Category Archives: education

Red States Face Political Rumblings in Wake of Teacher Strikes

Posted on June 21, 2018 by politicaloptic

This spring, Republican governors and legislatures across the country faced major backlash from teachers protesting the neglect and defunding of public education. Work stoppages, teacher marches, and other demonstrations of populist anger appeared in the reddest of red states, notably … Continue reading →

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Some Questions for Betsy DeVos

Posted on January 7, 2017 by politicaloptic

Everyone has a right to their own opinions. This statement applies to billionaire Republican Betsy DeVos as much as any American. Nonetheless, Mrs. DeVos’s record as an aggressive lobbyist of tax-subsidized private education and her open hostility to public schools raises obvious questions about her qualifications to … Continue reading →

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Massachusetts Question 2 on Charter School Expansion: Not Just About Education But Democracy

Posted on October 30, 2016 by politicaloptic

Trump v. Clinton may be the big story of of 2016, but let us not forget some of the critical issues down the ballot this year. A prominent example is Massachusetts’ Question 2 on charter school expansion. The initiative potentially affects not just the … Continue reading →

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The Plutocrats’ War Against Teachers’ Unions and Some Recent Blowback

Posted on January 30, 2016 by politicaloptic

While it’s no surprise that America’s billionaire elites oppose unions, it is worth noting how much they focus their attention on unions in the public, as opposed to the private, sector. Teachers’ unions, in particular, seem be their consuming obsession. In 2011, for example, they played a … Continue reading →

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A Defender of Public Education Who Spent Time on the Other Side: Diane Ravitch Critiques Corporate-Style Reform

Posted on May 14, 2015 by politicaloptic

Diane Ravitch is perhaps America’s leading defender of public education. A 76 year-old educational historian, she heads the Network for Public Education (NPE), an organization of parents and educators “to strengthen our public school system.” Ravitch is an indefatigable publicist and author … Continue reading →

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How Education Reform Has Turned into a Privatization Movement

Posted on March 28, 2015 by politicaloptic

When the Common Core State Standards Initiative (CCSSI) was announced in 2009, it seemed relatively uncontroversial. Supported by the National Governors Association, CCSSI was promoted to establish uniform standards in reading and math for grades K-12 across the nation. It was signed on … Continue reading →

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