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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsDemocrats begin to fight back against corporate education policy
The internal war among Democrats over education policy escalated another notch this weekend at the annual convention of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) union in Los Angeles. Delegates savaged the education reform agenda as a corporate-led threat to everything we hold dear. And three high-profile party stalwarts announced the formation of Democrats for Public Education, to contest the reform agenda with a public-centered alternative. Were likely to see proxy fights between these opposing forces for years to come.
For many years now, Democrats at the highest levels including President Obama and his Education Secretary Arne Duncan have pursued a series of so-called reform policies, which include charter schools, test-based teacher evaluations and eliminations of tenure. The Race to the Top program, where the Education Department forced school policy changes as a condition for competing for additional funding support, engendered a quiet revolution in the classroom. Duncan famously called Hurricane Katrina the best thing that happened to the education system in New Orleans, an example of his desire to overhaul school districts and break union power.
Teachers unions typically resisted the reformers, but in the end would come back into the Democrats fold, perceiving Republicans as worse. Both the AFT and the National Education Association (NEA) endorsed President Obama in 2012. With teachers a substantial part of the Democratic activist base, unions had reasons to downplay the disagreements.
But a ruling out of California became a touchstone, bringing this simmering debate further into the open. In the Vergara case, bankrolled by Silicon Valley elites, a state judge effectively invalidated Californias teacher tenure rule as violating the civil rights of poor students, who cannot have bad teachers jettisoned from their classrooms. The ruling earned praise from Arne Duncan, and Obama Administration alums formed a public relations group to support future copycat lawsuits in other states. Vergara threatens perhaps the core position of teachers unions job security for their members.
http://www.salon.com/2014/07/14/michelle_rhees_minions_meet_their_match_new_anti_charter_group_declares_war/
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About-goddamn-time!
xchrom
(108,903 posts)Smarmie Doofus
(14,498 posts)>>>>DFER had a one-line response to the formation of the rival group: Welcome to the jungle, baby. How did Donna Brazile respond to that? Im not going to respond to misleading half-truths, propaganda and lies from those who want to make public education corporate, she told Salon. My mama told me its not what they call you, its what you answer to. And were going to answer by talking up education when it gets talked down.>>>>
madfloridian
(88,117 posts)I know it was a stupid thing to say, but that group is known for stupid anyway.
Public education should be sacred in our country, not a playground for the rich and famous.
My view for what it's worth.
littlemissmartypants
(22,689 posts)Katashi_itto
(10,175 posts)Fearless
(18,421 posts)That doesn't mean we're doing anything about it though.
Katashi_itto
(10,175 posts)and true. We aren't doing anything about it.