Education Decimation

The email I just sent to the RSVP email address for Diane's invitation to watch the show from the audience:

I can't simply assume I'm hearing the truth from people claiming to promote the cause of public education, public schools, public school teachers and public school students. All of those endeavors combine to make a huge undertaking, requiring selfless dedication, a willingness to do without despite massive investment of heart/soul/time/and a portion of the what is often below median income.

Effectiveness in this endeavor would also require a depth of knowledge that comes from some years of hands on experience in the field and some research. It definitely helps to have your experience informed by research done by others in the field of learner/child development (research based practice is even more stressed in this age of reform than I remember it being in the past).

So the rumors I hear include things like Goldie Hawn, Jeb Bush, Joel Klein, and Lloyd Blankfein being panelists on a summit regarding education.

I find it hard to believe that Hawn or Bush would be able to stay relevant within that framework of effectiveness requirements, and I'm surprised that Klein would be involved as he stands to gain by pushing policy toward the over-testing path it's on. Blankfein's only substantive input would be how to mislead investors, weasel out of responsibility and still skate away with more wealth each year in salary and bonuses (despite helping to tank everyone else's economy) than a majority of Americans will see in their lives...not really a model for the future I would present to learners.

I sort of get it up to this point, as a rumor, because people have a way of buying their way into relevance simply because sniveling weasels can be bought by evil influence with lots of money, and this kind of thing happens all the time. You know, Donald Trump honestly thinks he could be president? Probably not, but he has the money and influence to make you believe he does.

Where I go "No way!" though is when I hear Diane Ravitch was offered a seat in the audience! I had to go on snopes to see if it was one of those viral hoax deals. 

Hawn on the panel, Ravitch listening to her philosophize on education and education policy! I mean...It's a hoot, am I right? You would either have to be mindless idiot to believe this, or willing to believe that the people attempting to steal public education are evil, disrespectful, insulting, and willing to pretend that profiteering and trickle down will close the gap. Or maybe that they know those things won't create equity in opportunity...but equity isn't really the goal.

Anyway...rumor, or no? Ravitch watching this show? Teachers voices left out while corporations/politicians etc pushed to the front?

Dan McConnell