In education policy, the Party of Bush II has become the Party of Obama and Clinton. The loser, Arne Duncan, has even adopted the "bigotry" bit in his last speech--Bush's "bigotry of low expectations" has become the "bigotry of the optional." Same meaning: you're a racist if you don't insist on labeling poor children as inferior for not passing tests. Are we in the Age of Aquarius yet?
The Party of Paul Wellstone has disappeared and a few remaining stragglers who believe they once knew what he was about are now signing on to Lamar Alexander's ESEA "grade span" testing feint, which is nothing more than a way to create a higher profile and more support for the neocon plan to slice and dice up the federal education budget and pass it out to the states, where ALEC directed state legislators can use the money to continue state testing plans, corporate charter takeovers, and chain gang early childhood programs. Another new federalism.
Alexander has signed up both corporate unions and all those who sit snugly inside the Ravitch containment bubble waiting for orders on which side to cheer for.
The focus by the liberal wishful thinkers who see Alexander as the new savior is that high stakes testing only once in grades 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12 will represent a victory by at least making half the educational murders committed illegal.
Meanwhile, nothing is uttered by the blinkered liberals about the annual state testing plan that Alexander supports that will be used to continue the educational genocide in 50 different venues, with federal support.
People like Monty Neill, who lives in blue state MA, believes that educational resistance movements can organize to politically challenge, I guess, billionaires like the Kochs, the Broads, etc. Send more money.
Of course, Monty still would like to believe there is a ballot box solution to war. (He might have noticed that even blue MA just elected a Tea Partier as governor). Hype springs eternal.
I suggest that all those piling inside the Alexander clown car should reconsider where they're headed. I knew of Alexander when he was governor of Tennessee, trying to make his first fortune with profiteer, Chris Whittle. He is now working to make his last, one that will continue on beyond his waning years to continue his legacy of preying on the public.
Alexander's values are the values of Wall Street, i. e., there is none other than the bottom line. Anyone who believes for a minute there is something of humanitarian consequence in his proposals or actions is a fool, plain and simple.
There is no side to support in this new "Dr. King Left Behind Education Act." There is only resistance to high stakes testing in any form, segregation in schools in any form, and corporate control of public education in any form. Only unwavering resistance by any means necessary. Period.
All the politicking might make you feel like someone needs you, but they don't. They simply need to use you like they do the whores to which they are accustomed.
This war will end only when it gets too expensive or too dangerous for CorpEd to continue. We will win if we fight. Put your energy where it counts.
The Party of Paul Wellstone has disappeared and a few remaining stragglers who believe they once knew what he was about are now signing on to Lamar Alexander's ESEA "grade span" testing feint, which is nothing more than a way to create a higher profile and more support for the neocon plan to slice and dice up the federal education budget and pass it out to the states, where ALEC directed state legislators can use the money to continue state testing plans, corporate charter takeovers, and chain gang early childhood programs. Another new federalism.
Alexander has signed up both corporate unions and all those who sit snugly inside the Ravitch containment bubble waiting for orders on which side to cheer for.
The focus by the liberal wishful thinkers who see Alexander as the new savior is that high stakes testing only once in grades 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12 will represent a victory by at least making half the educational murders committed illegal.
Meanwhile, nothing is uttered by the blinkered liberals about the annual state testing plan that Alexander supports that will be used to continue the educational genocide in 50 different venues, with federal support.
People like Monty Neill, who lives in blue state MA, believes that educational resistance movements can organize to politically challenge, I guess, billionaires like the Kochs, the Broads, etc. Send more money.
Of course, Monty still would like to believe there is a ballot box solution to war. (He might have noticed that even blue MA just elected a Tea Partier as governor). Hype springs eternal.
I suggest that all those piling inside the Alexander clown car should reconsider where they're headed. I knew of Alexander when he was governor of Tennessee, trying to make his first fortune with profiteer, Chris Whittle. He is now working to make his last, one that will continue on beyond his waning years to continue his legacy of preying on the public.
Alexander's values are the values of Wall Street, i. e., there is none other than the bottom line. Anyone who believes for a minute there is something of humanitarian consequence in his proposals or actions is a fool, plain and simple.
There is no side to support in this new "Dr. King Left Behind Education Act." There is only resistance to high stakes testing in any form, segregation in schools in any form, and corporate control of public education in any form. Only unwavering resistance by any means necessary. Period.
All the politicking might make you feel like someone needs you, but they don't. They simply need to use you like they do the whores to which they are accustomed.
This war will end only when it gets too expensive or too dangerous for CorpEd to continue. We will win if we fight. Put your energy where it counts.
mmmm????? http://dianeravitch.net/2015/01/20/from-diane-ravitch-to-senator-lamar-alexander-dont-forget-rule-84-in-the-little-plaid-book/
ReplyDeleteJim - what do you make of this?