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Thursday, April 30, 2015

The American Enterprise Institute's warped values and aims.

ReDefined Ed, was at it again today describing privatization as pro choice and shilling for its epansion. "The basic idea is that for choice to truly drive improvements in the education system, market forces need a chance to work. For that to happen, parents need to be able to select schools based on quality, and new, better schools need to be able to meet their demand." 

I wonder which choice they think is best, charter schools, of which over 270 have failed in Florida taking public money and leaving communities in a lurch or Vouchers, you know the unregulated schools which nobody has any real idea how they are doing.  

The American Enterprise Institute is their latest dupe and they developed a series of talking points to push their agenda. It's amazing what a group of mediocre tenth graders can come up with.

Here are their talking points with my comments afterwards.

On how parents select schools:
They first want to know if it is safe, then about academic performance, then about all of the other things that the school offers to help make their child a more well-rounded individual. Test scores can tell us one important part of what parents are looking for, but parents need more and wider information to make an informed decision about their child’s school.

By wider information, they mean advertising campaigns and propaganda that make public schools look bad and choice schools look good, because often safety, test scores, and the ability to make a child a well rounded human being are not enough.

On political engagement:
Many school choice programs are designed specifically to help low-income families, a demographic group that is often disenfranchised from the political process. Organizations that want to help parents select schools should also think about how they can help connect parents with the political process to ensure that school choice programs are able to continue.

You know by draining away resources from what in many neighborhoods was the centerpiece. Ironically most choice schools after they cash their check want nothing to do with the political process. Even if you love the concept of choice you have to admit it is terrible for democracy.

On the way school choice can change families’ disposition toward schools (a topic we’ve explored):
Participating in the voucher program helped convert families from clients to consumers. No longer did they feel like they lived according to the whims of distant bureaucrats. They had taken their fates into their own hands. What’s more, they started to expect more from the schools that taught their children.

Yes because before parents didn't care what happened at their children's schools they were zombies walking through life. Do you find it ironic, there is that word again, that parents in Florida have been screaming for more resources and less testing but they are ignored but somehow choice is going to free them from the whims of distant bureaucrats?

 On the hidden costs of regulation:
With each passing year, scientists produce new knowledge about how the brain works and how children learn. Schools should be free to take advantage of this and change their organization and instruction accordingly, but ossified standards and regulations could stifle such efforts.

You know all that brain research that schools are missing out on. Did I say mediocre tenth graders? I meant mediocre eight graders.  

On improving the supply of good schools for parents to choose from:
At current funding levels, voucher and tax credit scholarship programs do not provide enough money to finance new buildings, substantial technology purchases, or any of the other upfront costs that come with starting or expanding a school.

There is the rub, they want more money, more money siphoned away from public schools and often into the bank accounts of mercenaries charlatans and privateers.

On the (often lacking) human capital pipeline:
The skill set that will lead to success in a school participating in a school choice program is not necessarily the same skill set that would lead to success of a traditional public or private school. New programs must emerge to help cultivate the unique skill set needed to lead and work in schools of choice.

Certified teachers?  Trained professionals? People with content knowledge, why all that's for suckers especially if we can pay what we'll call knowledge facilitators 12 bucks an hour. Learnin' that's what google is for.

Here is a link to the article

http://www.redefinedonline.org/2015/04/supply-demand-and-school-choice/

Privatization, charter schools and voucher schools, and yes there are some in it for the right reasons and who do a good job, as a group aren't here to serve children and communities. They are here to serve special interests and selfish interests.

We have to wake up people.
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