does anyone know who this is

[barbtries]

and why bill cosby is sending mail to my inbox? thanks
http://www.studentsfirst.org/content/index

[Egalitarian Thug]

1. Another RW front group for the plutocracy. n/t

[barbtries]

2. i can't imagine how they ended up in my inbox.

i think i'll go mark it spam - i want to be sure i know what they represent. thanks

[NYC_SKP]

3. They have a whole list of endorsements:

source: http://www.studentsfirst.org/policy-agenda/entry/support-for-studentsfirst-policy-agenda

Support for StudentsFirst
Some of the country’s key education activists and public officials are standing with StudentsFirst. They have endorsed our policy agenda and will speak on our behalf.

Michael Bloomberg
New York City Mayor

“For too long school systems have been run on behalf of the adults rather than the children they’re supposed to serve. In order to guarantee every child and every family a truly excellent education — and in order to ensure the welfare of our nation for generations to come — states should enact policies that put children first. Many of the changes advocated by StudentsFirst would do just that. I encourage governors, superintendents, and my fellow mayors to take a close look.”



Cory Booker
Newark, NJ Mayor

“The StudentsFirst agenda represents the type of bold, transformative change our nation's education systems need. As leaders, we must put politics aside and place the academic achievement of students front and center. Ensuring that all children have access to great teachers, excellent schools, and that parents and communities are meaningfully engaged should be a matter of fact, not simply left to chance. StudentsFirst is committed to making this a reality.”



Adrian Fenty
Former Washington, D.C. Mayor

“The StudentsFirst movement is making it possible for states to take bold, revolutionary steps toward education reform with the roll out of this policy agenda. States that are serious about improving the education quality of children and want to see concrete achievement gains will embrace and implement this strategy. Michelle Rhee and her team have taken the guess work out of reform by providing states with a blue print for transforming failing schools. I’ve personally seen the powerful impact these policies have on individual schools within a district. So when applied to an entire state, prepare to see dramatic results!”



Kevin Johnson
Mayor of Sacramento

“When it comes to proven education reform agendas, you would have to look far and wide to find one more direct and comprehensive than the StudentsFirst policy agenda. The StudentsFirst team has provided new solutions to old problems by bridging the gap between student achievement, parental choice and teacher effectiveness. I applaud their efforts and look forward to seeing their impact in the coming months.”



Antonio Villaraigosa
Mayor of Los Angeles

“StudentsFirst has put forth a bold agenda that outlines reforms at the state and local levels to ensure that every child receives the quality education he or she deserves. Through more robust educator evaluations, increased data accessibility and transparency, expanded school choice, and a strong parental engagement plan, StudentsFirst's agenda will challenge policymakers and school leaders to enact the kind of meaningful change that our schools so desperately need.”



Joel Klein
Former Chancellor of New York City Schools; Executive VP of News Corp.

“All students need strong, effective teachers in order to grow academically. While no one can argue with this notion, many students have suffered through countless years of poor instruction from ineffective teachers. Through its policy agenda, StudentsFirst directs states to ensure every child has an effective teacher vetted through a detailed evaluation system. After all, no other industry in the world rewards unproductive employees with pay increases and guaranteed employment through tenure, so why should US school systems?”



Howard Fuller
Former Milwaukee Public Schools Superintendent; Director of the Institute for the Transformation of Learning at Marquette University

“I believe school choice is a basic right for all families, not just those that are fortunate enough to afford private schools or homes near high performing schools. StudentsFirst takes this belief to the next level by directing states to provide more schools choices for families trapped in failing school zones. From additional charter schools options to open enrollment policies, all parents need and deserve choices in education for their kids.”



Barbara O’Brien
Colorado LT Governor

“As we have learned in Colorado, having deep and challenging conversations about our schools is the beginning of education reform. We must find the courage to embrace greater adult accountability so that every student achieves at a higher level. Not everyone will agree with every proposal in this agenda, but we should share a national sense of urgency about creating the best education system in the world.”



Gloria Romero
Former California Senator; State Director of the California Chapter of the Democrats for Education Reform

“Elected officials cannot be afraid to antagonize special interest groups which, for far too long, have dominated the education debate stifling progressive reforms that is good for kids. Now more than ever is the time for governors, legislators, and mayors to step up and support hard hitting education reform initiatives. The StudentsFirst agenda provides an excellent opportunity for cities and states to implement policies and strategies not only good for student success, but which are essential. From severing the link between teacher evaluations and collective bargaining agreements to giving parents real power to trigger change at their childs’ school, this agenda will move all our schools where they need to be: on top!”



Blair Taylor
President & CEO of the Los Angeles Urban League

“Now is the time for school districts across the country to take a hard look at the achievement gaps between African American students and their counterparts. It’s no secret that most districts lack good publicly funded school options for minority students in low-income zip codes. But StudentsFirst gets to the root of this problem by eliminating self imposed barriers that limit the number of charter schools and high performing schools in a district. It’s a simple fix that up until now hasn’t been realized.”



Bill Cosby
Comedian; Actor; Activist; Philanthropist

“I have always been a strong advocate for public schools and educational programs that have focused on the developmental needs of children. I have also been keenly interested in the importance of the roles of parents/care givers in the education of their children as well as the need for parental/care givers involvement in the academic, social and athletic programs of the schools. I strongly applaud StudentsFirst and support their initial strategic endeavor.”

[barbtries]

6. i'm not too swayed by many of those quotes.

i think i'll decline on this one.

[roscoeroscoe]

4. i remember her as an anti-union education hustler. here's wikipedia:

"...Michelle Rhee remains a highly controversial figure in the field of education due to her aggressive style of reform and what some believe to be anti-union sentiments. Another common criticism disputes her claim that she dramatically increased students' average scores from the 13th percentile to the 90th, a claim that could not be verified during her confirmation process for D.C. Schools Chancellor as the relevant Baltimore records could not be located..."

"... Education expert Diane Ravitch questioned the legitimacy of Rhee's results, alleging that "cheating, teaching to bad tests, institutionalized fraud, dumbing down of tests, and a narrowed curriculum" were the true outcomes of Rhee's tenure in D.C. schools..."

and finally, "...Rhee fired several administrators and school principals, including Marta Guzman, the principal of the high-performing Oyster-Adams Bilingual Elementary School, which Rhee's own children attended.[5][26] Some parents alleged that the firing process was neither transparent nor fair. According to the Washington Post, "the departure has stunned many Oyster-Adams parents who wondered why, in a city filled with under-performing public schools, Rhee would sack a principal who has presided for the past five years over one of its few success stories. The move also heightened ethnic and class tensions within the school's diverse community. Eduardo Barada, co-chairman of the Oyster-Adams Community Council, the school's PTA, said Guzman was toppled by a cadre of dissatisfied and largely affluent Anglo parents with the ear of a woman who was both a fellow parent and the chancellor."[26]. She replaced Marta Guzman with her friend Monica Liang Aguirre. Ms. Aguirre was later found to discriminate against minority students at Oyster in a 2010 federal investigation. Despite these findings Rhee kept Ms. Aguirre on board. However, Rhee did fire a principal she had hired seven weeks before in Shepherd Elementary—another high-performing school in the upper Northwest neighborhood..."

just for a taste. yes, i would say she sounds like a real hustler. she'll probably wind up in charge of LA Unified someday.

[barbtries]

5. yep.

i remember listening to a profile of her on NPR i believe. i think i will mark it spam.