation. By enabling DonorsChoose.org to contribute half of the required dollars, the grant helps to incentivize individual “citizen philanthropists” to donate and accelerate the process of fully funding projects. DonorsChoose.org enables teachers to describe specific educational projects for their classrooms and individuals to choose which projects to fund. This approach has been effective in funding projects in high-need and underserved schools.

“Teachers across the country are creating classroom projects and lessons that engage kids in creative and innovative ways. Generous citizen philanthropists, with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s invaluable support, are making sure they have the materials needed to spark the passion for learning,” said Charles Best, founder and CEO of DonorsChoose.org. “This grant helps us drive attention and contributions to projects aimed at preparing kids to succeed in college.”

“DonorsChoose.org supports teachers in a truly powerful way—engaging the public in support of teachers and the innovative energy they bring to the classroom,” said Vicki L. Phillips, director of education at the Gates Foundation. “We hope this partnership will give citizen donors an added incentive to support projects that empower public school teachers to help prepare students to graduate ready to succeed in college and beyond.”

Today’s event was held at Manhattan Bridges High School in New York City, which has benefited from three teacher-submitted projects funded through the “Double Your Impact” initiative. Manhattan Bridges serves new immigrants and English Language Learners–historically academically-challenged demographics–and has consistently posted graduation rates significantly higher than the city average, in part due to its tailored programming for students.

“DonorsChoose.org allows people from all walks of life to help specific classrooms directly,” said Stephen Colbert. “As I endeavor to protect our children from bears, DonorsChoose.org is protecting public school kids from classrooms that lack the materials necessary to rigorously prepare them for college.”

While many organizations raise funds for basic school supplies, the DonorsChoose.org model supports specific classroom projects that are submitted and designed by any public school teacher in the U.S. to further defined educational goals. Under the “Double Your Impact” initiative, the requests eligible for 50 percent funding from DonorsChoose.org through the grant from the Gates Foundation are those that promote college-readiness. Such projects include student trips to college campuses as well as classroom books, SAT/ACT preparation materials, and other resources that strengthen the learning experience.

“DonorsChoose.org has helped provide the additional materials, such as college essay prep books, that can help teachers like me create programs that are targeted to the unique needs of our students and get them really excited about learning,” said Elizabeth Smith, a teacher at Manhattan Bridges High School. “My goal is to create opportunities for my students to learn in innovative, inspiring ways. This has made all the difference in what our students believe they can achieve.”

###
DonorsChoose.org
Founded in 2000, DonorsChoose.org is a nonprofit website where public school teachers describe specific educational projects for their students, and donors can choose the projects they want to support. After completing a project, the donor hears back from the classroom they supported in the form of photographs and student thank-you letters.

To date, 88,000 public and charter school teachers have used the site to secure funding for $30.3 million in books, art supplies, technology, and other resources that their students need to learn. Through www.DonorsChoose.org, individuals from all walks of life have helped 1.8 million students from low-income families.

[George II]

90. Oh, you are WAAAAY too credible and sensible and rational....

[fascisthunter]

129. that depends on your political leanings as I have observed

[Jakes Progress]

75. Nope.

That is not so.

[mzteris]

80. really?

Care to try and even semi-prove that "nope"?

[Jakes Progress]

99. I work with and advise

several charters. The majority are formed for small groups of students that school districts have trouble serving. It's a money thing. But usually it's a social thing where the parents of public schools are glad to have these children going elsewhere. They are small business or non-profits that work with special needs and troubled teens. A high percentage of them go out of business (often for misuse or mal-use of state or local funds) leaving the kids to go back to the main stream schools with less schooling than they would have gotten at their underfunded and under supported public schools.

There are a few "academies" and such. They like to skim the top students. These are the only ones that the charter movement like to use when they compare results on test scores. Even then, most research shows little difference between charters and public schools. It's sort of like Vegas. When the one poor slob in a million wins big, the casinos like to play it up big. Names in the local papers. Pictures on the news. So when one or two charters have some success, that's the ones that we hear about. We don't read about the hundreds that went belly up or had funds stolen or failed all forms of assessment. Public school teachers know about them though. They get these kids back in the classes - minus a year's work - and have to make up what was left out.

Not saying that some don't work. Just saying that just because a few kids get help doesn't justify taking public school money and screwing millions. That and the fact that it's just part of the long range plans for corporate education.

Care to try to even semi-prove your contention that they are all wonderful places funded by benevolent angels who only want all children to succeed?

[mzteris]

118. ooooo - "several" charters

. . . how many is several - three, four? Where are they? How long have they been in operation?

I never said ALL charters are wonderful places - I've never said that. Some charters suck. Some charters have bad intentions. Some charters are incompetent. Of course. But what percentage? Now tell me what percentage of school-board-run-public schools can say the same?

I've never said all school-board-run-public schools are awful, either.

Have you not read the studies that in areas where there are successful charter schools- surprise - the local school-board-run-public schools ALSO improve?

Again, this is NOT a competition - it's about helping as many kids as possible. Charter schools ARE PUBLIC SCHOOLS - every single definition that any legitimate source anywhere has is that CHARTER SCHOOLS ARE PUBLIC SCHOOLS!!

They are not "taking money away" from public schools because they ARE public schools.

You like taking all the bad information and using it to justify your position. If you dislike charters so much, then why do you "advise them"? And if you do, then why are the ones you advising going out of business for misuse of mal-use of state or local funds (don't think charter public schools hold the corner on misuse of funds - see my post on school-board-run-public schools and financial scandal - just a couple of mentions - there are many many more, of course.)

It's in your second sentence - "The MAJORITY are formed for groups of students that school districts have trouble serving. " - but no, it's not a money thing. it is not a social thing.

There are a few "academies" and such - are you kidding me? a FEW? People love to misinterpret the "research" that shows little difference between charters and public schools. Charter public schools draw from private schools and homeschoolerls - which brings federal dollars into the community.

I think you - like Mad - need to broaden your horizons and your research. You need to look outside of your own little microcosm. You need to drop your prejudices and look at the greater picture.

Read my post further down - something like "the most important quote you'll ever read on this subject" - I think that says it all. IMHO - if even ONE kid receives a better education than he would have received had he remained where he was, then I say HURRAH.

Seems you're willing to sacrifice those "special needs" and "troubled teens" (and gifted, and interested in a different type of education, unable to function in a "traditional" school-board-run-public school setting. Charters don't "skim" the top students. They take all who apply - if there are too many for the slots available, then it's a lottery - just like school-board-run-public magnet schools. Have you looked at the demographics? Minorities are increasingly fleeing to charter public schools - why do you think that is?

Oh - yeah, if you "advise" charter schools, then you're familiar with their financial process. You also know that the "per student expenditure" quote TAKEN unquote from the school-board-run-public schools and quote GIVEN unquote to the Charter public schools is less than that spent per student in the school-board-run-public school. So actually, then, there is a net gain to the school-board-run-public school.

[Jakes Progress]

153. Whoa. So much misinformation and crap in one post.

You just don't know what you are talking about. For information you have propaganda. For evidence you have hearsay. You drip with the same views that the neocon movement puts out. You might want to look at the fact you you are in complete agreement with rumsfeild, cheney, norquist, bennet, and a host of very nasty minds. Would you care to examine your world and try to figure out why you have the same view as these corporate ass holes.

You accuse me of having a narrow view and needing to widen my world. You have no idea who I am or what I do and have done. I don't care to talk to you when you have no intention of learning.

S'okay. Go ahead. Those of us that have been trying so hard to improve schools and push back against the lies that have become the mantra of the corporate class and the corporate class wannabes have grown weary. Every week I'm asked to work with another school, to help stop the harm being done to children. But every week people who spout crap like you have storm and rant and pull the schools back down. They divide the efforts and suck the money with their special little agendas. They chant the lies that they have been fed, supremely confident in their ignorance.

Well. We grow weary. At a conference just last week I listened to two of the most inspirational and dedicated educators the country has. They both were talking of retiring. They don't mind the battles with stupid administrators who equate test prep with education. The can handle the politicians who throw out shallow lies to gather a populist vote. What kills them is the foaming idiots whose children they have given their lives to educate. Foaming idiots who prance around in their corporate generated ignorance and shortage of information, parading their foolishness as wisdom. All while helping grover norquist achieve his goals.

Congratulations.

[Hannah Bell]

157. +25

[mzteris]

171. but no comment on the stats and information, eh?

Figures - you guys run from the hard facts and only embrace that which supports your "cause".

What are you all so afraid of anyway?

It's mindboggling to me that you people are so opposed to our children receiving a good education. It almost makes one think that there is some underlying self-serving motive. I would hate to think that - but I can not get my head around that fact that people who are supposedly SO CONCERNED with the welfare of children, would reject out of hand ANY effort to improve their lot just because "YOU" don't like it, don't agree with it, don't understand it.

It is truly sad.

Everyone in America knows that the traditional-school-board-run-public-school model needs some serious overhaul in most states. Not all states, not all schools. But quite a damn few of them. If it takes kicking ass and taking names and hurting a few feelings and getting rid of some of the impediments to innovation, then - well - that's what has to be done.

[Hannah Bell]

182. when you comment on the folks funding your faux "grassroots".

[George II]

238. Who were those two "most inspriational and dedicated educators the country has"?

[George II]

205. " . . how many is several - three, four? "

Based on "facts" posted in this discussion, you may be seeing the number "97%" being bandied about here soon.

[mzteris]

123. info on closed charters -

"Performance-based accountability is the hallmark of charter schools. Unlike conventional public schools that remain open year after year despite their inability to maintain strong operations or raise student achievement, charter schools close if they fail to perform according to their charter.

And while opponents claim that charter schools are not being held accountable or that only “responsible” charters should remain open, the data on closed charter schools across the states proves that the performance-based accountability inherent in the charter school concept is working—especially in states with strong and clear charter laws.

Of the over 5,250 charter schools that have ever opened, 657 have closed since 1992. (that's just over 12% - and as the process gets refined, it gets better.)

While reasons vary, 41 percent of the nation’s closed charter schools (that 12ish percent of all charters) were a result of financial deficiencies caused by either low student enrollment or inequitable funding. This figure should come as no surprise considering charter schools across the country are funded at only 61 percent of their conventional public school counterparts according to the 2008 Annual Survey of America’s Charter Schools.

An additional 27 percent (that 12ish percent of all charters) were closed for mismanagement. The data shows that ineffective schools first demonstrate the inability to remain financially viable or effectively operate well before there are signs that the school is struggling academically.

Therefore, only 14 percent (that 12ish percent of all charters) of the nation’s charters have been shut down for poor academic performance—meaning they reached a point at which meaningful measures could be used to close a school."


....

A little more info on those 12-ish percent thath closed:

About ten percent of the nation’s closed charter schools were closed for reasons that had nothing to do with the quality of the charter school, but everything to do with a hostile policy environment. Such cases, called “district” closures, are instances where local school boards or state entities have intentionally created problems that compromised the school’s ability to remain operationally sound. For a complete list of closed charter schools by state visit the National Charter School Online Directory at www.edreform.com/charter_directory/.

The largest number of closures have been in California (103), Arizona (96), and Florida (82) -- the three states with the largest numbers of public charter schools. No public charters have been closed in Hawaii, Iowa, Mississippi, Rhode Island, and


Charter schools can be closed for a number of reasons, and in this report, closures are broken down into eight general categories. The following explanations will help you to identify the reasons behind why charter schools close.

Academic: This applies to schools whose sponsors found them unable to meet the academic goals and performance targets set by the state or written in their charter.

District: Applies to schools that were closed because its school district sponsor had issues with the independence of the charter and chose to cut it from the budget, or decided to close it as a cost saving measure. Some of the schools became involved in long, arduous fights with the district and due to additional costs of these lawsuits, were forced to close. Final control of these charter schools’ existence ultimately was with the district.

Facilities: Applies to schools that were unable to contract for a viable facility and had to close or voluntarily gave up their charter. While it is the charter’s obligation to find a facility, the roadblocks created by zoning boards, school districts, funding shortages and even community opposition make up the bulk of facilities problems that result in a school closing.

Financial: Charters with budgetary problems resulting from involuntary causes, such as a lack of enrollment, insufficient funds, costs that exceeded projected revenues, etc. In most cases, these schools tried to become financially healthier, but for a variety of reasons, they could not sustain the institution. Many of these charters voluntarily returned their charter when the financial problems became too great.

Mismanagement: Closures under this heading were due to deliberate actions on the part of organizers or sponsors, such as misspending, failure to provide adequate programs, materials, etc., failure to adhere to the school’s charter, or an overall lack of accountability. There can also be extreme cases of mismanagement such as fraud or theft, but these cases are rare. Schools in this category could also be called “bad-apples.” These problems are generally uncovered quickly and charters are closed before mismanagement affects student learning.

Other/Unknown: A handful of charter schools close for reasons that do not fit into any of these categories, like schools that closed due to damage from Hurricane Katrina. Other school operators returned the charter with no explanation, and there are no recorded reasons for closure.


Oh - and one last, very interesting little tidbit:

This report finds that the absence of good data correlates to the strength of the state’s charter school law. For example, states like Iowa, Mississippi, Virginia and Wyoming have laws ranked either “D” or “F.” All authority for creating and managing charters in these states rests with local school boards. Therefore, there is no distinction between the resulting schools and their conventional district schools. Progress among these schools has not been tracked objectively, clearly or differentiated and any record of success is anecdotal at best.


http://www.edreform.com/download/CER_2009_AR_Charter_Schools.pdf

[Hannah Bell]

125. Here's where mzteris gets her stats: Center for Education Reform Board =

Jeanne Allen is the president of The Center for Education Reform...

The "queen of charter school propaganda"

http://schoolsmatter.blogspot.com/2009/03/jeanne-allen-charter-propaganda-goes.html


Tim Barton is an entrepreneur who founded Freightquote.com®...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freightquote.com



Kevin Chavous is a Partner with Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal LLP...

SN & R LLP = one of the big funders of Chicago's Renaissance Charter Schools Initiative.



Kara Cheseby is a General Partner with Rock Creek Investment Partners, LLC...

Private equity investment firm



Angus Davis is the co-founder of Tellme Networks, now a Microsoft subsidiary...

MS = one of biggest charter school funders. Tellme delivers content to telephones.


Donald Hense serves as Chairman of Friendship Public Charter Schools located in Washington, DC...

Founded "with assistance from Chris Whittle" (Edison Schools)

http://www.thehistorymakers.com/biography/biography.asp?bioindex=1471&category=EducationMakers&occupation=Educator&name=Donald%20L.%20Hense.


Gisele Huff is the Executive Director of the Jaquelin Hume Foundation...

Foundation (vegetable-processing fortune) "perhaps most associated with the Foundation for Teaching Economics, which he helped found in 1975 to train economics teachers and high school students in free-market principles. He also helped organize the Campaign for America in the 1980s to support anti-Communist insurgencies around the world."

http://www.philanthropyroundtable.org/article.asp?article=839&paper=0&cat=141



Jerry Hume (Chairman Emeritus) is the Chairman of the Board of the San Francisco-based Basic American, Inc....

Member of the same right-wing family as the "philanthropist" above.

http://dbacon.igc.org/Strikes/12Hume.htm



Robert Johnston founded Johnston Associates, Inc. (JAI), in 1968...

Biotech venture capital, like Gates.

http://www.exsar.com/AboutUs/BoardOfDirectors/RobertFJohnston.aspx



Ray Smart is the President of the Smart Family Foundation in Wilton, Connecticut.

Another family foundation established by rich people to control public policy covertly.

http://www.manta.com/company/mm058yj



Lara N. Vaughan is founding partner of Parchman, Vaughan and Company, LLC....

Investment bankers to "education companies." lol.

http://www.parchmanvaughan.com/



Chris Whittle is founder and chairman of Edison Schools, Inc....

Edison Schools, that "grassroots" org = for profit.




Astroturf org set up to cAtAPult the propAgAndA.

[madfloridian]

180. Your only source is a site for pushing charter schools?

http://www.edreform.com/charter_schools/maps/

[Hannah Bell]

126. The source of the lady's stats = astroturf org featuring Chris Whittle...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=6448407&mesg_id=6464936

[Jakes Progress]

155. Hannah. I'm sorry my dear.

But it is a lost battle. I'm going to quit posting on ed matters. The fools have given the schools away.

I am so saddened every time this stuff comes up here. If DU has become so stupid on this issue, we really have no chance. All of these idiots' grandchildren will go to tax profitting corporate schools. Their children will have no say about the education of their children. They are very proud to spout the lies that grover norquist started spinning back under reagan with Nation at Risk. They use the neocon bible as their justification. They yell like the teabaggers (same information source) as they demand that the nation's children be robbed of their right to learn.

I'm still hopeful for a few schools where I can still actually work with teachers and children, but I know it is short lived. Nothing we do there will last.

[Hannah Bell]

158. Don't stop posting. I have no illusions about the political situation, nor that there

aren't plenty of fools who buy this crap (& plenty of low-lifes willing to make a buck catapulting the propaganda), but -

You never know who's reading; it's not only posters. I hope you'll slog it out. Even if only to plant seeds for the future, because spring returns.


SEPTEMBER 1, 1939

W. H. Auden

I sit in one of the dives
On Fifty-second Street
Uncertain and afraid
As the clever hopes expire
Of a low dishonest decade:
Waves of anger and fear
Circulate over the bright
And darkened lands of the earth,
Obsessing our private lives;
The unmentionable odour of death
Offends the September night.
Accurate scholarship can
Unearth the whole offence
From Luther until now
That has driven a culture mad,
Find what occurred at Linz
What huge imago made
A psychopathic god:
I and the public know
What all schoolchildren learn,
Those to whom evil is done
Do evil in return.

Exiled Thucydides knew
All that a speech can say
About Democracy,
And what dictators do,
The elderly rubbish they talk
To an apathetic grave;
Analysed all in his book,
The enlightenment driven away,
The habit-forming pain,
Mismanagement and grief:
We must suffer them all again.

Into this neutral air
Where blind skyskrapers use
Their full height to proclaim
The strength of Collective Man,
Each language pours its vain
Competitive excuse:
But who can live for long
In an euphoric dream;
Out of the mirror they stare,
Imperialism's face
And the international wrong.

Faces along the bar
Cling to their average day:
The lights must never go out,
The music must always play,
All the conventions conspire
To make this fort assume
Thefurniture of home;
Lest we should see where we are,
Lost in a haunted wood

Children afraid of the night
Who have never been happy or good.
The windiest militant trash
Important Persons shout
Is not so crude as our wish:
What mad Nijinsky wrote
About Diaghilev
Is true of the normal heart;
For the error bred in the bone
Of each woman and each man
Craves what it cannot have,
Not universal love
But to be loved alone.

From the conservative dark
Into the ethical life
The dense commuters come,
Repeating their morning vow;
'I will be true to the wife,
I'll concentrate more on my work,'
And helpless governors wake
To resume their compulsory game:
Who can release them now,
Who can reach the deaf,
Who can speak for the dumb?

All I have is a voice
To undo the folded lie,
The romantic lie in the brain
Of the sensual man-in-the-street
And the lie of Authority
Whose buildings grope the sky:
There is no such thing as the State
And no one exists alone;
Hunger allows no choice
To the citizen or the police;
We must love one another or die.

Defenceless under the night
Our world in stupor lies;
Yet, dotted everywhere,
Ironic points of light
Flash out wherever the Just
Exchange their messages:
May I, composed like them
Of Eros and of dust,
Beleaguered by the same
Negation and despair,
Show an affirming flame.

[Jakes Progress]

170. Just lovely. And welcome.

Remember when words of truth were considered self-evident? Well. We live in the world we live in. And we work with the material we have.

You and Auden are, of course, right. But I will need to take a little break. I will spend my educational energies with some children and a group of teachers and parents who get it. These youngsters - even the parents seem like youngsters to me - will be the ones to cache what we know now and unearth it when the madness stops.

I will be reading you. And, yes, I probably won't be able to keep my hands from the keyboard when the lies flow - ten more tired old fingers in the leaking dike that holds back the tide of corporate education.

[mzteris]

172. you know, i love how people who know they're being

ignored like to "comment" on your threads because they know they can say ANYTHING at all without fear of reprisal.

Doesn't bother me much in this case though 'cause everyone knows that this sockpuppet has nothing to contribute to the conversation anyway. Insults from this one are compliments, IMO.

[Hannah Bell]

183. lol. you're "ignoring" me, how special. "we must suffer it all again"

= fascism masquerading as "choice".

but i don't imagine you're a fan of auden.

[amandabeech]

179. The charter that formed in the tiny district from which I graduated

was formed by a clique that had a somewhat personal disagreement with some members of the school board.

The charter school was a disaster academically and offered little in the way of extra-curriculars. The kids that went there got restless without band, sports, theater, etc. The charter begged the regular school to take the charter kids for the extras, but the regular school board declined, and I don't blame them considering their difficulties in working with the charter parents.

Then the charter started to lose students. It folded after about 4 or so years. I don't know who now owns the new building that housed the charter, but its roof caved in a few years ago and it stands neglected.

In a small city to the south, there were problems with religious groups gaining charters and mixing religion with tax dollars. It was a big issue there, and I believe that those charters are now closed.

Where does Arne send his kids, if he has any? Charters?

[Jakes Progress]

181. These are the stories of charters

that never get into the news. GE and it's corporate buddies would love to have a shot at lobbying for education tax dollars. The charter movement is a hoax. You have so many like the one you mentioned because, just as the corporations want it, they have little to control them. They bad ones are opportunities for scam and bigotry. The good ones are a release valve for the parents who might actually work to help make main stream schools better. Double win for the corporate types. First it gets vocal parents out of the way. Then it makes them mouthpieces for the movement. The end result is the end of public education.

Thanks for sharing your experience. Unfortunately it is not very rare.

[Hannah Bell]

184. arne went to a $20K/yr private school for his entire pre-college education.

I have little doubt his children do too, if he has any.

The ruling class doesn't go to public schools.

[George II]

246. Your post confirms that charter schools must perform or they will be closed....

...that is part of the charter process.

[mzteris]

120. some stats for ya -

Among the most significant findings this year (June 2009):

* More than 1.4 million students now attend over 4,600 public charter schools in 40 states and the District of Columbia

* The student population has grown 11% and the number of schools has grown 8% since one year ago (2007-2008)

* 62% of public charter school students are non-white and 48% qualify for free and reduced price lunch (compared with 47% non-white and 45% free and reduced price lunch in all non-charter schools)

* While 56% of students attend charter schools in large cities, a growing percentage of students are enrolled in charter schools in rural areas (14% compared with 11% five years ago)

* Nearly 30% of students attend charter schools with non-traditional grade configurations, such as Kindergarten through 12th grade (compared with less than 7% of non-charter school students)

* Nationally, the average public charter school has been open 6.2 years

* As of the 2008-2009 academic year, 23% of charter schools have been open at least 10 years. Four years ago, only 7% of charter schools had been open more than 10 years

These last two statistics are particularly interesting. Much school reform literature suggests that it takes at least 7 to 10 years for school-wide reform efforts to make substantial changes in student performance, which is confirmed by the high-quality studies in the Alliance's Charter School Achievement: What We Know (2009). Consequently, as public charter schools get older and more experienced, we believe that public charter schools will get even better at providing high quality learning environments.

With the attention given to for-profit educational management organizations and non-profit charter management organizations, it is interesting to note that over three-quarters of public charter schools continue to be freestanding, or "mom and pop" schools.


Free-standing public charters: 77.4%
CMO: 12.0% - Charter managemet operations - NON profit networks of schools)

EMO: 11.8% Education management operations - FOR-Profit management companies


Gee - 11.8% are FOR PROFIT corporations - some whopping percentage, eh?

[Hannah Bell]

166. more astroturf "information," this heaping of crap from an org led by

former director of KIPP & a schwartzenegger lackey.


http://www.publiccharters.org/about/board



all you got is propaganda spun by charter school capitalists like whittle, venture capital firms, & slave-wage lovers like walmart.

[Hannah Bell]

101. what a crock of hooey.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Obama's Chicago Peeps: The funders of the Daley/Duncan "Renaissance Schools" initiative (charters, etc.)


http://romanticpoet.wordpress.com/2009/01/25/obamas-arne-duncan-sec-of-education-and-renaissance-2010/


I. Investors of $2,000,000 & Above

*Anonymous (2)

- The public apparently has no right to know who pays to "reform" their schools, or whose input is listened to by those implementing the "reforms".


