Latest News and Comment from Education

Saturday, November 26, 2016

Privatization and School Buses? Thoughts, Please, Betsy DeVos?

Privatization and School Buses? Thoughts, Please, Betsy DeVos?:

Privatization and School Buses? Thoughts, Please, Betsy DeVos?


The private company that owned the bus involved in Monday’s wreck in Chattanooga that killed five [six] elementary school students has had 142 crashes with injuries and three fatalities in the past 24 months, according to federal records. Here
I’m thinking of the pictures this past week of Donald Trump and Betsy DeVos beaming about school choice–vouchers and charters. Do they see any analogy with privatized school bus services?
Both boast they will “go after the status quo” or they will “break the monopoly.” Those are favorite catch phrases having to do with privatization.
This involves loosening rules and regulations in the name of profit and free market–so-called competition. Costs are cut at the bottom so that those at the top can make a profit.
For many years we have watched privatization sneak into schools in various forms. One is privatizing school services. Many school districts now hire outside school bus companies to transport children.
Durham is one of those companies.
The National Education Association (NEA) is a union the privatization enthusiasts Privatization and School Buses? Thoughts, Please, Betsy DeVos?:
The stop sign on a public school bus.