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Cross-posted at Huffington Post – Education.
Each injustice, however small, must be confronted. That’s how we change history. That’s really what the “progress” in “progressive” should mean.
Chicago Public Schools history teacher Jennifer Johnson was tired of watching her colleagues being bashed by out-of-state special interest groups and opportunistic politicians. Many of these groups fashion themselves as being part of some kind of progressive movement and attend cocktail parties on that side of the aisle.
Each injustice, however small, must be confronted. That’s how we change history. That’s really what the “progress” in “progressive” should mean.
Chicago Public Schools history teacher Jennifer Johnson was tired of watching her colleagues being bashed by out-of-state special interest groups and opportunistic politicians. Many of these groups fashion themselves as being part of some kind of progressive movement and attend cocktail parties on that side of the aisle.
One of these groups from Oregon, calling itself “Stand for Children” used its billionaire-backed coffers to fund a campaign with the progressive activist website Change.org. Change.org hosted a petition by Stand filled with misinformation about the current CTU/CPS contract negotiations.
Johnson was shocked. She fought back.
Students, parents, and school employees won.
Johnson wrote this petition urging Change.org to drop Stand, which received thousands of signers within days.
Initially, Change.org was hesitant to change course.
As the grassroots momentum pushed Johnson’s campaign forward, Change.org did the right thing and dropped Stand — as well as the teacher-bashing group fronted by former embattled D.C. schools boss Michelle Rhee — from its client list.
Watch this video of Jennifer Johnson and her colleagues explaining why they signed the petition.
Stand and other out-of-towners are not going anywhere. They now have friends in a new group of “venture philanthropists” who will throw more money into the school privatization trough.
Although those who support strong public schools with strong unions do not have venture capitalist money, a movement of stubborn, persistent, and engaged citizens can take back our schools, our cities, and our world.
Connect. Stand up. Fight back.
3 Comments
The influence of *HUGE* bucks is not to be trifled with. I would have to point out, though, that the money they have really belongs to us. The reason they resist paying taxes is b/c taxes don’t carry clout. They want prefer to spend lobby $ or philanthropy $, which allow them to have the say i how $$ are spent.
And where do these $$ for lobbying, advertising, ‘guided’ philanthropy and other forms of (not to put too fine a point on it) bribery come from? Well, here:
Oh, pls forgive the typos (I cannot type, even after decades of trying) and *rec’d*.
Here’s more about this:
Change.org Denies Wrongdoing Despite Teacher Petition
The bolded bit in above is a succinct summary of the bi-partisan effort to privatize public education.
You can see for yourself what the one-percenters have planned, they are very arrogant and bold about it: