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Easy to Gut Public Education When Your Own Kids Attend Private School
America’s Dangerously Removed Elite
Last week, my local Twittersphere momentarily erupted with allegations that Denver’s public school superintendent, Tom Boasberg, is sending his kids to a private school that eschews high-stakes testing. Boasberg, an icon of the national movement pushing high-stakes testing and undermining traditional public education, eventually defended himself by insisting that his kids attended that special school only during preschool and that they now attend a public school. Yet his spokesman admitted that the school is not in Denver but in Boulder, Colo., one of America’s wealthiest enclaves.
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and Rahm Emanuel (Photo: AP/Reuters)
Boasberg, you see, refuses to live in the district that he governs. Though having no background in education administration, this longtime telecom executive used his connections to get appointed Denver superintendent, and he now acts like a king. From the confines of his distant castle in Boulder, he issues edicts to his low-income fiefdom — decrees demonizing teachers, shutting down neighborhood schools over community objections and promoting privately administered charter schools. Meanwhile, he makes sure his own royal family is insulated in a wealthy district that doesn’t experience his destructive policies.
No doubt this is but a microcosmic story in a country whose patrician overlords are regularly conjuring the feudalism of Europe circa the Middle Ages. Today, our mayors deploy police against homeless people and protesters; our governors demand crushing budget cuts from the confines of their taxpayer-funded mansions; our Congress exempts itself from insider-trading laws and provides itself healthcare benefits denied to others; and our nation’s capital has become one of the world’s wealthiest cities, despite the recession.
Taken together, we see that there really are “Two Americas,” as the saying goes — and that’s no accident. It’s the result of a permanent elite that is removing itself from the rest of the nation. Nowhere is this more obvious than in education — a realm in which this elite physically separates itself from us mere serfs. As the head of one of the country’s largest urban school districts, Boasberg is a perfect example of this — but he is only one example.
The Washington Post, for instance, notes that it has become an unquestioned “tradition among Washington’s power elite” — read: elected officials — to send their kids to the ultra-expensive private school Sidwell Friends. At the same time, many of these officials have backed budget policies that weaken public education.
Outside of Washington, it’s often the same story; as just two recent examples, both Republican New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel have championed massive cuts to public education while sending their kids to private school.
In many cases, these aristocrats aren’t even required to publicly explain themselves. (Boasberg, for example, is never hounded by local media about why he refuses to live in Denver.) Worse, on the rare occasions that questions are posed, privacy is the oft-used excuse to not answer, whether it’s Obama defenders dismissing queries about their Sidwell decision, Christie telling a voter his school choices are “none of your business” or Emanuel storming out of a television interview and then citing his “private life” when asked about the issue.
This might be a convincing argument about ordinary citizens’ personal education choices, but it’s an insult coming from public officials. When they remove themselves and their families from a community — but still retain power over that community — they end up acting as foreign occupiers, subjecting us to policies they would never subject their own kin to.
Pretending this is acceptable or just a “private” decision, then, is to tolerate ancient, ruling-class notions that are no longer sustainable in the 21st century. Indeed, if this nation is going to remain a modern republic, it can’t also be a Medieval oligarchy — no matter how much America’s elite wants to keep governing from behind the palace walls.
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50 Comments so far
Show AllGood article on a topic Corporate media avoids publicizing.
There is another alternative to government 'public' schools. That is government funded, K thru grad school, equal for all, private schools. Not the old republican style voucher plan. This would give families choice and improve education. As it is now, many schools are hotbeds of brain washing. Think about how patriotism is instilled in students - a captive audience. 3rd and 4th grades have uniformed troops coming into the classrooms.
The NEA objects to this plan. They are misguided. The same number of teachers would still be required.
When schools start to teach an accurate view of world history, and stop banning books such as Zinn's History, I will support them. No institutuion should get a free pass on glorifying war. Not even the public school system.
Another liberal idiot comes out for gutting public education.
Many schools are hotbeds of brainwashing are they? One usually hears this from right wing homeschoolers, that public schools 1) can't teach anything, yet AT THE SAME TIME 2) are incredibly efficient brainwashing machines! No internal logic, but what would one expect.
You can't have "equal for all" private schools. Never. "Not the old republican style voucher plan" - that sounds exactly like what you're proposing. Incidentally where I live privatized charter schools are very much a DEMOCRATIC plan, including graft of all sorts funneled to local politicians.
"Think about how patriotism is instilled in students - a captive audience."
So... public school students are more patriotic than private or parochial school students, or..? And private school students are less a captive audience than public school students? How does this work exactly? It seems you haven't thought this through.
You think a bunch of local yokels handed state money without supervision are likely to teach out of Zinn..?
The NEA hasn't objected to your 'plan' because even you haven't articulated it well yet (it's the same old voucher plan, but you claim not really a voucher plan). In any event I object to you wanting to shut down public education and put more corporations beyond government control on the taxpayer's back. And if you want to see some real brainwashing, just write a blank check to private schools.
actualleftist...You missed the point. I strongly support universal, publicly funded education.
I have thought this through for decades. My first year of teaching in a public school was in 1956. (I can't wait to see your ad hominem ageism comments.)
The question is: who should have the choice - the people or the government.
I certainly hope you retired because we don't need YOU poisoning the youth. Is that a good enough ad hominem for you?
"I strongly support universal, publicly funded education" - that's what every fascist scumbag says about their voucher and charter plans, every single one of them.
"who should have the choice - the people or the government" - What in hell are you on about?! This is another line that comes straight out of Chris "Fat Bastard" Christie's piehole. You can't take taxpayer money, funnel it to schools and then have NO government supervision of that. Things that get public funding are supposed to have public (i.e. governmental) supervision. This is basic civics.
Go wash your mouth out with soap.
Respect your elders.
Does "actualleftist" mean that you can only think out of the left side of your brain?
Your bourgeoisie panties get into a twist quite easiiy, don't they?
Peddle your classist propaganda eleswhere. You keep trying it here and things will get a lot ruder.
"Respect your elders" - like Reagan and Strom Thurmond Jesse Helms, just respect any person older than me because they are older, and that makes their opinions valid? What a STUPID way to live.
Incidentally, how old do you know me to be, based in what?
How rude. Uncalled for attack, thanks.
John, you really need to get half a clue.
The class war is heating up in ways that perhaps you fail to understand. The defunding and ghettoization of public schools is a deadly affront to the US working class.
Yeah the NEA has it's petty bourgeoisie tendencies, but at least they are a union dedicated to defending public education.
Occupy public education. Don't abandon it,
This is the same John Shade that is always defending the LITERAL uncalled for attacks of the US military on other threads, right?
I notice none of you have any substantive argument about the topic at hand, all you have is comments on tone, which is what people do on the internet when their fact bags are empty.
Additionally what I find to be "rude" is an idiotic attack on public schools and teachers even on a leftie forum appended to an article defending same.
rosemarie, don't let that nasty man, woman or child actualleftist get you down. These people who worship the expertise of the noble schoolteacher have no idea what they're talking about. Plus they're mean and rude and not nice. Perhaps they learned to act that way in public school, along with all the rest of their glorious knowledge teated to them.
Oh, but you see, public schools are all about diversity and lifting up the masses! Maybe they should visit a school for the poor these days..
.
Maybe they should visit a school for the poor these days..
The horrible class divide in American education is a result of too little, not too much funding. Privatization will increase educational stratification; so your concern for low income students rings quite hollow.
Isn't that just so Amerikan. We already pay more per child than most countries around the globe do to better effect. Ever wonder why that is instead of doing the usual "progressive" rant: all those schools need are MORE MONEY. Anyone who thinks differently is a right-wing fake. Have you ever thought of alternative answers, or are you really as unimaginative as you seem?
Your stereotyped slurs signify nothing except the lack of any good arguments or evidence..
You suggest that de-funding the public schools is some sort of imaginative alternative. I don't buy it.
You mock my call for increased school funding, but clearly poor districts in the US are under-funded.
Your arguments are very weak.
Poorer districts are clearly underfunded? Duh, dreamy Joe. When the hell did I EVER "suggest that de-funding the public schools is some sort of imaginative alternative"? Never, or maybe in that neverland of what you think the issue is about. So don't put words in my mouth.
So let's have a look at this opus of a shutdown you created in your spare time: sentence one tells the reader I don't have any arguments or evidence (brash statement--are you sure?) Sentence two is either a lie or a delusion. Sentence three is quite the truism (ever worked with ghetto kids, Joe?) Then you make a smashing ending by repeating your first sentence.
Quite the shutdown! Did you learn your style studying the five-paragraph essay?
You have warned me, however, that things could go into lockdown: "You keep trying it here and things will get a lot ruder." It would be fun to see you get even ruder: play on.
I was a CETA counselor at a camp for "Ghetto Kids" when I was fifteen and seventeen. Right across the street from the projects. i was one of five white counselors among a staff of about fifty, The nice black women (funny that they seemed old at 22) who were my head counselors protected me and I was a long haired freak and would spark j's with them on meeting (non-kid) days, on lunch break back in the project towers.
I've lived in black ghettoes, so who the f-ck are you?!
I taught special ed and managed an "industry-public" partnership.
I was an A++ five paragraph essay writer. i could write a computer program for it. The public school English teacher who taught me that style also introduced me to All Quiet on the Western Front and Johhny Got You Gun
I dedicate these lyrics to the working class victims of capitalist imperialism.and the demons all around you - the speaker is a quadra amputee blind deaf and speechleess war victim
Here's to a hoary metal anthem!
One (based on Johnny Got Your Gun)
lyrics by Metalica
I can't remember anything
Can't tell if this is true or dream
Deep down inside I feel to scream
This terrible silence stops me
Now that the war is through with me
I'm waking up, I cannot see
That there is not much left of me
Nothing is real but pain now
Hold my breath as I wish for death
Oh please God, wake me
You attack public schools but then claim to be for nore funding for schools for low income kids? Please explain?
I live in a poor major city and attended the public schools here. THEY NEED MORE MONEY.
What you fail to mention in your right wing idiocy is that we fund districts by local property taxes, so that rich peoples' children have clean and modern facilities (everything from chem to computer labs, sports facilities, music and art equipment and dedicated space and so forth), nice libraries, stable teachers with decent salaries who keep their same jobs year after year, etc.
KIDS IN POORER DISTRICTS DON'T HAVE THAT. MONEY IS INDEED AN ANSWER. Don't come in here with a bucket of right wing bullshit and expect everybody to kiss your ass.
Believe me, you and yours would never get near my ass. Do you think you're telling me something I haven't noticed?
False.
First of all, any discussion of per child expenditures must include the fact that there is gross inequality across districts in the US.
The US ranks 28th in per student spending for elementary school, and 41st in per student spending for high school.
In education spending as a percentage of total government expenditure the US ranks 38th.
In education expenditure as a percentage of GNI, the US ranks 41st.
In education expenditure as a percentage of GDP, the US ranks 37th.
The US ranks 153rd in teacher - pupil ratio.
The US ranks 8th in primary school teacher pay, behind Denmark, Switzerland, Germany, Australia, Austria, Ireland, Finland, and Norway, about the same as Spain, and slightly more than France, Greece, Portugal, Italy, New Zealand. Iceland, and the Netherlands.
As far as "to better effect," by any of various measurements the US is in the middle of the pack among "developed" nations.
http://www.nationmaster.com/cat/edu-education
These stats tell an important story. Plus many of those countries named have free ED even up thru College / University [PS: This is why requiring Teachers in the US to have at-least a Masters may not be such a good Idea- the cost of getting a Masters is Sky-HI & the pay ain't that great.]. American like to imagine that the US is the best place in the World to live BUT - a number of other countries' education & medical systems produce as good or Often BETTER Results for lower costs, & is thus low cost or even FREE to their citizens - even for college!
"American like to imagine that the US is the best place in the World"
Slow train goin down
Lifelong education could be free for all (pardon the pun) if the dominant system didn't require the building of so many damn bombs.
Earth could provide such a beautiful utopia, and we are paradoxically so close.
Yes that 1st fact about inequality across districts says it all. Many urban US schools suffer from an exremely impoverished infrastructures and exist amidst communities dominated by the typical Uber-cop vs drug dealer violence. which is a typical Company dynamic.
