The website I refer to, funded by DeVos and the Waltons, that seems warm and fuzzy on the surface. But, an interactive map on the site allows visitors, by clicking on any state in the Union, to view details of efforts within that state to undermine public schools
Meet the war on public education : conceived by leaders of the hard Christian right who are opposed to American Democracy and bent on a “long march” to take over existing institutions or else smash those, like public schools, that are in the way of their theocratic goals.
Meet Dick DeVos, brother in law to Blackwater USA founder Erik Prince:
Last March 31, 2006, I covered the Christian right’s war on public education and a Department of Education commissioned study that revealed public schools, if anything, outperform their private school counterparts. But, does Amway fortune heir Dick Devos care, or does he view institutions of public education, that Jefferson saw as integral to American Democracy, as obstacles in the way of a long range scheme to undermine democracy ? In a 2002 Heritage Institute address Devos, a leader in the war on public education who wants Intelligent Design in schools, is associated with Christian Reconstructionist views, and has been a significant funder of the “Council On National Policy” and served as the CNP’s president in the late 1980’s, outlined a “stealth strategy” for eliminating public schools. If DeVos succeeds in his jihad against public schools and American Democracy, maybe his brother-in-law Erik Prince, who owns Blackwater USA, possibly the most powerful private mercenary army in the world, could help out with the ensuing anarchy… for a price, of course.
read more of “DeVos Wages War On Public Education, But Meet His Brother In Law…”
Other projects by Christian right groups seek not to destroy public schools but, rather, to transform them from within. The “National Council On Bible Curriculum In Public Schools” seeks to sneak a covert Bible course curriculum – featuring fraudulent revisionist history claiming America was founded as a “Christian Nation” – into public schools.
The NCBCPS project is endorsed buy none other than … Chuck Norris ! – But, it’s no laughing matter. The NCBCPS curriculum is now used by hundreds of school districts from Texas to New Jersey.
‘Christian Nation’ Mythos Enters America’s Public Schools, As ‘Bible Curriculum’ Reportedly in 382 School Districts [ note: see full story for Norris video ]
Martial arts maven Chuck Norris, legend has it, can defeat packs of savage wild animals, hordes of vicious, armed goons, and even onrushing Mack trucks with nothing more than his hands and feet. Now, Norris wants to kick secularism’s ass – he wants the Bible back in public schools. But roundhouse kicks or even the “claw of death” are not especially useful for slipping a sectarian Bible course curriculum touting fake history into public schools. Stealthy, social tactics are needed. Will Chuck Norris become a Liar For Jesus ? We don’t yet know but Norris has touted the work of the National Council On Bible Curriculum In Public Schools as it sneaks, in a slick wrapper of dubious and flat-out fraudulent takes on American history, its Christian nationalist Bible course curriculum into public schools, cities, and towns across America. Meet the The National Council On Bible Curriculum In Public Schools (NCBCPS), a stealth effort associated with the far right Council On National Policy and led by a woman who has said God has commanded her to bring the Bible back into public education.
read more of “Chuck Norris Wants To Kick Secularism’s Ass, Pummel Bible Into Public Schools ?”
centralmassdad says
That we have the teachers’ unions there to defend the right of our children to be educated badly in public schools.
johnk says
MA is #2 overall best public schools in the US. But don’t bother yourself with facts.
goldsteingonewild says
You’re correct that many on the religious right wants prayer et al in school.
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But you have the basic politics precisely backwards.
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As the Citizens Commission on Civil Rights has pointed out, the most anti No Child Left Behind faction is precisely the most reactionary Republicans, the ones who want religion taught in school.
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It’s the conservative right wing which loathes NCLB.
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Meanwhile Ted Kennedy and George Miller are the ones who will get it reauthorized in Congress.
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You know which presidential candidate is most vocal against NCLB? This guy.
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The wackos who want religion in public schools HATE NCLB. More Democrats voted to pass NCLB than Republicans — this was at the time of an R majority.
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So the anti-NCLB alliance comes down to this: the far right (who care little about the law’s focus on helping minority students) and the far left (who fear testing in any form) and the entrenched interests (who seek to protect status quo).
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That’s who you stand with.
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In Connecticut, your pals on the far left and amongst the entrenched interests moved aggressively to reject NCLB. You know who fought them? The NAACP.
center-aisle says
of the politicians children go to private schools?
republican-rock-radio-machine says
Private schools are better than public schools.
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everyone knows that
gary says
How do you feel about vouchers?
goldsteingonewild says
Used to oppose vouchers.
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A) Strongly desire maximum separation of church and state, as per the poster above
B) Believe in the ideals of public schooling
C) Have zero interest in subsidizing well-off kids in prep schools.
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Now, however, I’m with Robert Reich. Like him, I support means-tested “progressive vouchers” for very low-income families.*
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While imperfect, I think “progressive vouchers” would lead a) cut the black and Hispanic high school dropout rate and increase the college graduation rate; b) catalyze positive change in traditional public schools, though inconsistently, and c) lead to a whole bunch more Deval Patrick stories — black kid escapes Chicago Public Schools to attend private school on scholarship, uses education to get ahead.
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*Reich disavowed his position in 2002, in response to request/demand of MA teachers unions, as he geared up to run for Governor.
cannoneo says
I’m willing to believe you that anti-constitutional forces are planning and bankrolling both charters/vouchers and bible curriculum in order to advance a theocratic agenda. But yet I still support charter schools, vouchers, and the bible in the classroom.
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I saw a goofy video recently where Chuck Norris advocates the bible-in-schools thing; he celebrates the fact that in dozens of states the bible is already being taught “as history and literature.” That’s how it should be taught. Maybe Chuck and his pals are using this language as a screen for religion-in-school. Maybe in more homogenous states and regions, the local culture is incapable of recognizing this distinction. But where I live, I want public high school students to be taught the religious history of the west, and I am confident that I and my fellow local citizens can make sure it is done constitutionally. The constitutional issues could even make up a section of the course.
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With charters and vouchers, I want parents in poorly performing districts to have affordable alternatives. In some places, it might be done in a way that badly undermines the mainstream public schools and does an end-run around the constitution on separation. In Boston, where we have a strong teachers’ union, a heterogenous population, and sharp & powerful progressives, I don’t see this happening. You’re saying, in a way, that the parents who want charters and vouchers are dupes of right-wing conspirators. I think if we believe in local control of education we shouldn’t be afraid of these ideas just because some unsavory people like them.