Real Reform vs. Corporate Reform

The quotes in this post illustrate the very different perspectives held by people on opposite sides of the education reform movement. 

Dr. King was assassinated long before No Child Left Behind, Race to the Top, and other pro-corporate school "reform" legislation was passed. His words were prophetic nonetheless. His definition of true education is in line with the vision held by Paulo Freire, Diane Ravitch, Howard Zinn, and other progressive educators. His warnings about what could become of education when priorities are skewed are unfortunately, synonymous with the effects of corporate school reform. 

The central theme among corporate reformers involves privatization, competition, and deregulation (often marketed as reform and choice). People like Gates and Eli Broad think our education system should be used to ensure U.S. dominance in the global free-market. Others like Michelle Rhee and Arne Duncan are simply opportunists and ideologues who are among the multitude of policymakers and politicians who personally benefit from the influence of special interests. Rhee, for example, charges between $35,000-$50,000 for the privilege of having her speak about corporate school reform. She also likes to have VIP hotel rooms, drivers, first-class air, and all her meals paid for.

A school system that promotes the common good through self-actualization and critical inquiry is a central theme among progressive education reformers. Unfortunately, their ideas are being dominated by the free-market, corporate ideology that is being financed and marketed by people who have no background in education at all. They do have lots of money and consequently, political and media influence. 

If we follow the advice of Dr. King, Howard Zinn, Paulo Freire, Diane Ravitch, Jonathan Kozol, Bill Bigelow, and countless other progressive educators, we will not be passive bystanders as corporations gain increasing control over our public education system. One final quote worth sharing comes from Cesar Chavez. A student once asked him how to go about organizing and he replied “First, you talk to one person, then you talk to another.”  The student didn’t believe what Cesar had told him, so he repeated the question. Cesar’s reply was “First you talk to one person, then you talk to another.” Either verbally or through social media outlets, that is exactly what we must do to save public education and consequently democracy in the U.S. Never miss an opportunity to educate someone about education!

What Real Reformers and Other Visionaries Say

Diane Ravitch – Education Historian and Policy Analyst, Research Professor at NYU, Former Assist. Sect. of Education, Author of The Death and Life of the Great American School

“Unless the schools provide our children with a vision of human possibility that enlightens and empowers them with knowledge and taste, they will simply play their role in someone else's marketing schemes. Unless they understand deeply the sources of our democracy, they will take it for granted and fail to exercise their rights and responsibilities.” 

“There is something fundamentally antidemocratic about relinquishing control of the public education policy agenda to private foundations run by society's wealthiest people; when the wealthiest of these foundations are joined in common purpose, they represent an unusually powerful force that is beyond the reach of democratic institutions.”

Paulo Freire – Brazilian Educator, Author of Several Influential Books including Pedagogy of the Oppressed, Winner of the 1986 UNESCO Prize for Education for Peace.

 “Education either functions as an instrument which is used to facilitate integration of the younger generation into the logic of the present system and bring about conformity or it becomes the practice of freedom, the means by which men and women deal critically and creatively with reality and discover how to participate in the transformation of their world.”

“Leaders who do not act dialogically, but insist on imposing their decisions, do not organize the people--they manipulate them. They do not liberate, nor are they liberated: they oppress.”

“Any situation in which some men prevent others from engaging in the process of inquiry is one of violence; to alienate humans from their own decision making is to change them into objects.”

Howard Zinn – Historian, Social Activist, Former Poly Sci Professor at Boston U, Former History Professor at Spelman, Author of several books including A People’s History of the United States.

“I'm worried that students will take their obedient place in society and look to become successful cogs in the wheel - let the wheel spin them around as it wants without taking a look at what they're doing.” 

“If those in charge of our society - politicians, corporate executives, and owners of press and television - can dominate our ideas, they will be secure in their power. They will not need soldiers patrolling the streets. We will control ourselves.”

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

“We must remember that intelligence is not enough. Intelligence plus character-that is the goal of true education. The complete education gives one not only power of concentration, but worthy objectives upon which to concentrate. ” 

“The function of education, therefore, is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. But education which stops with efficiency may prove the greatest menace to society. The most dangerous criminal may be the man gifted with reason, but with no morals.”

What the Corporate Reformers Say

Eli Broad – Leading Supporter of Corporate School Reform, Founder of the Broad’s Superintendent Academy and the Broad Residency in Urban Education Program.

“The world has changed dramatically, with globalization and free trade, moving from an industrial economy to an information economy. But while that's been happening, K-12 education hasn't changed at all. Meanwhile, China's graduating five times as many engineers as we are, and you look at India and you get alarmed.”

• I guess Eli is not aware that Chinese students are now taking IV Amino Acids so they can “perform” on their entrance exams and that American students are now taking prescription drugs to “perform” on their tests. This is just one example of the problems created with the competition mentality.