*Northern Trust:

- Invests old money for the super-rich of Chicago & elsewhere. Original shareholders (1889) = Field (dept store fortune), Armour (meat-packing), McCormick (ag machinery) & the Smith banking family of Chicago, who ran NT 1889-1981:

http://www.petershumway.org/nti/nti06174.htm

Directors include Susan Crown (Crown Family, below) & John W. Rowe (Rowe Charitable Trust & Exelon, below).

Note the central role of folks associated with Illinois Tool Works, a company formed by Byron Smith, founder of the Northern Trust.

http://www.itw.com/itw/this_is_itw/history



*The Crown Family

- Chicagoan Henry Crown's descendants & funders of Obama's campaign effort.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Crown

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lester_Crown

"Controlled by Chicago's Crown family, Henry Crown and Company is an investment firm that owns or has interests in a variety of business assets. These holdings include stakes in sports teams (the Chicago Bulls and the New York Yankees), leisure (Aspen Skiing Company), banking (Chase), and real estate (Rockefeller Center). The company also has a stake in General Dynamics; after once controlling the company outright, it still has a seat on the board. The Crown family, worth an estimated $4.8 billion, ranks #75 on the 2008 Forbes magazine's List of Richest Americans and are prominent Chicago-area philanthropists."

http://biz.yahoo.com/ic/40/40214.html



*Rowe Family Charitable Trust

- Family trust of John W. Rowe: "John W. Rowe, 63, is the chairman and chief executive officer of Exelon Corporation, a utility holding company headquartered in Chicago. Exelon has the largest market capitalization in the electric utility industry. Its retail affiliates serve 5.4 million customers in Illinois and Pennsylvania, and its generation affiliate operates the largest fleet of nuclear power plants in the nation. Rowe is the senior chief executive in the utility industry, having served in such positions since 1984. Rowe has led Exelon since its formation in 2000 through the merger of PECO Energy and the parent of Commonwealth Edison."

http://www.equilar.com/CEO_Compensation/EXELON_CORP_John_W._Rowe.php



*Exelon Corporation

- John Rowe's Corporation: http://www.exeloncorp.com/aboutus/management/



*The Searle Funds at The Chicago Community Trust

- Searle Funds: From the estate of pharm magnate John Searle

- Chicago Community Trust: Chicago area foundation.

Executive Committee responsible for all grant allocations includes:

Paula Crown (Crown family);

Trustees include:

William Daley (Daley political family)
Waddell (Northern Trust) family member,
John Canning Jr (Chicago Federal Reserve, see below)

Trustee Banks include JP Morgan, BOA, Northern Trust, La Salle, etc.



*Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

- No explanation needed. Gates & Warren Buffett, both obama funders & both principles in Gates Foundation funding, regularly trade off "world's richest man" crown.

Gates Foundation = probably biggest funder of R&D into genetically modified (patentable) ag & medicine, "marketization" in economies not yet fully controlled by global capital (i.e. poor peasants & tribesmen in africa), & destroying traditional culture under the guise of "empowering women," as well as school "reform".



*The Walton Family Foundation, Inc

- No explanation needed. Richest family in US, biggest funder of school "reform" & charter schools. Supposedly "right wing," the Waltons play well with supposedly "liberal" foundations like Gates on school reform.



II. Investors of $1,000,000 to $1,999,999

*Baxter International Inc: Pharma

*JPMorgan Chase: no intro needed.

*McDonald’s Corp. & Ronald McDonald House Charities

*The Boeing Company: no intro needed.


*McCormick Foundation:

- The Chicago Tribune-owning McCormicks' family foundation.

Publisher Robert Rutherford McCormick = great-nephew of Cyrus McCormick: "McCormick Reaper" McCormick Harvesting Co. became International Harvester.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyrus_McCormick

Grandson of Joseph Medill: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Medill

Cousin of Joseph Medill Patterson, founder of NY Daily News & Grandfather of Madeline Albright's husband of 23 years: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Medill_Patterson_Albright

cousin of Cissy Patterson, founder of Newsday & Guggenheim wife: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alicia_Patterson

Son of diplomat Robert S McCormick (Sec to Robert Todd Lincoln): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Sanderson_McCormick

Brother of Joseph M McCormick, whose wife Ruth Hanna = daughter of the fixer & capitalist Mark Hanna, Rockefeller schoolmate, the Rockefellers being connected early on to the ag instrument business of the McCormick ancestors.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Medill_McCormick
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruth_Hanna_McCormick
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Hanna

Red-baiting McCormick family had ties to McCarthyism & US intelligence, e.g.:
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,766555,00.html



* The Chicago Community Trust:

- See above.



*Chicago High School Redesign Initiative

- A project of the Chicago Community Trust, see above



*Polk Bros Foundation:

- Chicago furniture money: Obama donors & friends
http://www.polkbrosfdn.org/wherewevebeen.html
http://web.archive.org/web/20010124111600/www.catalyst-chicago.org/10-99/109prom.htm



*Civic Committee of The Commercial Club of Chicago

- Chair White = Abbott Pharma
- Vice-Chair Farrell = Illinois Tool Works
- Committee Member John Canning, also on Chicago Community Trust Board
- Members Knight & Parkinson = Baxter
- Member W. James McNerney, JR. = Boeing
- Rosenfeld = Kraft
- Sander = Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME)
- Skinner = McDonalds
- Waddell = Northern Trust

- Member John W. Roger, JR. = Arne Duncan Business partner
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_W._Rogers,_Jr.

- Member John Rowe = Excelon, Rowe Family Trust (see above)

- The two Pritzker members = Pritzker family (see below)



*Pritzker Foundation

- Family foundation of one of america's richest families & major obama backers & donors. Penny Pritzker = campaign finance chair:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pritzker_family

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abram_Nicholas_Pritzker



*CME Trust

- Chicago Mercantile Exchange Trust:

CME Group (http://www.cmegroup.com) is the world's largest and most diverse
exchange. Formed by the 2007 merger of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange
(CME) and the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT), CME Group serves the risk
management needs of customers around the globe. As an international
marketplace, CME Group brings buyers and sellers together on the CME Globex
electronic trading platform and on its trading floors. CME Group
is traded on the New York Stock Exchange and NASDAQ under the symbol "CME."

Chicago Mercantile Exchange Trust was established by CME in 1969, under
the direction of its then chairman, Leo Melamed, to provide financial
protection to customers in the event a CME member firm became insolvent or
unable to meet its obligations to its customers.... CME Trust is an independent for-profit
Illinois trust, separate from CME Group Inc. For more information on CME
Trust, contact Kassie Davis, Executive Director.



*Rauner Family Foundation: environment, religion, & charter schools?

http://www.implu.com/nonprofit/363993405

http://www.activistcash.com/foundation.cfm/did/1593

Bruce V. Rauner: Goldner Rauner venture capital/private equity

http://www.buyoutsconferences.com/buyouts_chicago_2009/expert_speakers/bruce_v_rauner.aspx



*Deloitte LLP:

- big 4 international auditing firm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deloitte_Touche_Tohmatsu



*Financial Investments Corporation

- Connected with La Salle Bank, Chicago Community Trust Trustee Bank.

http://www.fic-sff.com/fic-history.php



*Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal LLP

- International chicago law firm est 1906; made its bones repping Sears & allstate.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonnenschein_Nath_&_Rosenthal



*Sara Lee Corporation



III. Investors of $500,000 to $999,999

*Illinois Tool Works Foundation
- Foundation of Illinios Tool Works, founder = Byron Smith, head of Northern Trust:

http://www.itw.com/itw/this_is_itw/history



*Kirkland & Ellis LLP

- law firm founded by Robert McCormick, Chicago Trib publisher (see above); a top US firm; Ken Starr & Robert Bork = former counsel at the firm.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirkland_&_Ellis



*Madigan Family Foundation

- Family foundation of former Chicago Trib (McCormick family founders) exec & banker John Madigan

http://www.substancenews.net/articles.php?section=Article&page=355



*The Canning Foundation

- Chicago-area family foundation; John Canning Jr. = Director of Fed Reserve Bank of chicago & chicago community trust (see above).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Canning,_Jr.
http://www.campaignmoney.com/political/contributions/rita-canning.asp?cycle=08



*Sidley Austin LLP
- The law firm where Michelle worked & met Barack; 9th-largest firm in the world.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sidley_Austin



*The Allstate Corporation: the Sears insurance company.
*Sears Holdings Corporation: i.e. "Sears," 8th-largest US retailer, Chicago-based, founders = sears, roebuck, & rosenwald, friend of henry morgenthau sr & goldman sachs partner henry goldman:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julius_Rosenwald



*Abbott: Pharma

*Kenilworth Families Partnership

- apparently an alliance of kenilworth neighborhood families with some kind of private funders.


*PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP - another Big Four auditor
*Ernst & Young - another Big Four auditor


*HSBC – North America
- Hong Kong Shanghai Banking Corporation, the bank built on the opium trade.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hongkong_and_Shanghai_Banking_Corporation


*Mayer Brown LLP

- http://www.mayerbrown.com/about/index.asp?nid=10113



*Bain & Company

- management consultant firm; mitt romney = former partner

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bain_&_Company


*Fortune Brands
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fortune_Brands


*Grosvenor Capital Management
- "privately-owned hedge fund sponsor...founded in 1971 & based in Chicago."
http://www.linkedin.com/companies/grosvenor-capital-management


*W.W. Grainger, Inc:

- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W._W._Grainger


*Harris Bank
- https://www4.harrisbank.com/wealth/0,4928,62610052_62628473,00.html

*Winnetka Families Partnership
*Woodley Road Neighbors
*AT&T
*Kraft Foods
*Bank of America
*Motorola Foundation
*Discover Financial Services



IV. Investors of $250,000 to $499,999

*John W. Rogers, Jr
- Arne Duncan Business Partner

[Maat]

133. Well, she certainly wasn't getting a decent education in the conventional classroom (n/t).

[Jakes Progress]

152. I'm glad a child got a good education.

I wish more could. But if we continue to suck money from from the public schools (which is the neocon plan) millions will suffer for the few who get the publicity.

It's working for them. Your child's child will have only corporate education to choose from.

[mzteris]

173. 11% of charters are for-profit "corporate" run

ELEVEN PERCENT!


That's some "corporate take over" of Public charter schools. . .

[Hannah Bell]

185. you keep dissembling. 11.8% rounds to 12%, not 11.

Now let's see: are 12% of traditional public schools for-profit schools?

No, the percentage = 0.

[George II]

202. Quibbling about 0.2% (TWO TENTHS of a percent)????

You're still backpeddling from your sweeping "old" data claiming that 97% of all charter schools are non-union.

Did you know that back in the 1890s ONE HUNDRED PERCENT of all public schools were non-union! :rofl:

Think I could start a discussion about that, claiming that public school systems are union busting??? :rofl: :rofl:

[Hannah Bell]

208. nope, about 1%. the difference in the rounding error = 1%. not surprising you can't do math either.

lots of charter school proponents can't.

[Hannah Bell]

58. unlike 97% of charter schools. which are non-union, & exempt from collective bargaining.

[George II]

89. And now the rest of the story:

From the rightwing neo-conservative NEW YORK TIMES a month ago!!!!

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/27/education/27charter.html

CHICAGO — Dissatisfied with long hours, churning turnover and, in some cases, lower pay than instructors at other public schools, an increasing number of teachers at charter schools are unionizing.

Joyce Pae, an English teacher at a Chicago charter school, voted against unionization. Union teachers won, 73 to 49.

Labor organizing that began two years ago at seven charter schools in Florida has proliferated over the last year to at least a dozen more charters from Massachusetts and New York to California and Oregon.

Charter schools, which are publicly financed but managed by groups separate from school districts, have been a mainstay of the education reform movement and widely embraced by parents. Because most of the nation’s 4,600 charter schools operate without unions, they have been freer to innovate, their advocates say, allowing them to lengthen the class day, dismiss underperforming teachers at will, and experiment with merit pay and other changes that are often banned by work rules governing traditional public schools.

“Charter schools have been too successful for the unions to ignore,” said Elizabeth D. Purvis, executive director of the Chicago International Charter School, where teachers voted last month to unionize 3 of its 12 campuses

So much for charter schools being "non-union"!!! Where do you get your facts, MAD Magazine?

