Get out of town, ALEC!

The Nation

If ALEC thought they could slink in and out of this city under cover of darkness, they don't know Chicago very well. We don't play here.

According to ALEC, up to 2,000 state legislators and lobbyists are expected to be meeting behind closed doors inside the Palmer House Hilton in downtown Chicago. Although ALEC’s leaders have told the press its meetings are open to the public, reporters have been blocked from meetings where corporations and politicians vote as equals, bounced from other meetings, denied credentials, and even threatened with arrest. -- Capitol Fax

Wednesday at the Palmer House (F. Klonsky blog0

Stand up! Sit down! 

“This is a union town,” Sharkey says. “ALEC’s vision for the future of austerity is profoundly at odds with the social movements that have gathered some real strength in Chicago right now. It takes a lot of gumption for them to show up here.” -- The Nation

Thanks for the invite, Missouri wing-nuts

A “Missouri Night” reception is scheduled to be held Friday at Chicago’s Rosebud Prime, which features a menu that offers a variety of steaks, as well as items like escargot, oysters rockefeller and lobster cocktail. -- St. Louis Post-Dispatch 

ALEC's Ed Agenda

 Expanding virtual “schools,” which enriches ALEC’s online school corporate funders, such as K12 Inc. The Illinois Policy Institute -- the State Policy Network affiliate in the state -- will present on "digital education." IPI employees had pushed a Virtual Charter School plan in Illinois, apparently in collaboration with ALEC member K12 Inc., the nation's largest provider of online charter schools (which has become notorious for poor educational outcomes and high profit margins). Additionally, at least two "workshops" -- which carry a $40,000 pricetag -- will deal with online education: "Modeling State Funding Formulas, K-12 Online Course Providers" and "Statewide Full-Time Virtual Schools: The Case for Parent Choice vs. Local Control." -- PR Watch

For about $40,000 registration fee, you can probably attend the Education Workshop. But there probably won't be many teachers or cafeteria workers there, I would guess.

Also see, "ALEC Turns 40, But Who's Behind It?" at The Real News.

See you tomorrow at  high noon, outside (and inside) the Palmer House.  BRING SIGNS -BRING FRIENDS- BRING ENERGY