Rahm: Taking the public out of public education

Chicago mayoral hopeful Rahm Emanuel, is kind of making it up as he goes along on school reform. If he wins the election, he will replace Mayor Daley as the school system's new autocrat. Although he appears to know next to nothing about public education, he will get to pick a new group of bankers and real estate speculators to replace those currently on the board of education. They in turn will choose a new C.E.O. (that's what we call the superintendent these days) to replace Ron Huberman. It will likely be a manager from another city department, who is a machine loyalist and who has a better line to the federal funding tap than did Huberman.

In a Tribune interview, Monday (do they still cover Chicago news?) RE lays out his plan for Chicago school reform. It's a pretty simple plan--let the Billionaire Boys Club pay for it and run it. Maybe we can bring in some of that Face Book money. How about it, Zuckerberg?

"We've raised a ton of money for the Olympics," Emanuel said. "Let's raise a ton of money for school reform right here on our own Chicago version of Race to the Top. Let's not wait for the feds."

Wait! Isn't Rahm currently "the feds"? Didn't the "feds" just recently reject Chicago's (and the state's) bid for RTTT funding? Is that what he means when he makes Olympics comparison? Why are Chicago schools still waiting for adequate funding?

I think I'll vote for the candidate (if there is one) who wants to keep the public in public education.