JENNIFER MCCORMICK’S RECENT FUNDERS

By Doug Martin, author of Hoosier School Heist

(Come see Doug Martin speak at Indy’ s Kheprw Institute on August 20 from 3-5pm)

Glenda Ritz’s opponent for Indiana state school superintendent, Jennifer McCormick, is rolling around in corporate education reform money. 

The Hoosiers for Quality Education (HQE), the pro-school privatization group I detail in my book Hoosier School Heist, on Friday handed McCormick $20,000.  This brings the PAC’s total to McCormick, so far, at $30,000.

Fred Klipsch, another star in Hoosier School Heist and one of the biggest funders of HQE, slid McCormick $10,000 at the end of May.  

  

McCormick has also received $75,000 recently from the Tony Bennett charter school scandal’s Christel DeHaan. 

   

David Harris, from the Mind Trust, gave McCormick $250 (page 6). 

Deborah Daniels, Mitch’s sister, also gave $250 (page 7).

Former state ed. board member Daniel Elsener has spared $1,000 (page 9) so far. 

Charter honcho John Bryan, a huge player in my book, donated $2,500 (page 11). 

These are only recent contributions.  More from other corporate school folks have slipped in earlier, and there’s much more to come, I guarantee.  

As the author of  Hoosier School Heist,  Doug Martin’s research has been used by or referenced in Salon, Alternet, the Washington Post, the Associated Press, PBS, and newspapers and radio shows across Indiana and America.  His newest book project deals with Big Pharma, Big Medicine, the Cancer Industry, hospital fraud, and nursing home and health care corruption in Indiana.

Indiana Republican Bill Fine is Fine with the Billionaire Crowd

by Doug Martin at Hoosier School Heist TV

(This article was first posted on Doug Martin's new blog)

When word broke recently that Indiana Republican state representative Bill Fine’s daughter--a Mitch Daniels-pick and Mike Pence-reinstated state board of ed. member--may become the new co-chair of the state board to share powers with supt. of public instruction Glenda Ritz, many were outraged.  Bill Fine had, in fact, "backed the bill to create the position of vice chairwoman" to the state board of education, and his daughter seldom agrees with Ritz.

As I expose in my book Hoosier School Heist, the whole so-called school reform movement in Indiana (and elsewhere) is a billionaire's playground to buy legislators to privatize public schools.   And crony capitalism and conflicts of interest are the rule and NOT the exception.

And Bill Fine has money from those involved in the takeover of Indiana public education.

In October 2012, Fine received $5,000 from the Hoosiers for Economic Growth PAC detailed in Hoosier School Heist (see page 5 in this PDF).  For years, this PAC has been backed by Walmart, Amway, hedge fund managers, and several wealthy Indiana businesspeople, among others in and out of Indiana.

Since the PAC changed its name to Hoosiers for Quality Education recently, it has given over $400,000 to Indiana Republican candidates and committees since 2014.  One of these is the Indiana House Republican Campaign Committee, Fine’s chief funder.

AN INTERESTING TIMELINE:

Out of the $275,000 the Walmart-Amway front-group American Federation for Children handed the Hoosiers for Quality Education PAC in 2014, $50,000 came on October 10 and $100,000 in September (see page 4).

On October 22, 2014, the Hoosiers for Quality Education PAC gave the Indiana House Republican Campaign Committee $25,000 and another $25,000 on October 24, 2014.

The Indiana House Republican Campaign Committee handed Fine $7,100 on October 24, 2014 and $13,500 on October 17, 2014.

Yes, it is obvious, Bill Fine is doing his best to do what the extremely wealthy want so that he can open up that campaign chest and sing.

BIO

Doug Martin is the author of Hoosier School Heist : How Corporations and Theocrats Stole Democracy From Public Education, a book being read in over 130 cities and towns and 78 Indiana counties, 23 states, and the District of Columbia.  A regular guest on national and Indiana radio talk shows such as Justin Oakley’s Just Let Me Teach and Amos Brown’s Afternoons with Amos, Dr. Martin’s research has been or will soon be featured in the Washington Post Answer Sheet , ABC’s Nightline, and the Associated Press. 

Doug Martin's Letter to the Indiana State Board of Education, July 8, 2014

Dear State Board of Education:

As you seek to dismantle public education and democracy, I want to remind you of my book, Hoosier School Heist, which is becoming quite popular.  Although it's hard to determine (since I don't have billionaires behind me to pay for someone to track the data), my educated guess is at least 250,000 people know about this book. 

The FBI even reads Hoosier School Heist. 

ABC Nightline is working with me and others on a possible show about a rightwing free-market Christian school highlighted in my book that Governor Pence's associate Mark Terrell now runs.  You can see the movie, Kidnapped for Christ, about this school on Showtime on Thursday, so mark your busy calendars. 

But I am not the only voice. 

Things are looking up in the arena of truth here in Indiana.  A strong movement to expose the corporate-theocratic assault on Indiana public schools, kids, and teachers is spreading across the state from Elkhart to Evansville. 

I know.  I have been travelling, and so has the pro-public education movie Rise Above the Mark.  Justin Oakley's Just Let Me Teach radio show draws thousands of listeners every live show.

There are now pro-public education leaders and groups sprouting up everywhere.  I am proud of them.  They are my friends.  Because we speak truth to power, we can sleep well at night, hearing the words of the real Hoosier hero Eugene V. Debs: "Our cause is just, the great public is with us, and we have nothing to fear."

I urge you to use some of that Hoosier "common sense" the Walmart/DeVos/hedge fund politicians in this state like to brag about, and leave Glenda Ritz alone.

Sincerely,  Doug Martin

 

Email the Indiana State Board of Ed: Another Power Grab in the Works

by Doug Martin

Once again, former conservative radio show host/free-market Christian/current Indiana Governor Mike Pence and his corporate theocrats on the State Board of Education (made up of Koch Brothers-connected Indiana Policy Review Foundation fake scholars, former Christel DeHaan operatives, and hedge fund Democrats, among others) are seeking to strip supt. of public schools Glenda Ritz of more power.

The ISTA recently noted that the "board will propose dramatic new board procedures through approving a resolution that will form a one-time, ad hoc committee that will approve the new measures intended to cut into the Superintendent’s traditional role as Chair."

The meeting where this resolution will be proposed is tomorrow, July 9, in Indianapolis. It begins at 9am at the Indiana Government Center South, Conference Room B, on 302 W. Washington Street.

If you cannot attend, please email the following members of the state board of ed. and let them know that we have had enough of the Heist:

Tony Walker - tony@walkerlawgroup.biz	Dr. Brad Oliver - brad4education@gmail.com
Dr. David Freitas - drdavidfreitas@comcast.net	Daniel Elsener - delsener@marian.edu
Cari Whicker - cwhicker@hccsc.k12.in.us	B.J. Watts - bj.watts@evsc.k12.in.us
Sarah O’Brien - sobrien4cd@yahoo.com	Troy Albert - talbert@wclark.k12.in.us
Andrea Neal - aneal@inpolicy.org	Gordon Hendry - education@gordonhendry.com