In 2013 , my brother wrote some more about “our friend,” Lamar. | Fred Klonsky

In 2013 , my brother wrote some more about “our friend,” Lamar. | Fred Klonsky:

In 2013 , my brother wrote some more about “our friend,” Lamar

The National Education Association is presenting its 2016 Friend of Education award to Democratic Senator Patty Murray and Republican Senator Lamar Alexander.

In a previous post I looked back on the role of Alexander in the first Bush administration as Secretary of Education and his work with Chris Whittle and the Edison Project. Whittle was an early pioneer in school privatization and worked closely with Alexander.

In 2013 my brother Mike Klonsky commented again on Lamar Alexander. This time he wrote some comments to a post about Alexander on Diane Ravitch’s blog. Ravitch had been an under-secretary of education when Lamar Alexander was the first Bush’s Education Secretary a quarter century ago.

…Yes some people did get rich on holding Edison stock (back then it was Whittle Communications stock), those that bought it cheap and sold it dear. Take Lamar Alexander (and Mrs. Alexander) for example.

Former Department of Education employee and writer Lisa Schiffren says that, “His fortune is founded on sweetheart deals not available to the general public, and a series of cozy sinecures provided by local businessmen. Such deals are not illegal…” Schiffren further notes that, in 1987, Alexander helped found Corporate Child Care 

In 2013 , my brother wrote some more about “our friend,” Lamar. | Fred Klonsky: