The Folly of a Preemptive & Deceptive Attack on Diane Ravitch's New Book

[Starry Messenger]

Peter Cunningham, Arne Duncan's former henchperson, decided to launch an attack on Ravitch's new book...which won't be out for a few more weeks, so he presumably is trying to land haymakers on something he didn't actually read...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kevin-welner/the-folly-of-a-preemptive_b_3777049.html

Writing here in The Huffington Post, the former press secretary for Education Secretary Arne Duncan launched a pre-emptive attack on the forthcoming book from Diane Ravitch -- a book he hasn't read. One particular part of that post caught my eye.

The author, Peter Cunningham, first chastises Ravitch for criticizing "alternative educational approaches such as charter schools... well-meaning and hard-working organizations like Teach for America..." He then writes this:

"What she will not do [in her new book] is offer a realistic alternative that will ensure that poor and low-income children receive a high quality education. She will say that a big part of the problem is poverty -- which no one disagrees with. She will call on America to invest more in fighting poverty, as if we have not spent tens of trillions of dollars fighting poverty since the New Deal and the Great Society and will spend tens of trillions more."
Yes, the total spent in the U.S. since the 1940s in "fighting poverty" (all social programs?) is very high. And it seems reasonable, given the rising levels of inequality in the U.S., to assume that the future will indeed see a much more such spending. But why is a former press secretary in a Democratic administration parroting deceptive poverty talking points straight from the right-wing Heritage Foundation? (See here, for one of many Heritage examples.)

The problem with the arguments of Mr. Cunningham and the Heritage Foundation is that the numbers here say zilch about the gap between spending and need. If Mr. Cunningham instead paid attention to the work done by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, he'd learn about growing income inequality, about the effects of welfare reform in weakening the safety net for poor families, and more generally about shrinking general assistance for those poor families.

<snip>

[winterpark]

1. I was under the impression that Ravitch was all gung ho about teach for America and

Michelle Rhee's bandwagon for charter schools and more testing, etc. Was I wrong?

[Starry Messenger]

5. No, she's against all of that.

Maybe you have her mixed up with someone else?

[Squinch]

6. I think once upon a time, a long long time ago, she was supportive of some of these things. She

watched them in action, saw the corruption and ineffectiveness, and publicly recanted her support. That's why they hate her so much.

[lunasun]

2. Ha ha must be afraid of what's in the book -must make good points to readers

Oh well,l at least he acknowledges rising levels of inequality in the U.S.,................

http://dianeravitch.com/
http://dianeravitch.net/



http://dianeravitch.net/2013/08/19/kevin-welner-critiques-cunningham-attack-on-me/

[Smarmie Doofus]

3. Because the collective mind-set of this administration is closer to the Heritage Foundation....

>>> But why is a former press secretary in a Democratic administration parroting deceptive poverty talking points straight from the right-wing Heritage Foundation? (See here, for one of many Heritage examples.)>>>>

on domestic and economic ( and certainly *education*) policy than it is to traditional DEM party values.

I'm afraid it really is that simple. This part of it, anyway.

[duffyduff]

4. The plain unvarnished and brutal truth is there is no "left-right" division, no

GOP-Democratic Party division anymore. This is class warfare, pure and simple, waged by the gangster class of elites (billionaires, Wall Street types, and neoliberal policy makers) against everybody else. They have bought off both political parties to the point our "elected" officials are nothing more than puppets for the elites.

It's so plain what has happened in the past thirty years, but it has actually become totally obvious with the Obama administration.

It was vitally important these gangsters seize control of the Democratic Party and replace real Democrats with puppets or bribe real ones with oodles of money to sell out Democratic Party principles.

People talk about the Kochs, and the Kochs are evil, no question, but they are no worse than Bill Gates and Peter J. Peterson.

The fact is they ALL have the same goal: the "right" to unfettered, unregulated greed.

[eppur_se_muova]

7. Thus boosting pre-sales of Ravitch's book ...

thanks, Mr. Cunningham.

[Starry Messenger]

8. That's right, entitled "Reign of Error"!

Which everyone should now go look for and pre-order at their favorite store.