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| Don't Forget to Vote For PUBLIC Education |
DC Teacher to Washington State Voters
Erich Martel retired as a much-respected veteran social studies teacher in the DC public schools.
He offered this warning to voters on the other side of the continent, in Washington State:
From: Erich Martel
To: voters in Washington State
November 5, 2012
Charter Expansion (Ballot Initiative I-1240) Will Harm, Not Help, Public School Students in Washington State: Insights from the Other Washington, the Washington (DC) Public Schools
- Charter schools are private schools on the public dole:
– Unlike real public schools, they are not obligated to keep and teach the students they enroll
- They boost their standardized test scores and graduation rates by transferring unwanted students back to the real public school system or LEA.
- Charter advocates, like the Walton & Gates Foundations, aim to break up public schools and replace them with a lots of charter schools, run by charter boards that report to an appointed authorizing body over which neither the public nor the state legislature has oversight authority.
- They view the public the same way they view teachers’ due process rights: obstacles to arbitrary management
He offered this warning to voters on the other side of the continent, in Washington State:
From: Erich Martel
To: voters in Washington State
November 5, 2012
Charter Expansion (Ballot Initiative I-1240) Will Harm, Not Help, Public School Students in Washington State: Insights from the Other Washington, the Washington (DC) Public Schools
- Charter schools are private schools on the public dole:
– Unlike real public schools, they are not obligated to keep and teach the students they enroll
- They boost their standardized test scores and graduation rates by transferring unwanted students back to the real public school system or LEA.
- Charter advocates, like the Walton & Gates Foundations, aim to break up public schools and replace them with a lots of charter schools, run by charter boards that report to an appointed authorizing body over which neither the public nor the state legislature has oversight authority.
- They view the public the same way they view teachers’ due process rights: obstacles to arbitrary management
Help Hurricane Victims By Sending Books
The Albert Shanker Institute is collecting money to buy books for children in the devastated areas.
Please read this and send whatever you can.
Every dime will go for books, not a penny for administration.
Please read this and send whatever you can.
Every dime will go for books, not a penny for administration.
Rightwing Groups Pour $$$$$ into Tennessee
StudentsFirst and another far-right group called Tennessee Federation for Children are pumping huge amounts of money into state legislative races for candidates who support vouchers and charters.
Tennessee Federation for Children is affiliated with the pro-voucher organization called American Federation for Children, run by billionaire Betsy DeVos of Michigan. AFS honored Michelle Rhee and Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker of Wisconsin for their efforts on behalf of vouchers in 2010.
This report in the Tessessean says:
The Tennessee PAC affiliated with StudentsFirst, a Sacramento, Calif.-based organization led by former
Tennessee Federation for Children is affiliated with the pro-voucher organization called American Federation for Children, run by billionaire Betsy DeVos of Michigan. AFS honored Michelle Rhee and Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker of Wisconsin for their efforts on behalf of vouchers in 2010.
This report in the Tessessean says:
The Tennessee PAC affiliated with StudentsFirst, a Sacramento, Calif.-based organization led by former
TFA: The Goal is Power
Jersey Jazzman points out what has become apparent: Teach for America is not really about teaching. It is about training the leaders who will take power in the education system.
Some work for Senators and members of Congress. Some are embedded in state and city school systems at the highest levels. Some have ascended to six-figure positions in education before the tender age of 30, doubling what classroom teachers make.
Almost every day brings another announcement of a TFA appointment to a high-level position. In Louisiana, the TFA director of charter schools in New Orleans was elected to the State Board, where she votes on contracts for–guess what–TFA.
In Dallas, a TFA alum is in charge of human resources. In Louisiana, a TFA alum of 27 was put in charge of
Some work for Senators and members of Congress. Some are embedded in state and city school systems at the highest levels. Some have ascended to six-figure positions in education before the tender age of 30, doubling what classroom teachers make.
Almost every day brings another announcement of a TFA appointment to a high-level position. In Louisiana, the TFA director of charter schools in New Orleans was elected to the State Board, where she votes on contracts for–guess what–TFA.
In Dallas, a TFA alum is in charge of human resources. In Louisiana, a TFA alum of 27 was put in charge of