charter school magnate & joel klein pet forms PAC to support charter-loving candidates

[Hannah Bell]

Moskowitz is the woman who sends Klein emails telling him which public schools to target for closing so she can take over the space.



Eva aims to PAC punch for schools

In a shot across the bow of the powerful teachers union, Harlem charter-school CEO Eva Moskowitz has launched her own political action committee to back candidates for elected office who support substantial reforms of the public schools.

"It's about choosing children over special interests. We have a lot of politicians now choosing special interests over teaching and learning," Moskowitz said of the project, called Great Public Schools PAC.

Moskowitz, the CEO of the Success Charter Network that operates seven schools in Harlem and The Bronx, stressed that her PAC is about mobilizing citizens and prodding the politicians to improve all the public schools, not just charters.


Responded UFT President Mike Mulgrew: "Given Ms. Moskowitz's disrespectful attitude toward the public-school children and parents who share space with her charter schools, it's hard to imagine how her new PAC will play a constructive role in public-school education."


Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/eva_aims_to_pac_punch_for_schools_6eIT60ExAuBRhQciwzM75I#ixzz0zQN2RhOF

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

1. It's only fitting that you would be relying on the New York Post for your links.

Meanwhile, I'm sure you're none too thrilled about the New York Time's education beat, are you?

[Hannah Bell]

2. Do you question the truth of the headline? If you do, then link your evidence.

Your personal remarks add nothing to this discussion & are offered because in fact, you can't refute the post.

Weak tea.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

3. No - I don't question that this event occurred at all.

I just find it funny that you'll embrace right wing media on education and shun editorials from the New York Times. Seems curious is all, and not exactly what one would expect to find at a Democratic site.

[Hannah Bell]

4. you're comparing editorials to reportage on verifiable facts?

i note that once again, your post is all about impugning *my* character & motivations rather than responding to the verifiable facts.

i also note that your posting patterns show you to be a supporter of school deform.

maybe you could try to support it on its merits rather than by impugning those who don't support it.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

5. LOL - school "deform"

Clearly, you're not looking for the merits of anything or you wouldn't resort to such childish things as "charter lover" or "deform". I really needn't do much to impugn your character other than point out rather simply how you like to use right wing websites and name calling in your support of condemning children to a life without a quality education.

I will say I've done far more than my share of supporting reform on its merits. Obviously, you've seen my "posting patterns", so you probably should know as much.

[Hannah Bell]

6. lol, contentless, factless posts containing only personal attacks.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

8. But nothing I said was untrue.

Unless you want to dispute that the New York Post is a right wing source or that you've resorted to name calling and childish word twisting. In which case, I would suggest you review your own posts.

[Hannah Bell]

9. "school deform" aptly describes the phenomenon. your posts are on the side of deform & charters.

and generally include personal attack.

deform is a winger policy, first promoted by birchers in the 60s

i support public education, strong unionism, & democratic transparency. you want to call me *those* names, i have no problem with it.

you want to insinuate support of such things = rightist: bullshit.

privatization of public schools & destruction of public unions = rightist, neo-lib policy. your posts support it.

and eve moskowitz is joel klein's pet; moskowitz's emails to klein telling him which public schools to attack next so she could take their space are now public knowledge.

and moskowitz now has a PAC to bribe politicians.

facts.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

10. I notice none of what you support includes children getting a quality education.

I do not support the "privatization" of public schools because charter schools are public schools - you repeating the contrary ad nauseum doesn't make it true.

And oh by the way, guess who the leading PAC contributors from the education industry are? The teacher unions. So who's really doing the "bribing"?

You have nothing in your posts that resembles anything progressive, coherent, or containing even trace amounts of facts. You spout status quo conservative nonsense about keeping the education system in the dark ages - or as you refer to the, the "good ol' days" - which you get from conservative news outlets. Quit deluding yourself - you are not advocating for even one thing that would be considered progressive outside of getting more money, and money alone does not make a policy progressive.

[Hannah Bell]

12. what disingenuous bullshit.

All teachers' union PACs spent $5 million in the 2008 election cycle.

Finance, insurance & real estate spent $62 million.

Do you think none of it went to pro-charter candidates? Think again. Spending from the finance sector is listed under "finance," but plenty of it is related to education, e.g.:

Democratic Education PAC Hopes for Its Moment Under Obama

For years, the teachers’ unions were the key players in the political money game to help further education policy objectives.

But since its inception in 2005, Democrats for Education Reform , a political action committee based in New York City, has sought to use campaign donations to smooth the way for policies such as expanding charter schools and differential pay for teachers that are sometimes opposed by traditional Democratic constituencies.

Now the group, which helped raise about $2 million for Democratic candidates for president, Congress, and state offices during this year’s elections, is seeking to put its stamp on the presidential transition, suggesting legislative priorities, and floating potential hires...

http://www.edweek.org/login.html?source=http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/12/03/14dfer.h28.html&destination=http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/12/03/14dfer.h28.html&levelId=2100



Hedge fund executives are thus emerging as perhaps the first significant political counterweight to the powerful teachers unions, which strongly oppose expanding charter schools in their current form.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/10/nyregion/10charter.html




Three Bala Cynwyd investment moguls who say they share State Sen. Anthony Hardy Williams' passion for charter schools and education reform have given his gubernatorial campaign as much as $1.5 million.

The money came from Jeff Greenberg, Arthur Dantchik, and Jeff Yass, managing directors and three of six founders of the Susquehanna International Group, a Bala Cynwyd investment firm formed by college friends in 1987, according to its Web site.

The three donors gave $750,000 through Democrats for Education Reform, a New York City PAC that was formed in 2007 and has given to the campaigns of President Obama, Newark Mayor Cory Booker, and other candidates around the country.

http://www.dfer.org/2010/04/bala_cynwyd_inv.php


A state-level PAC that finances ed deform candidates among other issues:

http://www.aiminghigherindiana.com/privacy/


"Black America's PAC" led by winger Alan Keyes, is another conduit for pro-charter "school choice" PAC $$$:

http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/black-americas-political-action-committee


"All Children Matter," a deVos PAC (yes, the winger Amway deVos family) funding pro-charter, pro-school "choice" candidates, & now heads up an association of state-level PACs funding the same issues:

http://www.allchildrenmatter.org/mission.php

Today, ACM Inc, a federal "527" organization, is the lead organization of a network of affiliates classified as state or federal Political Action Committee's (PACs), which can donate money directly to and campaign on behalf of political candidates. With its base of wealthy funders and ability to stealthily intervene in local, state and federal political races, the ACM network is an effective tool for the movement to privatize public education.

http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/all-children-matter



Anti-public school PAC money doesn't just come from the "education sector". It comes from the corporate sector, the finance sector, the wingnut religion sector etc. as well.

Not to mention that people like Bill Gates & the Waltons can write a $5 million dollar check any day of the week.

Not to mention that some portion of the union leadership, such as collaborationist Broad-trained AFT president Randi Weingarten, are moles for the opposition.

As for the other disingenuous bullshit, about students getting "a quality education," 5 separate studies have demonstrated that's nonsense. Charter schools have no advantage over public schools except for being more segregated by race, class, language & disability.

Which is all to the good for the class that's promoting them.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

13. If you honestly think the reason that finance, real estate, and insurance companies gave money is...

to support candidates who want charter schools, you're off your fucking rocker. They couldn't give a shit less about education in general, and they certainly aren't giving that money to get more charter schools. You either have no clue how politics work or you're fucking insane.

[Hannah Bell]

14. i gave you several links showing they're doing just that.

as anyone who's actually up to speed on the issue knows.

sorry you're not.

[Starry Messenger]

7. k & r

[Swamp Rat]

11. I will no longer vote for politicians who support charter schools