NEA's response to Stossel's story, Stupid in America
This is so typical of the NEA: attempt to smear a critic with all sorts of innuendo rather than addressing, even the tiniest bit, the issues raised. This is why Dems for Ed Reform is so desperately needed -- most critics of the unacceptable status quo come from people on the right (I'm sad to say, as a Democrat), which makes it easy for the NEA to simply dismiss them (at least when speaking to fellow Dems).
Stossel is far to the right of me on most issues and I don't agree with all of his work, but so what? He happens to be exactly right on this issue.
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From: Grant, Steven [NEA] [mailto:SGrant@nea.org]
Sent: Friday, January 13, 2006 11:25 PM
Subject: 20/20 John Stossel's "Stupid in America"
NEA PR thought you would be interested in some investigative reporting that NJEA did on Mr. Stossel. Thanks to Cecil Cahoon and NJEA for collecting this food for thought on Stossel's reporting. For those of you who missed the program, NEA PR will send a follow-up message with an electronic copy of the transcript when is is available. Thanks. Steve Grant
Notes to State Presidents, Executive Directors, Communication Directors
January 13, 2006
John Stossel, correspondent for ABC’s 20/20, broadcasted a report tonight that questioned the efficacy of America’s system of public-funded education, arguing that test scores illustrate the failure of our system of public schools. For those of you who missed the program, NEA PR will forward the transcript. While America’s public school educators continue to advocate for multiple measures of student achievement, Stossel’s emphasis on standardized testing – and his choice to ignore or de-emphasize cultural differences that separate America from other nations (including funding for early childhood education, and universal health care, factors which are shown to enhance student achievement) – reflects a long, documented history of blatant antagonism toward public schools.
NEA and its members welcome fair, objective analysis that can lead to constructive change. Unfortunately, Stossel offered none of this, and he allowed his personal ties to right-wing organizations to taint his reporting on public education for ABC’s 20/20. To illustrate this lack of objectivity, consider the following facts:
* Several of Stossel’s segments on “20/20” are available through Stossel in the Classroom, one of three projects of the Palmer R. Chitester Fund, a 501c(3) group based in Pennsylvania. Stossel’s videos, teacher guides and student study guides sell for $50.
* The Chitester Fund has received $75,000 from the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, a major funder of the national voucher movement.
* The Bradley Foundation also gives $25,000 annually to Excellent Education for Everyone (E3), the Newark, New Jersey-based organization that promotes school vouchers in New Jersey.
* In 1994, the Bradley Foundation paid Charles Murray $1 million to write The Bell Curve, the controversial book that claimed African-Americans were genetically inferior and incapable of learning at high levels. The Bradley Foundation is also a major benefactor of the Black Alliance for Educational Options, one of the major front groups on the national voucher movement.
* In May, 2004, Stossel was a speaker at the annual awards banquet of the Manhattan Institute, a pro-voucher New York think tank which receives $50,000 annually from the Bradley Foundation. At the banquet, Stossel introduced Peter Flanigan, founder of a private voucher program and former chair of the national voucher group, Children First America.
* Stossel also has close ties to the Cato Institute, the Washington, D.C. think tank that supports vouchers and other free-market policies. He delivered the keynote address to Cato’s 25th anniversary celebration in May, 2002. His writings are promoted heavily by Cato, which sponsored a seminar in Atlanta, Georgia, in February, 2004, at which Stossel delivered the luncheon address.
Peter Hart of Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting, a media watchdog group, has said that Stossel “often approaches stories with a conclusion and looks for evidence to support that conclusion. He often excludes evidence that doesn’t support his point of view. That makes it propaganda for his side, and that’s not good journalism.”
On November 12, 1999, Stossel used his “Give Me a Break” segment on “20/20” to attack public education and to contrast struggling public schools with successful Catholic schools. The report made a number of mistakes and omissions:
* Stossel reported that “lots of people are complaining about public schools,” when, in fact, a poll found that 66 percent of parents with children in public schools gave their schools a grade of A or B.
* Stossel reported that SAT scores were “lower than they used to be,” when, in fact, SAT scores had remained stable during the past 20 years, even though a much larger pool of students is taking them.
* Stossel reported that, “Since I was in school, America has more than tripled spending on education.” In fact, the Economic Policy Institute has calculated that, when adjusted for inflation, spending on public schools between 1967 and 1991 had increased by 61 percent, about two percent annually, and much of that increase went to special education programs. Between 1991 and 1996, spending increased only 0.7 percent.
* Stossel reported that “Catholic students test higher,” ignoring data that private schools screen student prior to admission, thereby “weeding out” low-performers.
Stossel’s agenda-driven reporting has continued since then:
* In 2000, after Stossel aired twice a misleading report claiming that foods sold in organic markets were more likely to have E. Coli bacteria than foods bought at commercial supermarkets, and the same levels of pesticides, ABC News forced him to apologize.
* In 2001, a director of the right-wing Competitive Enterprise Institute distributed an email solicitation for sources for a Stossel report on environmental education. “He needs examples of kids who have been ‘scared green’ by schools teaching doomsday environmentalism in the classroom. (He needs kids and/or parents to appear on camera.) I have some examples, but I need more,” the message read.
Finally, Stossel has been allowed by ABC to supplement his income with outside speaking engagements before conservative, right-wing organizations such as the Young America’s Foundation. In a report published by Brill’s Content in March, 2000, “it was revealed that Stossel made 27 such speeches in two years which generated income for him well into the six digits… ABC itself also benefits because Stossel’s right-wing hucksterism sells videos of his reports to educators through a conservative foundation called the Palmer R. Chitester Fund. This earns ABC a licensing fee.”
