Preview of Things to Come at Jefferson?
by Steve, July 11th, 2007As reported in the LA Daily News, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation just granted $7.9 million to a private charter school group in LA to transform a public high school in Watts into ten charter schools. As messed up as things have become in Portland, at least it’s not as bad as in LA.
Is there any doubt that Melinda Gates is being disingenuous when she says “We’re not trying to dictate a solution. We don’t think we have all of the answers…”?
Of course, California has fourteen year head start on Oregon in their public schools disinvestment. It’s not too late for us to come to our senses.
Update: here’s a more in-depth article in the LA Times about the school in question.
July 11th, 2007 at 5:08 pm
I get a very scary newlestter delivered in the mail from the Center for Education Reform. “Know the enemy”, as Terry says. The one I just got has a fairly long article about the CER president meeting at the white house with business CEOs, two state education leaders, a superitendent or two, civil rights leaders and the president bush. Intel CEO Craig Barrett is there, talking about his support of BASIS charter school in Tuscon. State Farm CEO talks about comeptition being critical, and they both bemoan the dumbing down of state tests. They talk about the wonderful time the charters are seeing in New Orleans and tell the president that “accountability only really counts if there are consequences….” “Consequences,: says Bush. “I agree.” (make me puke).CER president then reminds Bush that “…school choice is really the key.” Bush is quoted as saying “I like choice. …It’s essential.” And of course there is lots of talk in the newsletter about the educational system being “broken…” blah blah blah. Here is one more quote:”We also have stepped up our efforts to remind supporters that ,’charter’, for example, is not a dirty word, even if Bill Gates and Andre Agassi can’t bring themselves to use the word when the lights are shining and millions are watching.” Guess Gates got blinded by the light.
July 11th, 2007 at 10:02 pm
Sadly, this isn’t a Republican issue. Let’s not forget that as Pennsylvania Secretary of Education, Vicki Phillips was an appointee of Democratic Governor Ed Rendell.
Neoliberalism, the unreasonable faith in free markets to solve all our problems—even social problems— crosses party lines and won’t go away with Bush. (Don’t get me started on right-to-work state, ended-welfare-as-we-knew-it Bill Clinton or any of the current crop of Dems—including Clinton: The Second Coming—and their unwillingness to take on the insurance industry in the interest of single-payer, universal health insurance.)