Who Defines Progressive in Education?
LA School Board President Steve Zimmer
Have a Republican claim that it was their party that was against slavery and cared the most about African Americans.
Any intelligent high school sophomore would know how to refute that specious claim by pointing to a well-documented reversal of history over the years.
When it comes to Education Reform (as it is “practiced” in California), there is another calculated, but equally jarring point of attack being waged.
The Ed Reform Movement is attempting to co-opt the term “Progressive” and wrap their agenda up in its fabled glory.
The Ed Reform Movement is attempting to co-opt the term “Progressive” and wrap their agenda up in its fabled glory.
The Ed Reform Movement is attempting to co-opt the term “Progressive” and wrap their agenda up in its fabled glory. Katie Braude is the executive director of LA’s “Speak Up United Parents,” a group that claims to be some scrappy, DIY, scotch-tape-and-construction-paper, grassroots concerned parents’ organization.
Last week, Braude penned a scathing attack on LAUSD School Board President Steve Zimmer who is running for re-election in District 4. In a piece entitled “Scapegoating”, Braude writes:
“Speak UP, a grassroots parent organization that I helped launch last year, strongly opposes the policies of President Donald Trump and his vision of school choice, which involves funneling public money to unaccountable and inequitable private schools through vouchers.
Many Speak UP members marched on Washington, Los Angeles and the Bay Area last month wearing pink hats and waving Speak UP signs. And we recently called on LAUSD School Board President Steve Zimmer to follow our lead in standing with civil rights hero Rep. John Lewis (D-GA) because we have serious questions about Trump’s legitimacy – a step Zimmer still has not taken.
However, our opposition to Trump goes far beyond issues, ideology or even questions of legitimacy. It is about Trump’s penchant for pitting groups of people against each other for his own political gain. It is about scapegoating, which has led to violence against targeted minority groups.
Sadly, we see Trump-like scapegoating, the same type of distortions and divisive rhetoric being employed by Zimmer and his adult special interest campaign donors against Los Angeles children who attend charter schools.
Where to begin?
Besides the ridiculous hyperbole and faux outrage, it takes a lot of nerve for Braude to flip the narrative on who exactly she represents in the Education wars, where she shares a particular Who Defines Progressive in Education? - LA Progressive:
