Obama Can Stop This Travesty

by EdwardBerger on March 17, 2012

In response to http://therealworld-teachermant.blogspot.com/

Todney, thank you for your comments. It is becoming obvious to me that the extreme right has mounted a campaign in most if not all states to take over education by discrediting teachers, schools and the American education system. Groups like ALEC, run by corporate powers who want access to our education tax dollars, and some religious groups, together with Santorum-type mentalities, are already established inside, and in control of, many state legislatures. They form a major lobby writing legislation and forcing their greed-driven views on most states. The IRS has cowered under their political and corporate power and refused to hold them to the laws governing non-profit corporations. I support Obama, but he can stop this takeover and subversion of the democratic process. He can, but he has supported these Bush-era movements.

What concerns me most is that there are few educators, such as yourself, who are informing the public about this takeover of our elected officials and, I’m sorry to say, the “Republicans” who control states. That said, the desire to capture education tax dollars and run our schools has been around for a long time. It was held in check by intelligent and public-serving politicians from both political parties.

Opposition to these greed-driven movements should come from the democrats, independents and republicans who represent the best interests of America, the children, teachers, and public education. In my state, Arizona, only one democrat is controlled by ALEC. The rest cower and go along with ALEC’s corporate written legislation and lobbying. Major corporations like Coca-Cola, Kraft, public utilities – the list is public through Common Cause, etc. – also bully the IRS into ignoring violations. That suggests lack of leadership from the top.

Educators are used to closing the door and entering a comfortable world under their control. Many do not understand the need for their involvement in fighting for kids and fellows. Many will lose their jobs. (Look Away While Teachers Are Crucified, edwardfberger.com blog.)

There are educators who speak out. Diane Ravitch is a hero. We need to identify others, like you, and get teachers and community leaders aware of what is happening. In many states, Arizona, Florida, Louisiana, Connecticut, Kansas, New York, as examples, educators will act when they know the gravity of this travesty.

Of great concern to me are the actions of the USDOE. Obama appointees are carrying-out the wrongs done by the GW Bush agenda. Arne Duncan and others refer to teachers as “labor”. They see education through the filters of Industrial Age concepts – Labor-Management language, conferences about labor-management, and the subtle degradation of the teaching profession. Without diagnosing the problems, the USDOE is forcing privatization of education on the American people, even though significant evidence exists of how partial schools destroy interdisciplinary comprehensive, fact-based education utilizing essential curriculum. Obama can stop this, but he has not.