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Wednesday, May 23, 2012

John Thompson: Why are Reformers so Insensitive? - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher

John Thompson: Why are Reformers so Insensitive? - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher:


John Thompson: Why are Reformers so Insensitive?

Guest post by John Thompson.
Diane Ravitch was recently informed of the contents of the New York City Department of Education e-mails that the United Federation of Teachers gained information through a Freedom of Information request. The first thing that Ravitch recognized in the communications was "the chummy exchanges between the public officials in charge of the New York City public school system and the top dogs of the charter leadership." Ravitch then explained that the communications document, "the collusion between those who are sworn to protect the public schools and those who are incentivized to privatize them."
Ravitch then explained what I believe was the most revealing part of the e-mails. They revealed an organization that is afraid of any criticism. New York "reformers" are especially afraid of Ravitch, Deborah Meier, and Jonathan Kozol. The exchanges labeled Ravitch and Meier as "moronic" and Ravitch and Kozol as "deranged