You are an idiot if you think our current public education system does our children any good. Its designed to make them stupid, sheeplike, good consumers, and destroy their ability to think. That's just a fact, and its a well documented fact. And it was done so on purpose by the elites of this country 100 years ago and they have been quite successful. I reccomend you read John Taylor Gattos Weapons of Mass Instruction before you start accusing everyone who questions public education of wanting to disenfranchise kids. Charolette Isyrbuts new book is on my list and I hear its full more primary sources than Gatto's. Try listening to the other side inside of just contributing to the screaming match.
"You are an idiot if you think our current public education system does our children any good."
You're an asshole if you think it doesn't. I attended public school in a major city for all 12 years (more counting kindergarten) and it led me to an Ivy League education on scholarship. They taught me to play the violin (even gave me a FREE loaner) and speak German and math and science well beyond the ability of anyone in my working class neighborhood to access on their own.
As far as "brainwashing" I've been protesting war and corporate greed since my teens. One of the implicit lessons of my schooling was to be exposed to racial and religious minorities from a young age (most families on my block sent kids to a segregated Catholic school they couldn't really afford), including teachers I grew to admire and respect.
Working class people fought long and hard to get what access they could to these things and I'm be damned if I let pinhead liberals join in the reactionary gangbang against public education and unionized teachers. Screw you and the Reagan you rode in on.
"That's just a fact, and its a well documented fact."
No it isn't. You have a bag full of nothing.
What a pile of hyper-individualistic nonsense.
"Its designed to make them stupid, sheeplike, good consumers, and destroy their ability to think. That's just a fact, and its a well documented fact.'
No that's just your right wing hyper-individualistic propaganda talking. Public schools need better funding, but abolishing them is an idiot's answer to the problem.
There are many good public schools. The problems stem mostly from lack of funding in poor districts.
If you don't want to send your kids to public school, then don't, but you advocate taking away my child's public education. For that I'd like to break your f-cking jaw, you arrogant elitist pig.
Well said.
I'll add that kids with identified learning disabilities end up with an "IEP", a legal document that REQUIRES the public schools to make specialists available to work with those children to the best of their ability, with the right of the parent to sue the school district to provide it one way or the other. Non-public schools glide on this, and the "homeschool" (i.e. education-dodging fruitcakes), parochial and even most private schools can't and don't provide anything of the sort.
Even though they cost a lot of money most of the time, most private schools merely require a teacher to have any degree in any subject - not necessarily an educational background, coursework nor student-teaching period of ANY sort. Most of the private school teachers with this background PICKED IT UP VIA PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
Partially resulting from this, in addition to having the best educated and most accredited teachers already, public schools have the largest number of learning disability specialists, reading specialists and so forth.
And this is a FREE service provided to families regardless of means. THIS is what more than half the country is attacking as a disservice to students!
Good post, Leftist. I've had this debate with others in this forum who self-identify as leaning Left, yet endorse the agenda of the Right. They may entertain very real, perhaps even honest, critiques of public ed in the USA, today. But instead of blaming the corporate forces that are infiltrating this realm (to further their own for-profit agendas), they blame the schools, the teachers, or the parents (many of whom are low income or struggling as it is)!
I forget which writer made the point that there's a difference between criticizing government's short-comings, and throwing government aside, altogether. The same analogy holds for public ed; yet it never seems to get through to those who reinforce the Right's favored allegations.
And BTW SR, does Elizabeth H ring true to you, as in is she really a woman advocating privatization of public schools?
Now she is really a problem? Don't you think?
I mean in the real world, of working people trying to raise thoughtfull educated kids?
Liz & Bloomberg
!
I would never call Elizabeth's intelligence into question; but it's an odd position, indeed to BE a teacher (if, in fact she is), and advocate AGAINST public schools. We can all find fault with schools; but the greater issue--along with the Greater Good--is that without public schools, the remotest forms of social & economic opportunity drop away from "the least of these." And such a stance only fuels the steam engine rushing towards greater and greater privatization of "The commons."
Besides, why would anyone who professes to hold Left-leaning/Progressive views present arguments that work tongue in groove with those used by Right Wing pundits, the very ones whose goal it is to see public education so defunded as to hardly exist at all? I mean, that's essentially the Grover Norquist axiom applied to public education.
