"A child's learning is the function more of the characteristics of his classmates than those of the teacher." James Coleman, 1972

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Gates & Co. Aim at Maine

Today, the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools will be co-hosting a pro-charter even with the Maine Association of Charter Schools in an attempt to bring charters to the state. Democrats for Education Reform, the National Association of Charter School Authorizers, and Edvisions, Inc. will be on hand to offer their propaganda - I mean information - about writing/implementing charter laws. This even has the Gates Foundation's grubby little fingerprints all over it:
National Alliance for Public Charter Schools - received $2.6M in 2008 from Gates. Alan Golston, president of Gates' domestic program, highlighted the organizations importance in this recent speech, praising the organization for pushing to eliminate charter caps.
National Association of Charter School Authorizers - received $9.4 from Gates/Dell/Walton to expand charters. NACSA is led by Greg Richmond, former Ren2010 leader (check out the rotating Edison Learning/NACSA ad below the left-hand sidebar in the Richmond link).
EdVisions, Inc. - Received $1M+ in 2007 from Gates.
Democrats for Education Reform - They sure like Gates' proposals: charters, merit pay, mayoral control, high-stakes testing.
The Gates-funded groups and DFER are not interested in mom and pop charters started by real educators; they're the thugs looking to open the market for corporate charter chains. Big, big difference.

EDUCATION ORGANIZATIONS SUPPORT MAINE’S EFFORTS TO PASS CHARTER SCHOOL LAW

Released 10/12/09
EDUCATION ORGANIZATIONS SUPPORT MAINE’S EFFORTS TO PASS CHARTER SCHOOL LAW
Groups to Co-Host Forum As Maine Seeks to be 40th State to Pass Law
Augusta, ME – Several education groups will be co-hosting a forum on October 14th in Augusta to help prepare for passage of a charter school law in 2010. If Maine passes a law allowing public charter schools to open, it will make it the 40th state in the nation to have done so and will make the state eligible for millions of dollars in additional federal funding. The upcoming forum is co-hosted by the Maine Association of Charter Schools and the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, in partnership with Democrats for Education Reform, National Association of Charter School Authorizers, and EdVisions, Inc. Experts will explain how public charter schools in Maine can help tackle persistent problems of low student achievement, stem the high rate of high school and college dropouts, and start the flow of millions of additional federal dollars to Maine for public education.
[Cont.]

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