"An Open Letter to Senator Sanders"... On Education

[Smarmie Doofus]

Note: This comes from a *good* place. ( i.e. many Sanders supporters among the signers-on. Everyone, to the best of my knowledge, is .... or HAS BEEN....a working public school teacher.)

But he's NOT GETTING IT re. the anti-teacher, anti-union , billionaire-funded school "reform" movement.

Any staffers here? Maybe they can see to it that someone w. access gets him to look at it?

From Huntington Post via NYC teacher and blogger Arthur Goldstein.

>>>Many of us, public school teachers and parents, have enthusiastically supported Senator Sanders for President. We were encouraged by his opposition to NCLB, but disappointed when he voted for the Murphy Amendment, which would have imposed many of the conditions we've consistently opposed. Our students have been through more than enough of this already. Therefore we've written the following:

Dear Senator Sanders,

We are educators and supporters of yours, from across the country. Many of your positions on the issues that are the most significant facing the American populace resonate with us, inclusive of but not limited to economic inequality and the plutocratic maldistribution of political power.

In addition to being supporters and organizers for your campaign and the issues above, we are also some of the educators who are fighting against the privatization of public education and the test and punish philosophy that has become pervasive with far too many politicians. We champion this fight because our students, our profession, and the future of this cou>>>>>http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arthur-goldstein/open-letter-to-senator-sa_b_7842776.html?utm_hp_ref=tw

[virtualobserver]

1. this doesn't make sense.....I don't buy it.

ALL Democrats voted for this

ALL Republicans voted against it........

Do you really think that ALL Democrats (and ALL Republicans) didn't understand the amendment?

Plus, it didn't pass.

[madfloridian]

3. "the strange politics of education"

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10026984111

The two parties have completely switched sides on the privatization of education. The defunding of public schools and the quick rise of charters run by private companies has happened mainly under the Democrats since 2009.

Public money and resources are being given to private companies who are allowed to start charter schools with no regulation or oversight. By the time they are shut down they have run though millions of dollars.

I don't think Bernie has said much on this issue, esp. K-12 grades. He talks more about higher education.

No one is listening to the teachers and parents, and many are hoping he will be the one.

[virtualobserver]

5. so it is just the Fed. Govt. intrusion that the Repubs disliked.......

This is madness.

[HFRN]

2. I've always thought 'Open Letters' are a nasty condescending passive-aggressive bullying tactic

no matter what they're about or who they're to

[madfloridian]

4. Agree with AG. He's outspoken, but he strongly supports Bernie as I do.

I think Bernie's closer to listening to teachers and parents than other candidates, but it's an issue he has not defined his thinking on yet.