A Scandal That's Exposing Ugly Truths About the School Privatization Agenda

[xchrom]

http://www.alternet.org/education/scandal-thats-opening-ugly-truth-about-school-privatization-agenda-enrichment-dressed

Paradoxes come in all different forms, but here’s one that perfectly fits this Gilded Age: The most significant lesson from the ongoing debate about American education has little to do with schools and everything to do with money. This lesson comes from a series of recent scandals that expose the financial motives of the leaders of the so-called education “reform” movement — the one that is trying to privatize public schools.

The first set of scandals engulfed Tony Bennett, the former Indiana school superintendent and much-vaunted poster boy for the privatization push. After voters in that state responded to his radical agenda by throwing him out of office, he was quickly hired to lead Florida’s education system. At the same time, his wife not-so-coincidentally landed a gig with the Florida-based Charter Schools USA, a for-profit company that not only has an obvious interest in Bennett privatizing Florida schools, but that also was previously awarded lucrative contracts by Bennett in Indiana.

Grotesque as it is to shroud such self-enriching graft in the veneer of helping children, the self-dealing controversy wasn’t Bennett’s most revealing scandal. That distinction goes to recent news that Bennett changed the grades of privately run charter schools on behalf of his financial backers. Indeed, as the Associated Press reported, “When it appeared an Indianapolis charter school run by a prominent Republican donor might receive a poor grade, Bennett’s education team frantically overhauled his signature ‘A-F’ school grading system to improve the school’s marks.” Yet, the Associated Press also reported that just a year before, Bennett “declined to give two Indianapolis public schools (the) same flexibility.”

In response, the American Federation of Teachers is asking Indiana to release emails between Bennett and the education foundation run by former Gov. Jeb Bush, R-Fla., another prominent face of the “reform” movement. The union is requesting this correspondence because of another scandal, this one publicized by the Washington Post.

[liberal N proud]

1. Wherever there is public money, the Republicans smell privatization opportunities.

[MsLeopard]

6. And there's almost always a Bush involved nt

[orpupilofnature57]

2. Usurping, Inner-bred ,Misanthropes with historical ancestry and connections....

they should have to wear an ankle bracelet, instead of the pin of the American flag .

[chervilant]

3. The pin of the American flag

IS their ankle bracelet.

(Hofstadter's "The Paranoid Style..." is a must read.)

[Scuba]

4. When our public institutions are imprefect, turning them over to profiteers is just the answer.

Not.

[malaise]

5. Is there anything ReTHUG scumbags

won't steal?

[Ed Suspicious]

7. Our republican lead state is pushing hard for school vouchers. The net effect of this policy

as born out in the Oshkosh school district was that of the vast majority of applications for vouchers coming in from those families who already send their kids to private schools. The money is being funneled out of the public schools and into the hands of those already economically fortunate enough to be able to afford to send their kids to private and parochial schools. It's shaping up to be another boon for the financially well off and a kick to the kidneys of the public schools.

More welfare for the rich.

[sulphurdunn]

14. Yes, vouchers

amount to a de facto tax subsidy of private education that primarily benefits people of means. Imagine that.

[spanone]

8. K&r...

[mountain grammy]

9. Profits over people every time.. it's easier when the "people" are children.

Don't have to expend any effort to suppress the votes of children.

[dem in texas]

10. One charter school is advertising for students on Radio in Dallas

How would you like your taxes going to pay for radio advertising for a charter school? It is happening in Dallas, listen to KRLD 1080 and hear the ads.

Also, at the intersection of Camp Wisdom and Westmoreland, the Brown school creates a traffic nightmare every day and the Kip school has just opened a campus in the old Mervyn's store. Two charter schools less than a block apart. What is going on?

Not to mention Dion Sanders schools, he's got a contract with Oprah for a reality show about his schools, wonder if any of the money will go to pay the taxpayer back.. There is already claims about money hanky-panky with this outfit.

Remember, we the tax payers are footing the bill for these schools and I totally agree, it's all about how much money can be bled out of the school budget and go in someone pocket.

[KG]

11. funny how these repooks claim to hate gov't, then stampede to front of the trough for gov't contract

[Starry Messenger]

12. k&r

[nashville_brook]

13. k and r

[sulphurdunn]

15. The best return on investment

going is a large political campaign contribution by members of the financial class to politicians of the lowest class.

[orpupilofnature57]

16. +1000 !!!!