the Voice of
The Communist League of Revolutionary Workers–Internationalist
“The emancipation of the working class will only be achieved by the working class itself.”
— Karl Marx
the Voice of
The Communist League of Revolutionary Workers–Internationalist
“The emancipation of the working class will only be achieved by the working class itself.”
— Karl Marx
Mar 23, 2009
“I call on states to reform their charter rules and lift caps on the number of allowable charter schools, wherever such caps are in place.” That was Obama’s key proposal, issued on March 10, for “reforming” education.
Charter schools operate on money taken away from public school funds, to teach some public school students–usually students the charter company picks. Privately run charter schools, aiming at a profit, cut costs, including less pay for teachers and other staff.
Not only haven’t charter schools scored better than public schools on standardized tests; when comparable students are measured, charter schools fare worse.
More than anything else, charter schools have been just another way to channel taxpayer money to private interests. Nonetheless, Obama wants not only to continue but to expand this practice–expand it a lot, in fact. To emphasize this aim, he gave his cabinet post for education to a man with a known track record: Arne Duncan, who closed dozens of public schools and handed them over to charter schools during his eight years as the head of the Chicago Public Schools, at the expense of Chicago’s children.
Education will not improve under this regime–but capitalist profits will.