[Hannah Bell]

102. *

[Hannah Bell]

105. Most charter school are non-union. Twenty-five percent hire non-certified teachers.

"Charter schools are typically non-unionized, publicly funded alternative schools that have been widely promoted by conservatives as a needed dose of competition in public education."

WSJ 7/09 online.wsj.com/article/SB124778613357254605.html


"Teachers unions have long criticized charter and pilot schools, which typically hire nonunion teachers."

Boston globe 6/08 http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2008/06/11/patrick_plans_new_kind_of_public_school/

[George II]

139. "Most" now? That falls far short of your 97% of yesterday....

...and is much closer to reality.

[Hannah Bell]

167. there's no contradiction between 97% & "most". i had to back off 97% because the data

was too old.

how does "the overwhelming majority" strike you?

[George II]

193. "The data was too old"????

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!

That is precisely what I've been saying around here for weeks - you are being so republican - posting FALSE "data" under the guise of being fact, truth, and gospel, knowing full well if no one checks your facts you're off to the races, "proving" your point with blatant false information.

And you have the utter GALL to accuse others here of being "disingenuous"????? That is unbelievable!!!!

Based on this "97%" and your casual dismissal of that "fact", your credibility going forward is zero.

Now, on what do you base "overwhelming majority"? Your must have learned that from your buddy in this discussion - recently she claimed that the viewpoint of a mere 7% if Democratic members of the House represented the "prevailing viewpoint of Democrats"!

[Hannah Bell]

209. you're so bogus. There IS no hard data on the exact current percent unionization of charter schools

because they're popping up like toadstools & no one sees fit to do the study, but it's an acknowledged fact that the overwhelming majority are non-union & exempt from collective bargaining regs.



What's Happening with the Unions & Charter Schools in other states?

edweek.org

Published: March 22, 2006

Efforts to Unionize Charters Grow, But Results So Far Appear Modest
By Erik W. Robelen

After years of tense relations between teachers’ unions and the growing charter school movement, unions are stepping up their efforts to organize educators at the independent public schools.

So far, the results of the increased organizing activity—which stretches from Massachusetts and Pennsylvania to California—appear modest....

Most of the nation’s more than 3,500 charter schools are not unionized...

Some charter supporters suggest that unions are incompatible with charter schools.

“At the end of the day, the unions are not going to be successful in this effort,” said Jeanne Allen, the president of the Center on Education Reform, a Washington-based research and advocacy group that backs charter schools.

By her count, fewer than 2 percent of charter schools are unionized.


http://www.mainecharterschools.org/National%20Charter%20Schools/National%20Charter%20Schools.htm


That's 2006. Not hard data, not recent, but good enough for the likes of you.

Now bugger off, you have nothing to contribute but bullshit.

[George II]

218. Fine, there's no data....

...then why do you continue to try to quantify it? Me "bogus"? Your numbers are bogus and you keep backtracking and minimizing them.

You conveniently overlooked this in the article you provided above:

The United Federation of Teachers, the AFT affiliate in New York City, is among those trying to recruit charter teachers. The union has launched its own charter school, with a second coming soon. ("A School of Their Own," Feb. 22, 2006.)

Wonder if those two schools are unionized?

[JVS]

124. All your story demonstrates is that charter schools are usually non-union and only now is this...

starting to change. Unionization in a real public school isn't newsworthy because we've had it for decades.

[mzteris]

128. there are many school-board-run-public schools

in this country that are NOT unionized. . .

[Hannah Bell]

131. more propaganda from chris whittle's statistic-gathering service?

you're disingenuous.

[George II]

140. You seem to sum up any opinion that doesn't agree with yours..

..as "disengenuous". Would you care to give us your definition of "disengenuous"??

[Hannah Bell]

159. you can't even spell "disingenuous". great PR for charters.

[George II]

188. On blogs, newsgroups, etc., it's considered "childish" to dwell on typos....

...I may have typed "disingenuous" incorrectly but at least I know what it means, you appear to be afraid to admit that you don't.

That is being very "disEngenuous" as well as disIngenuous.

[Hannah Bell]

217. "i" nowhere near "e" on keyboard. same "typo" twice = disingenuous.

[George II]

247. You probably don't realize it but....

...it's common for people typing to use the same finger on the opposite hand unconsciously (did I spell that correctly?) - the I is typed using the middle finger on the right hand, the E is typed with the middle finger on the left.

I also use my middle fingers for something else - wanna guess????

[George II]

150. No, my story demonstrates that charter schools are NOT 97% non-union and that there has been...

...an increase in the number of unionized charter schools. And further, it is not "starting to change", it has been changing for some time.

[Hannah Bell]

156. it does nothing of the sort. no percentages are mentioned, & the story is about nyc.

[George II]

191. The story is about NYC? Only the largest public school system in the COUNTRY!

So where did the 97% non-union statistic come from? If you can't produce you risk being accused of being disE/Ingenuous. :rofl:

[Hannah Bell]

213. arizona = largest charter system.

[Hannah Bell]

214. Illinois : Charter Schools (2005)

Charter schools are exempt from all state laws and regulations in the school code governing public schools and local school board policies, except the following: the state's charter school law; certain sections of the school code regarding criminal background investigations of applicants for employment; certain sections of the school code regarding discipline of students; the Local Governmental and Governmental Employees Tort Immunity Act; a certain section of the General Not For Profit Corporation Act of 1986 regarding indemnification of officers, directors, employees, and agents; the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act; the Illinois School Student Records Act; and a certain section of the school code regarding school report cards.


http://mb2.ecs.org/reports/Report.aspx?id=92


3/12 branches of ONE charter school in Chicago unionize, & the shill pretends it means MOST Chicago charters are unionized.

They're not.

[Hannah Bell]

215. Do Charter SchoolsMeasure Up?

The Charter SchoolExperiment After 10 Years

The American Federation of TeachersCharter School Study
July 2002,

Do Charter School TeachersHave Collective Bargaining Rights?

Charter schools are not subject to due process statutes. With rare exceptions (e.g., Horace Mann schools in Massachusetts and district-authorized or conversion schools in states like California, Georgia,New York, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin), charter school teachers are at-will employees. They can be terminated at any time, for any rea-son. Most charter school laws, under the guise of providing the schools with the autonomy to establish their own terms of employment for teachers, exempt the charters from state due process statutes. All other public school teachers in the country earn the right to continue teaching in their school district after a probationaryperiod, absent a reduction in force or a job-related reason for termination.

Conclusion

Overall, charter school teachers are paid less than other public school
teachers, particularly when their teaching experience and education
are considered. In general, charter school teachers are at-will
employees and are not subject to due process protection. Finally,
although laws vary in the extent to which charter school teachers can
bargain collectively, generally these teachers have little or no union
representation.

http://www.aft.org/pubs-reports/downloads/teachers/charterreport02.pdf.

[George II]

88. But, but, but.....charter schools are supposed to be "anti-union"...

...where have you been????:sarcasm:

Great testimony, thanks.

I don't know where the charter school bashers came from, but in some ways charter schools are good, in others they are not. But the bottom line is that they educate children. Isn't that what we're supposed to be driving toward?

[Hannah Bell]

33. most charter schools aren't, & are exempt from state collective bargaining regs.

you're a tireless promoter of charters, it seems to be your main interest at DU.

[George II]

91. "Most"? "Exempt"? Not even close!

[Hannah Bell]

103. oh, baloney.

603 CMR 1.00: Charter Schools - Education Laws and RegulationsJan 25, 2005 ... To the extent provided by the terms of their charters, Horace Mann charter schools may be exempt from local collective bargaining agreements ...
www.doemass.org/lawsregs/603cmr1.html?section=02 - Cached - Similar

Archived - The State Role - Chapter II Variations in State PoliciesCalifornia is a collective bargaining state, but its charter schools are generally recognized as exempt from the state's collective bargaining laws. ...
www.ed.gov/pubs/charter/chap2a.html - Cached - Similar

General Laws of Massachusetts: Chapter 71, § 89: Charter Schools ...(u) Horace Mann charter schools shall be exempt from local collective bargaining agreements to the extent provided by the terms of its charter; provided, ...
www.doe.mass.edu/lawsregs/ch71s89.html - Cached - Similar

Charter Schools Rating TemplateFile Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat - View
Suggested Sources of Evidence: Written collective bargaining unit ... school board may exempt a charter school from other local school district requirements ...
www.eed.state.ak.us/Alaskan_Schools/charter/rating_template.pdf - Similar

[George II]

142. So where did the defining "most" come from?

[Hannah Bell]

216. keep flinging the bullshit, maybe some will stick.

Conclusion

Overall, charter school teachers are paid less than other public school
teachers, particularly when their teaching experience and education
are considered. In general, charter school teachers are at-will
employees and are not subject to due process protection. Finally,
although laws vary in the extent to which charter school teachers can
bargain collectively, generally these teachers have little or no union
representation.

http://www.aft.org/pubs-reports/downloads/teachers/charterreport02.pdf

[George II]

199. You still haven't addressed where the defining "most" came from?

[Name removed]

3. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[George II]

85. Wow...that's scary!!!

Not what's in the blog extract, but the source itself:

http://www.globalresearch.ca

Disclaimer

The views expressed in Global Research articles are the sole responsibility of the author(s)

Note - a CANADIAN blog commenting on AMERICAN schools. No agenda there!

[Taverner]

4. Why is my first thought Starship Troopers?

[George II]

98. Acid? (probably my first unilateral "deleted post"!!! But it may have been worth it)

[George II]

8. Unrealistic and unfounded (with direct facts) claims by MJN

[madfloridian]

9. Not a fact in sight.

:eyes:

[George II]

13. Duplicate message...deleted by poster.

[George II]

14. You are conducting this one-person crusade against Arne Duncan (and the Obama Administration)....

...but you fail to acknowledge THIS about Duncan:

"Among his most significant accomplishments during his tenure as CEO, an all-time high of 66.7 percent of the district's elementary school students met or exceeded state reading standards, and their math scores also reached a record high, with 70.6 percent meeting or exceeding the state's standards. At high schools, Chicago Public School students posted gains on the ACT at three times the rate of national gains and nearly twice that of the state's. Also, the number of CPS high school students taking Advanced Placement courses tripled and the number of students passing AP classes more than doubled. Duncan has increased graduation rates and boosted the total number of college scholarships secured by CPS students to $157 million.

A study released in June 2008 by the Illinois Education Research Council lauded the Chicago Public Schools for its efforts to bring top teaching talent into the city's classrooms, where the number of teachers applying for positions almost tripled since 2003, from about 8,600 to more than 21,000, or about 10 applicants per teaching position. The number of teachers achieving National Board Certification—the highest education credential available to teachers—increased from 11 in 1999 to 1,191 in 2008, making Chicago the fastest-growing urban district in this area of achievement."

It would seem that, despite all of your criticisms of Obama's Secretary of Education, he did a pretty good job of educating the students of Chicago (which is the function of the CPS), wouldn't you agree?

[madfloridian]

21. You appear to be a one man crusade to discredit anything I write.

You are doing it in every thread now.

[George II]

67. No, that is definitely NOT true...I've "rec-ed" a number of your posts and posted positive...

...comments in many of your discussions, most recently in your post yesterday about that JROTC student who was suspended.

What I do "discredit" is posts that blatantly and falsely attempt to discredit Democrats simply because they are members of the Obama administration (like you blaming Arne Duncan for something that happened in NYC seven years ago!!!)

The fact is that Arne Duncan did an excellent job working with the Chicago school system, but all you is discredit him, mostly based on illogical and false connections to events he either had nothing to do with or events that haven't even happened yet.

[madfloridian]

27. That is directly from his bio at the Education website.

That bio would only put good stuff in it.

http://www.ed.gov/news/staff/bios/duncan.html

There are many other views, many of them.

[George II]

63. Yes, that is where I got it, but everything that was included is TRUE.

[madrchsod]

32. do a little research about public education in chicago before you comment

[George II]

68. I have. Anything specific I should be researching that I may have missed?

[Hannah Bell]

35. Because PR releases = "truth".

In fact, Duncan, like yourself, is a charter/deunionization promoter.

Arne Duncan and the Chicago Success Story: Myth or Reality?

So it is important to describe the agenda in which Duncan is complicit. Two powerful, interconnected forces drive education policy in the city: 1) Mayor Daley, who was given official authority over CPS by the Illinois State Legislature in 1995 and who appoints the CEO and the Board of Education, and 2) powerful financial and corporate interests, particularly the Civic Committee of the Commercial Club of Chicago whose reports and direct intervention shape current policy.

As Pauline documented in her book, High Stakes Education, the mayor and Civic Committee are operating from a larger blueprint to make Chicago a "world-class city" of global finance and business services, real estate development, and tourism, and education is part of this plan. Quality schools (and attractive housing) are essential to draw high-paid, creative workers for business and finance. Schools are also anchors in gentrifying communities and signals to investors of the market potential of new development sites.

For Chicago's working-class and low-income communities, particularly those of color, this has meant gentrification and displacement, including of thousands of public housing residents. As in other U.S. cities, Chicago has also handed over public services (public housing, schools, public infrastructure) to the market and privatized them, and public education has been in the forefront.

Although not the architect, Duncan has shown himself to be the central messenger, manager, and staunch defender of corporate involvement in, and privatization of, public schools, closing schools in low-income neighborhoods of color with little community input, limiting local democratic control, undermining the teachers union, and promoting competitive merit pay for teachers.

Let's separate myth from reality. The myth is that Chicago has created a new, innovative way to improve education—Renaissance 2010...There is a completely different reality on the ground. For affected communities who have longed for change, Renaissance 2010 has been traumatic, largely ineffective, and destabilizing to communities owed a significant "education debt" (to quote Gloria Ladson-Billings) due to decades of being underserved.

http://www.rethinkingschools.org/archive/23_03/arne233.shtml

[George II]

69. Treading on the thin ice of deleted posts again....

On what do you base your accusation that I'm a "deunionization promoter"? As a matter of fact, I've been a member of THREE unions in my life, half my family have been union members, my father was one of the pioneer members of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters (google them to see what they accomplished for union workers) back in the 1930s.

Further, I am NOT a fan of charter schools, in some ways I find them expensive and damaging to public school systems.

So before you make your obnoxious and false accusations, MAKE SURE YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT!!!!

The rest of your post is strictly opinion, not worthy of keystrokes.

[mzteris]

81. dunno who you're replying to

but evidently i gave up on 'em a long time ago.

:shrug:

some people aren't worth the bother, imo.

Ignore can be your friend. A truism i'm considering revisiting. :sigh:

[George II]

82. Hannah Bell....

....sadly, some here on DU are hell-bent on destroying all we fought for years to accomplish - a HUGE majority in the House, a fillibuster-proof majority in the Senate (oh, how we miss Teddy already!), and last, but certainly not least, a liberal Democratic President.

One wonders if indeed these are republicans in Democratic clothing?

[mzteris]

84. ah -

yeah, i remember now......

:eyes:

[Hannah Bell]

169. you know, the person who went to the trouble of looking at the board members

of your propaganda sources.

chris whittle, that big grassroots advocate.

who happens to be married to the daughter of susan agnelli: "the daughter of Edoardo Agnelli and Donna Virginia Bourbon del Monte, a daughter of the Prince di San Faustino and his Kentucky-born wife Jane Campbell. Her brother, Gianni Agnelli, was the head of Fiat until 1996; the Agnelli family is still the controlling shareholders of the company as of 2009. The family also held investments which represented the largest percentage of the Italian stock market."


the agnellis = the richest family in italy, a mafiosi who runs that near-fascist state, & "catholic" (but just for the power over the catholic peons).

high-level propaganda source you got there. big, big money & power.

grassroots my white ass.

[George II]

195. HUH???

:wtf: does this have to do with ANY of this discussion????

[Hannah Bell]

212. The poster's use of agit-prop from Chris Whittle's phony "grassroots" charter school

promotion org.

[madfloridian]

96. Are you bragging about getting someone deleted?

That would be a shame.

[George II]

97. No, but when one falsely accuses me of something that is offensive....

that person better know what he/she is talking about. And clearly your buddy "Hannah" knows NOTHING about what he/she is talking about!

I don't revel in getting posts deleted, but I DO 'revel' in getting offensive, insulting posts deleted.

Got it?

[mzteris]

135. hey - can you let me know

if I'm being insulted?

Wait - nevermind - I forgot who I was talking about.


It's so weird though - I keep clicking on the "REPLIES" link and then there's NOTHING there. But then again, I suppose there'd be "nothing there" anyways.

:shrug:

[Hannah Bell]

106. funny how much you sound like a charter promoter when you're not.

[George II]

144. Perhaps, but...

....only to you.

[George II]

62. ..

[ProudDad]

107. WTF does being able to take tests

because teachers have to piss away half of the class time with this shit...

Have ANYTHING to do with EDUCATION or LEARNING...

When I was in school from the late 1940s through the mid 1960s, we were lucky enough (if white and middle/upper class) to go to schools that taught us how to learn. That's why we caused so much trouble for the power structure in the late 60s/early 70s...

This bullshit gurge and regurge form of "schoolin'" results in people like the tea-baggers -- can't reason, can't process information, can't think, can't learn...

Certifications and rote testing is antithetical to learning and education.

[Hannah Bell]

46. Sure they made it all up. No facts here.

When Arne Duncan stepped down as the head of the Chicago Public Schools to become the secretary of education in January, the school district he left behind had little to brag about. While Duncan served as its chief executive officer, CPS received mostly average or below average rankings in "The Nation's Report Card," a Department of Education assessment of the country's largest urban school districts. Its high school graduation rates lingered at around 50 percent, well short of the national average of 70 percent. And since 2004, CPS has failed as a district to meet No Child Left Behind's "adequate yearly progress" standards. In one area, however, Chicago's schools stood out: In large part to Duncan's efforts, they were—and remain—the most militarized in America.

Nearly 10,500 of Chicago's 203,000 sixth- through twelfth-graders participate in some kind of military program on campus, from joining the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps to enrolling in Pentagon-sponsored JROTC academies. As the district's CEO (and previously as deputy chief of staff to his predecessor, Paul Vallas), Duncan oversaw the controversial move to bring full-fledged military academies to the Windy City. The district's first, the Chicago Military Academy at Bronzeville, opened in 1999, and three more followed during Duncan's tenure. Today, Chicago has six military high schools run by a branch of the armed services. Six smaller military academies share buildings with existing high schools. Nearly three dozen JROTC programs exist in regular high schools, where students attend a daily JROTC class and wear uniforms to school one day a week. And at the middle school level, there is a JROTC program for sixth, seventh- and eighth-graders.

[George II]

72. So?

You fail to tell us why these military schools and military programs are bad.

Oh, and when I was in elementary school years ago, I was a Cub Scout and wore my uniform to school one day a week. Most of my friends were Catholic and attended parochial school and they wore uniforms to school EVERY day.

With all of this from you, you haven't gotten around to saying just WHY this is all "bad"!

[Hannah Bell]

110. catholic school = private school. public schools using public funds should not promote either

religion or the military.

[George II]

145. ...or Cub Scounts or Boy Scouts? BTW, every Wednesday in Brookly NY, all Catholic students...

...were dismissed at 2 PM instead of the customary 3 PM so they could attend their catechism classes. That went on during the '50s and '60s, not sure if it still goes on.

So, using your projection that would be public schools promoting religion by sending some of their student off to learn about God!

[Hannah Bell]

160. the public wasn't paying for their catechism classes, or scouting classes.

i went to school in the 50s & 60s, & i know how it was.

[George II]

192. No, they weren't paying for the classes, but the teachers were being paid for NOT....

...teaching those students for an hour a week.

[bertman]

10. Cannon fodder for our current and future wars. A quick check of the Secretary's bio

indicates that he has never served in the Armed Forces. Very interesting.

Yet another chickenhawk with martial fantasies.

Recommend.

[madfloridian]

12. And never spent time in a classroom either.

Thanks for the recommend. :hi:

[mopinko]

16. depends on the meaning of spent time.

i am getting sick and tired of teachers whining about this. he was raised in a classsroom. a very successful classroom full of america's most underserved kids.

look, this article is riddled with inaccuracies. riddled. these schools are not in minority neighborhoods. they are, in fact, in some of the most integrated neighborhoods in chicago. and a great majority of these kids are going to end up in the military, anyway. at least this gives them a chance to enter at a grade above cannon fodder.
are big city schools systems full of failures? yes they are. and arne duncan finally drew the line in the sand, and shut down many of the most egregious failures in the system. closed the doors, and made everyone turn in their resignation. hired back a few, but let most go. there was much help given, many chances given, before this took place. but is was about fucking time that someone came along and closed these snake pits. and the teachers, especially the many, many half assed, rotten teachers, hate him for it. well, as a parent of kids in cps, i applaud him. accountability was way too long coming. i hope he spreads it around to all of america's schools.
was he ever a teacher? thank fucking god the answer is no. he is not there to stick up for the teachers. he is there to stick up for the kids. any teachers who do not share that priority can take a nice long hike. amen. thank you arne duncan.

[George II]

18. AMEN! Thank you, thank you, thank you..........

[Hannah Bell]

39. Duncan attended PRIVATE SCHOOLS cradle through uni.

Expensive private schools.

[George II]

73. So did Ted Kennedy - got a problem with him too?????

[Hannah Bell]

100. a few, yes. but somewhat fewer than with school privatizers like duncan.

[George II]

146. Is that your subtle, hidden admission..

...that just because someone went to private school (which you used as an example of why Dunan was the boogie man) doesn't disqualify them from knowing anything about education?

[Hannah Bell]

161. do you actually have anything of substance to say? because you're boring me.

[George II]

196. The fact that I DO have lots of substance to say is precisely....

...why I bore you. As with your "disingenuous" accusation, you use the "boring" story equally as often when things get tough for you to understand.

If I bore you, why do you insist on reading my posts and responding to them? Don't you have a sock drawer to rearrange?

[Hannah Bell]

36. He went to private school. As did most of the "reformers" of the public schools, including

our Pres.

"The University of Chicago Laboratory Schools (also Lab School and abbreviated UCLS; the upper classes are nicknamed U-High) is a private, co-educational day school in Chicago, Illinois."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Chicago_Laboratory_Schools


His mother, a Morton, ran a tutoring program/center for low-income kids - not a "school".

He wasn't "raised" there, because he was studying in his EXPENSIVE PRIVATE SCHOOL. Tuition $20K/yr, Nursery through HS.

One of the top feeders to elite colleges in the US. Which Duncan attended as well: Harvard.

[George II]

74. You sure nailed that one! Oops:

For example, "Obama attended local schools in Jakarta, including Besuki Public School and St. Francis of Assisi School."

Not exactly the elite of "private schools", huh?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama

[Hannah Bell]

109. in fact, they were.

"The school was founded in 1934 as Carpentier Alting Stichting Nassau School (CAS)<1> by the Dutch colonial administration and was reserved for the children of the Dutch and Indonesian nobility. The Indonesian government took over administration of the school in 1962, and it was then run by the Raden Saleh Foundation.

Among its students have been children of Bambang Trihatmodjo, the son of former president Soeharto, as well as the grandchildren of former vice presidents Hamzah Haz and Try Sutrisno. United States president Barack Obama spent his fourth year of schooling there.<2>"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_Elementary_School_Menteng_01


As in Britain, "public school" often means something different than it does in the US:

Definitions of "public school" on the Web:

1. a tuition free school in the United States supported by taxes and controlled by a school board

2. private independent secondary school in Great Britain supported by endowment and tuition
wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&source=hp&q=define%3A+%22public+school%22

Both schools Obama attended in indonesia fit the US notion of "private". Obama, like Duncan, never attended a public school in his life: open to every child residing in its district, free, & funded by general taxes.

[George II]

147. So, according to you and your definitions,

anyone educated outside of the US or Great Britain could not be educated in a public school?

Nice job, Ginger Rogers. And you did that dance without the aid of Fred Astaire!

[Hannah Bell]

162. it's not "me & my definitions". obama went to a "public school" by the british definition;

which is, by the american definition, a PRIVATE SCHOOL.

[George II]

194. Pirouette as you will, Obama attended a PUBLIC SCHOOL! No equivocation whatsoever.

[mzteris]

176. I don't think this one actually

"wears heels", if you know what I mean. . .

Can you say s-o-c-k-p-u-p-p-e-t?

[Hannah Bell]

187. you could say it, but it wouldn't be true.

[Hannah Bell]

189. and in britain, most of its colonies, & countries influenced by its ed system,

"public school" means "private school" by the US definition.

[George II]

198. Most of Britain's "colonies"? Is this old data again?

Britain doesn't have any colonies, and hasn't for decades.

Are you an educator?

[ProudDad]

108. Fuck that shit...

"a great majority of these kids are going to end up in the military, anyway. at least this gives them a chance to enter at a grade above cannon fodder."

WTF!?!?!?!?

How many Vietnams you need?

[Hannah Bell]

111. The new Democratic Party: "They're just cannon fodder anyway, let's spend public money to train

them to be higher-grade cannon fodder instead of schooling them."

Pretty disgusting for "Democrats".

[George II]

197. You use quotes - who said that?

[mopinko]

117. hey, let's all burn down the pentagon, then. it will make me happy.

till then there will be kids who want to grow up to be soldiers, and parents who feel that their kids need the high discipline level of a military school. they should have it. an honorable military is fine with me. not what we have, but fine by me. it behooves us as a nation to have a public route to the top of the military. otherwise you have the same people folks in this thread are railing about- kids who only went to pricey private schools.

we need public schools. but one size does not fit all. lots of people want this for their kids. lots of folks want college prep high schools. lots of people want fine arts high schools. we should have all these things. and then some.

[Hannah Bell]

130. military academies already exist. & they have scholarships.

we don't train underage soldiers on the public purse because we're not a fascist state.

oh, wait, maybe we are, if "democrats" favor such shite.

[George II]

243. Duncan never spend time in a classroom?

So tell us how he got through grammar school, middle school (junior high), high school and all the years of college if he never spend time in a classroom? Did he attend those classes on the internet?

[George II]

76. Why is one's military sevice relevant?

[LWolf]

149. He's also never taught. He's not an educator. nt

[Solly Mack]

11. K&R

shudder

[waiting for hope]

15. I see the usual detractors

are out - thanks for the post - it's what I think they have wanted all along - a ready made military force fresh out of school (don't forget the recruitment clause of NCLB) ..

K&R

[madfloridian]

17. Oh my I had forgotten that part of NCLB. No child's name left behind for military clause.

"The No Child Left Behind Act which went into effect last week has some surprising implications for high school students. Buried deep within the funding benefits is Section 9528 which grants the Pentagon access to directories with students names, addresses and phone numbers so that they may be more easily contacted and recruited for military service. Prior to this provision, one-third of the nation's high schools refused recruiters' requests for students' names or access to campus because they believed it was inappropriate for educational institutions to promote military service."

"The No Child Left Behind act paves the way for the military to have unimpeded access to underage students who are ripe for solicitation for the military. This blatant contradiction of prior federal law is not only an invasion of students' privacy but an assault on their educational opportunities as well. Too many students are lulled by the siren songs of military service cooing promises of funding for higher education. Too many students have fallen between the cracks due to underfunded educational programs, underresourced schools and underpaid teachers. They are penalized in their educational opportunities for the systemic failure to put our money where our priorities ought to be: in schools.

It is critical that students, schools and school districts have accurate information regarding this No Child Left Behind Act in preparation for the forthcoming military solicitation. First, the Local Educational Agency (LEA), not individual schools, may grant dissemination of student information. When recruiters approach individual schools, the administration should refer them to the school district office where they are supposed to visit in the first place."

[George II]

19. THEY???? Who the f- are they?

[bertman]

20. My interpretation of "they" is the so-called powers that be.

I'm weighing the arguments being put forth by the participants in this discussion of what's wrong and what's right with our educational system, and where it is headed. So, please continue to provide documentation that supports your side of the argument. I know that Madflo will keep us well apprised of her side.

As a former Army officer and someone who respects the need for a good military (but not an imperial military), I am in favor of ROTC programs, but only in colleges and universities. To insinuate those programs in our public high school system is a travesty that reeks of something from a militarist's playbook. It has been tried before and admittedly it was very successful, but the end result for the participants and the authors of that national experiment was not so great.

We need thoughtful, well-educated students who know how to think for themselves--not young troopers-in-waiting who understand how to follow orders and adhere to the chain of command. There's plenty of time for that once they get to college. High school is too fraught with peer pressure and the other burdens of being a teenager to throw military training into the mix.

When I was growing up, the ultimate punishment--though it was never called that--was being sent to a military "prep" school. This was reserved for the hard-heads who didn't want to straighten up and fly right. Apparently the idea was that the hard-core (usually ex-military) types who ran these schools would teach these wayward youth some discipline and respect. If that's what we have to do to teach our kids these days, we have some serious problems.

[madfloridian]

22. I guess if I never post anything critical about any Obama appointee

it would be safe from attack.

But then there would be no one writing about what is happening to education.

[bullwinkle428]

24. "Patriotic education" : a lovely euphemism for "wingnut indoctrination"

[placton]

26. One More Reason I am Rolling Up My Sleeves

for a primary challenge to Mr. Obama. Again and again and again, it seems the GOP won the last election. No more excuses for Barack - we need a real Dem in the White House - and he ain't it.

(On edit) Once again, I note those criticizing post few, if any, facts in refutation. Charter schools rob public education.

[mopinko]

28. once again i note people who have never set foot in chicago bashing

the chicago school system. here is a fact for you- the whole premise of this story, that these schools are in minority neighborhoods, is false. see, i know that is a fact because i live here. in fact, 2 of my kids went to the school where rickover is. it is one of THE most integrated hoods in chicago.

[mopinko]

30. a big lie in this article is implying that this is all duncan's doing. it is not.

chicago actually has a long history of military public schools, and rotc in the schools. the long time, most esteemed high school in chicago, lane tech, began as a feeder school for the army corp of engineers. although that mission has diminished since the 60's, they still have a huge rotc program.

and i say again, most of these kids are in these programs because they intend to enter the military. they now have a leg up. they don't have to enter as cannon fodder. i wish the pentagon could be levitated and dumped in the ocean. i wish these kids had a million choices. but the fact remains that the military experience is something that some people are cut out for, and want. most of all i want all kids to be able to pursue what they want in life. for many of them, this is it. nobody is forcing anybody to attend these schools. nobody.

[Hannah Bell]

37. Evidence of ChicAgo's "long history" of military PUBLIC schools, please?

I read that to mean schools organized on military lines with one of their goals = the molding good future recruits - not just HS's that let ROTC on campus.

So - evidence of long history of such public schools prior to daley's "reform"?

[George II]

78. You have the evidence right in front of you, right IN the post....

....Lane Tech (Albert G. Lane Technical College Preparatory High School)!

Check it out, you'll be surprised (and a bit apologetic? I doubt that!)

[Hannah Bell]

112. I don't see the long military tradition.

Lane Tech started out as a manual training school for boys until the 1930s when its mandate was changed to that of a college preparatory school.

Lane’s curriculum emphasizes college preparatory education and also builds upon the school’s technical tradition. Lane’s curriculum is continually evaluated and changed to meet its current students’ needs, interests, and expectations. More than 90 percent of students earn college degrees in fields such as architecture, engineering, medicine, mathematics, science, journalism, accounting, music, art, and teaching.

It started as a TRADE SCHOOL:

By 1915 the school was in full swing. The building was in almost constant use. Carpentry, cabinet making, and wood turning were offered to first year students. Sophomores were given extensive training in the fields of foundry, forge, welding, core making, and molding. Juniors worked in the most popular shop, the machine shop. It was equipped with 80 machines and 60 lathes cast and built at Lane. Seniors were given the most advanced shop, the electric shop. There they built motors, generators, transformers, and other instruments. Other classes, such as art, classical architecture, drafting, and English were offered to develop students' communication skills. The print shop was the best equipped high school print shop in America. It was equipped with the newest and most advanced equipment of the time....In 1929 a comprehensive music program was established at Lane...


There's no military tradition in the style of private military academies. The closest thing to it is Lane's research & materials support during WWII:

"World War II provided Laneites with many opportunities to show the ideals of Albert G. Lane and his school. Many war drives were carried out by Lane students. These drives provided the war effort with four Red Cross ambulances, a B-17 Flying Fortress, and over 3 million dollars in war bonds. Lane's 50th anniversary in 1958 brought a very important change to the school. America, fearing the Soviet space supremacy, became preoccupied with establishing a sound space program. To aid in the education of scientists and engineers, Lane assumed a closed admission policy. The school dropped its remedial courses and took only the students that would make the greatest contributions to American science."


Where's the military curriculum, the military drills, etc.?

There's NO evidence of any history of military schools being funded with public money. None.

"Military school" = West Point.

[George II]

143. Sorry, but.......

....you don't see many things that are presented to you on a factual silver platter.

[Name removed]

163. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[mzteris]

175. Don't you love how they just completely

ignore the statistical information given to them and keep repeating the same lies over and over and over again?

OMFG - if I hear one more GD TIME that Charter schools are not public schools, I am going to just freakin' scream.

Every definition in every state, in the federal regs, in every schools district that has them, in every teachers union, in the gd dictionary - CHARTER SCHOOLS ARE PUBLIC SCHOOLS, yet they keep repeating the GD LIE that they are not.

WTF???? I mean really, W. . . T . . . F . . . :wtf:


aaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhh - :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:


and some of these people claim to be TEACHERS. To be "working with schools"?

No wonder there's a problem in the traditional school-board-run-public-schools.

[George II]

190. Hmmm...

...isn't that being disingenuous? :sarcasm:

Poor hannah likes to accuse people of that, but doesn't even know what it means.

Here's the deal - there are certain people at DU who will criticize Obama and anyone in his administration at any cost - no matter how strained the connection, how old the "news", how bogus the argument.

I really can't figure it out. They call themselves "democrats" but spend more time finding fault with Democrats than republicans. Unbe-f-ing-lievable!

Oh, by the way, I brought up your second to last point (about being a TEACHER) a day or two ago and had my post deleted. My take is that she wasn't an English teacher.

[madfloridian]

41. Any doubts after reading these comments that our public education is effectively over?

I have no doubts.

I am just sad that it will be a Democratic administration that hammers the last nail in.

I have seen teachers demeaned and ridiculed. No one stood up for us. People here say a really good teacher should not be afraid of scrutiny. What a pathetic thing to say. People don't even understand that teachers are so scrutinized right now they can't take a bathroom break without being called out on it.

They are stripping the public tax money more every day and giving it to charters and using it for vouchers to private schools.

Then those who never realized that Reagan started this in the 80s are making fun of public school teachers who worked their hearts out.

Dear Ronnie, it worked.

[mzteris]

51. American Federation of Teachers:

". . . In a landmark address in 1988, former AFT President Albert Shanker became one of the first education leaders to champion the concept of charter schools. . ."


FYI -

"The charter school movement has roots in a number of other education reform ideas, from alternative schools, to site-based management, magnet schools, public school choice, privatization, and community-parental empowerment. The term "charter" may have originated in the 1970s when New England educator Ray Budde suggested that small groups of teachers be given contracts or "charters" by their local school boards to explore new approaches. Albert Shanker, former president of the AFT, then publicized the idea, suggesting that local boards could charter an entire school with union and teacher approval. In the late 1980s Philadelphia started a number of schools-within-schools and called them "charters." Some of them were schools of choice. The idea was further refined in Minnesota where charter schools were developed according to three basic values: opportunity, choice, and responsibility for results.

In 1991 Minnesota passed the first charter school law, with California following suit in 1992. By 1995, 19 states had signed laws allowing for the creation of charter schools, and by 2003 that number increased to 40 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia. Charter schools are one of the fastest growing innovations in education policy, enjoying broad bipartisan support from governors, state legislators, and past and present secretaries of education. In his 1997 State of the Union Address, former President Clinton called for the creation of 3,000 charter schools by the year 2002. In 2002, President Bush called for $200 million to support charter schools. His proposed budget called for another $100 million for a new Credit Enhancement for Charter Schools Facilities Program. Since 1994, the U.S. Department of Education has provided grants to support states' charter school efforts, starting with $6 million in fiscal year 1995."

[madfloridian]

54. I could say a lot after the AFT and the NEA.,..but my post was not about them.

You are doing everything you can to discredit what I wrote. You are trying to discredit the Mother Jones researchers.

The unions have sold teachers out for years at a state and national level. Only at the county levels is there any hope of help.

I will keep pointing out the direction.

Keep it from being personal since you hate public schools and teachers so much.

[mzteris]

64. I don't hate public schools - my children

attend public schools. I don't hate teachers. I actively dislike some of them because they are completely incompetent and have absolutely NO business being anywhere near children, but hey - they got tenure - so suck it.

Why do you think I hate public schools? Why do you think I hate teachers?

Do YOU hate public schools because you hate public charter schools? Do you hate teachers who teach any where but at a school-board-run-public school? Do you hate all non-union teachers regardless of where they teach?

See how idiotic that line of thought is?

I'm trying to show that there is another POV, there are other facts in evidence that need to be considered. That not all public charter schools are of the devil. I believe I've stated this repeatedly, yet YOU keep insisting that I "hate public schools and teachers" yet nothing could be further form the truth. (Now who's doing the personal insults - again, eh?)


btw - wtf are "mother jones researchers"? and why would I care more about what they say than say - your own teachers unions? Why does their opinion count for more than my own personal experience? There are plenty of researchers out there. Maybe you should broaden your spectrum and consider that just maybe your crusade is a tad misguided.

[maryf]

138. Parents are the first teachers...nt

[Hannah Bell]

168. "they got tenure" - another right wing meme. fyi, (some) university profs get "tenure".

most public school teachers don't.

"your own teachers' unions" = shanker-bots.

[George II]

200. And some teachers in Florida earn seniority (they don't call it tenure) even if they're inept.

[Hannah Bell]

231. they don't call it "tenure" - maybe because "seniority" isn't "tenure".

not that charter school grads understand such linguistic niceties.

[George II]

242. I know seniority isn't tenure, that's why I mentioned it! Do YOU know the difference?

[Hannah Bell]

59. "Albert Shanker: Ruthless Neocon."

a force for business unionism & busting independent union power.

not surprising you quote him constantly.

[George II]

92. Albert Shanker - "busting independent union power"? WTF???

Un-fucking-believable! That's like calling Joseph McCarthy a communist or Elie Wiesenthal a Nazi sympathiser!

You really need to do some reading on the topics you choose to discuss.

[madfloridian]

43. Also to anyone questioning my right to criticize charter schools, my tax money pays for them.

So I have the right, in fact I have the obligation.

[mzteris]

48. Also to anyone questioning my right to criticize school-board-run- public-schools,

my tax money pays for them.


So I have the right, in fact I have the obligation.

[madfloridian]

50. Yes, you have the right.

You most certainly do.

But you should keep your responses about them, and not about my posts. That way you do not intrude on my rights to speak out.

[mzteris]

52. Maybe

you should follow your own advice, mad. . .

[madfloridian]

53. No, that is absolutely not the case. I posted a good post.

You have every right to hate public schools, but you are making me the bad guy.

I have to defend myself because the same ones do it over and over.

I do not want my tax money going to military and religious schools. I do not want my tax money going to schools run by corporations.

Stick to the issues. Make your points and let me make mine.

[mzteris]

60. i don't hate public schools

Charter public schools are not military nor religious. That some were started by corporations, well, I dunno - how successful are they? The bottom line is - what is good for the children, period, imho.


You always think you post a "good post" and that you are NEVER at fault - you never ever insult anyone, and of course your facts are the only correct ones, and your opinons/positions the only possible "good ones"

:eyes:



edit: typing too fast

[mzteris]

66. oh yeah

wait for the "deletion of thread" in 5 - 4 - 3 - 2 . . .

[George II]

93. I thought the Gates Foundation and Walmart pays for them? Which is it????????

[Hannah Bell]

113. Walmart/Gates pay for the propaganda & R&D. Then the public pays to run them.

[George II]

141. So, going back to the irrational discussion from a day or two ago, where we were told....

....a Florida school system "may" be given ("may" but it was presented as fact - signed, sealed, delivered - all that seemed to be done was cash the check) $100 million from the Gates Foundation. You mean to tell me that that school system will NOT get the $100 million, but the Gates Foundation will spend that $100 for propaganda and R&D on that school system's behalf?

You're getting twisted up in your own "disengenuous" rationalizations.

[mzteris]

65. The most important quote you'll ever read about this

"Charter schools are public schools, so it makes little sense to pit one type of school against the other. We know there are excellent charter public schools and excellent traditional public schools. Likewise, there are charter and traditional public schools that fall short of expectations.

Instead of setting up a false competition between charter and public schools, we should be focusing on what we can learn from high-performing schools, be they charter or traditional public. And we should concentrate on how charter and traditional public schools can collaborate to share best practices, so our students benefit from this joint expertise.

The bottom line is that a school’s governance structure does not magically produce better or worse results. Regardless of the type of school, what happens in the school and in the classroom matters most. That includes making sure that school employees have a strong voice in school operations, and have the ability to make improvements for the good of their students."


From the American Federation of Teachers.

[madfloridian]

71. That is spin. Of course they are different.

That is just pretense. Imagine Schools are public charters, and they should be investigated for financial problems involving real estate.

They fired two principals for asking questions.

[mzteris]

83. For god's sake - stop lumping!!

school-board-run-public-schools have financial scandals, too.

I'm not for ANYONE screwing the kids over - if it's Charter public or school-board-run-public, private, religious, whatever whoever . . . run 'em out of business, out of town on a rail, straight to jail, ya know?

Why must you think that I think that all Charter public schools are wonderful and all school-board-run-public-schools - when nothing can be further from the truth.

As the quote said - let's take the best we can get wherever we can get it.


Apr 26, 2005
RALEIGH, N.C. — New details emerged Tuesday from Wake County School System leaders on how former workers got away with spending over $2 million in public money on private purchases.

Nov. 17, 2002
Financial scandals exposed in Michigan school districts
Teachers, student programs suffer as district officials bilk millions from schools

Recent investigations have revealed a rash of irregularities in public school financial audits, particularly in the Metro Detroit area. Many of the districts involved in financial scandals are cutting student programs, initiating staff layoffs, and increasing taxes.

"Maybe if the district watched its money a little closer, the children would have all the books they need," Gladys Sabbath, a grandmother of River Rouge School District students, told The Detroit News in regard to a recently-exposed incident.

The recent scandals demonstrate that the current system of financial accountability is leaving much room for abuse. State law requires school districts to operate with balanced budgets and hire outside parties to conduct annual audits. Districts facing deficits must submit a debt-reduction plan to the state, or risk being placed on a "watch list" for financially troubled schools.


Thursday, July 09, 2009 (Key West)
The cost of the Monroe County School District’s financial scandal continues to grow, as the school board this week received a $63,000 bill from its labor and public corruption law firm for just one month of work.

The costs add to an expected $200,000 to be paid to a forensic investigation firm to uncover details surrounding the alleged theft of what could be up to $500,000 of school funds by former administrator Monique Acevedo.

Board members said they expect the total cost of the scandal, including stolen funds and investigation and legal bills, could surpass $1 million.


November 06, 1992
SANTA ANA — A financial scandal at Newport-Mesa Unified School District worsened Thursday with the disclosure that district officials now believe its suspended chief financial officer, Stephen A. Wagner, misappropriated more than $175,000 of school funds and forged the signature of a top school official.

[madfloridian]

95. Why make corporations richer? Why not pay teachers better and support them?

Why do away with public schools so corporations can get richer?

[mzteris]

119. mad, mad, mad, mad, mad -

I've ALWAYS said to pay teachers better. . . MUCH better. Smaller schools, smaller classes, individualized learning plans for EVERY SINGLE STUDENT in the building because no two kids learn alike and at the same pace.

And again, - get of the "corporation" kick - most charter public schools are NOT run by "corporations".

[mzteris]

121. some stats, for you, too . . .

Among the most significant findings this year (June 2009):

* More than 1.4 million students now attend over 4,600 public charter schools in 40 states and the District of Columbia

* The student population has grown 11% and the number of schools has grown 8% since one year ago (2007-2008)

* 62% of public charter school students are non-white and 48% qualify for free and reduced price lunch (compared with 47% non-white and 45% free and reduced price lunch in all non-charter schools)

* While 56% of students attend charter schools in large cities, a growing percentage of students are enrolled in charter schools in rural areas (14% compared with 11% five years ago)

* Nearly 30% of students attend charter schools with non-traditional grade configurations, such as Kindergarten through 12th grade (compared with less than 7% of non-charter school students)

* Nationally, the average public charter school has been open 6.2 years

* As of the 2008-2009 academic year, 23% of charter schools have been open at least 10 years. Four years ago, only 7% of charter schools had been open more than 10 years

These last two statistics are particularly interesting. Much school reform literature suggests that it takes at least 7 to 10 years for school-wide reform efforts to make substantial changes in student performance, which is confirmed by the high-quality studies in the Alliance's Charter School Achievement: What We Know (2009). Consequently, as public charter schools get older and more experienced, we believe that public charter schools will get even better at providing high quality learning environments.

With the attention given to for-profit educational management organizations and non-profit charter management organizations, it is interesting to note that over three-quarters of public charter schools continue to be freestanding, or "mom and pop" schools.


Free-standing public charters: 77.4%
CMO: 12.0% - Charter managemet operations - NON profit networks of schools)

EMO: 11.8% Education management operations - FOR-Profit management companies


Gee - 11.8% are FOR PROFIT corporations - some whopping percentage, eh?

[Hannah Bell]

134. cherry-picked just for you by chris whittle's astroturf orgs.

[George II]

201. Who is "doing away with public schools so corporations can get richer"? And how is that being done?

[Hannah Bell]

132. you = "lumper". "charter schools *are* public schools," lol.

[George II]

245. Read this please....

http://school.familyeducation.com/school-selection/experimental-education/41268.html

Question: I read an article today on charter schools versus private schools. What can you tell me about charter schools? How do they differ from public/private schools? My son will start kindergarten in August, and I would like to begin finding him a good school to attend. Any information you can give me would be very much appreciated.

Answer: Charter schools are part of the reinvention of public education. They first emerged in the 1990s as a prominent and controversial school reform idea. Parents, teachers, and community organizations are the founders of most charter schools, but some are started by for-profit companies. Charter schools are public schools that have been freed of many restrictive rules and regulations. In return, these schools are expected to achieve specific educational outcomes within a certain period (usually three to five years) or have their charters revoked.

Got it????

[mzteris]

86. Why would a Teacher's Union spin this anyways? n/t

[George II]

77. AMERICAN FEDERATION OF TEACHERS????

You've got some nerve invoking a quote from the UFT :sarcasm: - don't you know that criticizing the prevailing opinion (OPINION, not facts) of this discussion will stamp you as being anti-union?

Shame on you!!!:sarcasm:

[mzteris]

87. it's already got me branded

GASP!

as "anti public school" - when nothing could be further from the truth.

Of course, when did some ever let facts get in the way of an opinion, eh? Regardless of how much evidence - some just refuse to consider anything but their own POV and that's IT!

aaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrggggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhh :banghead: aaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrggggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhh

[Name removed]

94. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Hannah Bell]

116. because "charter schools are public schools," right?

[George II]

204. They are, even without the quotes.

[Hannah Bell]

115. shanker

http://newpolitics.mayfirst.org/node/108

Kahlenberg lauds Shanker for starting the ball rolling on many of the ideas that ultimately generated No Child Left Behind -- federal mandates imposing market-driven forces and enforcing a factory model of schools, with a rigid test-driven agenda where rewards and punishment are based on the degree of success in carrying out these mandates....The initiatives that Shanker claimed would save public education have ended up punishing senior (higher paid) teachers, victimizing struggling students, shifting students to private and charter schools, and hiring private contractors to take over functions formerly under the purview of public systems.

The stated rationale behind these drastic changes, beginning with the report A Nation at Risk in 1983, is that our education system is failing too many children and requires a top-down overhaul....

Rather than marshalling the forces to attack these ideas, Shanker bought into many of them...but didn't put up any resistance when it became clear that these very reforms were leading to the marginalization and de-skilling of teachers. Shanker even took part in the assault on teachers when he said "a lot of people who have been hired as teachers are basically not competent" and hinted there were a lot of dumb teachers in American classrooms and "defending teacher incompetence was . . . intolerable and politically unacceptable." (p. 284) Shanker laid the groundwork for the UFT to allow contractual protections to slip to the extent that even the innocent and competent are sent to teacher detention centers, or so called rubber rooms.

