JOHN KING IS NOT OUR MAN

A friend sent me an article about the National Urban League supporting JohnKing’s appointment tomorrow. 

It continues to strike me as odd (to put it mildly) that so many who claim to represent underrepresented, traditionally disenfranchised, ignored or abandoned populations could think that the offerings of the falsely titled “education reform movement” would actually be working to help solve problems affecting those populations. John King's actions and words support the premise and the goals of that movement.

The first thing I did was Google “National Urban League” and “Gates Foundation.”  More than a few hits came up.

There is no need to look any further.  Anything Gates, (or the Waltons, or the Broads, or the Koch Brothers) touch is tainted with ulterior motives.  It's more of the same - the wealthiest people are buying this country lock, stock and barrel. They've clearly bought our electoral system, the health care system, and absolutely the education system, to name a few.

They've concocted a false narrative that American schools are failing. That enables them to pose as the saviors - the altruistic financiers of "The Solution." 

The narrative they keep telling is FALSE though.  What's failing are schools that are de-funded and the policies that demand a need to teach to standards created by business people and to test children at inappropriate levels with poorly-written tests, and the punitive approach to teachers and teaching.

And the solution to the problems they create?

Privatize the schools.  Test kids till they throw up. Demean, exhaust, and scare teachers so they become nothing more than pawns willing to do anything they're told.

Is this what it looks like before despots and fascists come to power?

John King is a pawn too. And shame on him for playing the race card and the child of a single mother card and the product of the public schools card.  Those labels mean nothing.  What matters is what he says and what he does.  And on those counts, he has nearly destroyed the school system in a state that previously had schools to boast about.  (New York.)   He is arrogant or ignorant.  And bizarrely calm in the face of passionate pleas by parents, students, and teachers to listen and not keep bulldozing his way through with extreme and overarching policy changes.  

Have you ever seen him speak?  Have you seen him "not respond" to direct questions and concerns?  His behavior is nothing short of bizarre. And definitely inappropriate in the face of very real concerns that his decision-making has caused.  If you look into his actual experience and credentials, he begins to look a lot less credible.  Beyond the superficial descriptors I mentioned above, there really is nothing about John King that makes him a person appropriate to lead the US Ed Dept.  If real leadership of a public school system for all is what’s intended.

John King’s policies damaged the schools in New York State. What possible good can come of having him become the US Secretary of Education, even if only for a short time?

Yes, I'm angry.  I'm frustrated. And I can't see a good way out of the mess we're in.  

Billionaires have monopolized the conversation. They’ve re-written the narrative that American citizens are telling each other.  Those with the money to speak without penalty have become brilliant at getting frustrated Americans to think they (the Billionaires) have their (the frustrated Americans) best interest at heart.

And it couldn't be further from the truth.

(Not that I have any opinions at all, ever.)

What do you think we should do?