BILLIONAIRE BANDITS: THE NOT-SO-EXPERTS OF EVERYTHING

 

BILLIONAIRE BANDITS: THE NOT-SO-EXPERTS OF EVERYTHING

Education is a hot topic these days, but who should we trust to fix our failing schools? Teachers? Education experts? Nah, let's go with a group of billionaires who have no experience in education whatsoever. Because, you know, money equals expertise.

Meet the Billionaire Bandits, a gang of instant experts who are ready to destroy public education with one easy step. Whether it's through charter schools or vouchers, these billionaires are determined to leave a trail of destruction in their wake. And they're doing it all with a smile on their faces and a fat wallet in their back pocket.

First up, we have Bill Gates, the Microsoft mogul who thinks he knows everything about education because he once passed a math test. Gates is a big fan of vouchers and charter schools, which he claims will magically improve student achievement. Of course, he conveniently ignores the fact that these reforms often leave low-income students and students of color behind. But hey, who needs equity when you have billions of dollars?

Next on the list is Reed Hastings, the CEO of Netflix. Hastings is a big proponent of standardized testing, which he believes will hold schools accountable for student achievement. Unfortunately, he fails to acknowledge that standardized tests are often biased against certain groups of students and don't actually measure what students know. But hey, who needs accuracy when you have billions of dollars?

Then there's the Walton family, the owners of Walmart. These billionaires have been pouring money into charter schools for years, despite evidence that shows these schools are not always better than public schools. But hey, who needs evidence when you have billions of dollars? The Waltons are here to save the day (or destroy public education, whichever comes first).

And let's not forget Mark Zuckerberg, the Facebook CEO who thinks he can solve education with a few lines of code. Zuckerberg has been throwing money at education reform initiatives in Newark, New Jersey, but critics argue that his efforts have done little to improve student outcomes. But hey, who needs results when you have billions of dollars?

Last but not least, we have Betsy DeVos, the former secretary of education and champion of school choice. DeVos believes that parents should be able to choose where their children go to school, even if that means funneling taxpayer money into unaccountable private schools. But hey, who needs accountability when you have billions of dollars?

What do these billionaires have in common? Well, aside from an obscene amount of wealth, they all seem to believe that they know better than actual educators when it comes to improving education. They ignore evidence that contradicts their beliefs and push for reforms that often do more harm than good. But hey, who needs logic when you have billions of dollars?

So sit back and relax as the Billionaire Bandits wreak havoc on our schools. Who knows? Maybe they'll accidentally stumble upon a solution that actually works. Or maybe they'll just continue to make a mess. Either way, it's sure to be a wild ride.

Billionaires Are Shoveling Money Into a Los Angeles School Board Race https://jacobin.com/2022/10/los-angeles-school-board-elections-donors-political-machine 

Bill and Melinda Gates have spent billions to shape education policy. Now, they say, they’re ‘skeptical’ of ‘billionaires’ trying to do just that. - The Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2020/02/10/bill-melinda-gates-have-spent-billions-dollars-shape-education-policy-now-they-say-theyre-skeptical-billionaires-trying-do-just-that/

Billionaires co-opt minority groups into campaign for education reform | Salon.com https://www.salon.com/2019/08/27/billionaires-co-opt-minority-groups-into-campaign-for-education-reform_partner/ 

Billionaires for Education Reform (Opinion) https://www.edweek.org/policy-politics/opinion-billionaires-for-education-reform/2011/11 

When Billionaires Become Educational Experts | AAUP https://www.aaup.org/article/when-billionaires-become-educational-experts#.ZHY2q3bMKUk 

Got Dough? How Billionaires Rule Our Schools https://www.dissentmagazine.org/article/got-dough-how-billionaires-rule-our-schools 

THE 74 MEDIA: SERIOUS JOURNALISM OR JUST MORE CORPORATE PROPAGANDA

 

THE 74 MEDIA: SERIOUS JOURNALISM OR JUST MORE CORPORATE PROPAGANDA

Ladies and gentlemen, hold on to your hats because we're about to take a deep dive into the world of education reform and The 74 Media. Get ready for a wild ride full of laughs, eye-rolls, and maybe even a few tears (of laughter, of course).

So, who are these folks at The 74 Media, Inc? Well, they're a non-profit news organization that covers education in the US. Sounds pretty boring, right? Wrong! They were founded by former CNN host Campbell Brown and former NYC education official Romy Drucker. And let me tell you, these two are a dynamic duo. They're like Batman and Robin, but instead of fighting crime, they're fighting for the privatization and destruction of public education. Fun stuff!

Now, you might be wondering who supports these guys. Well, let me tell you, they've got some heavy hitters backing them up. We're talking the Walton Family Foundation, the Gates Foundation, and the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. You know, just your average run-of-the-mill billionaire philanthropists. No big deal.