By signing on to A Nation at Risk in 1983, Shanker created an alliance with the business community, misdirecting the teacher union movement towards a package of misleading reforms....

Shanker's true interests became evident during the 1975 New York City financial crisis. There were cataclysmic cutbacks in all city services. For public education this meant the closing of nearly 100 schools, shortened school days, layoffs of nearly 10,000 teachers, and large salary deferrals. When confronted by an angry membership, Shanker allowed a strike to begin, but his intent was to do nothing to insure its success. Instead of leading a struggle against the financial blackmailers and rich real estate interests that had caused the crisis, he put his main effort into convincing the demoralized membership to accept that there were no alternatives to the massive cutbacks. After the strike's failure, he even agreed to loan the city hundreds of millions of dollars from the Teacher's Retirement System. The long lasting impact of his sellout of the strike was that more than 30 years later the UFT has never called another strike and never misses an opportunity to remind teachers of what happened during the 1975 strike as a lesson to be learned.

Following the banking crisis and settlement, which left teachers and schools reeling, Shanker continued to be a shill for the business community, as he allowed the union contracts of the 1960s and early 70s to erode incrementally, leading to the present contract which is beyond recognition. Class size was no longer to be negotiated, and supportive services were increasingly optional. With each contract negotiation came the admonition from Shanker and his assistants: If we want higher paychecks we can't ask for better working conditions. Through the next two decades, through upswings and downswings in the national economy and rises and falls in New York City's financial health, there was never enough money for providing schools the basic funding needed to make all schools function successfully...

Albert Shanker was part of the problem, not the solution.

[George II]

203. Shanker died years before "No Child Left Behind" was ever articulated!

[Hannah Bell]

210. poor reading skills too. no surprise.

[Hannah Bell]

114. aft again.

[omega minimo]

211. The most important bullshit propaganda you're every read about this.

[ProudDad]

104. Daily "life" in the USAmerikan Empire

More cannon fodder for the wars of empire...

Evil shit...

[JVS]

122. I happened to be in Chicago on memorial day a few years ago, and as I got off a L train...

I noticed that the parade was going on, so I decided to watch for a bit. It was horrifying how many children were marching in uniform. A good number of vets in the parade, almost no current soldiers (they must have been busy in Iraqistan), and then thousand upon thousands of kids.

[Nikki Stone1]

127. It makes you wonder why a Democratic administration chose Duncan. Is this more Rahm?

Or a much larger movement?

[ieoeja]

136. If (a) = (x) and (b) is next to (a) in the alphabet, then (b) = (x)!

Duncan worked for Vallas who ushered in Chicago's first military academy. Then Duncan must want to force all of our children into military academies!

Duncan is meeting with Newt. Then Duncan must want everything that Newt wants!


You remind me of Bob Novak. I found his articles informing because he knew so many Republican insiders and could get the real dirt. But after an article discussing, for example, poor maintenance on the Mississippi levies, he would conclude, "and that is just further proof that more tax cuts are needed." He would almost always take this monumental leap from facts to a conclusion that was either not warranted by those facts or, often, entirely unrelated to them.

[madfloridian]

148. Do you want your tax money going to military and religious schools?

Well, guess what? It is.

Gee whiz, thanks for comparing me to Bob Novak.

"You remind me of Bob Novak. I found his articles informing because he knew so many Republican insiders and could get the real dirt. But after an article discussing, for example, poor maintenance on the Mississippi levies, he would conclude, "and that is just further proof that more tax cuts are needed." He would almost always take this monumental leap from facts to a conclusion that was either not warranted by those facts or, often, entirely unrelated to them."

[TxRider]

137. The real question I don't see addressed is...

How well does it work?

Graduation rates?

Test scores?

Drop out rates?

How many parents would rather send their kids there for that discipline and structured environment?

If it works, if the kids get a better education, more graduate and go to college eventually, maybe there's a lesson to be taken from it.

With the number of parents looking for alternatives to public school, is there a good reason for it?

[madfloridian]

151. Depends on your definitions of learning and education.

Ask yourself why parents are looking for other stuff?

Could it be because the money has been taken from public schools and given to charter schools and for vouchers?

Could it be because charter schools use our money to advertise?

Could it be because parents think it is the elite thing to do to get in a charter school?

Depends on your definitions.

[mzteris]

174. Charter schools are PUBLIC SCHOOLS!

:banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

Did you even READ the stats, MAD?

Did you? OMFG - "elitists" :rofl:

My son's public charter school demographic - 6th year in operation:

African Amer: 30 14.1 %
Asian: 3 1.4 %
Hispanic: 113 53.1 %
Native Amer: 1 0.5 %
Total Minority: 147 69.0 %
White: 66 31.0 %
Free/Red. Lunch: 122 57.3 %

some "elitists" . . . .

[omega minimo]

240. They're not the same thing. People use the correct language. If you did, you wouldn't be banging

your head against propaganda. You know what the poster (and everyone but the propagandists) means. Deal with it.

[Hannah Bell]

165. the most in-depth review of charter school results finds no benefit.

if you like toll roads, you'll love charters.

if you like class-bound fascist societies, ditto.

[madfloridian]

177. Oh, I have a bunch of stuff I am getting ready to post about their results.

But every time I think I have finished I see more stuff about it.

[mzteris]

178. please be sure to vet your sources, 'k? n/t

[Hannah Bell]

186. you only post stuff from charter school propaganda mills funded by the waltons, gates & whittles.

you should talk about "vetting".

[omega minimo]

220. "Please sir, may I have some more?"

Another UNBEFUCKINGLIEVABLE DU battle. Speaking of "vetting......"

[George II]

234. Must you dwell on such trivial, unimportant measures?

Surely you mustn't care if the children actually get a BETTER education, should you? :sarcasm:

Of course those things are important, as is disciplined and structured environment. My brother was always on the fringe of trouble throughout high school, although not stupid. After HS, he was drafted and two years later came out of the military a totally different person - and make a great life for himself - one he wouldn't have had if he didn't get that structure.

[madfloridian]

154. Someone in this thread just compared me with Bob Novak.

First time that has happened. Been a very weird thread.

[Hannah Bell]

164. the posters are projecting. they quote walmart & whittle - what else would you

expect?

[George II]

207. Risking another "deleted post"....

....why don't you two just get a room?

[omega minimo]

229. Why are issues

that are actually progressive always attacked so viciously?

[George II]

232. del.

[madfloridian]

233. Chris Whittle, founder of Edison Schools? That Chris Whittle?

I would imagine he would not be very objective.

[George II]

206. Where? I don't see that anywhere here.

[madfloridian]

230. Post #136

If (a) = (x) and (b) is next to (a) in the alphabet, then (b) = (x)!

"Duncan worked for Vallas who ushered in Chicago's first military academy. Then Duncan must want to force all of our children into military academies!

Duncan is meeting with Newt. Then Duncan must want everything that Newt wants!

You remind me of Bob Novak. I found his articles informing because he knew so many Republican insiders and could get the real dirt. But after an article discussing, for example, poor maintenance on the Mississippi levies, he would conclude, "and that is just further proof that more tax cuts are needed." He would almost always take this monumental leap from facts to a conclusion that was either not warranted by those facts or, often, entirely unrelated to them."

[George II]

235. That post doesn't......

.....compare you with Robert Novak, it merely says you remind him/her of Robert Novak, big difference.

[madfloridian]

237. No difference at all. No difference at all.

You are just having a ball aren't you.

[George II]

239. Not intentionally, but being realistic is rewarding..

...tell me, what did you teach when you were a teacher?

[George II]

241. Ahem:

Remind

–verb (used with object)
to cause (a person) to remember; cause (a person) to think (of someone or something): Remind me to phone him tomorrow. That woman reminds me of my mother.

Compare


1. to examine (two or more objects, ideas, people, etc.) in order to note similarities and differences: to compare two pieces of cloth; to compare the governments of two nations.
2. to consider or describe as similar; liken: Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?

[George II]

219. Did you see Arne Duncan in Face the Nation this morning?

He answered ALL the questions that have been raised in this discussion - explicitly, unequivocably, and honestly.

[omega minimo]

221. "Answered" or spun?

[George II]

223. Answered

[omega minimo]

224. Elaborate?

:hi:

[George II]

226. I didn't take notes, but I'm sure you can find the transcript on the CBS website.

[omega minimo]

228. And until then, we should believe your assertion because............

:shrug:

[ipaint]

222. New Orleans.

"One of those who saw opportunity in the floodwaters of New Orleans was the late Milton Friedman, grand guru of unfettered capitalism and credited with writing the rulebook for the contemporary, hyper-mobile global economy. Ninety-three years old and in failing health, "Uncle Miltie", as he was known to his followers, found the strength to write an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal three months after the levees broke. "Most New Orleans schools are in ruins," Friedman observed, "as are the homes of the children who have attended them. The children are now scattered all over the country. This is a tragedy. It is also an opportunity."

Friedman's radical idea was that instead of spending a portion of the billions of dollars in reconstruction money on rebuilding and improving New Orleans' existing public school system, the government should provide families with vouchers, which they could spend at private institutions.

In sharp contrast to the glacial pace with which the levees were repaired and the electricity grid brought back online, the auctioning-off of New Orleans' school system took place with military speed and precision. Within 19 months, with most of the city's poor residents still in exile, New Orleans' public school system had been almost completely replaced by privately run charter schools.

The Friedmanite American Enterprise Institute enthused that "Katrina accomplished in a day ... what Louisiana school reformers couldn't do after years of trying". Public school teachers, meanwhile, were calling Friedman's plan "an educational land grab". I call these orchestrated raids on the public sphere in the wake of catastrophic events, combined with the treatment of disasters as exciting market opportunities, "disaster capitalism"."

http://www.naomiklein.org/shock-doctrine/excerpt



Public Schools: Make Them Private

by Milton Friedman

http://www.cato.org/pubs/briefs/bp-023.html



Let’s Just Have A Big Bonfire of Cash Instead

Posted by Adam Schaeffer

Can you think of a better use for taxpayer money than spending it on the most inefficient and least productive segment of our economy?

Well then it’s a good thing that the Economic Stagnation and Ruinous Debt Plan (aka “The American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan”), includes a hefty dose of dedicated funding for the government school monopoly (aka “public schools”).

http://www.cato-at-liberty.org/2009/01/26/lets-just-have-a-big-bonfire-of-cash-instead/


Pinochet did not destroy Chile's economy all alone. It took nine years of hard work by the most brilliant minds in world academia, a gaggle of Milton Friedman's trainees, the Chicago Boys. Under the spell of their theories, the General abolished the minimum wage, outlawed trade union bargaining rights, privatized the pension system, abolished all taxes on wealth and on business profits, slashed public employment, privatized 212 state industries and 66 banks and ran a fiscal surplus.

Freed of the dead hand of bureaucracy, taxes and union rules, the country took a giant leap forward ... into bankruptcy and depression. After nine years of economics Chicago style, Chile's industry keeled over and died. In 1982 and 1983, GDP dropped 19%. The free-market experiment was kaput, the test tubes shattered. Blood and glass littered the laboratory floor. Yet, with remarkable chutzpah, the mad scientists of Chicago declared success. In the US, President Ronald Reagan's State Department issued a report concluding, "Chile is a casebook study in sound economic management." Milton Friedman himself coined the phrase, "The Miracle of Chile." Friedman's sidekick, economist Art Laffer, preened that Pinochet's Chile was, "a showcase of what supply-side economics can do."

It certainly was. More exactly, Chile was a showcase of de-regulation gone berserk.

The Chicago Boys persuaded the junta that removing restrictions on the nation's banks would free them to attract foreign capital to fund industrial expansion.

http://www.gregpalast.com/tinker-bell-pinochet-and-the-fairy-tale-miracle-of-chile-2/


The links to leaders of school privatization extolling the virtues of Friedman's vulture fundamentalist capitalism are way too numerous to post. They all think charter schools are just wonderful and and all are actively pushing for more underfunding and NCLB like garbage to take down more public schools so they can swoop in for the kill.

Do folks actually think getting in bed with these disaster capitalists is the answer.

[omega minimo]

225. Reaganism succeeded in making people identify with the rich, against their own self interests

even throwing their children to the wolves.

[Hannah Bell]

244. or turns them into hairy trolls, such as lurk on this thread.

[readmoreoften]

236. +1

+1,000,000

Sad sad sad.