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Friday, October 23, 2015

15 Years of Bill Gates’s Meddling – The Network For Public Education

Feature Report: 15 Years of Bill Gates’s Meddling – The Network For Public Education:
Feature Report: 15 Years of Bill Gates’s Meddling

by Carol Burris and Anthony Cody
The Gates Foundation recently marked its fifteen-year anniversary of involvement in education reform. For those of us who view those fifteen years as a decade and a half during which one of the richest men in the world Inserted himself and his fortune into education policy, thus undermining the democratic control of our public schools, there is nothing to celebrate.
The Network for Public Education is marking the 15 years of Gates’s involvement with a two-part, special report on the man and his Foundation.
Part 1, which follows, presents Anthony Cody’s and my reflections on Bill Gates’s recent speech and the Bill and Melinda Gates interview with Gwen Ifill. We provide Anthony’s transcription of the speech and a link to the interview as well.
Our next edition of the NPE newsletter will have a fifteen-year timeline of Bill Gates’s involvement, including short commentaries by NPE members and friends.
Recently, Campbell Brown endorsed the British prime minister’s call to replace British public schools with charter schools called ”academies”. As you listen to Bill and Melinda Gates, you will hear them gush over charters as well.
Make no mistake—their agenda is not the improvement of public schools, but rather their elimination. Do your part to fight back. Share this newsletter and feature report far and wide. Make sure the public understands that the existence of democratically-controlled public schools are at risk.
Carol

Part One: 15 Years of Bill Gates’s Meddling

Anthony Cody’s take on Bill Gates’s speech

On October 7th, Bill Gates gave a speech providing a comprehensive review of his Foundation’s K12 education strategy. This arena is their number one domestic priority, and a place where they have invested billions of dollars over the past 15 years. As we approach the end of the Obama administration, which has served as their close ally, we might expect some serious reflection on lessons learned.
The Common Core is struggling along on continual life support from Gates and the US Feature Report: 15 Years of Bill Gates’s Meddling – The Network For Public Education:

Moskowitz’s Letter to Merrow: What She Reveals and Omits | deutsch29

Moskowitz’s Letter to Merrow: What She Reveals and Omits | deutsch29:

Moskowitz’s Letter to Merrow: What She Reveals and Omits






On October 12, 2015, PBS NewsHour aired a segment entitled, “Is Kindergarten Too Young to Suspend a Student?” The piece features Eva Moskowitz’s Success Academies of New York. Here is the opener:
At the largest charter school network in New York City, strict academic and behavior standards set the stage for learning. That doesn’t exclude children as young as 5 or 6 years old, who can be given out-of-school suspensions if they don’t follow the rules. Special correspondent for education John Merrow explores what that policy means for both the child and the school.
What follows from the link above is a transcript of the nine-minute news segment, accompanied by an audio file. I suggest listening to the audio file, for two reasons: 1) The transcript has some errors, and 2) the audio file captures Eva Moskowitz’s pauses and voice inflection, which helps add depth to her spoken words.
The PBS segment also includes a note added on October 20, 2015:
Editor’s note: Since this story aired, Eva Moskowitz, CEO of Success Academy, has raised concerns that during her interview she was only asked questions about suspension policy in general and was not given an opportunity to respond to Jamir Geidi and his mother. NewsHour regrets that decision. You can read Ms. Moskowitz’ letter here and NewsHour’s responsehere.
Moskowitz felt misrepresented in Merrow’s news story, and PBS NewsHour admitted Moskowitz’s Letter to Merrow: What She Reveals and Omits | deutsch29:

NPE Action - Political Endorsements

NPE Action - Political Endorsements:

NPE Action

NPE Action Endorses



Who are We?

NPE Action is the 501(c)4 political action arm of the Network for Public Education. NPE is an advocacy group whose goal is to fight to protect, preserve and strengthen our public school system, an essential institution in a democratic society.



Our mission

To protect, preserve, promote, and strengthen public schools and the education of current and future generations of students. We will accomplish this by networking groups and organizations focused on similar goals in states and districts throughout the nation, and share information about what works and what doesn’t work in public education.



