DeBlasio Stands Firm on Charter $chools

[Smarmie Doofus]

Uniformly negative coverage in the billionaire local media... but this managed to make the Times today.

>>>>Battered in the press over his position on charter schools, Mayor Bill de Blasio on Thursday took to a friendly news outlet to defend himself and argue that his actions were being distorted.

In a 12-minute interview on the hip-hop radio station Hot 97, Mr. de Blasio responded to criticism of his decisions to charge some charter schools rent, and most recently, to block three charter schools from moving into space at public school buildings. This expansion had previously been approved by the administration of Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg.

“Of course we’re going to work with the charter schools, and there’s a lot of very good charter schools, but we’re going to treat them with an equality as — the same way we treat traditional public schools,” Mr. de Blasio said. “We’re not going to favor them the way the Bloomberg administration did.”

The Hot 97 hosts, Peter Rosenberg and Ebro Darden, were sympathetic interlocutors, suggesting that there was a coordinated campaign by charter schools’ rich backers to distort Mr. de Blasio’s positions in the press.

“Now let me jump in here because the audience may not know,” Mr. Darden said. “A lot of them are funded by big business. Is that true or not?”

“Oh, yeah, a lot of them are funded by very wealthy Wall Street folks and others,” Mr. de Blasio responded.

Mr. Darden then suggested that these wealthy people — who, Mr. Rosenberg added, are “already upset that you’re in office and not their guy, Bloomberg” — were funding a campaign to paint Mr. de Blasio as anti-charter schools.

“I think you’re providing a keen political analysis here,” Mr. de Blasio said.

The debate intensified this week when a >>>>> http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/07/nyregion/de-blasio-in-radio-interview-defends-his-position-on-charter-schools.html?action=click&contentCollection=N.Y.%20%2F%20Region®ion=Footer&module=MoreInSection&pgtype=article

[smokey nj]

1. It would be nice if the Times investigated the

money behind the non-stop ads.

[Smarmie Doofus]

2. Truly. This much I know:

They're getting tax money equivalent per pupil to what every other *public* school is getting.

Ergo: I'm playing for these non-stop ads. Directly or indirectly. Just like I paid for their kids to NOT go to school yesterday, Charter School Lobby Day in Albany.

So who are the public servants who are following those little green tax dollars of mine?

And WHERE are they?

[smokey nj]

3. My guess, they're busy kissing the asses of the folks who are funding the ad campaign.

This whole thing disgusts me. A very good friend of mine is a teacher in NYC, it breaks my heart to see him and his colleagues cast as villains.

[ChiciB1]

4. Wish There Were More de Blasio AND LESS Cuomo!!

This fight is just disgusting & Cuomo sure ain't "Mario!" Wonder what he's thinking right now. I know he's in his early 80's, but down here in Florida that ain't that old. Or so they say.

Is Mario's health good? If so, he needs to have a "chat" with this one!

[Smarmie Doofus]

6. Mario and Matilda must have screwed up his toilet training or dropped him on his head.

Or something.

I can't think of a more self-absorbed, mega-maniacal, philosophically-empty Dem Party luminary.
"Finger in the wind" doesn't begin to do him justice.

Maybe he's our "Romney".... the "Just Say Anything" Candidate.


On top of everything else.... he's so friggin' LOUD.

Eeeeck. I can't STAND the guy.

[ChiciB1]

7. Whatever We Call Him, I DON'T Think We Can Call Him

a good Democrat! Or maybe a Democrat at all! So many times in the past 8 to 10 years I've watched the Democrat Party I once knew as a party "for the people" morph into something I hardly recognize anymore.

I could go on and on, but THIS Cuomo really angers me, but also makes me very afraid! There are days I say that I'm glad I have one foot on the way out because as a BOOMER I felt proud to be a Democrat. I do realize that there's always been upheaval throughout many generations, but didn't think I'd see us returning back to THE ROBBER BARONS!

And I remain worried with what I see with many other Democrats. We are getting sold out at a faster pace than I thought just 2 years ago! Gonna stop before I really get started... it would take all night!

[bigwillq]

5. Good for Mr. DeBlasio