Listen now (2 mins) | If you’re trying to enact an extremist right-wing policy, but the public keeps rejecting it – what do you do? You could try blatant deception, giving the same old policy a new coat of paint, a euphemistic name, and a multimillion-dollar political shove. That’s the dark path now being taken by the clique of plutocrats and theocrats who’re determined to privatize America’s public schools.
I can see why the billionaires want the Charter Schools. First, they make money from the tuition that gets sent to the for-profit Charter Schools. AND, Second, they do not have to bother with how bad the schools might be since THEY can send their kids where ever IN THE WORLD they want to send them for their schooling.
This has been going on for years...When you vote you have to be very leary of what you're voting for. Here in Kansas when the abortion amendment was put on the ballot they needed a referee on site to explain exactly what was written. We no longer have a separation of church and state. Our whole political system has been successfully proselytized, the supreme court being the worst offender.
we need fully educated citizens. School vouchers for 'private schools' are against the public's interest. I grew up in Rochester, MN and attended a Catholic school there 1st to 12 grade. I received a great education, but I could have received as great an education in the Rochester public school during the 1950 and 1960's. I became a believer in lifelong learning. I understand the separation of Church and state interests. I was not denied access to books on all subjects, although that was a different era. Speaker M Johnson is advocating nonsense. He is a Trump supporting zealot, while Trump lifestyle, business and leadership mocks any of the Christian values he exclaims.
As a Catholic sister and lawyer, I am very opposed to public $$ for private schools. I think it is unconstitutional, violates church/state separation and have made my position known to Catholic leadership. The State of Iowa has really dropped from prominence in education in the last 15 years.
Just in case any of you miss my reply to Catherine below:
The damage to California schools started a long time ago, in response to the Free Speech Movement. The right wing big money polititions saw that the best educational system in the country produced thousands of knowledable people who would never vote for their agenda. Their massive funding elected their Face and Spokesperson, Ronnie Raygun as Governor and he promptly appointed Max Raferty as the Superintendant of Public Instruction to gut the curriculum of critical thinking. It worked. Then came the "Taxpayer Revolt " of Howard Jarvis and their Prop.13 and education funding has remained inadequate to this day.
Texas is horrible about separating church and state even within its public schools. The public school system our daughter attended regularly and openly held prayers, talked about Jesus and Father God, promoted the Bible, and the Ten Commandments. I am not against these principals personally, but I do subscribe to separation of church and state. No tax dollars promoting any reglion except for religious freedom. Promoting Christianity within the school system has not done much to purify its population that I can see, as our small (but now exloding at the seams) public schools are rampant with illegal drugs and disguting parent/teacher/coach/student relationship intrigue. And, like many public school board races, ours now has a multitude of far right, save you from yourself prosletizers running for five seats so they can dictate what your kid cannot put their hands on in the library.
OK, gotta add my two cents here: Public Education, at least here in California, is dreadful. So many children graduate from high school not knowing even HALF of what we learned back in the day! The proof is in the reading and math scores that are so far behind even the "normal" range. It appears to me that our school administrators want to ENTERTAIN children, and most certainly not make them sit still in a chair to learn what a teacher has to tell them. They certainly don't have to (God forbid!) memorize the times tables! Or be able to quote lines from American literature! Or know where certain countries are on the other side of the planet. Here, our schools are TOO BIG! I was shocked when my grandson graduated from high school over 10 years ago that had almost a thousand kids in the senior class! That is insane! And time and again, smaller schools are closing due to rising costs, and parents have to figure out ways to get them to distant schools, since school buses are a thing of the past in some suburban areas. These are weird times, and sadly, it may just keep on getting worse! So my comment is not meant to encourage private schools, but to make PUBLIC SCHOOLS BETTER!
Republicans are trying to filch money from the middle class to the poor to pay for all of government. They say then say we can not afford so much, so let's cut or privatize services.
Thanks for giving me a fuller understanding of the fight AGAINST public schools. I thought it was just an attack on unions because "no unions" is one of the key positions of charter schools.
The first thing to do is---GET RID of Abbott and ALL OF HIS CRONIES now that's a start---, then we turn-over to THE PEOPLE- the- STATE to them---! (can't be any worse)- and remove ALL political parties from the STATE,-- and that's a real start---where it go's from there I don't know?,-- but it's a begining at least! so every thing can/will go wrong? but with NO POLITICS involved--, how bad can it be???? politics have always been the problem-- SO GET THEM OUT--, and political parties too, this has been a VERY BIG PROBLEM-- ALSO. and no politics at all !.
In today's political environment in Texas (and elsewhere) I don't think Jesus would stand a chance. Note this very amusing but on the nose comment I lifted off the internet the other day. Sorry I don't know the author's real name -- --
"Reports have been coming in that Jesus did actually return. He appeared early in the day in Texas and embraced the first person he saw. Unfortunately, a group of evangelical kkk-ristains saw 2 men hugging and beat them both to death with their bibles.-- DaChief"
The Billionaires Behind School Privatization
I can see why the billionaires want the Charter Schools. First, they make money from the tuition that gets sent to the for-profit Charter Schools. AND, Second, they do not have to bother with how bad the schools might be since THEY can send their kids where ever IN THE WORLD they want to send them for their schooling.
