A Quick Fact Check on Ed Reformer Spin

Charter School Rules for Beginners

As long as we're on a Ed Reformer roll I figured why not take a closer look at some more of the shite they roll out there hoping nobody will call them on it or check their veracity. Well we would check it it anyway if they had any...  Here's a little snippet taken from the website of BuffaloReformEd.com where our educational sharpshooters unload with a fusillade of edu-merde married with some of their wonkier policy notions that absolutely defy logic, common sense and about 7 of the 10 commandments. In this bit of insight our omniscient "reformer" narrator explains how a mayorally controlled school district is advantageous to those pesky "elected" school boards. I mean after all who wants "the people" to have any input on educational decision making when well connected political hacks are having such luck in furthering the "reformers" agenda.  This comes from a delightful page called Ed Reform Crash Course Guide. Ironic isn't it that they'd call it a crash course as they do seem to favor collision over collaboration.

Mayoral/gubernatorial control

Mayor control of public schools districts can be an effective alternative option to an ineffective school board that is not equal to the challenge of the situation. Largely, these situations are troubled, urban school districts that fail to provide their students with a quality education. Urban school districts face unique challenges because many of the students are disadvantaged, the schools are underfunded, and the teachers are ill equipped. In addition, school boards are plagued by patronage because of the election protocol that seats members onto the board: the school board elections are in alternate years to major party elections; board candidates are non-partisan; a very small percentage of voters go to the polls to elect the school board.

A mayoral takeover cleans up the board by removing the patronage jobs, and improving efficiency in money spent and uniform standards. In addition, the majority of constituents go to the polls during a mayoral election, and therefore can vote in the best interest of the students.

Examples of successful mayoral takeover are: New York City Mayor, Michael Bloomberg and Schools Chancellor, Joel Klein; Chicago Mayor, Richard Daily, and CEO of Chicago Public Schools, Arne Duncan; District of Columbia Mayor, Adrian Fenty, and Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee; as well as the cities of Baltimore, Boston, and Philadelphia."

A school board controlled by a mayor like they have in Chicago removes patronage jobs and will improve efficiency in money spent. When Rahm Emauel appointed Billionheiress Penny Pritzker of the Hyatt Hotel fortune to his Chicago School Board do the reformers mean to tell us that he was removing patronage from the board  ? Well it's a but ironic too that Penny, even her name spells money, appears to be the beneficiary of some tax redistribution games played by Rahm Emanuel which from the look of it have diverted school funds towards building her family a nifty new Hyatt  hotel : 

HYDE PARK--(ENEWSPF)

--August 7, 2012.  As the city of Chicago struggles to pay its teachers and provide quality education to its students, Hyatt Hotels Corporation should not be benefiting from $5.2 million in Tax Incremental Financing (TIF) funds used to build a new hotel. TIF districts divert local property taxes away from funding education and social services to instead subsidize corporate growth. The Hyatt Place Chicago will be the centerpiece of the Harper Court commercial development project, which in total will receive $20 million from the 53rdStreet TIF District. 

Would the reformers like to explain to us again what a great idea this has been both for removing cronies from Boards of education in urban districts and for ensuring education funds are spent appropriately?  And remember folks this is only one city, we have plenty more to come not to mention the rogue's gallery of lowlifes we've been offered as role models including Rhee. Bloomie, Arne, and Klein. God help us but this alone should keep me busy for the rest of the week.  And speaking of money well spent it's been reported that a hedge fund manager  and Board member of Democrats for  Ed Reform Ravenel Boykin Curry IV and his wife coughed up a million dollars to pay for an ad to get out Rahm Emanuel's post strike message,  I imagine he had time to wipe the egg off his face before the ad ran?  Here is a little background on this group's attempts to interfere with the collective bargaining between ChicagoTeacher's and the Schools : 

Here’s what Progress Illinois had to say about Education Reform Now in June, when the group was attempting to influence the Chicago Teachers’ Union strike authorization vote”

The one outside group that has indisputably stepped into the collective bargaining fray is Education Reform Now, which is headquartered in New York and has seven state branch offices including Wisconsin, but none in Illinois.

Last week, the group placed automated calls to CPS parents that scolded CTU for holding a strike authorization vote. The vote, which started June 6 and ended June 8, resulted in almost 90 percent of CTU members putting their support behind a strike authorization – clearing a 75 percent threshold imposed by state law, and giving CTU the option to strike if negotiations break down.

In the “robo-call,” a woman identifying herself as a Local School Council member says that, “Teachers deserve a raise. But it bothers me that the union is taking a strike vote before an independent arbitrator offers a compromise.”

In response to questions about the robo-call and their involvement in contract talks, Jake Breymaier, advocacy director for the group, released a statement saying, “Education Reform Now is advocating for a solution that avoids a strike and does what is best for Chicago’s children