Saturday, August 13, 2016

Clinton and Broad/Gates

Anonymous wrote:

"A must read for all. It all starts at the top. It's all about power and money. Sadly just more of the same down the road...
http://www.schoolsmatter.info/2015/06/eli-broad-and-clintons.html  "

39 comments:

Anonymous said...

Pay to Play and we vote them into office.

Anonymous said...


...and if Pennsylvania continues trending as it is currently, it will swing toward a 'nights stay in the White House' again.

Anonymous said...

Yes perhaps Donald could make a plan- and share it- to "make public schools great again"-- right now I dont think he has ties to the Republican establishment or Broad/Gates so embrace it-- easy to break with Bloomberg who loved charter schools-- one can dream...

Anonymous said...


I hear ya 11:24. We know the chapter and verse of the Clintons and I'm not willing to be part of that narrative again.

Donald is a giant leap of faith but maybe just maybe there is wisdom in not judging the book by it's cover.

Anonymous said...

Hahahahahaha, OMG really 11:39? Please, please use a nickname like Trump supporter so that from here on out I can read your posts with this knowledge.

Anonymous said...

Neither candidate has said much about education, mostly they just insult each other. However, even if Trump came up with a brilliant plan to improve public schools I could not vote for him Our children would not be safe, never mind educated, with someone as verbally careless as he is. He lashes out at anyone and everyone who says things he doesn't like, especially if it is about him. It is quite likely that during the course of a Trump presidency he would decide that nuclear is the best way to respond to a real or imagined slight. We need to concentrate our education efforts locally, and I think the School Board rejecting Teach For America is a very good start.

Anonymous said...

5:12 is totally correct! I felt that Dr. Lane put up TFA almost as a trial balloon-- and backed off immediately when the board took action. So you are right-- this board has to literally "snap out" if Dr. Hamlet flies anything that is on the Broad/Trump agenda, and we have the all remember that Cate Reid and her group hopes to finance FIVE board candidates next election-- that means they will field a candidate in every district up for re-election-so this is a local place where everyone has a "horse in the race." This could become a very contenious board again if any of these people win.

John the Traveller said...

5:45, you're right in that the Board should "snap out" if Hamlet endorses anything related to the Broad agenda. But the Board won't. After all, this Board hired Hamlet even after his many shortcomings were revealed.

The Board is now invested in Hamlet. He can say, and do, any old thing and the Board will not object. This is yet another example of the old saying: Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss.

Anonymous said...

John the Traveller is so right-- thinking of "how we got here" a former board fell in love with the Roosevelt name and as they say the rest is history-- rubber stamping everything that "their man " said. Also, this brought on the mind set of rubberstamping anything a consultant, adminsitrator etc said. Sure there were always people that parroted the admin-- but we no longer have intelligent debate at instructional cabinets, committe meetings etc. No room for dissent. And yes, he was their choice so now he is indeed golden. But if Cate has her way, many will be replaced with Broad clones anyway.

Anonymous said...


Is there a point at which we can stop ever needing to mention Mark Roosevelt's name again? Is he so in everyone's head? Still?

What is needed here are new fresh voices with a new perspective. The same old comments become tiresome and stale.

It's a new school year with new people at the helm. Let's see what unfolds.

Questioner said...

MR made a lot of changes that need to be undone. To describe and evaluate changes it is often necessary to mention his name.

Anonymous said...


Undecided here...
The Donald just finished speaking in NC. In his speech he wondered what effect it would have if the 'media' devoted as much time on our failing schools as they do on his political incorrectness?
... but leaning.

Anonymous said...

http://www.post-gazette.com/news/politics-local/2016/08/19/Pittsburgh-African-American-leaders-mobilize-for-Hillary-Clinton/stories/201608190139

When Pittsburgh's African American leaders mobilize for my inner city school (UPrep)then and only then will I consider doing what I've always done before and that is vote Democratic. That flagship continues to sink and my hopes don't float.

Anonymous said...

if your voting for Hillary your voting for Broad/Gates.

Anonymous said...

If you're voting for Trump, you're voting for no Fed money for schools, most likely, since the taxcuts for the rich have to come from somewhere, but the rich have options besides public schools.

Neither Johnson nor Stein is getting elected, it's not happening. Neither of them have the experience or ability to push through a huge change in education, if they are even aware of the issues.

