How ALEC Stole the Public from Public Education: A Cautionary but Inspring Tale | Save Maine Schools

How ALEC Stole the Public from Public Education: A Cautionary but Inspring Tale | Save Maine Schools:

How ALEC Stole the Public from Public Education: A Cautionary but Inspring Tale

Andy Goldstein, a parent and teacher in Florida, wrote this story below and recited it before the School Board of Palm Beach County. The story is a cautionary tale about ALEC’s involvement in our public schools.

For those who may not know, ALEC is an organization that connects corporations and politicians behind closed doors.  They draft model legislation (designed to boost corporate profit) and bring these laws to our states.  Incentives for many of their favored policies, including Pay for Success, competency-based education, and – of course – high stakes testing – were written into the latest version of ESEA, which was signed into law this month.

Here is the story, with a link to his brilliant performance below.   Enjoy!

How the ALEC stole the Public from Public Education

Every kid
Down in Kidville
Liked public education a lot!
But the American Legislative Exchange Council, known as ALEC, did not.

ALEC hated public education
The whole public school season!
If you want to know why,
I’ll tell you the reason.
It’s a cautionary tale
That spans
‘cross many a political season.

Long long ago
And far far away
from high upon it’s perch
ALEC spied down
And set its eyes upon some prey!

It saw little boys and girls skipping merrily to school
and it grimaced a terrible grimmaceHow ALEC Stole the Public from Public Education: A Cautionary but Inspring Tale | Save Maine Schools: