Independence?
On this 4th of July it is appropriate to quote our Declaration of Independence in response to those that want to undermine our public schools.
“Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes;”
To paraphrase from the Declaration,
On this Independence Day it’s time to declare that our public education system will no longer be subjected to a long train of abuses and usurpations, under a design to reduce it under absolute Despotism, it is our right, it is our duty, to throw off such forces, and to provide new Guards for future security of our schools!
Dane Ravitch shared a leaked draft of the 2016 Democratic Party Platform. While there are many Planks that I strongly agree with, I must say that I am quite disappointed with the Planks on education. One would think that since the AFT and the NEA jumped on Hillary Clinton’s bandwagon with a way to early endorsement, education would be at the forefront of this Platform.
Unfortunately, this platform’s Plank on Early Childhood, Pre-K, and K-12 is nothing more than rhetoric used to fill up a page in a meaningless statement. Much like Clinton’s promise to close every school that is below average, it actually puts our public schools at risk.
Let me first state that the Republican Party is in shambles and I will not support Trump or his Party. That said, I post the following in hopes that enough of us will speak out and demand real change.
When the Democratic Party declares that they will ensure there are great schools in every zip code and that the Federal Government will continue to play a critical role, it should send shivers up our collective spines. Just what does this mean?
Will the Party hand over control of our schools over to John King to allow him to systematically wrest control away from local communities, much like he did in New York?
When bureaucrats tout high standards as a paradigm to success, we should be questioning whose standards? Just what are those standards and should the standards be the same for every child and every community in our diverse nation? Common Core is a failure and it appears the Democrats are doubling down on this miserable social experiment.
The Party Platform also states, “We will hold schools, districts, communities, and states accountable for raising achievement levels for all students—particularly low-income students, students of color, English Language Learners, and students with disabilities.” Does this mean the Party will continue the disaster of high stakes testing? Just what does accountability mean? Is this what Hillary meant when she said we should close every below average school? Simple math tells us below average means the bottom 50%. Is this the Party’s plan?
The Party’s Plank also throw support behind charter schools. It claims increased transparency. Just what does that mean? Increased transparency does not mean total transparency. It does not mean that they will be held to the same standards as public schools. It does not mean that they will prevent charters from hand picking students, weeding out those with special needs, and hijacking space and resources from public schools.
They refuse to state that if they actually supported public schools and public school teachers there would not be any market for charter schools. Until we have true campaign finance reform, hedge funds will continue to drive the Party’s Planks on education.
The bottom line, the AFT’s and NEA’s way to early endorsement resulted in a lackadaisical rhetoric filled platform that double down on the reformers agenda which will make us more dependent on false promises.
On this Independence Day it’s time to declare that our public education system will no longer be subjected to a long train of abuses and usurpations, under a design to reduce it under absolute Despotism, it is our right, it is our duty, to throw off such forces, and to provide new Guards for future security of our schools.
Let your voiced be heard, demand changes and take back our Party. Declare our independence from those working to destroy our nation’s future.
Opine I will 
Ralph, you know that regardless of which corporatist wins, public education will continue to suffer. Kids and educators will be sacrificed on the twin altars of greed and bullshit (“mendacity” for those who are offended by the other). Hillary isn’t about to take a tough stance to protect free, independent public education, let alone overthrow the testing madness that has had us in its grip-like vice. . . er, vice-like grip, for decades. She’s a tool of Wall Street. Donald Trump IS Wall Street, though I wouldn’t dare guess what he actually thinks about anything. For all I know, he might be a secret disciple of A. S. Neill and Maria Montessori, though I very much doubt it.
We have one hope between now and November. And his name is Bernie Sanders.
Unfortunately you are right. Public education is at risk and our so called friends have taken the appeasement route.