So, in fact, Clinton is the best bet for being able to learn about the real issues (remember, no one at that level is talking as much to parents, students and teachers as they are to "experts" and it's really only been this election cycle that those ordinary voices have begun to be heard over the reform voices. Clinton is a policy wonk. The vast changes and money poured in by Broad and Gates has nothing to show for it and oftentimes has measurably worsened the situation. That's the kind of thing Clinton can understand. I think that they're on the decline, but how fast and how far their bad influences will decline depends on individuals supporting groups that can and will yell loudly enough to regain public education.

Anonymous said...

Sad, true and scary-- Trump is for charter schools, Hillary is for Broad/Gates. 3rd party is a vote for the Donald... NO ONE except students, teachers, and parents believe in the public education that our ancestors saw as a right/ Everyone who doesnt HAVE a interest in public schools wants to tear them down. Though at times we get disgruntled on this list- it is mostly because of invidiauyl board decisions-- closing some schools, closing a program, lousy admin, admin that are "just following orders" Our only hope is to work hard at the state and local levels to keep our schools working for our students. Ask all the teachers,admin, and ed assts coming back-- they really do feel that school is happening in Pittsburgh. Our custodial staff has been working away to make school happen. We need to get the word out--kids are learning to read, doing projects, taking AP etc.Time to tell those lazy congressmen-- we are working and you havent! Dont judge our schools by what people who have never been in a public school say about us!

Anonymous said...


Money shapes policy.
Who's campaign is funded by lobbyists and special interests?
Billions.

Anonymous said...

The 'pay for play' has deep, gnarly roots in our politics. Some may say at the peril of our 'freedoms'.

The Donald is 'uprooting' the 'pay for play' and turning it on its head.

Anonymous said...

6:01 -- please don't be coy in an anonymous setting! Are you saying that Trump is a better choice for PUBLIC education? That that "billionaire" is interested in learning and education and not in providing himself and others with undereducated, cheap workers who won't complain?

Did I think Obama was going to be great for ed? No. Nor do I think that Clinton is going to come in and do well right off the bat. BUT I do think she's educable on the issues. Trump would be a disaster of such proportion that we'd long for the days of Broad and Gates.

Anonymous said...

Money has a funny way of educating people and yes, Hillary is educable.

Public education is a 'freedom' that is in peril.

You decide who is the better choice.

Anonymous said...

You don't think Trump has paid to play? You don't think his methods of screwing his contractors out of money agreed to in contracts is an indication of his thoughts on the "average working person"? He's a businessman who uses his position, power and money to rip people off to enrich himself.

What evidence has Trump EVER given in his 70+ years on earth that he has any interest in education, the public good, learning, governing, charity, people outside of his family, etc.? Why on earth would you think he holds you in anything but contempt for falling for him?

Anonymous said...

Sometimes it takes a scoundrel to clean up the other scoundrels!

Anonymous said...

8:23 here - One only has to read the morning paper to highlight the concerns:http://www.post-gazette.com/news/politics-nation/2016/08/21/Foundation-complicates-Hillary-Clinton-s-bid/stories/201608210177

"The reality is there are no recusals when you are President."

Anonymous said...

We must look at the knowns: Yes, Obama sounded more pro-public education than his opponent, but the reality was for all of us-educators to bricklayers--"it WAS the economy stupid"-- had to be. Yes, his race to the top was more of the testing same old.. but it wasnt NCLB
During the convention, Trump's son (surrogate) talked up charter schools.
Hillary, Bill, Pres. Obama, Mrs. Obama have actually BEEN in public schools-- Donald Trump and his trumplettes have never seen public schools and what works, and what doesnt in them.
All we can do is compare the facts, and then vote for the best.
Although, rebuilding public education COULD be part of infrastructure rebuild if our union leaders psuhed their influence (remember they too were in love with Broad/Gates)

Anonymous said...

The whole system is contemptable,8:41. There is no light at the end of the tunnel. Sometimes we need to flat out start over. If that means entering into the unknown then so be it. Take the fork in the road and may there be lights along the way to guide us all.

Anonymous said...

If we scrap the whole system-- see NOLA (which had to with diaster but...) if we go that route, the charter/ voucher/ BroadGates are waiting for- to swoop in with TFA and all the other bastarizations of education meant to line the pockets of corporate education. They like public school failure-- what scares them is school districts- like Pittsburgh used to be-- that made public education work for generations of families. They dont want to admit - because they are all of the private school crew-- that alot of people of all incomes got good education in public schools- and while they are telling us it is "failing schools"- our kids are quietly moving forward.

