Those Who Can’t, Write | EduShyster

Those Who Can’t, Write | EduShyster:

Those Who Can’t, Write

 What is it about New York Times columnists and education???

It’s time now for a feature in which I do something I am almost never allowed to do at home: unswizzle my wine box before noon go on and on (and on) about the various shortcomings of the latest New York Times column to work me into a lather. Today’s offender actually appeared on Saturday, which means that I have managed to hold in my rich and spicy commentary for the past two days. The author of the offending column: none other than Joe Nocera, a business columnist who has decided to turn his attention to the fiercely urgent cause of transforming teacher education. What could possibly go wrong?

Three sisters—and a corporate raider
The occasion for Nocera’s column is a discussion that he recently had with three teacher sisters. One teaches at a suburban school, one at an urban school and one at a charter that is part of a chain founded by corporate raider Carl Icahn. Now hold on just a sec—somehow I seemed to have missed that Icahn, who made *hostile takeover* a household word is in now running charter schools. But alas, such is the case and Icahn’s schools are