Rupert Murdoch – CEO of NewsCorp (Fox News, Wall Street Journal, etc), Founder of Wireless Generation (Technical Education Services).

“But the investments the private sector needs to make will not happen until we have a clear answer to a basic question: What is the core body of knowledge our children need to know? Put simply, we must approach education the way Steve Jobs approached every industry he touched.”

• With all due respect to the late Steve Jobs, Apple (and other) products are made in Chinese sweatshops under the most deplorable conditions. All too often, free-market competitions are won by those who are most willing to use unscrupulous methods. With the shedding of disadvantaged students by schools, cheating, and focusing mostly on “bubble” students in order to reach “performance” benchmarks, we are now seeing this in public education.

Bill Gates

In regards to research…."That's partly because of the problem of who would do it. Who thinks of it as their business? The 50 states don't think of it that way, and schools of education are not about research. So we come into this thinking that we should fund the research." 

"It's ludicrous to think that multiplication in Alabama and multiplication in New York are really different."

"In terms of mathematics textbooks, why can't you have the scale of a national market? Right now, we have a Texas textbook that's different from a California textbook that's different from a Massachusetts textbook. That's very expensive."

"Whenever you get depressed about giving money in this area," he volunteers, "you can spend a day in a KIPP school and know that they are spending less money than the dropout factory down the road."

"Some in the Walton family"—of Wal-Mart fame—"have been very big on vouchers," he begins. "And honestly, if we thought there would be broad acceptance in some locales and long-term commitment to do them, they have some very positive characteristics."
"So let's end the myth that we have to solve poverty before we improve education. I say it's more the other way around: Improving education is the best way to solve poverty."

• Schools of education are not about research?!?!? I think what he means is the vast amount of research conducted by schools of education refute his ideas. Therefore, he should be funding the research. 
• Gates seems to think all children are the same, can use the same textbooks (or e-books), and be measured by the same metrics. A progressive reformer would argue that a child’s education should not only be relevant to the world, but to their community as well. 
• KIPP was born out of Teach for America (a five-week program that puts anyone with a college degree in front of a classroom). A Federal Court just ruled that the U.S. Dept. of Education can no longer mislead the public by calling TFA “teachers” highly qualified. Additionally, KIPP schools employ a “no excuses” policy that disregards the effect poverty has on a child’s ability to learn. Along with standardized test preparation that has made school uninteresting to children, this obviously encourages students to drop out. 
• He seems to realize many market-based ideas are rejected by people who are affected by them. Oh well.
• There are so many things wrong with that last quote, its hard to know where to begin. What happens when there are more graduates than living wage jobs (thanks in part to corportions sending labor to overseas sweatshops)? He is half right though. If our education system was one that taught students critical thinking and self-actualization, there would be many more people fighting for social justice and equality. Unfortunately, the reforms he supports do just the opposite.

Michelle Rhee- Former Chancellor of D.C. Schools (07-10), Founder of Students First (org. that advocates for corporate school reform), Member of Florida Governor Rick Scott’s Transition Team.

"People say, ‘Well, you know, test scores don’t take into account creativity and the love of learning…I’m like, ‘You know what? I don’t give a crap.’ Don’t get me wrong. Creativity is good and whatever. But if the children don’t know how to read, I don’t care how creative you are. You’re not doing your job.” 

"The bottom line is that if you can’t come to agreement then you have to push your agenda in a different way, and we’re absolutely going to do that."

• One thing to appreciate about Michelle Rhee is that unlike Arne Duncan who usually talks out of both sides of his mouth, she is at least upfront about what she is doing. If the language she uses to describe how we need to improve our English courses doesn’t frighten you, then her assertion that you just bully to get your way rather than work together should. She is most definitely pushing an agenda.

Arne Duncan – U.S. Secretary of Education, Former CEO of Chicago Public Schools, Basketball Friend of Obama’s

“Let’s move forward on solutions and not get sidetracked by debates that will slow what is real progress.” 

"I think the best thing that happened to the education system in New Orleans was Hurricane Katrina.” 

“We should be training principals as CEOs. I think the private sector can really help us do that.”

• Like Michelle Rhee, Arne is not interested in hearing from people who disagree with him. 
• His statement about New Orleans gives you some pretty good insight into what little compassion and understanding he has. Maybe he is hoping for something cataclysmic to happen to all of the non-corporate schools in the U.S. Oh wait, there already is…it’s called Hurricane Arne. 
• The private sector should not be training principals as CEOs. Schools of education should be training principals as educators. Of course, Arne and Bill Gates believe that teachers should not be paid more for having higher degrees as people in other professions generally are. The goal seems to be to make teachers into low-paid, obedient workers while making school administrators the CEOs who will fire them if they stand up for themselves or their students.