David Brooks Gets Reformy
David Brooks alludes to Nirvana in the title of his latest column, "Smells Like School Spirit." Well, the reformy pap he spews is certainly "stupid and contagious"...
I won't even comment on the ad hominem nonsense against Diane Ravitch; it's the same song corporate reformers have been singing about the woman for some time now and it's getting very, very old. Ravitch has become an avatar for the movement that is pushing back at the corporate reformers, so attacking her is essentially the same as attacking everyone who isn't on board the Gates-Rhee-Broad train.
I don't know if she "pick[ed] and chose what studies to cite" when Brooks heard her speak in Aspen; I do know that the corporate reformers have been promoting a lot of junk research - I mean, a LOT of junk research - thatdoesn't hold up to serious scrutiny. I don't know if she was "quick to accuse people who disagree with her of being frauds and greed-heads'; I do know the corporate reform movement is chock full o' of people who are documented frauds and greed-heads.
I also know that, contrary to Brooks's claims, Diane Ravitch has never said that there aren't bad schools, that we
I won't even comment on the ad hominem nonsense against Diane Ravitch; it's the same song corporate reformers have been singing about the woman for some time now and it's getting very, very old. Ravitch has become an avatar for the movement that is pushing back at the corporate reformers, so attacking her is essentially the same as attacking everyone who isn't on board the Gates-Rhee-Broad train.
I don't know if she "pick[ed] and chose what studies to cite" when Brooks heard her speak in Aspen; I do know that the corporate reformers have been promoting a lot of junk research - I mean, a LOT of junk research - thatdoesn't hold up to serious scrutiny. I don't know if she was "quick to accuse people who disagree with her of being frauds and greed-heads'; I do know the corporate reform movement is chock full o' of people who are documented frauds and greed-heads.
I also know that, contrary to Brooks's claims, Diane Ravitch has never said that there aren't bad schools, that we