Anonymous said...

Tired and weary and alienated from the KNOWNS 9:16

The colonies had never known what it was like not to be under British rule....but they threw the tea in the water anyway.

Immigrants make up our nation. They came here not knowing. They came here anyways.
The list goes on.

Not knowing should never keep us from change when change is needed.

Anonymous said...

There's a huge difference between facing the unknown with a plan, education (often self-taught), relevant experience, and good leaders and choosing a "leader" who has shown no interest in the public good in 70 years, has no history of making change, and is clearly only in it for his own profit and aggrandizement.

The people you mention didn't blindly follow, hoping for the best, they thought and planned and changed plans when they didn't work and knew stuff!

Anonymous said...


The "leader" was chosen by the multi millions of Americans who, in the primaries and with eyes wide open felt it necessary to forego the usual experience and 6 point plans and what ever else accompanies the political establishment candidate( stuff! ) and support the outsider.

Anonymous said...

I won't argue that there is a significant (but nowhere near a majority) portion of our population that would like to blame all their troubles on an "OTHER" -- be that other black, Hispanic or Latino, women who want equal treatment, foreign, or Islamic. That victim mindset about "THEM" is a problem of privilege in our country and does demonstrate a lack of good education. There's a reason that Trump's base is made mostly of non-college educated white males. And it's not that they're doing their research, thinking about historical figures who have acted like Trump and the results of putting them in power, nor that they are thinking about the biggest issues facing our country that must be addressed on a federal level.

Nope, they are people who are engaging in wishful thinking. In accepting a con that's being laid before them because it looks good to them, sounds good to them, even if it's divorced from reality. It's magic fairy dust. And they're buying it from a man who has used people just like them throughout his career.

Anonymous said...

12:40-Can't say that it is comforting to hear someone speaking of a portion of our population as if they have them all figured out labeled and researched by their own credentialed educated self.

Anonymous said...

If you support racist, sexist, xenophobic, bigoted policies spelled out in a "says what he means" way, then yes, I'm okay with labeling you as supporting those things. If you support it, I'll take you at your word.

The non-college educated white males is from polling, not an exact science, but still not just "feelings" about how things are. By the way, how does Trump feel about climate science? There are huge issues already facing us (say, unprecedented flooding) that need to be dealt with immediately. Last I heard, he didn't believe there was an issue.

Anonymous said...

Instinctively human beings know what basic essentials are needed. Food, shelter clothing - jobs. To meet those needs they will vote for the candidate that resonates.

Wishful thinking and magic fairy dust isn't anything that provides sustenance.

Anonymous said...

Much of the above has too much political spin. We can go on for days (or at least till Nov 8) who the best will be. Here are a few things that have been around before. Please take the time to do a copy and paste if the links don't work.

This first one is about a fella from New York named Marc Tucker. Read what he has plans for and how he will accomplish them

http://www.edwatch.org/updates07/011307-tucker.htm

The next one is the Letter to Hillary, by Marc Tucker. He begins by writing "I still cannot believe you won. But utter delight that you did pervades all the circles in which I move." Please note that she did not win anything. Her husband won the election for POTUS.
Tucker was president of the NCEE. They were a company who were set up to sell educational models that supported Standards based education. PPS bought into them with New American Schools and later with the New Futures. Please follow this link. Read the letter. Look on the letterhead and see how many names you recognize.

http://www.eagleforum.org/educate/marc_tucker/

Anonymous said...

Re:Marc Tucker - I'm sorry but anything that choreographed lacks the spontaneity that life serves up to us with every moment.

Anonymous said...

Re: Marc Tucker If parents all read this stuff prior to their kids starting Pre-K would anyone have any trust that their kid would be educated adequately and fairly? Any trust that what their kid was being taught was not the product some giant ego or some agenda meant to make somebody rich? My son was in middle school when he took a test to gauge his aptitude for career planning purposes. The timing falls in line with the tucker/ncee plan implementation. Is this career aptitude test still given? I have to wonder how strong the power of suggestion might be. The test matched him to a career as an electrician and guess what? He is an electrician, however, what might he have chosen to do independent of some report from a test.

This is kind of frightening.

Questioner said...

Is he happy and productive as an electrician? Maybe the test saved him from a line of work he would not have liked at all!

Anonymous said...

Not yet. I still have high expectations.

Anonymous said...


"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference."