Tuesday, March 14, 2017

Jersey Jazzman: Republicans Must Own Trump; "Reformers" Must Own DeVos

Some of the center-right is disavowing Trump, even though they were instrumental in creating him -- just like some of the neoliberal school "reformers" are disavowing Betsy DeVos, even though they were instrumental in creating her... Jersey Jazzman
On this snowy day I'm clearing out some archives I've been saving. I continue the exploration of the Democrats and their support for ed deform with this Jersey Jazzman Feb. 12 piece I've had on my desktop over the past month because he makes so many important points. And once again let me point out that our teacher unions have been fairly lockstep with elements of ed deform from its earliest days even though you may hear some sqwauking now and them. The proof in the pudding is their consistent support for Dem candidates who are avid ed deformers.

JJ's thesis is summed up in the title: Republicans Must Own Trump; "Reformers" Must Own DeVos
Donald Trump was inevitable. That he is a product of a political and media system in which Sullivan and Frum have held positions of influence for years. That the conservative/neo-liberal framing of the issues (what Atrios calls the "Free Republic to New Republic" range of acceptable discourse) set up the rise of a nationalist like Trump.
He goes on to quote neo-liberal Dems (New Republic and DFER's Shavar Jeffries) who try to distinguish between their brand of school choice and DeVos'. But JJ is not having any of that.
what's remarkable here is the attempt to separate DeVos from the entire "reform" project -- just like the center-right is trying to separate itself from Trump. Sorry, my reformy friends, but you don't get away that easily. In the same way "moderate conservatives" have set up Trump, you've set up DeVos. 
He then lists the essentials of how the deform movement has prepped us for a DeVos type:
1) The "reform" movement has repeatedly -- and with very little evidence -- sold America on the idea that its schools are "failures."

2) The "reform" movement has refused to acknowledge that the primary causes of the "opportunity gap" are the inequitable lives of children outside of school.
  
 3) The "reform" movement has repeatedly blamed teachers and their unions for the "failure" of America's schools, ignoring the lack of adequate educational resources, especially for schools serving at-risk children.

4) The "reform" movement has worked to de-professionalize education by repeatedly suggesting experience is an impediment, and not a virtue. 

Read the full piece to get an effective explanation of each of the above and use these arguments the next time you are at a family dinner or end up in a debate with people about "choice."

http://jerseyjazzman.blogspot.com/2017/02/republicans-must-own-trump-reformers.html

1 comment:

Duke said...

Thanks for the shout-out, Norm!

Mark