@TCFKSM: More episodes of schooling in a not so "post-racial" America

First published on @TCFKSM on July 5, 2013

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Imagine the impact if Obama spoke out emphatically against racism in other aspects of U.S. society. Unfortunately, all too often, Obama and others in the Black elite, along with liberals in the Democratic Party, avoid discussing race and racism, even when it is evident and obvious. — Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor

Neither of these items are breaking news, but I just got around to this because I've been so busy trying to finish my Villaraigosa piece for LA Progressive.

First there's this article in Black Girl With Long Hair about a charter school that banned "Afro-puffs and small twisted braids, with or without rubberbands." The news went viral, and the charter quickly reversed its course and issued a boilerplate apology.

Ohio charter school bigots ban "Afro-puffs and small twisted braids" http://t.co/2i01RKrFfl #TheWarOnBlackChildren #edreform #schoolchoice

— Robert D. Skeels (@rdsathene) June 21, 2013

Actually the original piece didn't mention that Horizon Science Academy Lorain was a privately managed charter school, I'm the one that looked that up before tweeting. Something about the name of the charter got me thinking, and on a lark I decided to dig little deeper. Horizon Science Academy Lorain is run by the Concept Schools Charter Management Organization (CMO). Concept Schools is part of the Gülenist Movement. Sharon Higgins' longer piece entitled Concept Schools, Illinois, and the Gulen Movement, has caused Concept Schools so much consternation that they created a page on their site to try and deflect criticism.

When I first started reading Schools Matter, I noticed Professor Horn often used the phrase "cultural sterilization," which struck me as the most germane way to describe how both corporate charters and the neoliberal education reform project treated children in general. Charter schools banning hairstyles popular in the African American community is no different than Dave Levin and Mike Feinberg's KIPP schools forcing children of color to learn culturally unresponsive pedagogy.

Next, there's this interesting tweet. Mr. Biondo transcribes the sign incorrectly, it says "CAN I KEEP MY SCHOOL NOW??" An important distinction. At first glance I saw the #CPSClosings hashtag indicating that the young woman was protesting Rahm Emanuel's racist school closures in Chicago, but then I also noticed the #phillyeducation hashtag meaning the tweet was also in reference to the equally racist leadership of Philadelphia closing their schools.

Hispanic girl wears Caucasian mask to ask #CPSClosings "Can I Have My School Now?" #sadbuttrue pic.twitter.com/zy9SmTj9Xb #phillyeducation

— Dennis Biondo (@DennisBiondo1) June 20, 2013

It's poignant social commentary when a child is astute enough to understand the irony of wearing "white face" in response to racist school closures. Scary part is, with that mask she'd probably be able to get into Mike McGalliard's exclusive Los Angeles based boutique Metro Charter. Being melanin deficient is pretty much a requirement for the exclusive upscale private school taking public money.

@TCFKSM: More episodes of schooling in a not so "post-racial" America

Chicago Teachers Union Versus Astroturf Billionaires

Billionaires like the Koch Brothers, Betsy DeVos, and Bill Gates fund astroturf tools like Jonah Edelman, Rebecca Nieves Huffman, and Kyle Olson. Working with anti-working class politicians like Rahm Emanuel, these groups and individuals strive to privatize public education, union bust, and profit off the sufferings of the poor. Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) is on the front lines of the battle to save public education, but they are fighting right-wing forces with limitless resources. Their bold actions in the face of overwhelming odds may well be the turning point in the battle to prevent the neoliberal project from eliminating public education nationwide. They need our support, please contribute to the CTU Solidarity Fund.

Here's CTU's introduction to the film:

The Chicago Teachers Union is currently on the front lines of a fight to defend public education. On one side the 30,000 members of the CTU have called for a contract that includes fair compensation, meaningful job security for qualified teachers, smaller class sizes and a better school day with Art, Music, World Language and appropriate staffing levels to help our neediest students.

On the other side, the Chicago Board of Education—which is managed by out of town reformers and Broad Foundation hires with little or no Chicago public school experience—has pushed to add two weeks to the school year and 85 minutes to the school day, eliminate pay increases for seniority, evaluate teachers based on student test scores, and slash many other rights.

Teachers, parents and community supporters in Chicago have fought valiantly—marching, filling auditoriums at hearings and parent meetings, even occupying a school and taking over a school board meeting. Most recently, 98 percent of our members voted to authorize a strike. But now we find ourselves facing new opponents—national education privatizers, backed by some of the nation's wealthiest people. They are running radio ads, increasing press attacks, and mounting a PR campaign to discredit the CTU and the benefits of public education.

Chicago Teachers Union Versus Astroturf Billionaires