Re: Wingarten lies about Chicago "support" for Arne Duncan

[aburke5054@aol.com]

 Are you seriously arguing that President-Elect Obama would remain a friend of someone who was an enemy of African-American children and teachers?? And more, that he would consider such a person for Secretary of Education?? And are you seriously claiming that Randi Weingarten has sold out her union by praising Duncan for his efforts at collaboration with teachers and that she would support Duncan if he were racist??? Are you that blinded by your hatred of Duncan?
?
Art


 

-----Original Message-----
From: Csubstance@aol.com
To: bobschaeffer@earthlink.net; arn-l@interversity.org; arn2-strategy@yahoogroups.com; rethinkaccountdc@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Sun, 14 Dec 2008 3:57 am
Subject: [arn-l] Wingarten lies about Chicago "support" for Arne Duncan











In a message dated 12/14/08 5:31:14 AM, bobschaeffer@earthlink.net writes:

<< The American Federation of Teachers presented the Obama team with 
written evaluations of a string of candidates without endorsing any of 
them, said  Randi Weingarten, the union's president. "We have no 
candidate in the race," Ms. Weingarten said.

But last week she publicly praised Mr. Duncan in an interview with The 
Associated Press. "Arne Duncan," she said, "actually reaches out and 
tries to do things in a collaborative way." >>

12/14/08

Arne Duncan's career has been in crony capitalism, Chicago style. Since he 
was appointed "CEO" of Chicago's public schools by Mayor Richard M. Daley in 
July 2001, he has been responsible for the greatest expansion of patronage 
hiring 
(generally, but not exclusively, at the central and "area" offices, but often 
as well in the schools) on the CPS payroll since the Great Depression (when 
the school system was controlled by politicians, leading to its near-demise in 
1945). Duncan has also presided over more "no bid" contracts from contractors 
(for everything from buildings and computer hardward and software to charter 
schools) in the history of the City of Chicago abd its public schools.

Finally, and equally important, Arne Duncan has closed "failing schools" 
(dubiously defined by low test scores for one or two years, often because of 
special circumstances at the schools) in Chicago's African American community.

Since Duncan became CEO, he has eliminated 2,000 black teachers from 
Chicago's teaching force, undoing decades of desegregation and affirmative 
action in 
the name of "school reform."

Last year (2007-2008) Duncan began a program he called "Turnaround" (based on 
the corporate models) that was actually reconstitution. He fired most of the 
teachers and principals in six public schools (four elementary schools; two 
high schools). At each of those six schools, the majority of the teachers and 
principals were black.

Were Arne Duncan living and working in Mississippi in 1952, it would be easy 
for the USA to see what he is and has been up to in the service of corporate 
Chicago. Because he plays ball not only with Barack Obama but with Richard M. 
Daley and corporate Chicago, Chicago's white blindspot has ignored the fact 
that Duncan has gotten rid of more African American educators than most 
Mississippi and other southern governments during those dark days just before 
Brown v. 
Board of Education in 1954.

The reason why the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) can promote Duncan's 
candidacy is that seven years of turmoil within Chicago's union has left the 
union badly split (and weakened). Arne Duncan does not have the support of 
Chicago's teachers. He has the support of the president of the Chicago Teachers 
Union, Marilyn Stewart, who is in the midst of a purge of her own staff and 
elected administration. Stewart, a lame duck officer with no more chance of 
re-election than George W. Bush, is viewed by the majority of Chicago Teachers 
Union members as a traitor to her union and the teaching profession.

George N. Schmidt
Editor, Substance

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