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| Saturday's march in Chicago commemorated Dr. King's 1966 civil rights, open housing march in Marquette Park. That march was attacked by racist mobs. |
“Then we go into Marquette Park, the first thing is all the hate I saw. I was scared out of my mind. I never saw that kind of hate. People throwing things, trying to turn over cars, throwing rocks and bottles. People up in trees.” -- More Than 1,000 Recreate MLK’s March In Chicago, 50 Years LaterCPS spokesperson Emily Bittner on the layoff of 1,000 teachers and staff
“Today’s staffing changes are part of the normal process of school planning, and there are more vacant positions in the district than staff who will be impacted today, with roughly 1,000 teaching vacancies to be filled.” -- Sun-TimesCTU spokesperson Stephanie Gadlin
Gadlin said the district continues to inflict damage with its layoffs, and the cutting of special education services among other programs. “The gutting of experienced educators and other school employees only weakens schools and puts children at a disadvantage.” -- Sun-TimesPeter Cunningham on why I should be grateful to Arne Duncan
In an exchange with me yesterday, in which I noted Duncan's top-down approach to the "business of education", former Asst. Sec. of Education @PCunningham tweeted:
@mikeklonsky And that's how he could afford generous raises and pensions for teachers. You should be grateful, but that's not in your DNA.— Peter Cunningham (@PCunningham57) August 7, 2016
Following the shooting of Paul O'Neil
"I don't want nothing to happen to that guy. The way sh** is going. I'm going to be fu***** crucified" @cbschicago pic.twitter.com/jwmeeTUh9D— Charlie De Mar (@CharlieDeMar) August 5, 2016
Generous raises and pensions from Arne? What world is Cunningham living in? Raises less than the average in business. Pensions that were never paid. We should be grateful?!?! School closings that were announced by area chiefs with Arne's bodyguards in attendance in case of "problems." That's what I remember. Arne was then sent off to DC to play basketball with Barack. A fan of Obama except for his education policy and appointments. Arne Duncan should never be allowed close to a school again. (Not that he was ever close to a public school - but you know what I mean.)
ReplyDeleteIt's funny to read that 2005 Cataylyst piece where Duncan hires a bunch of non-educator (as in ZERO experience in education) "businessmen" to run Chicago Public School District, and then extols his "business" approach to education (i.e. to "run the district as a commercial enterprise") ...
ReplyDeletehttp://catalyst-chicago.org/2005/08/duncan-puts-new-emphasis-business-education/
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CATALYST: "With the departure of several top administrators associated with Vallas, he has hired a new phalanx of educators, businessmen and lawyers to do his bidding. Newly piped aboard are David Vitale, a former banker with a skill at cutting costs, and Jill Wine-Banks, a lawyer who became famous during the Watergate investigation that led to the resignation of President Nixon.
"Duncan also has a fresh battle cry—a call to run the district like a commercial enterprise, at least at central office.
" 'We're in the business of education,' he (Duncan) says."
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... and then compare it to his non-answer to this "YES" or "NO" question answer being asked of him at the start of trailer for the documentary "EDUCATION, INC.":
https://vimeo.com/157617318
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QUESTION: "Is it fair to have business interests be involved in education?"
DUNCAN: (looks away from the QUESTIONER): "Well, I think that's a ... That's an odd question."
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Really Doofus? What's so frickin' "odd" about it? It's only been THE central, most compelling, and most talked-about question FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS (!!!) about the direction that opposing factions of folks think THAT U.S. public education should or should NOT be taken in ... with Duncan and the corporate reformers believing in full-on imposition of "business" principles, and the other side opposing this as a disastrous idea.
I can just see him in the 1850's punting on a similarly divisive, but obvious question.
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QUESTION: "In the South, is it fair to have people of one race kept in slavery?"
DUNCAN: (looks away from the QUESTIONER): "Well, I think that's a ... That's an odd question."
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Wow, what a keen response ... NOT!
Also, I guess you have to see the documentary to hear the rest of Duncan's answer. This doc, by the way, just won an BEST DOCUMENTARY "EMMY" from National Academy of the Television Arts and Sciences (the "Heartland Emmy" division of the same organization that gives out the Prime-Time and Daytime Emmies.):
https://dianeravitch.net/2016/07/27/congratulations-to-mark-hall-and-education-inc-which-won-a-heartland-emmy-award/
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DIANE RAVITCH:
Brian and Cindy Malone spent years creating the film “Education, Inc.” which documents the corporate assault on public education.
It just won an Emmy award. from the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (Heartland Region).
The Malones donated the Emmy to Douglas County Schools as a symbol of a great community coming together.
This is wonderful news!
The Malones join the honor roll of this blog for helping to tell the story of the creeping privatization of public education, and doing so with a dramatic film.
Please go to their website and arrange a showing in your community:
http://edincmovie.com/