The race for State Schools Superintendent is an opportunity for all of us to get a much clearer picture of the Republican Party's plans for education. Just like the national party's admission they really want to privatize our social safety nets, Republican Rep. Don Pridemore lays it our for us; he would love to hand over the guaranteed market of educating out kids to private interests. Appearing on WPT's Here and Now, here's some "choice" moments:
Rep. Pridemore stresses one of the most misleading talking points about voucher schools; popularity. Voucher advocates always talk about the growing numbers choosing vouchers. Well, a lot of people bought Snuggies, you know what I mean. Pridemore trashes the states big test used to grade schools, for touchy feely intangibles, and incumbent superintendent Tony Evers nails him for it.
Plus, the Racine school district budget director and supporter of vouchers warned property taxes will go up, but who cares says Pridemore:
Bonus incentive payments have another big flaw, effectively explained by Superintendent Evers; the richest and best school districts will be rewarded with even more money, and become even wealthier, instead of spending that money turning failing schools around. Evers wins this one hands down:
Superintendent Evers shines a bright light on the "target" painted on teachers backs by the unintended (or intended) consequences of Act 10. Teachers are now dealing with the fear factor of their profession:
From WKOW's Capital City Sunday, Greg Neumann asks whether public school will actually lose money, and Evers explains how Milwaukee's 20 year voucher experiment should have been paying dividends by now, and hasn't:
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Don Pridemore originally got into office because Mickey Lehman wasn't paying attention. Don and his followers were Tea Party before there was one and their fervor hasn't diminished. They will be out on Election Day. Even though his own party is distancing themselves from his extremes, it is not out of the realm of possibility that he will get in by the votes of all the true believers coming to the polls to make sure Patience beats that liberal and keeps the Supreme Court pure. They will vote for him because he's not Tony Evers, and Don might get in again because people aren't paying attention.
ReplyDeleteMaybe it's because I'm tucked away in deep red Washington County and my perspective is warped by all the Scary around here. I hope so. But don't count Don out in an election that, from my perspective at least, doesn't seem to be resonating with liberal/progressive voters.
Sue- it's resonating. Get involved - make some calls.
ReplyDeleteThanks anon@10:34, nice to hear it. I don't need to make calls, those of us around here who aren't under Pridemore's spell wouldn't miss the chance to vote against him.
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