In the name of pragmatism, on a number of issues I witness a dearth of compassion in these threads. One can make an analogy between the lack of interests/comments on Haiti, and the dire straights of those in poverty, in the U.S. Education is often the only means OUT of that hell.
It's one thing to aim to change what's wrong with public ed, and another entirely, to give the Capital Elites more fuel with which to burn the entire system down. Anyone who's read about the charter school scams in Florida, BS shops in strip malls and such, ought to be protesting any further monies going into these bogus excuses for education. They divert money away from legitimate schools!
And Joe, it's a lot easier when we agree on an issue. I've found that we actually see eye to eye on many... if only the word feminism didn't work some kind of inverted mojo on you.
"I mean, that's essentially the Grover Norquist axiom applied to public education."
I like this. It evokes an entirely different picture of what's being drowned in Grover's bathtub.
I don't know much about FL education privatization but it sounds hellish. I do know that class and other divisions were sharp there before the crash.
In terms of a truce, I need you to retract your accusation regarding my being a "serial murderer type."
In return I will cease lambasting your approach to your chosen area of study, ie mysticism and astrology. I may still disagree from time to time, but I will try to refrain from scornful responses.
Also you might realize that I'm not an Archie Bunker type. I understand the Archie Bunker types and their usually less bigoted offspring - many of them pinkos and freaks and proud of it.. I can easily work with the latter, and was forced to work with some of the Archie Bunkers in my younger days - a few really mean bigots, but the Archies are fading into history, in any case.
The "kinder, gentler" Joe Hope that I am encountering on this thread certainly has NONE of the elements evidenced (along Neanderthal lines) in earlier threads following articles that portrayed specific violence directed at women. I like the idea of a truce, as I know that people who sincerely care about our nation (not to mention the well-being of the world) need to put aside their grievances in order to work together for that more peaceful, humane, and enlightened world... but I would ask that following those few articles specifically relating to gender-based violence, you consider evidencing more sensitivity. I think I understand the plight of the low income male. As a matter of fact, my next literary project will focus primarily on that. I also understand the anger in this country... as it's impossible not to feel it, knowing all the perverse conditions that are routinely underway.
I've had dynamic disagreements with Two Americas, but also respect his intellect. In a number of arenas, I think he's one of the most fair-minded, clear thinking posters in these threads.
If we're all prepared (or at least willing) to learn from these fiery debates, then that is a good thing. I believe that each of us is an original, albeit drawn from one of the 12 original molds. Are you an earth sign, Joe Hope? Taurus, Capricorn? (I don't get the Virgo vibe too much here).
Recently learning that Scott Walker, and Rush Limbaugh are Capricorn, it continues to amaze me how fitting that archetype suits them... same as Karl Rove, Nixon, & J Edgar Hoover. I'm even privvy to a conversation a person I know shared with the Blues artist Bo Didley (also a Capricorn) that so fits the sign's "Pull yourself up by the boot straps" orientation. In my view, it's the most Conservative sign... and I came face to face with that reality when I didn't take that factor into consideration, and unwisely presumed that the owner of a small magazine empire who regularly published my features, held more Progressive values. There are always notable exceptions to every rule, as Lewis Lapham and Phil Donahue qualify, under the sign of the goat.
I'm signing off. Peace...
So that's not really a retraction, but a kind of rehashing of your standard line of slurs (neandrathal, insensitive) and you are still setting yourself up as the arbiter of which specific victims of violence are deserving of attention.
Males are often victims of violence and abuse. Boys, children in general, are often subjected to cruelty and violence and women are often the abusers. This is not a statistics based statement it's my experience, both personally as a child victim and witness to enraged women-on child violence.
There is also a higher degree of shaming and secrecy imposed on male victims of violence. Of course millions of males are also subjected to frequent and intentional violence at the hands of other males,
This does not in any way discredit rampant male on female violence, but it does add another dimension to the issue of violence that must be understood in order to help all victims of violent abuse.
I have never intended in any way to belittle the problem of widespread and systemic violence that lies at the core of our militarist empire and society. I'm not trying to limit the discussion of the problem of interpersonal violence. I'm trying to expand it.
