Timothy D. Slekar: Pennsylvania: 'Selectively Dismantling' Public Education
When they were recently asked whether the current administration is seeking to privatize public education, a couple of PA State Senators used the term "selective dismantling" in discussions with school board members and superintendents in Delaware County.
In my last two blogs, I have used Pennsylvania as a case study to help illustrate how market-based reformers are trying to destroy our community-based public school system by pushing voucher bills that will divert money from public schools to private schools (Remember, Pennsylvania is not unique. Look at Florida, Wisconsin,Ohio, New Jersey, Michigan, and Indiana. Same tactics, different state.).
I have also taken on the role of community activist by trying to spread the word that the Corbett administration has no intentions of reducing the state deficit through education cuts. Corbett actually plans on spending more money for vouchers and other market-based reforms. I have repeatedly sent letters and requests for local media coverage (newspaper, TV News). According to the local TV media, they don't do stories, they "cover stories." I have also sent "letters to the editor" to my local paper. All of the letters seem to have gone into cyber oblivion.
I have been sending literature to Senator Robert Casey's staff (I met with his team in March and they asked that I