Re: [arn-l] Fw: [eddra] C-Span Program (Fighting Back)

[MONICALUCIDO@comcast.net]

I completely agree with Tauna on this.

This media bashing of teachers and public ed. by the corporate agenda behind the Ed in '08 campaign needs to be met with opposition. 

In the May CTA (Calif.) magazine, there is an article about a presentation that was given by CTA in Irvine, CA in March. It comprised a discussion about the agenda of some groups to attack and dismantle public education. 

Now, our group had been working with EliminateNCLB.org and some CTA/NEA offices to make huge waves about George Miller (the lead speaker for the federaleducation committee and his NUMEROUS monetary ties (ie campaign contributions) to testing and curriculum companies. However, the CTA MAIN office was more interested in keeping things quiet because of how much pressure was being put on them to take the site down. It turns out, a couple of those CTA/NEA members were "removed" from their positions and CTA has refused to take a public stand against the nastiness of what NCLB has started. 

The May edition gave me some hope. I called their offices and discovered that the Irvine presentation was just to "ameliorate" many unhappy teachers. It was told to me that the rank and file teachers are up in arms about everything right now, but CTA's push to stop reauthorization of NCLB would not be done publicly again. They now prefer to work behind the scenes to "cut a deal", whatever that means.

My point is that the unions will NOT take a stand on this to gather everyone. We need funding to send our own message and to get teachers together to march against this madness. Monty, who is it that helps to fund FairTest and can they help to create our own campaign? Now is the time if it's possible.

