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

Saturday, December 13, 2014

What Does David Rudd Owe to Wall Street Hedge Funds?

David Rudd, President of University of Memphis, thought he was pulling a fast one that would never be questioned.  By abusing the authority of his office to cut a deal with hedge funders and corporate charter school operators to use public resources to recruit a cadre of white prison guard teachers for Memphis's blackest and poorest schools, he somehow believed that taxpayers would roll over.  What he didn't know is that Tennessee citizens would want to know why Rudd is planning to provide free space and resources for a corporate education reform franchise, at the same time that he is also supporting a plan to charge departments on campus for classroom and office space.

We know that Rudd got his job as president because of his close association with the oligarchs who have blown up public education in Shelby County, but how did Rudd gain that influence?  What is his connection with fellow psychologist and CIA torture consultant, Martin Seligman?  Is Rudd planning to bring Seligman's modified learned helplessness techniques to the black children of Memphis?  Is there big money in grants associated with pacifying a black population that so far has remained resistant to new generations of white overseers who cannot get over the fact that the South lost the Civil War? Can Rudd be instrumental in teaching the black poor that poverty has no effect in their lives if they just keep on the sunny side of life?  Is Rudd as stupid as appears to be?

No comments:

Post a Comment