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

Friday, July 28, 2017

NAACP Dumps Charter Moratorium And Wins Ravitch "Honor Roll" Status

Last October the NAACP adopted a resolution calling for a moratorium on the authorization of new charter schools.  Even though the new position did nothing to help the millions of children already trapped and abused in thousands of apartheid "no excuses" charter schools in 45 states, the resolution was viewed as the beginning of a societal shift away from the paternalistic "broken windows" school model that billionaires, hedge funders, and corporate foundations have supported for two decades as the final solution for urban pre-K-12 education.

In adopting the new resolution against charter expansion, however, the NAACP found itself outside the political mainstream and, thus, upstream from the primary flow of cash that sustains the organization's top-heavy hierarchy.  Then, as the AFT and NEA moved "all in" with their bet on a charter-embracing DNC that was/is owned by the Clintonians, the NAACP found itself further isolated and cut off from political influence and union generosity.

The result has been a quiet death of the moratorium accompanied by a new charter-friendly policy by the NAACP.  Not surprisingly, it is policy that mirrors the positions of AFT and NEA and NPE, which will be front and center in the 2018 midterm election year.

How does the NAACP explain its reversal?  Easy.  As Diane Ravitch explains, the NAACP has simply, though "boldly," asserted that charter schools now are public schools and, therefore, incapable of draining public money away:
The NAACP report boldly acknowledges that charters are part of a public-funded system. It says that it makes no sense to strip funding from the public schools that enroll the great majority of students in order to fund a parallel system that is usually no better than the public system and often worse.
Got that?  If charters are now "public," how can charters be stripping money away to a "parallel system?!"  Charters, then, are no longer part of the problem--they are part of the solution!  Bingo.

A month ago before the new NAACP report was released, Ravitch was thoroughly convinced by reading Rebecca Klein' dissembling at HuffPo that the moratorium would remain intact. She had this say then:
I am very impressed that the NAACP did not succumb to the big-money behind the privatization movement. That shows their genuine commitment to the children and families for whom they fight.
And what about now, after it has become clear that the NAACP capitulated and has, in fact, become the parrots of the AFT/NEA/NPE position for embracing charters. As you might imagine, now Ravitch is even more impressed by her new allies:
Like every national organization, the NAACP relies on major donors to survive. By standing strong against privatization of public schools, the NAACP has demonstrated courage and integrity. I add the NAACP to the honor roll of this blog, with admiration and respect.
 Remember, now, boys and girls: charter schools are public schools, so they can no longer be accused of privatizing.

3 comments:

  1. Anonymous6:37 PM

    As a long time NAACP member, I do not offer the organization any thanks for their recent positions regarding charter schools. In Newark, approximately one quarter of the student population is enrolled in charter schools placing a heavy burden on the public school district. Former State District Superintendent Cerf was never embarrassed to express his all out support for charters despite ostensibly working at the helm of the public schools. Mayor Baraka made a devil's bargain with Governor Christie to switch sides. Newark Public Schools is supposedly on the verge of returning to local control although no formal announcements have been made. The genie is not going back in the bottle. Charters are here to stay. Those issuing all the happy proclamations are never the teachers laboring in the urban trenches.

    Abigail Shure

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  2. "The NAACP report boldly acknowledges that charters are part of a public-funded system. It says that it makes no sense to strip funding from the public schools that enroll the great majority of students in order to fund a parallel system that is usually no better than the public system and often worse.

    Got that? If charters are now "public," how can charters be stripping money away to a "parallel system?!" Charters, then, are no longer part of the problem--they are part of the solution! Bingo.

    Totally disagree with your analysis that parallel system is the same as public school system. Both systems are publicly funded and set-up to compete for funding based on enrollment. This is a zero sum competition with one system winning by making the other system a loser.

    I do agree that it is important in this publicly managed school systems verses privately managed school systems to not conflate public and private management into one "public" system. I cringe at juxtapose public and charter as in public charter because it is in the interest of privatizers to promote term public charter and obscure the difference between publicly funded public schools and publicly funded privately managed charter schools.

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    Replies
    1. You don't disagree with me--you disagree with Saint Diane.

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