NPE Action Endorses






NPE Action Endorses


NPE Action Endorses Kathleen GebhardtNPE Action Endorses Wendy Vogel for Douglas CountyNPE Action Endorses Shawon Bernard for OPSB
NPE Action Endorses Dr. Lottie Beebe for BESENPE Action Endorses Dr. Suzie AbajianNPE Action Endorses Jason Morris
NPE Action Endorses Lee Barrios for BESENPE Endorses Jason France, AKA Crazy Crawfish, for BESE


NPE Action Endorses

Why are out-of-state billionaires pouring big money into Louisiana board of education elections?



Why are out-of-state billionaires pouring big money into Louisiana board of education elections? 






 








NPE Action Endorses Dr. Lottie Beebe for BESE - NPE Action http://bit.ly/1kB87ln



NPE Action Endorses Lee Barrios for BESE - NPE Action http://bit.ly/1kB8n3C



NPE Endorses Jason France, AKA Crazy Crawfish, for BESE - NPE Action http://bit.ly/1kB8sV5



Big Education Ape: Why are out-of-state billionaires pouring big money into Louisiana board of education elections?... http://bit.ly/1ZnhQLU


Big Education Ape: VIDEO: 2011: When the Billionaires Bought BESE | deutsch29 http://bit.ly/1kB8P1Z


Big Education Ape: Geaux Teacher!: BESE District 1 - Needs an Honest Representative http://bit.ly/1kB8Ra7


Big Education Ape: Louisiana Educator: Please Help Fight the Tidal Wave of Money Engulfing the BESE Elections http://bit.ly/1kB8YCA


Big Education Ape: Big money to BESE elections: $3.5 million to PACs and counting | NOLA.com http://bit.ly/1jRlX2h


Big Education Ape: Jason France’s Leadership in the Common Core Fight in Louisiana and Why He is the Best Candidate... http://bit.ly/1jRlZqS


Big Education Ape: Louisiana Educator: Unbelievable! Billionaires Making Dramatic Moves Aimed at Taking Over All Co... http://bit.ly/1QZa4C9



Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 10/23/15




CORPORATE ED REFORM





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Louisville Educators and School Board Work Together to Reduce Testing - NEA Today
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'Education in Black and White' explores issues from 19th century to now | Philadelphia Public School Notebook
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Students Earning the State Seal of Biliteracy - Year 2015 (CA Dept of Education)
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Billionaires Can’t Teach Our Kids | ITPI | In the Public Interest
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The ACLU is investigating whether the Oceanside Unified School District unlawfully approved a charter school application. | SanDiegoUnionTribune.com
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State change increases number of low-performing schools | News & Observer
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Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Chicago's two-tier school system bad for the city.
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CURMUDGUCATION: Eva Gets Spanked
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Read All About It, hurricane Eli takes NOLA | San Diego Reader
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YESTERDAY

An unusual public fight between a New York charter school network and PBS - The Washington Post
An unusual public fight between a New York charter school network and PBS - The Washington Post: An unusual public fight between a New York charter school network and PBSA rather unusual public fight has erupted over a PBS NewsHour piece by longtime correspondent John Merrow about the Success Academy Charter School network in New York City, which was founded in 2006 by former City Council member E
New York College Prof to Student: Don’t Criticize Common Core | deutsch29
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Educators for Sawant! Rally & Fundraiser | Seattle Education
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California's Farm to Preschool Program - Healthy Eating & Nutrition Education (CA Dept of Education)
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NYC Public School Parents: Cease and Desist letter sent today to Eva Moskowitz of Success Charters
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Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 10/22/15
CORPORATE ED REFORMEquitable Access to Excellent Educators - Year 2015 (CA Dept of Education)Equitable Access to Excellent Educators - Year 2015 (CA Dept of Education): State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Announces Federal Approval of California's Plan to Ensure Equitable Access to Excellent EducatorsSACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson today announced that the U.S. De