Rahm's Ironic Speech at the DNC

On September 1^st, 2012, roughly 18,000 parents, students, and teachers took to the streets in another massive demonstration of the public’s growing weariness of corporate-style school “reform” that deprofessionalizes teaching, disrupts low-income, minority communities, disenfranchises parents from decisions that affect their children, and threatens public education as a whole. The very next night Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel was ironically extolling the virtues of the Democratic Party as he delivered his speech to the Democratic National Convention.

The Case for Elected School Boards and the Fight for Democracy in Public Education

Kenwood Oakland Community Organization's Jitu Brown giving parents and concerned citizens instruction before collecting signatures

With the creation of the Chicago Educational Facilities Task Force and HB 363 by the Illinois General Assembly (ILGA) that mandates (but doesn’t really enforce) community engagement and more equitable capital funding by Chicago Public Schools (CPS) officials, it seems that a few of Illinois State Congressmen are beginning to realize the gravity of the huge mistake (granting mayoral control over Chicago’s schools) that was made by ILGA in 1995.  It is hard to imagine that they had any idea their decision to give Richard M. Daley mayoral control over CPS would bring about destruction to low-income communities throughout Chicago and the entire country.   

Texas GOP Opposes Critical Thinking, Duh

The 2012 Republican Party of Texas Report of Platform Committee supports much of what you would expect a GOP platform to: anti-immigration legislation, a disdain for marriage equality, the denial of scientifically proven global warming, and a disregard for people who are not members of a Judeo-Christian religion. 

Carrots and Sticks

Your tax dollars are carrots thanks to the U.S. Department of Education.  In order for states and districts to receive education funding, they have had to compete with each other in Race to the Top (RttT). The “winners” of RttT have been the ones most willing to privatize and use high-stakes “accountability measures.  There are also millions of public dollars available through School Improvement Grants (SIGs) for every school that is closed or given to a private sector charter or turnaround organization. 

In addition to being heavily lobbied by corporate interests (ALEC, Stand for Children, etc.), State legislatures and school districts are now basing educational policy on financial incentives rather than on sound research.  U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan calls this the “carrot”.  

The “stick” is the denial of badly needed funding, thereby setting already under-resourced schools up for closure or conversion (based on faulty metrics of course).  Arne even warned his own state they would lose a chance at needed funding if they didn’t increase charters schools and funding for them. Several states raised their caps on charter schools including virtual charter schools and adopted high-stakes “accountability” measures. There seems to be a lot more sticks than carrots, but either way, the private sector expansion into public education is being forced upon communities in spite of protest and research. The sheer disregard for logic in these policies should make people question their sincerity and intent.   

More recently, Arne developed another carrot and stick game that is even more absurd. In 2001, No Child Left Behind opened the door for privatization by creating ridiculous targets that if not met, meant closures and transfers of management to private sector operators.  All of this of course, was and continues to be based on unreliable tests that are developed by multi-million dollar corporations like Pearson. Anyway, Arne’s new carrot is the offer of waivers from the mandates of NCLB if states adopt the same reforms that were pushed by NCLB (and RttT)!!!!!  Regardless of whether you get the carrot or the stick through RttT, SIGs, or NCLB waivers, privatization is the end result.

Fortunately, the resistance to corporate school reform is rapidly growing. This is partly due to the audacity of corporate reformers and their politicians, but also due to the great organizing efforts on both local and national levels. Basically more and more parents, teachers, and students would like to tell Arne Duncan where to stick his carrots. 

Check out www.unitedoptout.com, www.parentsacrossamerica.org, www.dumpduncan.org, http://timeoutfromtesting.org/nationalresolution/.  

A Great Week of Democracy for Education around the World

From Chicago to New York, to Canada to Australia, last week was a great week of grassroots actions involving parents, teachers, students, and concerned citizens all standing in solidarity to protect education.  It is inspiring to know people around the world are organizing to fight the corporate takeover of public education. 

In Chicago, roughly 90% of the Chicago Teacher’s Union (CTU) members voted to authorize a strike next year if agreeable negotiations are not made.  According to a new state law, the CTU must get the approval of at least 75% of its members in order to call a strike.

The Obamney Education Plan

" I’m going to make that choice meaningful by ensuring that there are sufficient options for parents to be able to exercise them. And thus, in order to receive the full complement of federal education dollars, states are going to have to provide students with an ample school choice opportunity." - Mitt Romney  in a recent speech given at a Philadelphia Charter School

If it weren't against the Republican rules and he wasn't a presidential candidate, you'd think Mitt Romney would have nothing but praise for Obama and Duncan's Race to the Top and School Improvement Grant education "reform" policies. Its no secret the attack on public education is bi-partisan. Both Democrats and Republicans are pushing the corporate school reform agenda by making the receipt of federal taxpayer dollars for education contingent upon privatization and high-stakes accountability measures. Even Democrat Mayor of Philadelphia Michael Nutter criticized Romney's higher education plan yet they both support privatization at the elementary and high school levels of public education. Isn't it great to know that your tax dollars are being used to force states into privatizing their public schools?

Chicago Teacher's Union Rally

Just two days after the NATO Summit and the numerous protests that drew thousands of people from all over the country to Chicago, the Chicago Teacher's Union (CTU) organized a local rally that was comparable in numbers to those of the previous days.

Thousands of teachers, parents, students, and concerned citizens came together in solidarity to oppose to the corporate school reform agenda that is destroying public education. Unlike the protesters who were paid to speak in favor of CPS school privatization, the people were there with sincerity. Along with the Chicago Tribune poll that showed the public sides with the CTU over Mayor Emanuel when it comes to improving education, this is indicative of the growing resistance to reforms that are harmful to teachers, students, low-income communities, and the entire public education system.

Chicago has been ground zero for corporate school reform for over 20 years. What began with Mayor Daley and Paul Vallas, continued with Arne Duncan and is still ongoing with the policies of Rahm Emanuel and his appointed school board. Nobody has been fighting against these destructive policies longer and harder than the CTU. They have created a message that resonates not only with their members, but with parents and students as well.

The world was watching when NATO came to Chicago. Let's hope this impressive solidification of people against corporate school reform was also noticed and will further embolden resisters to corporate school reform in districts across the country.