A Glimmer of Hope in Philadelphia?
Thanks to the reader who sent the link to this editorial in the Philadelpia Inquirer.
The editorial warns that charter schools are no panacea; that many of them are no better than the public schools they replace; that opening charters does nothing for the vast majority left behind in public schools for which there is no plan at all.
Opening escape hatches that skim off the most motivated kids solves no problems.
Most children will be left behind. Remember them?
And it will cost a bankrupt district $139 million to open new charters.
The editorial warns that charter schools are no panacea; that many of them are no better than the public schools they replace; that opening charters does nothing for the vast majority left behind in public schools for which there is no plan at all.
Opening escape hatches that skim off the most motivated kids solves no problems.
Most children will be left behind. Remember them?
And it will cost a bankrupt district $139 million to open new charters.
Vouchers for Special Education?
Marcus Winters is one of those researchers who always advocates for vouchers. He often writes opinion pieces in places like the New York Post and the Wall Street Journal, extolling the virtues of vouchers and private management.
In this article in Rupert Murdoch’s New York Post, Winters explains why New York should follow the example of Florida and give vouchers to special education students.
Winters extols Florida’s McKay Scholarship program but fails to mention that it became immersed in scandal after a Miami newspaper wrote an expose.
The schools receiving vouchers are unregulated; the state never inquires about their curriculum or their facilities.
A brief excerpt from the story in the Miami New Times:
While the state played the role of the blind sugar daddy, here is what went on at South Florida Prep, according to
This Is Your Homework: Berliner on Education and Inequality
In this article in Rupert Murdoch’s New York Post, Winters explains why New York should follow the example of Florida and give vouchers to special education students.
Winters extols Florida’s McKay Scholarship program but fails to mention that it became immersed in scandal after a Miami newspaper wrote an expose.
The schools receiving vouchers are unregulated; the state never inquires about their curriculum or their facilities.
A brief excerpt from the story in the Miami New Times:
While the state played the role of the blind sugar daddy, here is what went on at South Florida Prep, according to
This Is Your Homework: Berliner on Education and Inequality
I received a pdf. file with a copy of an important new article by David Berliner. It examines the relationship between education and inequality. I don’t know how to attach a pdf. file to this post. So I doing this. I am copying the whole article because you should read it. Consider it your homework assignment.
DRAFT OF JULY, 2012
THIS PAPER IS UNDER REVIEW
COPY EDITING STILL TO COME
Citation: Nichols, S. L. (Ed.) (2013). Educational Policy and the Socialization of Youth for the 21st Century. New York: Teachers College Press
Chapter 9:
Sorting out the effects of inequality and poverty, teachers and schooling,
on America’s youth
David C. Berliner
Arizona State University
What does it take to get politicians and the general public to abandon misleading ideas, such as “Anyone who 
