How deceptive is this letter from Rhee’s organization?

05-11-2011

Blog by Valerie Strauss/Washington Post

Read the following fundraising letter, which was sent to, of all people, education historian Diane Ravitch by Michelle Rhee’s organization. Ravitch recognized the name of the group sending out the letter — StudentsFirst, the education reform organization Rhee formed after she quit as D.C. schools chancellor in October. But those not steeped in education reform might not know that the reforms referred to in this letter are in many cases geared toward privatizing public schools by: *expanding charter schools that are often run by for-profit companies *increasing the use of standardized tests that are sold to schools by private firms *supporting the use of public money for use as private school tuition. Ravitch is ardently opposed to Rhee’s view of reform. Even teachers might be fooled into thinking the organization is all about helping them, when it is actually intended to bring down teachers unions which are often blamed for failing schools by protecting adults. That argument, of course, ignores the fact that the problems are the same in states where teachers are unionized and in states where they aren’t. Rhee, by the way, appeared Monday at the national school choice summit of the the American Federation for Children, whose board chair is Betsy DeVos. (more...)

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How deceptive is this letter from Rhee’s organization?

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