Educating the Candidates

Education opportunity is the gateway to the future, yet it’s failing all but a third of American students.  Despite it being in the top 5 of issues the public wants to hear, only minutes have been spent in the Debates on this critical issue, aside from the union-sponsored education forum for the Democratic candidates on December 14, 2019. This must change, as must the vocal opposition of the candidates to life-saving educational changes that give parents power, teachers freedom and students the success that will enable them to grow and prosper.  Follow what the growing and influential chorus of ordinary citizens and especially, African-American, Latino and low-income Americans have to say about this and the struggle to make education opportunity the most important issue for 2020.

2.19.2020 | EDREFORM.COM
Presidential Candidates Gamble on Vegas

2.21.2020 | WASHINGTON POST
Elizabeth Warren’s misguided approach to charter schools

2.24.20 | WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Michael Bloomberg, please be different from Democrats on education

"His record authentically aids this effort: Though imperfect, it is clear that Bloomberg’s tenure as mayor of New York led to educational gains."

2.21.20 | SPECTATOR
Bloomberg’s education policies deserve much more scrutiny

He got grilled about everything else on Wednesday — why not this?

2.25.20 | NY TIMES
Charter Schools in Surprise Political Fight as Trump and Democrats Turn Away

Public charter schools, long protected as a bipartisan way to expand school choice, are suddenly in a political battle as both parties shift to other priorities.

2.20.20 | CNN
Democratic debate in Nevada

Here's who won the Nevada debate. Analysis by CNN's Chris Cillizza

2.25.20 | BREIT BART
Bloomberg Silent as Sanders, Warren, and Klobuchar Support Minnesota #RedforEd Strike

The #RedforEd movement took another step forward last week in its efforts to politicize the 2020 presidential election when the 3,600 members of the St. Paul Federation of Educators (SPFE) voted to authorize a strike.

12.14.19 | ABC NEWS
2020 presidential hopefuls weigh in on public education ahead of December debate

Seven Democratic presidential candidates, including many who have qualified for the next debate, traveled to Pittsburgh on Saturday to weigh in on public education and share their perspective plans.

2.20.2020 | POLITICO
American Federation of Teachers urges members to support Biden, Sanders, Warren

The move was a pointed rebuke of former New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg.

12.28.19 | DAILY CALLER
TULSI GABBARD PRAISES SCHOOL CHOICE, CHARTER SCHOOLS

"I think school choice is important, where the quality of a child’s education or the choices that are available to them and their families are not limited based on your zip code”

12.20.19 | WASHINGTON TIMES
SAY IT AIN'T SO, JOE BIDEN

"Mr. Biden seems to have forgotten that he used to support school choice in general and charter schools in particular. In fact, one of his younger brothers, Frank, is a former executive in a company that developed charter schools."

12.18.19 | THE 74 MILLION
‘IF WE DON’T FIGHT FOR OUR CHILDREN, WHO ELSE IS GOING TO DO IT?’ CHARTER ADVOCATES TO CONTINUE DEMOCRATIC DEBATE PROTESTS THURSDAY IN LOS ANGELES

12.18.19 | SEA COAST ONLINE
LETTER: A CHARTER SCHOOL HELPED MY SON, DEMOCRATS SHOULD STOP OPPOSING THEM

"Charters exist to give kids like my son a chance when other alternatives failed. We are not alone. There are hundreds of families like mine across New Hampshire who are seeing their children succeed in charter schools. Democrat legislators want to take that choice away from us. That should sicken us all."

12.17.19 | THE 74 MILLION
PARENTS WANT DEBATE MODERATORS TO ASK DEMOCRATS WHETHER THEY SUPPORT BLACK AND LATINO FAMILIES ON PUBLIC SCHOOL CHOICE

"We — the parents of The Oakland REACH — are calling for that to change in this sixth debate, the final one of 2019, on Thursday in Los Angeles. We want a substantive discussion of K-12 education, focused on quality for all kids."

12.18.19 | PROSPECT
THE EMERGING DEMOCRATIC SUPPORT FOR TEACHERS UNION

"A decade ago in the 2008 primary, teachers unions were not nearly as popular. The hit documentary Waiting for “Superman” portrayed teachers unions as greedy bureaucrats holding back students, and Democratic candidates called for accountability.

A decade later, Democratic candidates seemed to be distancing themselves from previous positions they had taken in opposition. They now embrace teachers unions and present themselves as allies, at least publicly."

12.13.19 | WASHINGTON POST
DEMOCRATS ARE MOVING ON FROM CHARTER SCHOOLS. WHO WILL THEY LEAVE BEHIND?

"The political discourse is far removed from the conversation taking place over dinner tables where families of color, whose children disproportionately attend school districts with scant resources, have sought to escape schools they believe will fail their kids. They cannot afford to wait, they say, for politicians to create a system that works for them."

12.18.19 | BROOKINGS
EDUCATION MAY BE PIVOTAL IN THE 2020 ELECTION. HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW.

"The public opinion around charters is also nuanced. Support for charters among white Democrats is plummeting according to recent poll data, but many Black and Hispanic Democrats remain in favor. Brookings’s Jon Valant argued that the growing opposition to charters among white Democrats could have significant consequences for families of color."

12.10.19 | EDUCATION POST
DEMOCRATS ARE FINALLY TALKING PUBLIC EDUCATION, BUT YOU PROBABLY WON’T BE INVITED TO THE TABLE

Education Post Writer Zachary Wright writes about the irony in the not-so-public education forum "This isn’t about talking to parents and American families. It’s a presidential audition for an endorsement worth tens of millions of dollars"

12.13.19 | WITF
Presidential forum organizers want education to be a key election issue

Concerns from Charter school supporters about the democratic stances on charters -""If they are successful in calling for a moratorium in charter schools, what is a viable option for the thousands of families that are on waiting lists for specific reasons, trying to escape their public school district?” she asked. “What is the next viable option? What are they going to suggest that these folks do?”"

12.13.19 | WITF
Why Is NBC Taking Sides In The Public Education Debate?

Writer Peter Cook (Correcting The Record on Eduction Reform) - "Upcoming education forum is a PR stunt organized by the teachers unions and organizations they fund"

12.11.19 | EDUCATION POST
I’m Waiting for Democrats to Stop Using Progressive Talking Points and Start Listening to Parents

"The question for Saturday is this: Are any of the candidates willing to listen to voters who are unwilling to toe the union line? Are they willing to show true leadership, even when an issue doesn’t fit into a neat ideological box? Are they capable of seeing beyond the privileged (White) influence of special interest groups and speak to those most disenfranchised?"

12.14.19 | Reality Check with Jeanne Allen
A Reality Check on the Democratic Presidential Candidate Education Forum

The ever entertaining Michael Musante joins Jeanne as her new co-host in this special edition of Reality Check, talking to and about those who help children succeed in public charter schools, innovative institutions that will be maligned and misrepresented this weekend in Pittsburgh, when MSNBC airs the union-organized candidate forum on public education.   Hear veteran charter school educator Melanie Ward from Propel Schools (@PropelSchools), Brian Smith (@smith_brian_d), founder of Catalyst Charter School and David Hardy (@davidphardy)of Boys Latin & Excellent Schools PA ponder why any politician – existing or aspiring – would want to deny parents the power to make choices.