Massachusetts, meet your new Secretary of Education.

[madfloridian]

Broad Disciple with Checkered Past Becomes New MA Ed Chief

Teachers scoring a 2.77 out of 5.0 on the new evaluation schemes proliferating across the U.S. would face some extra "professional development" to grind out some higher scores next year. If you are MA superintendent getting that score, however, and if you have been one of Eli Broad's "chosen" rock stars for the past decade, then you could find yourself selected by the governor to become the chief ed official in your state. Such is the fate of Matt Malone (Broad Class of 2003), who recently escaped the likelihood of being canned by the Brockton School Committee just in time to be appointed Secretary of Education by Governor Patrick. Malone's brief stay in Brockton followed a rocky tenure at Swampscott, where he received a no confidence vote (136-8) by Swampscott teachers.

Florida just got the failed education commissioner from Illinois, Tony Bennett. And in 2011 Rahm appointed Jean-Claude Brizard to run Chicago schools.

He left Rochester with a huge vote of no confidence by teachers there. He already left Chicago under a shadow.

Seems not to matter about reputations of superintendents or commissioners of education. There's a national trend now to just move them from place to place, no matter if they have failed in their jobs.

How to tell if your district is infected by the Broad Virus

Be aware though it is not just the Broad-trained superintendents. Other foundations like Gates and Skillman have their share of those who are harmful to public education.

From last year:

Chicago has just learned that it will inherit Rochester, New York’s controversial and unpopular school superintendent, Jean-Claude Brizard (Broad Superintendent’s Academy Class of 2007). Those of us who have experienced the “leadership” of L.A. billionaire Eli Broad’s trained superintendents send Chicago our condolences. We have been there, done that, with scars to show for it, and nothing in the way of real academic or positive gains for our schools and kids.

In fact, the Broad brand has been seriously tarnished lately, to the point where it really should be considered a liability rather than an asset. Here are just a few examples of Broad superintendents who have been ousted or left their districts in a cloud of controversy: LaVonne Sheffield (Broad Superintendents Academy “Class of 2002″ – resigned), Rockford, Ill.; Maria Goodloe-Johnson (Broad “Class of 2003″ - fired), Seattle, Wa.; Matthew H. Malone (Broad “Class of 2003″ – resigned) former superintendent of Swampscott, MA; Deborah Sims (Broad “Class of 2005″- resigned), Antioch, CA. From The Broad Report Blog

Meanwhile, Detroit can’t seem to shake its power-hungry Emergency Financial Manager Bob Bobb (Broad Academy “Class of 2005) whose illegal control of the Detroit School District was stopped in court, but has been recently ratified by a law signed by extremist Republican Governor Rick Snyder.

..."What’s striking is the similarity of the reigns of terror and error of these Broad ‘graduates.’ Disturbingly so, in fact. Many of the above earned No Confidence votes from their district’s teachers, and from parents too. All meted out a top-down dictatorial approach. Most alienated parents. Many closed schools. A number had questionable audits on their watch. More than one had false or questionable data to support their reforms. All commanded large salaries with perqs, while at the same time slashing services for kids and closing schools in the name of financial scarcity. A number of them avoided informing the elected school board of their plans or actively withheld information from them, effectively bypassing democracy.

Accountability appears to be only for public school teachers. Parents, students, educational leaders seem exempt from criticism. Public schools, public school teachers pay the price when there is no political party taking their side.

[MotherPetrie]

1. K&R ICAM Democrats have just as shameful a record as Repugs

[madfloridian]

2. That's why such moving around of failed commissioners is so easy.

[duffyduff]

11. In the education world, it's called "passing the trash."

Principals and other administrators in school districts also move around when they screw up instead of being fired outright.

[madfloridian]

13. In our county principals often are promoted upward to be county administration.

Really makes for a great system.

[duffyduff]

14. Same at my old school district

The worse they are, the better they do.

[Little Star]

3. wtf. k&r

[madfloridian]

4. My sentiments exactly.

I just realized I now have 15 blocking me here..not a popular topic?

[Little Star]

5. It's their loss Mad. I always learn a lot from you....

Your one of my 'must not miss' posters.

[madfloridian]

6. Trying to decide...

if it's me or the topic.

Not that it matters or I wouldn't even bother.

[LWolf]

7. DU3

is a lot more militant about supporting Democrats no matter how bad their record or policies. Anyone who points out problems within the party is going to rack up some that ignore them. No big deal.

Since Democrats are equally responsible for the education mess, it's going to happen.

Keep speaking up.

[madfloridian]

9. I can tell.

Militant, indeed. I wondered it if was worth it, and I am still not sure. But it is such a blatant unbelievable policy and exactly what Bush offered.....so I think I will. Sticks and stones and bad names...you know what they say about that.

[Marrah_G]

8. ugh

[madfloridian]

10. That about says it all..

[Marrah_G]

15. Mad... it's really good to see you posting again :)

Especially your education posts !

[liberal_at_heart]

12. there are just as many parents with school aged children in this country as senior citizens

Why doesn't education get the same kind of attention as Social Security? Our politicians obviously only care about money. Maybe the only way things will change is if we get a lobbying group together for education the same way senior citizens organized into a lobbying group. Sad when children don't motivate our politicians and only money does.

[madfloridian]

16. Denial.

It's hard getting attention to it. The media has failed to cover the "reforms" truthfully. Most bloggers don't bother because writing about it is considered being disloyal to the president.

There are many on Twitter who write about the harm being done, but it does not carry over in real life yet.

Maybe someday.

[madfloridian]

17. ...

Kick