Joe Lucido
Educators and Parents Against Test Abuse/CalCARE
Fresno, CA
 -------------- Original message ----------------------
From: "Tauna Rogers" <taunar@plateautel.net>
> I could only stomach it in small doses. I listened to just a bit of 
> Hanushek, all of what Ladd said, and nothing from Bennett. I noticed ED in 
> '08 was behind the fear mongering event.
> 
> How can we fight back and get some media coverage of our own to expose the 
> myths and propoganda they are perpetuating? The massive scapegoating and 
> efforts to undermine support for public education? As the election nears, we 
> can expect much more of this ED in '08 funded (choose your naughty word). 
> And of course it isn't just ED in '08.
> 
> Maybe I'm naive and please forgive me if the following is presumptuous of me 
> but I just want to put something out there to kick around. I noticed C-Span 
> accepts suggestions for events to cover. There are any number of 
> organizations and individuals seeking to save and strengthen public 
> education and democracy. A number of you on arn and eddra alone are experts, 
> more than qualified to debunk and expose the propaganda. A lot could be 
> exposed about NCLB too.Would it be practicable to unite, pool resources, and 
> organize an event for coverage?
> 
> If I'm being stupid here, let me down easy!
> 
> Tauna
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Monty Neill" <monty@fairtest.org>
> To: <arn-l@interversity.org>
> Sent: Thursday, July 03, 2008 8:16 AM
> Subject: Re: [arn-l] Fw: [eddra] C-Span Program
> 
> 
> > not mine - I won't watch it either - was Solomon's critique. Be well, 
> > Monty
> > ----- Original Message ----- 
> > From: "Horace B Lucido" <hbl04@csufresno.edu>
> > To: <arn-l@interversity.org>
> > Sent: Wednesday, July 02, 2008 4:56 PM
> > Subject: Re: [arn-l] Fw: [eddra] C-Span Program
> >
> >
> >> Monty,
> >> Watch this program? Why get sick on such a nice day? I would much rather 
> >> read your take....at least I got a good laugh out of that. Your honest 
> >> appraisal is enough for me.
> >> Rog
> >>
> >> Rog ( Horace ) Lucido, Physics Instructor, Ret.
> >> Program Evaluator
> >> Adjunct Faculty, Fresno Pacific University
> >> Educational Consultant
> >> Educators and Parents Against Testing Abuse ( EPATA )
> >> Assessment Reform Network Central Valley Coordinator
> >> Phone: 559-277-1312
> >> Cell: 559-355-4215
> >> email: lucid4@cvip.net
> >>
> >>
> >> ----- Original Message ----- 
> >> From: Monty Neill <monty@fairtest.org>
> >> Date: Wednesday, July 2, 2008 11:47 am
> >> Subject: [arn-l] Fw: [eddra] C-Span Program
> >> To: ARN-L <arn-l@interversity.org>, arn2-strategy 
> >> <arn2-strategy@yahoogroups.com>, ndsgroup@yahoogroups.com
> >>
> >>>
> >>> ----- Original Message ----- 
> >>> From: mbsolomon@aol.com
> >>> To: eddra@yahoogroups.com
> >>> Sent: Wednesday, July 02, 2008 2:11 PM
> >>> Subject: [eddra] C-Span Program
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> In case you missed it, C-Span aired a 4-hour program on the
> >>> Economic Implications of the Crisis in American Education
> >>>
> >>> Notice that the title tells you that it was not intended to be an
> >>> analytical discussion, but instead to try to explain why American
> >>> education is broken.
> >>>
> >>> Unbelievably, they chose Bill Bennett, the great educational
> >>> bloviator and Eric Hanushek, the thin-air economist to help bash
> >>> public education.
> >>>
> >>> You can watch the entire 4 hours below, but I want to simply,
> >>> quickly, point out how inane some of this stuff is. Hanushek, for
> >>> example thinks that if there is a correlation between two
> >>> variables, it proves cause and effect---and he gets to choose
> >>> which variable is the cause and which is the effect. He offered
> >>> the vacuous proposition that if the U.S. schools could improve
> >>> test scores by a small amount, it would raise the gross national
> >>> product such that it would pay for all of education in America
> >>> (at 2:20). He further told his audience that if the schools could
> >>> get rid of the worst 10% (as I recall) of teachers, U.S. students
> >>> would be near the top in international tests.
> >>>
> >>> Of course, Bill Bennett gives rise to projectile vomiting, so you
> >>> should skip his blathering from 1:31 to 2:05. The bright light of
> >>> the entire show was Helen Ladd from Duke University who brought
> >>> some light into a reasonably dark day.
> >>>
> >>> The program can be seen at:
> >>>
> >>> rtsp://video1.c-span.org/15days/e062708_education.rm
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> ------------------------------------------------------------------- 
> >>> ------------- 
> >>> Gas prices getting you down? Search AOL Autos for fuel-efficient
> >>> used cars.
> >>>
> >>> __._,_.___
> >>> Messages in this topic (1) Reply (via web post) | Start a new
> >>> topic
> >>> Messages | Files | Photos | Links | Database | Polls | Calendar
> >>> MARKETPLACE
> >>>
> >>> ------------------------------------------------------------------- 
> >>> ------------- 
> >>> Blockbuster is giving away a FREE trial of - Blockbuster Total
> >>> Access.
> >>>
> >>> Change settings via the Web (Yahoo! ID required)
> >>> Change settings via email: Switch delivery to Daily Digest |
> >>> Switch format to Traditional
> >>> Visit Your Group | Yahoo! Groups Terms of Use | Unsubscribe Recent
> >>> Activity a.. 2New Members
> >>> Visit Your Group
> >>> Yahoo! Groups
> >>> Join people over 40
> >>>
> >>> who are finding ways
> >>>
> >>> to stay in shape.
> >>>
> >>> Real Food Group
> >>> Share recipes
> >>>
> >>> and favorite meals
> >>>
> >>> w/ Real Food lovers.
> >>>
> >>> Weight Loss Group
> >>> on Yahoo! Groups
> >>>
> >>> Get support and
> >>>
> >>> make friends online.
> >>> .
> >>> __,_._,___ ------------------------------------------------------- 
> >>> Unsubscribe ARN-L:
> >>> http://interversity.org/lists/arn-l/subscribe.html
> >>>
> >
> > ------------------------------------------------
> > Direct list questions to listmom@interversity.net
> > 
> 
> 
> -------------------------------------------------------
> Unsubscribe ARN-L:
> http://interversity.org/lists/arn-l/subscribe.html