Diane Ravitch: Ed. Comm. Huffman 'Lacks the Basic Qualifications for the Job'
POSTED BY STEVEN HALE ON MON, OCT 14, 2013 AT 11:57 AM
The good folks over at Tennessee Education Report — voted Nashville's 3rd best political blogin this year's Best of Nashville issue on stands now! — had a chat with education historian, commentator and bestselling author, Diane Ravitch.
The author of Reign of Error discusses vouchers, Teach for America and more. She also had some tough words for state Education Commissioner Kevin Huffman:
He gives the erroneous impression that a state commissioner need have no administrative experience. He lacks the basic qualifications for the job. He has punished the city of Nashville’s children by withholding $3.4 million, punishing the board for not granting a charter that he favored. He does not respect local control. He pushes privatization through charters and vouchers. He has no ideas that are constructive for public education, which is an essential democratic institution. He has demoralized teachers. If I think of something good he has done, I will let you know.
Gov. Bill Haslam recently defended Huffman against half of the state's superintendents, who signed a letter critical of Huffman and the Department of Education.
| Capital Times (blog) | - |
Diane Ravitch's new book "Reign of Error" is giving the so-called "choice" (better known as voucher) school movement fits.
Ravitch, a nationally renowned expert on education who was appointed to key educational posts in both the George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton administrations, was once one of the strongest advocates for more educational accountability standards and a strong advocate of choice schools.
But, after observing at close range how the voucher school movement was using standardized test results — the No Child Left Behind concept, for example — as excuses to declare public schools failures while promoting private schools, she completely changed her views.
Among countless others, the Madison-based Progressive Magazine this month includes an excerpt from the book and famed education author Jonathan Kozol reviewed it in the New York Times Book Review section a week ago. The publicity it's getting at a time when the voucher school lobby is flexing its muscles throughout the country, and especially here in Wisconsin, has choice school advocates on the
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