This article makes clear how the power elites really feel about their Education 'Deform' policies & thus what they really think of the people in general & Black & Brown school kids in particular. The fact that they falsely claim that NCLB / RTTT / Charterization will improve public schools yet refuse to send THEIR Own Kids to any public school affected by their policies speak volumes!
You have said it all.
Yes but the key is in the code. "Improve public schools" is code for "commodify education" to make a profit while introducing an even greater degree of stratification and classism into the system.
That's what capitalist educational reform entails. The standardized test industry is another privatization and commodification of education. Testing companies build nice office campuses in the suburbs, bleeding public education funding to impose test based authoritarianism on all US public schools.
Commodification of everything is the nature of capitalism, and a central function of US public policy in all areas.
Excellent post. So you see, Mr. Hope, you could find areas of common cause with me if you really were of the mind to cross the areas (or gaps) that many allege divide the Left.
I can try to find common ground here. How about this:
In The Cultural Cold War, Frances Stonor Saunders presents for the first time the shocking evidence that the CIA infiltrated every niche of the cultural sphere during the postwar years. Saunders is a feminist and a bridge between several radical cultural and political forces: Columbia U, Ertha Kitt, Feminism, Gay Rights, She's a real post modern pinko, and I bow to her scholarship.
http://www.amazon.com/Cultural-Cold-War-World-Letters/dp/156584596X
Or http://www.amazon.com/Witchcraft-Gay-Counterculture-Evans/dp/0915480018/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1326513540&sr=1-2
that's Arthur Evans, Witchcraft and the Gay Counterculture. also see his the God of Ecstasy that begins with a study of Euripides Bachai and roams through the influence of the cult of Dionysius, the original anti-patriarch. They are a little hard to find but i think you have the cultural capital :) Your scholarship is related to his.
Thank you for the links. I will check them out. I must head to the post office before it closes... but will return later.
Inadvertent repeat deleted.
"Governing behind the palace walls" indeed! That's just what these pampered, overwealthy, parasitic power elites are doing as they "rule by the grace of God" over us. Had it with their hierachy, hypocrisy, and horror shows; occupy the corridors of power, take back the power we should have in the first place.--""Power to
the people"-- as Thomas Paine said.
Just for clarity's sake- Let me state for the record as one who has been both a student in public schools & who has taught both in public & private schools, & as a PARENT- In principle I'm NOT totally against private ED [ala Catholic Schools], or even home-schooling [if a parent(s) is SERIOUSLY Dedicated to & Qualified enough to personally take charge of their own children's Education - The fact is Public ED has 'normalized' too many of us into {w Blind-Faith} turning the education of our own children over to folk who TOO Often do NOT even come from &/or live in our communities], NOR do I totally disagree that Public schools are involved in a type of mass regimentation & 'brainwashing' of school kids [IE: The Pledge of Allegiance to the Stars & Stripes hanging over the teacher's desk Every Morning- to instill so-called 'Patriotism'- along w Teaching the standard hype about 1776 being all about freedom from tyranny & the Civil War being all about ending slavery {SO-Why didn't the US' Founding Fathers' end slavery in 1776 since that so-called 'revolution' was supposed to be about 'Making Men Free??'}..., -&-Standardized testing is as much about regimenting students to robotically obey 'Authority' -not just of their own teachers &/or parents- but of some anonymous clerks who likely don't even know the subject matter that they're testing for..., And who remembers the formerly ubiquitous 4 'Food-Groups' {NOT!} Chart - which turned out to be basically an AD for the meat, poultry & dairy industries- masquerading as 'Science' in the classroom, etc...]. And the fact is that TOO Many inner-city public schools are in a MESS, BUT then TOO many inner-city neighborhoods have been left DEVASTATED!
MY Main Beef w NCLB & RTTT is that it will solve NONE of these issues, but in fact will most likely make the problems even WORSE! And that it demonizes & is de-professionalizing teachers [IE: dismantling Teachers Unions = attacking the principles of collective bargaining & tenure to drive down wages & benefits] for a BS Agenda - that has nothing to do w improving the lives of Black & Brown school kids - though they've cynically played the 'Race-Card' to justify their agenda! Their agenda is a trojan horse for the leveraged corporatization = profitizing public schools at public expense [so-called public-private partnerships = Corp control of Gov't & Public assets = Merger of Corp & Gov't power = FASCISM! - {a recent article Here @ CD shows how NCLB / RTTT has even mandated military recruiters access to public hi-school kids- without Parental Consent]!
