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proud2BlibKansan

(96,793 posts)
Thu Jun 27, 2013, 10:26 AM Jun 2013

Uh-Oh. New Orleans “Miracle” Crumbles

Robert Mann, a professor of communications at Louisiana State University, recognizes that the point of charters and vouchers is to withdraw into gated communities.

He writes: “Private schools have long flourished in America for reasons legitimate (religious and scholastic), and some not so legitimate (race). But now many parents and taxpayers – manipulated by politicians who argue that the only way to fix public education is to weaken it with privatization – are giving up on the very idea of public schools.

“A strong component of Louisiana’s education “reform” agenda – led by Gov. Bobby Jindal and state education Superintendent John White – is abandoning public schools in favor of private educational enclaves.”

Vouchers do not fulfill their promise. Voucher students fare poorly. Only 40% perform at or above grade level.

And more: “Then there are the 80 schools in Louisiana’s Recovery School District (RSD), beset with allegations of mismanagement, wasteful spending and millions in lost or stolen property. Last year, New Orleans’ RSD schools – mostly charters – were the worst performing in the city.”

The truth is beginning to break through the myths about the glories of privatization.

http://dianeravitch.net/2013/06/27/uh-oh-new-orleans-miracle-crumbles/

23 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Uh-Oh. New Orleans “Miracle” Crumbles (Original Post) proud2BlibKansan Jun 2013 OP
reminds me of duncan during his time in chicago madrchsod Jun 2013 #1
Yep proud2BlibKansan Jun 2013 #2
The charter school is actually a private business ... ananda Jun 2013 #3
Yeah, we built new schools here because the old ones were supposedly too expensive to maintain. silvershadow Jun 2013 #11
Right... ReRe Jun 2013 #14
um. i think you are mis-remembering that one. mopinko Jun 2013 #5
yup i did...thanks..... madrchsod Jun 2013 #16
we have puddles, but mopinko Jun 2013 #17
Isn't the figure for Louisiana public schools 25% at or above grade level? Recursion Jun 2013 #4
That 40% is probably dependent upon only taking truebluegreen Jun 2013 #6
When you get to cherry pick your student population, you SHOULD do better. Pholus Jun 2013 #7
yes navarth Jun 2013 #8
You have to also figure in the "lost" students who end up "off the books" SoCalDem Jun 2013 #22
The cons ctsnowman Jun 2013 #9
This message was self-deleted by its author lark Jun 2013 #12
"they have some "Democrats" helping them" bvar22 Jun 2013 #15
I feel your pain. ctsnowman Jun 2013 #21
will this change the minds of the privatization-obsessed assholes? NoMoreWarNow Jun 2013 #10
Not as long as there are public funds to be harvested. AnotherMcIntosh Jun 2013 #13
so, it's ok to judge kids and schools strictly by mopinko Jun 2013 #18
New Orleans has been looted. They came for the schools and the tax dollars. DirkGently Jun 2013 #19
Yep. Shock Doctrine in full gear. suffragette Jun 2013 #23
The best high schools in the city Sgent Jun 2013 #20

madrchsod

(58,162 posts)
1. reminds me of duncan during his time in chicago
Thu Jun 27, 2013, 10:34 AM
Jun 2013

when duncan left for washington the new chief of the chicago schools did an audit. millions of dollars worth of computers and other property was "missing".

only a fool would think that voucher schools would benefit the students.

ananda

(28,782 posts)
3. The charter school is actually a private business ...
Thu Jun 27, 2013, 10:40 AM
Jun 2013

.. paid for with public tax dollars.

You know, welfare for the Republicans rich and greedy cronies and donors.

 

silvershadow

(10,336 posts)
11. Yeah, we built new schools here because the old ones were supposedly too expensive to maintain.
Thu Jun 27, 2013, 12:39 PM
Jun 2013

Then we turned around and sold the "old" schools to private enterprise for the grand sum of $1. One dollar. They immediately re-opened the "old" schools, taking a bunch of the kids in the deal, of course, which leaves the public schools still struggling. Oh, and the outfits running the "schools" charge fees for this and that, and I believe the state is using them to do the testing...Hazy on the sordid details, but you get the gist. I am sure it's the same story everywhere.

mopinko

(69,804 posts)
5. um. i think you are mis-remembering that one.
Thu Jun 27, 2013, 10:46 AM
Jun 2013

they found a warehouse that was full of stuff that was bought and never used.

madrchsod

(58,162 posts)
16. yup i did...thanks.....
Thu Jun 27, 2013, 04:32 PM
Jun 2013

is your farm under water? there`s a lot of farm fields that a small lakes around here

mopinko

(69,804 posts)
17. we have puddles, but
Thu Jun 27, 2013, 08:36 PM
Jun 2013

since we are mostly raised beds and containers now, it's just driving my crazy is all. chicks are getting kinda waterlogged.

