Reply #49: A) Failing schools SHOULD be "shut down";

[mzteris]

B) There ain't that many charter public schools being "shut down";
C) NCLB - COULD succeed, if it's interpreted and implemented and funded properly. And they get rid of the stupid "teach to the test mentality";
D) You're right - ONE example of a "bad experience" doesn't mean they should all be shut down. If that were the case, there'd not be a damn school of any kind, any where;
E) You don't know anyone afraid of change in the educational system"? Then you don't read DU much;
F) It was TEACHERS and EDUCATORS and PARENTS who led the charge to go to charter systems. Most definitely NOT "CEO's";
G) CHANGE means - what you're doing ain't working, and you need to DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT! You know, CHANGE . . . Ever heard that saying? "You keep on doing whatcha always done, and you're gonna keep on gettin' whatcha always got." Capice?
H) Charter schools are public schools. And who do you think TEACHES at Charter public schools? . . . wait for it . . . . TEACHERS!! !gasp! I think he IS fighting for the free access of public education for ALL children; especially those who've been locked into a school system that was underfunded and undersupported and failing generation after generation of poor and neglected students. There IS NO "attack on teachers". That's a strawman built to inhibit that "change" so mamy are afraid of, ya know? No one I know "blames teachers" (general), those, yes indeed there are some teachers (specific) who have NO business anywhere near a kid, much less a classroom!
I)You ever think that his "apparent" deep understanding isn't just "apparent" but ACTUAL? He's a pretty smart man surrounding himself with pretty smart people with access to a whole world of information that most people don't have. Most people look at their little communities and experiences and think they "know" what's involved. I trust the man to be the smartest one in the room and to make the decisions (sometimes unpopullar hard decisions) that need to be made, regardless of popularity.

I don't think he "changed" at all. He's doing what he said. He's working his damndest to improve the free and public education available to ALL in this country. You might not like nor appreciate his methods, but there really ARE a whole damn lot of people - good Democrats, and Union members and/or supporters, and teachers - who DO support his methods.