All those rich white guys who hype charters & NCLB / RTTT can easily afford to set up their own schools OutSide of the Public Domain [ala Catholic Schools] at their own expense, to 'prove' that their 'theories' can actually improve education- even though Most of them Are NOT Educators -& as this article shows- have NOT themselves gone to NOR do they send THEIR Kids to public or charterized schools- even those under their own control!
"if a parent(s) is SERIOUSLY Dedicated to & Qualified enough to personally take charge of their own children's Education"
Thing is, those people are generally, y'know, teaching professionally, or doing a similar job. Generally it's people who avoided education themselves who "teach" their children at home. Blind leading the blind.
The top one percent telling us our property taxes should pay the expences for their charter for profit schools, but we can go to hell. Bullies!
Is it any surprise that your corrupt officials are also hypocrites?
To that evil fat fuck in Jersey
If mercy's in business
I wish this for you
That there's more than just ashes
When your dreams come true
Fire on the Mountain
Grateful Dead
Defunding and ripping off public education is an unustifiable assault that will unite the masses, who must be awakened to the evils of commodification of not only education, but also healthcare, culture and healing, in the oh so hollow USA.
It is a gigantic evil that so few seek to make a profit on the suffering of the screaming billions, who must seriously like to tear ol Uncle Sammy bit to bit by this point.
Are we living in Mordor now?. The US has already created the monstrous undead military. Think drones. A huge part of US economic and industrial resources is dedicated to the care and feeding of these diabolical THINGS.
This ridiculous push by the right-wing fascists to privatize (eg: turn into For-Profit) everything under the sun will simply accelerate the 3rd-world-ization of this falling country. Public education being turned into for-profit charter schools, police and fire departments being turned over to for-profit corporations, formerly public infastructure and facilities such as libraries, community centers, street-cleaners, etc, all being "outsourced" to for-profit corporations....it never ends. And all that happens, in the end, is that we slide faster and faster down the hill towards fascism and making all of these things beyond the reach of the common people, as their costs skyrocket. Just look at health care. 50,000 people every year DIE - let me repeat that: DIE - in this country because they cannot afford health insurance. That's INSURANCE - a product provided by FOR-PROFIT CORPORATIONS. If profit was removed from healthcare, it would be far more affordable and God knows how many of those 50,000 every year would actually live. But hey - fuck the sick, right? If they can't afford insurance, let 'em all die. Gotta make that profit, baby!
Profit has absolutely NO place in those fundamental sectors that distinguish an "enlightened," "advanced" society from a neo-feudal primitive one: health care, education, fire protection, police protection. These things cost money yes, but profit above and beyond their basic costs should be outlawed. And yet the Right wants to get their greedy, grubby, Mammon-worshipping capitalistic little paws into every single aspect of life in order to make a profit. And if the masses cannot afford those things, well tough shit for them. What a horrible, horrible model for a society - money money money profit profit profit. Jesus threw out the money lenders. When will we throw them out of our lives?
Another point. Privatization and corporatizing of the school lunch programs has had horrible results, much of it semi-hidden in the murky world of corporate "food" rebates to private outsourced cafeteria management chains. The rebates ensure high pesticide, GMO content while hindering the establishment of local farm to school organic food programs. You can bet most the "savings" go into the pockets of some 1%-ers somewhere.
I guess before Grover and his crew drown the government, they first have to drain every last drop of blood from all public resources.
One could write a post [or even a book] on the food service progs in Public schools alone. Why is the lunch period just 20min when all other periods in school are at-least 40min - 45min, why do they insist that all school kids drink milk when most Black & Brown children are to some degree lactose intolerant? Why are there now so many junk food & soda pop vending machines in schools- usually in or just outside of the cafeteria- while at the same time many schools are cutting back on PE [thus contributing to the child obesity problem]? Why are there few if any full time qualified nutritionists on staff at each & every school? And why are there few if any school vegetable gardens? Just addressing these issues concerning food in schools could start a REAL Reform movement!