Recursion

(56,582 posts)
4. Isn't the figure for Louisiana public schools 25% at or above grade level?
Thu Jun 27, 2013, 10:42 AM
Jun 2013

Not sure I'd be pushing that 40% number too hard...

 

truebluegreen

(9,033 posts)
6. That 40% is probably dependent upon only taking
Thu Jun 27, 2013, 10:54 AM
Jun 2013

the "best of the best"--richer, whiter, fewer learning disabilities, whatever it takes. That's the pattern anyway, so I wouldn't put much stock in it either.

Pholus

(4,062 posts)
7. When you get to cherry pick your student population, you SHOULD do better.
Thu Jun 27, 2013, 11:09 AM
Jun 2013

Having to truly take everyone, that's the REAL job.

SoCalDem

(103,856 posts)
22. You have to also figure in the "lost" students who end up "off the books"
Fri Jun 28, 2013, 10:01 AM
Jun 2013

and the drop outs..

There are MILLIONS of misguided/bored/angry/under-served 16 yr olds who drop out every year. The just vanish into the ether and many eventually end up in maternity wards/prisons, and then into a social services nightmare.

There are few pathways for kids with only a high school diploma...and even less for kids who don't graduate.

School districts USED to incorporate a curriculum for these "less dedicated/less scholarly" kids..

Waaaaay back in the 60's (in Kansas) we had a robust section of our school that had Vo-Ag/vo-tech. We had a full-sized auto-shop that was always humming along as teachers and local people actually paid money to have their cars worked on/painted/had auto body work done too. We had a full-sized wood-shop/metal-shop too. they also taught electrical/plumbing.

Girls could participate as well.

A kid could graduate high school with NO intention of ever going to college, and yet they would have a marketable skill, with 3 years "training" under their belts.

We also had a HUGE music program where instruments were provided FREE...and a big art department.

Kids who had those skills looked to the school as their special place to learn even if they were not "straight-A" students on the "college track".

As I recall, we had TWO days of testing a year ...in April (I think).. It was no biggie, and when the SATs came around, NO ONE "studied" for it..

My best friend & I took it on our way to the lake. (we had our suits on under our jeans.. we just cruised in, took it, and headed off to party at the beach.

I don't even recall caring what my "scores were"..

I feel sad for students these days..

Response to ctsnowman (Reply #9)

bvar22

(39,909 posts)
15. "they have some "Democrats" helping them"
Thu Jun 27, 2013, 03:25 PM
Jun 2013

Yeah...like the White House, Rahm, Arne Duncan,
and the list goes on.

The whole "Charter School" thing was just another Privatization SCAM
designed to funnel Public Money into the Private pockets of well connected cronies,
and BUST another UNION.

ctsnowman

(1,903 posts)
21. I feel your pain.
Fri Jun 28, 2013, 09:47 AM
Jun 2013

When people say the moderate republicans are gone I always shake my head because they are still here... just now called democrats.

mopinko

(69,804 posts)
18. so, it's ok to judge kids and schools strictly by
Thu Jun 27, 2013, 08:37 PM
Jun 2013

test scores, then? even when they may be using different techniques and curricula than the board controlled schools?

Sgent

(5,857 posts)
20. The best high schools in the city
Thu Jun 27, 2013, 09:30 PM
Jun 2013

are the ones that the school district retained control of (rather than being taken over by RSD).

The fact that the public school district outpeforms on average isn't surprising -- since there are only a few schools and they were outperforming when the state took away every other school. Comparing Ben Franklin and similar magnet schools to the general public school system is dishonest a best.

I still remember when I moved here in 2001, and not a single student in the entire district could pass the mathematics graduation exam other than those students in magnet schools.

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