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The Cuomo-Duffy ticket: pro-charter, pro-mayoral control, and one union blessing
Here is further evidence that both Republicans and Democrats are part of the Corporate Party.
Here's Diane Ravitch on the Democrats for Education Reform-Cuomo link:
The other group of billionaires devoted to privatization is Democrats for Education Reform. This is a small and politically powerful organization that involves some of the nation's wealthiest hedge-fund managers. A story in The New York Times explained that when New York State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo wanted entrée to the hedge-fund crowd for his political fundraising, he had first to meet with Joe Williams, the executive director of Democrats for Education Reform. No money for his candidacy unless he showed a favorable stance towards privatization. Democrats for Education Reform—referred to as DFER (dee-fer)—is active nationally, promoting the candidacy of pro-charter candidates for state legislatures and for national office.
--Bridging Differences Education Week blog
2010-05-18
http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/Bridging-Differences/2010/05/schools_4_sale_inquire_at_us_d.html
New Yorkers should send Duffy a definition of rigor.
by Elizabeth Green
Newly announced [New York] gubernatorial candidate Andrew Cuomo's choice of running mate, announced this afternoon, seals the deal on his education position. The Cuomo ticket is in basically the same camp as Barack Obama and Joel Klein: in favor of charter schools and mayoral control and not afraid to challenge the teachers union.
The running mate, Robert Duffy, mayor of Rochester, has advocated for bringing mayoral control of schools to Rochester, against teachers union opposition. To defend his argument, he has cited the school system "down the Thruway"-- the New York City schools under Chancellor Joel Klein. A former Klein staffer, Jean-Claude Brizzard, is Rochester's schools superintendent. And in his State of the City address earlier this month, Duffy singled out Uncommon Schools' Rochester charter school, True North, for praise.
That's in keeping with what Cuomo has been saying about education since officially announcing his candidacy this week. "I believe public education is the new civil rights battle and I support charter schools," he declared, announcing a list of core principles that also included his support for gay marriage and abortion rights.
Cuomo has also received the blessing -- and a so-far undisclosed donation -- from the lobbying wing of Democrats for Education Reform, Education Reform Now. DFER Executive Director Joe Williams told me today that he’s "impressed" with Cuomo, who breakfasted with Williams’ hedge fund board members in April.
There may be some small ways in which the new ticket steps aside from this camp, though. When I called up Rochester teachers union president Adam Urbanski this morning, he told me he thinks that Duffy "will make a terrific lieutenant governor." He said he strongly disagrees with Duffy on mayoral control, and that he expects the union will clash with Cuomo and Duffy on charter schools. But he said the two men have a wide range of agreements:
He is in favor of neighborhood schools to the extent possible; he is in favor of schools serving as centers for the community and neighborhoods – in other words he is in favor of comunity schools. He's in favor of strong discipline and school safety. He’s in favor of rigor.
Indeed, in the same State of the City speech, Duffy endorsed the idea of a neighborhood school:
We will guarantee a place for elementary school children at their nearest neighborhood school, if that is what the family wants. There will be choices of other schools with special programs and services, but every young child will be able to attend a neighborhood school if their parents choose. That will reduce transportation costs overall, and allow us to provide transportation for all families that need it.
He also endorsed the idea of "community schools":
The school buildings themselves will become bridges to neighborhood-based services -- instead of islands that sit vacant every afternoon, weekend and over the summer.
— Elizabeth Green
Gotham Schools
2010-05-26
http://gothamschools.org/2010/05/26/the-cuomo-duffy-ticket-pro-charter-pro-mayoral-control-and-one-union-blessing/
INDEX OF OUTRAGES
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