More kudos to Eli Broad – this is really bold!
According to a memo unearthed by Los Angeles Times writer Howard Blume, the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation and other charter advocates want to create 260 new charter schools in Los Angeles, enrolling at least 130,000 students. The document includes various strategies that include how to raise money, recruit teachers, provide outreach to parents and navigate the political battle that will undoubtedly ensue. In addition to Broad, other education philanthropists named in the plan are David Geffen and Elon Musk, as well as the Gates, Bloomberg, Annenberg and Hewlett foundations.
Judging by the United Teachers of Los Angeles response, you'd think that Hitler had reinvaded Poland. In full battle-mode, the union staged a press conference and protest rally in front of the new Broad Art Museum in downtown LA last Sunday. Led by UTLA president Alex Caputo-Pearl, we were regaled with the usual barrage of bilge. Perhaps most indicative of the union leader's ideas, which come right out of a Politburo manual on the importance of the centralization of power, "Deregulation has not worked in our economy, has not worked in healthcare and has not worked in housing, and it is not going to work in public education." Other telling comments from the union boss included:
Not to be outdone by Caputo-Pearl's ludicrous comments, retired Kindergarten teacher and protester Cheryl Ortega groused, "Charter schools are destroying public education. Mr. Broad wants to own 50% of our schools. …That's untenable." (You're right, of course, Cheryl – it's a business venture! An 81 year-old man worth $7.6 billion has an evil plan to increase his wealth by buying our schools.)
Teachers Union Won't Play Broad Way
posted by Whitney Tilson at 11:49 AM
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