A few years ago I sat with a group of fairly young “executives” at MTV, seeking MTV’s support for an anti-racist initiative being developed at the Calhoun School. They were managing charitable giving and were quite breezily confident. To my amusement and dismay, they referred to themselves as
Steve, I'm glad there are still people out there with the patience to investigate the latest crop of frauds running the US Department of Education and all the greed mongers outside the DOE conspiring to get their hands on an ever-increasing share of our tax dollars that are supposed to go to teachers, schools, kids, and actual teaching and learning.
The reason I don't is that after paying close attention since the Reagan Era, I no longer harbor the comforting illusion that anything will change in that regard as long as we continue to support our oligarchy and duopoly. Both parties are in agreement on two things (and those things are not at all unrelated). First, there's no amount of federal interference into education that can't be improved upon by more federal interference in education; second, there's never been a war or military appropriations bill they don't support.
Until the American people grasp once and for all that everything is interrelated and traceable to vampire capitalism, they will continue to fight with one another over nonsense, just as the people in power intend. We will have culture wars, cancel culture, boutique and identity political imbecility, and absolutely none of the class analysis necessary to unite the majority against its actual enemies.
But lest anyone accuse me of being a Republican supporter, I have equal contempt for every GOP president and Education Secretary in my lifetime. The only difference between Republicans and Democrats in this regard is that those of us on the Left used to believe that the Democrats were actually friends of public education. If the Clinton Administration didn't free you of that misapprehension, then Obama/Duncan should have, and Biden/Rodriguez will seal it.
Except that for many people, loads of who I once considered my political peers and allies, nothing will seal it. They'll go to their graves telling me that I must vote Blue no matter who, that the Just-Us Democrats and The Squad (what a repugnant nickname!) are "pushing Biden Left" (possibly the biggest joke of the new decade) and regardless, we can't survive another Trump (as they elect officials who undoubtedly are going to ensure that another Trump is in power very soon).
Again, it's great that someone is paying attention to the particulars and naming names. It must be done. But I'm finished with that particular activity. Duncan followed by Devoss was too much. I'd love to believe it can't get worse, but it can and it will.
Steve, I'm glad there are still people out there with the patience to investigate the latest crop of frauds running the US Department of Education and all the greed mongers outside the DOE conspiring to get their hands on an ever-increasing share of our tax dollars that are supposed to go to teachers, schools, kids, and actual teaching and learning.
The reason I don't is that after paying close attention since the Reagan Era, I no longer harbor the comforting illusion that anything will change in that regard as long as we continue to support our oligarchy and duopoly. Both parties are in agreement on two things (and those things are not at all unrelated). First, there's no amount of federal interference into education that can't be improved upon by more federal interference in education; second, there's never been a war or military appropriations bill they don't support.
Until the American people grasp once and for all that everything is interrelated and traceable to vampire capitalism, they will continue to fight with one another over nonsense, just as the people in power intend. We will have culture wars, cancel culture, boutique and identity political imbecility, and absolutely none of the class analysis necessary to unite the majority against its actual enemies.
The only shocking story about the Dept. of Education under Biden would be if it weren't a repeat of the debacle that was Arne Duncan's rule under Obama (note well the recent arrest of Seth Andrew for stealing from the charter network he helped found; he was a White House advisor in education policy to Obama and Duncan - https://www.cnbc.com/2021/04/27/former-obama-white-house-advisor-seth-andrew-arrested-in-charter-school-theft.html )
But lest anyone accuse me of being a Republican supporter, I have equal contempt for every GOP president and Education Secretary in my lifetime. The only difference between Republicans and Democrats in this regard is that those of us on the Left used to believe that the Democrats were actually friends of public education. If the Clinton Administration didn't free you of that misapprehension, then Obama/Duncan should have, and Biden/Rodriguez will seal it.
Except that for many people, loads of who I once considered my political peers and allies, nothing will seal it. They'll go to their graves telling me that I must vote Blue no matter who, that the Just-Us Democrats and The Squad (what a repugnant nickname!) are "pushing Biden Left" (possibly the biggest joke of the new decade) and regardless, we can't survive another Trump (as they elect officials who undoubtedly are going to ensure that another Trump is in power very soon).
Again, it's great that someone is paying attention to the particulars and naming names. It must be done. But I'm finished with that particular activity. Duncan followed by Devoss was too much. I'd love to believe it can't get worse, but it can and it will.