Separation of church and state is still essential and always will be. We have to continually fight to see that that separation is maintained.
This has been going on for years...When you vote you have to be very leary of what you're voting for. Here in Kansas when the abortion amendment was put on the ballot they needed a referee on site to explain exactly what was written. We no longer have a separation of church and state. Our whole political system has been successfully proselytized, the supreme court being the worst offender.
we need fully educated citizens. School vouchers for 'private schools' are against the public's interest. I grew up in Rochester, MN and attended a Catholic school there 1st to 12 grade. I received a great education, but I could have received as great an education in the Rochester public school during the 1950 and 1960's. I became a believer in lifelong learning. I understand the separation of Church and state interests. I was not denied access to books on all subjects, although that was a different era. Speaker M Johnson is advocating nonsense. He is a Trump supporting zealot, while Trump lifestyle, business and leadership mocks any of the Christian values he exclaims.
As a Catholic sister and lawyer, I am very opposed to public $$ for private schools. I think it is unconstitutional, violates church/state separation and have made my position known to Catholic leadership. The State of Iowa has really dropped from prominence in education in the last 15 years.
It’s happening here in Nebraska to. And here we are also fighting back!
Just in case any of you miss my reply to Catherine below:
The damage to California schools started a long time ago, in response to the Free Speech Movement. The right wing big money polititions saw that the best educational system in the country produced thousands of knowledable people who would never vote for their agenda. Their massive funding elected their Face and Spokesperson, Ronnie Raygun as Governor and he promptly appointed Max Raferty as the Superintendant of Public Instruction to gut the curriculum of critical thinking. It worked. Then came the "Taxpayer Revolt " of Howard Jarvis and their Prop.13 and education funding has remained inadequate to this day.
Let's hope we will preserve the Separation of Church & State!
Texas is horrible about separating church and state even within its public schools. The public school system our daughter attended regularly and openly held prayers, talked about Jesus and Father God, promoted the Bible, and the Ten Commandments. I am not against these principals personally, but I do subscribe to separation of church and state. No tax dollars promoting any reglion except for religious freedom. Promoting Christianity within the school system has not done much to purify its population that I can see, as our small (but now exloding at the seams) public schools are rampant with illegal drugs and disguting parent/teacher/coach/student relationship intrigue. And, like many public school board races, ours now has a multitude of far right, save you from yourself prosletizers running for five seats so they can dictate what your kid cannot put their hands on in the library.
OK, gotta add my two cents here: Public Education, at least here in California, is dreadful. So many children graduate from high school not knowing even HALF of what we learned back in the day! The proof is in the reading and math scores that are so far behind even the "normal" range. It appears to me that our school administrators want to ENTERTAIN children, and most certainly not make them sit still in a chair to learn what a teacher has to tell them. They certainly don't have to (God forbid!) memorize the times tables! Or be able to quote lines from American literature! Or know where certain countries are on the other side of the planet. Here, our schools are TOO BIG! I was shocked when my grandson graduated from high school over 10 years ago that had almost a thousand kids in the senior class! That is insane! And time and again, smaller schools are closing due to rising costs, and parents have to figure out ways to get them to distant schools, since school buses are a thing of the past in some suburban areas. These are weird times, and sadly, it may just keep on getting worse! So my comment is not meant to encourage private schools, but to make PUBLIC SCHOOLS BETTER!
Beware: Billionaires wrap their personal projects in language designed to deceive you.That's legal fraud.Don't fall for it!
Republicans are trying to filch money from the middle class to the poor to pay for all of government. They say then say we can not afford so much, so let's cut or privatize services.
Particularly the part about religion, these modern day Savonarolas see the First Amendment as a strictly one-way street.
Thanks for giving me a fuller understanding of the fight AGAINST public schools. I thought it was just an attack on unions because "no unions" is one of the key positions of charter schools.
The first thing to do is---GET RID of Abbott and ALL OF HIS CRONIES now that's a start---, then we turn-over to THE PEOPLE- the- STATE to them---! (can't be any worse)- and remove ALL political parties from the STATE,-- and that's a real start---where it go's from there I don't know?,-- but it's a begining at least! so every thing can/will go wrong? but with NO POLITICS involved--, how bad can it be???? politics have always been the problem-- SO GET THEM OUT--, and political parties too, this has been a VERY BIG PROBLEM-- ALSO. and no politics at all !.
Jim, You asked: "What would Jesus do?"
In today's political environment in Texas (and elsewhere) I don't think Jesus would stand a chance. Note this very amusing but on the nose comment I lifted off the internet the other day. Sorry I don't know the author's real name -- --
"Reports have been coming in that Jesus did actually return. He appeared early in the day in Texas and embraced the first person he saw. Unfortunately, a group of evangelical kkk-ristains saw 2 men hugging and beat them both to death with their bibles.-- DaChief"