(Many of the facts contained in these notes were compiled by NJEA Communications.)
Sent: Friday, January 13, 2006 11:25 PM
Subject: 20/20 John Stossel's "Stupid in America"
NEA PR thought you would be interested in some investigative reporting that NJEA did on Mr. Stossel. Thanks to Cecil Cahoon and NJEA for collecting this food for thought on Stossel's reporting. For those of you who missed the program, NEA PR will send a follow-up message with an electronic copy of the transcript when is is available. Thanks. Steve Grant
Notes to State Presidents, Executive Directors, Communication Directors
January 13, 2006
John Stossel, correspondent for ABC’s 20/20, broadcasted a report tonight that questioned the efficacy of America’s system of public-funded education, arguing that test scores illustrate the failure of our system of public schools. For those of you who missed the program, NEA PR will forward the transcript. While America’s public school educators continue to advocate for multiple measures of student achievement, Stossel’s emphasis on standardized testing – and his choice to ignore or de-emphasize cultural differences that separate America from other nations (including funding for early childhood education, and universal health care, factors which are shown to enhance student achievement) – reflects a long, documented history of blatant antagonism toward public schools.
NEA and its members welcome fair, objective analysis that can lead to constructive change. Unfortunately, Stossel offered none of this, and he allowed his personal ties to right-wing organizations to taint his reporting on public education for ABC’s 20/20. To illustrate this lack of objectivity, consider the following facts:
* Several of Stossel’s segments on “20/20” are available through Stossel in the Classroom, one of three projects of the Palmer R. Chitester Fund, a 501c(3) group based in Pennsylvania. Stossel’s videos, teacher guides and student study guides sell for $50.
* The Chitester Fund has received $75,000 from the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, a major funder of the national voucher movement.
* The Bradley Foundation also gives $25,000 annually to Excellent Education for Everyone (E3), the Newark, New Jersey-based organization that promotes school vouchers in New Jersey.
* In 1994, the Bradley Foundation paid Charles Murray $1 million to write The Bell Curve, the controversial book that claimed African-Americans were genetically inferior and incapable of learning at high levels. The Bradley Foundation is also a major benefactor of the Black Alliance for Educational Options, one of the major front groups on the national voucher movement.
* In May, 2004, Stossel was a speaker at the annual awards banquet of the Manhattan Institute, a pro-voucher New York think tank which receives $50,000 annually from the Bradley Foundation. At the banquet, Stossel introduced Peter Flanigan, founder of a private voucher program and former chair of the national voucher group, Children First America.
* Stossel also has close ties to the Cato Institute, the Washington, D.C. think tank that supports vouchers and other free-market policies. He delivered the keynote address to Cato’s 25th anniversary celebration in May, 2002. His writings are promoted heavily by Cato, which sponsored a seminar in Atlanta, Georgia, in February, 2004, at which Stossel delivered the luncheon address.
Peter Hart of Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting, a media watchdog group, has said that Stossel “often approaches stories with a conclusion and looks for evidence to support that conclusion. He often excludes evidence that doesn’t support his point of view. That makes it propaganda for his side, and that’s not good journalism.”
On November 12, 1999, Stossel used his “Give Me a Break” segment on “20/20” to attack public education and to contrast struggling public schools with successful Catholic schools. The report made a number of mistakes and omissions:
* Stossel reported that “lots of people are complaining about public schools,” when, in fact, a poll found that 66 percent of parents with children in public schools gave their schools a grade of A or B.
* Stossel reported that SAT scores were “lower than they used to be,” when, in fact, SAT scores had remained stable during the past 20 years, even though a much larger pool of students is taking them.
* Stossel reported that, “Since I was in school, America has more than tripled spending on education.” In fact, the Economic Policy Institute has calculated that, when adjusted for inflation, spending on public schools between 1967 and 1991 had increased by 61 percent, about two percent annually, and much of that increase went to special education programs. Between 1991 and 1996, spending increased only 0.7 percent.
* Stossel reported that “Catholic students test higher,” ignoring data that private schools screen student prior to admission, thereby “weeding out” low-performers.
Stossel’s agenda-driven reporting has continued since then:
* In 2000, after Stossel aired twice a misleading report claiming that foods sold in organic markets were more likely to have E. Coli bacteria than foods bought at commercial supermarkets, and the same levels of pesticides, ABC News forced him to apologize.
* In 2001, a director of the right-wing Competitive Enterprise Institute distributed an email solicitation for sources for a Stossel report on environmental education. “He needs examples of kids who have been ‘scared green’ by schools teaching doomsday environmentalism in the classroom. (He needs kids and/or parents to appear on camera.) I have some examples, but I need more,” the message read.
Finally, Stossel has been allowed by ABC to supplement his income with outside speaking engagements before conservative, right-wing organizations such as the Young America’s Foundation. In a report published by Brill’s Content in March, 2000, “it was revealed that Stossel made 27 such speeches in two years which generated income for him well into the six digits… ABC itself also benefits because Stossel’s right-wing hucksterism sells videos of his reports to educators through a conservative foundation called the Palmer R. Chitester Fund. This earns ABC a licensing fee.”
(Many of the facts contained in these notes were compiled by NJEA Communications.)
posted by Whitney Tilson at 4:43 PM
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