But wait, there's more! Critics accuse The 74 Media of being biased in favor of charter schools and standardized testing. And honestly, can you blame them? It's not like those things have been proven to be detrimental to our education system or anything. Oh wait, they have? Well, nevermind then.

But fear not, dear readers. The 74 Media denies these accusations and claims to be fair and accurate. And if you can't trust a news organization that's funded by billionaires with their own agendas, who can you trust?

All jokes aside, The 74 Media is just another example of the marketing and propaganda for privatization that's been taking over our education system. It's not serious journalism, it's just another tool in the toolbox of those who want to see public education go down in flames.

So, what can we do about it? Well, for starters, we can support real journalism that doesn't have an agenda. We can listen to teachers and educators who know what's best for our students. And we can fight back against the privatization of our education system.

In conclusion, The 74 Media might be good for a laugh or two, but when it comes to the future of our children's education, we need to take things seriously. Let's come together and fight for a public education system that works for everyone, not just the billionaires.

Campbell Brown | tultican https://tultican.com/tag/campbell-brown/ 

Who Funds The 74? https://dianeravitch.net/2017/08/25/who-funds-the-74/ via @dianeravitch 

The 74 Media (The 74) - InfluenceWatch - InfluenceWatch https://www.influencewatch.org/non-profit/the-74-media-the-74/ 

THE GREAT MOMMY WAR: THE BATTLE BETWEEN MOMS FOR LIBERTY AND THE OTHER MOTHERS

THE GREAT MOMMY WAR

THE BATTLE BETWEEN MOMS FOR LIBERTY AND THE OTHER MOTHERS

It's a battle as old as time: the clash between the moms. But this time, it's not just about whose kid is the best at soccer or who bakes the best cookies. No, this time it's a battle for the future of education and society. On one side, we have Moms for Liberty, a conservative group that wants to make schools suck again. On the other side, we have the Other Mothers, a diverse coalition of progressive parents who believe in science, democracy, and social justice. It's the Great Mommy War, and it's about to get real.

Let's start with Moms for Liberty. These ladies (and maybe a few dudes) are on a mission to ruin education for everyone. They're against mask mandates, critical race theory, and basically anything that doesn't fit into their narrow view of the world. They're like the Grinches of education, trying to steal all the joy and progress from our children. But they're not just content with ruining education, they also want to harass school officials and sue school districts. Because why not? It's not like we have better things to do with our time and money.

But fear not, dear readers, because the Other Mothers are here to save the day. These moms are not afraid to stand up to Moms for Liberty and call out their hypocrisy and lies. When Moms for Liberty claimed that mask mandates were harming children's mental health, the Other Mothers pointed out that Moms for Liberty was actually harming children's mental health by creating a hostile and unsafe environment in schools. When Moms for Liberty claimed that critical race theory was teaching children to hate America, the Other Mothers pointed out that Moms for Liberty was actually teaching children to hate America by promoting racism and bigotry.

But the Other Mothers aren't just about calling out Moms for Liberty's nonsense. They're also using humor and satire to mock their absurdity and extremism. When Moms for Liberty protested outside a school board meeting with signs that read "No More Masks", "Stop Indoctrinating Our Kids", and "CRT Is Evil", the Other Mothers showed up with signs that read "No More Pants", "Stop Vaccinating Our Kids", and "Math Is Evil". They even created a parody website called Moms for Anarchy, which featured slogans such as "We Don't Need No Education" and "Let Them Eat Cake". Because if you can't laugh at the absurdity of it all, what's the point?

But this conflict between Moms for Liberty and the Other Mothers is more than just a battle of wits. It's a battle of visions. Moms for Liberty want to take us back to a time when education was one-size-fits-all and anyone who didn't fit into their narrow view of the world was left behind. The Other Mothers want to create a world where education is inclusive, progressive, and based on science and social justice. It's a battle between fear and hope, exclusion and inclusion, regression and progression.

So what can we do to support the Other Mothers in this battle? First, we can show up at rallies and school board meetings to let our voices be heard. We can write letters to our elected officials to demand that they support public education and reject the nonsense spouted by Moms for Liberty. We can even run for school boards ourselves to make sure that our children are getting the education they deserve.

The Great Mommy War may be just beginning, but we have the power to make sure that the Other Mothers come out on top. So let's grab our signs (and maybe some cake) and get ready to fight for our children's future. Because if we don't stand up to Moms for Liberty now, who knows what kind of world our children will inherit?

The Moms Fighting Against Moms for Liberty https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2023/05/moms-for-liberty-defense-of-democracy-red-wine-and-blue-education-politics.html 

STOP Moms For Liberty (National) | Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/stopmomsforliberty/ 

Moms for Liberty Has Aggressive, Predatory Tactics—and They’re Working https://www.vice.com/en/article/dy3gnq/what-is-moms-for-liberty