Now wait, who is that grassroots group Students for Education Reform?

Apr 24

jonpeltoAchievement First/ConnCAN, Charter Schools, Education Reform, Malloy, Stefan Pryor , , , , 19 Comments

On April 19, 2012, 60 college students held a rally at the State Capitol demanding that the Legislature pass Governor Malloy’s“Education Reform” bill.

Students For Education Reform’s Connecticut director claimed that students were coming from a dozen different Connecticut campuses and that the cost of the rally included $10,000 for all the buses and then some for sandwiches for all the participants.

Although the Governor could not make time for Michelle Rhee’s “Education Reform” Rally last month, he was able to come out and speak to the students at this rally saying “this package that we put together will move Connecticut from where it is in the back of the pack to where it should be at the front of the classroom.”

Now, unfortunately, I wasn’t able to make the event but had I been there; here is the interview I believe I would have had with the event’s coordinators.

 

**Question:         So you are from Students for Education Reform?

SFER Answer:           Yes, yes we are.  We’re Students for Education Reform but you can call us SFER.  We are a grassroots organization that has become “the nation’s largest student-led education advocacy group.”

 

**Question:         That’s impressive.  So what’s your policy agenda?

SFER Answer:           As Connecticut college students we “are calling for education reform that includes teacher tenure reform, strong school choice, and turnarounds in the schools and districts that need it most.” Oh and our “policy agenda includes ensuring teacher and school leader effectiveness, quality school choices for every family, and meaningful standards and assessments in every state.”

 

**Question:         That sounds sort of like what ConnCAN has been saying.

SFER Answer:           ConnCAN?

 

**Question:         Yes, ConnCAN (the charter school advocacy group) that was set up by Achievement First (the charter school management company that runs 20 schools in Connecticut and New York).  Achievement First is on track to collect millions if Malloy’s “Education Reform” bill passes.

**SFER Answer:           Ah, no you have it wrong.  We are Students for Education Reform, “the nation’s largest student-led education advocacy group” and we are for “teacher tenure reform, school choice and turnaround programs” like the Commissioner’s Network plan.

 

**Question:        OK, who is on your Board of Directors and how did you get set up?

SFER Answer:           We have lots of supporters and partners.  Some of the most successful corporate leaders are on our board.  For example Brian Olson, Co-founder or Viking Global Investors, Jonathan Sackler, a director at Purdue Pharma and Matthew Kramer, President of Teach for America are all on our board.

 

**Question:         So let me get this right.  Brian Olson, the Chairman of ConnCAN is on your Board of Directors.  Jonathan Sackler, who set up Achievement First, set up ConnCAN and set up 50CAN to bring the ConnCAN message to other states is on your board.  And Matthew Kramer who is also on the 50CAN’s Board are all Board members for Students for Education Reform.

 SFER Answer:           Ah, yes, we are a grassroots group.

 

**Question:         And where do you get your funds?

SFER Answer:           Well I can’t tell you that exactly but I can proudly say our funding partners are 50CAN, ConnCAN, Teach for America, Stand for Children, Kickboard and the Breakthrough Collaborative?

 

**Question:         And you have paid staff?

SFER Answer:           Yes we do, we have at least seven full-time people including Catharine Bellinger, Co-founder and Co-Executive Director; Alexis Morin, Co-founder and Co-Executive Director; Jerelyn Rodriguez, National Program Director; Matt Stern, NY State Program Director; Kevin Coughlin, CT State Program Director; Adam Roof, MA State Program Director and James Chang, MN State Program Director.

 

**Question:         Finally, I see Students for Education Reform registered to lobby as of February 21, 2012 and by March 30th had only spent $344.25.

SFER Answer:           Yes, that is correct.

 

**Question:         And yet two weeks later you held a rally that you had been working on for quite some time.  You spent $10,000 for busses and additional money to feed students and none of the activities took place in March since you would have had to file those expenses on the March 30th Ethics Filing.

SFER Answer:           Ah, we’re are a grassroots group.

 

**Question:         Do you understand that like a number of other “education reform” groups you’ve now broken Connecticut law and could be fined $10,000 per violation?

 SFER Answer:           Ah, we’re a grassroots group?

 

 Let’s see, I wonder how many investigations the Ethics Commission can have going at one time?

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  • guest

    Well, well!  What a surprise!
    Maybe tomorrow some lucky school children will get on a bus, thinking they are going on a fun field trip, and it will be to some staged event to “support” SB 24.
    Am I the only one that thinks these methods are beyond dirty tricks?  How can Malloy be such a tool?  What are they promising him?

  • savage

    EXACTLY! This is what we need to be doing–exposing these fake “grassroots” organizations for what they really are. The deceptive practices that these groups engage in I think results in folks becoming involved in groups that go AGAINST their own values. The college kids at that rally didn’t even know what they were standing up for. Equal educational opportunities for all? Sounds wonderful and just–of course decent, moral people would support it. That’s what makes these groups so insidious. They cloak their profiteering plans in a veil of “let’s do what’s best for the poor children of our state.” Reprehensible. And now Malloy is appealing to the parents in the areas that will be directly affected by his policies. Of COURSE these parents will support his plans in the way that he presents them. Look at the way that he presents it from a Hartford Courant article by Kathleen Megan:

    Malloy told them that his plan calls for efforts to turn around the 30
    lowest-performing school districts. If the 81 state representatives and 27 or 28
    senators from those districts voted for his original bill, Malloy said, it would
    pass.

    He added, if all of the black and Hispanic representatives who serve in the
    Black and Hispanic Caucus “would in a single voice talk about passing a bill
    that had real change in it, then people would have to listen.”

    Of COURSE these parents, who desperately want what’s best for their children, are going to support him unless they are aware of what’s really behind this legislation. And they cannot be aware, or they WOULDN’T support it. If they knew how much money this bill will funnel to anything and everything BUT the actual CHILDREN, they would never support it. IF these legislators that Malloy talks about are REALLY concerned with representing the best interests of those they are supposed to serve, they will take it upon THEMSELVES to present ALL of the facts behind this legislation before they make a decision. These parents need to make an INFORMED decision, not one made based on “facts” hand-picked by corporatists.

  • guest

    The fines you mention for those who do not properly register as lobbyists are much too small.
    There should really be penalties for perjury and extortion.  These people are deceptive and undemocratic.

  • ConcernedTeacher

    Jon, to the best of your knowledge; and perhaps using your super-investigative skills, could you find out if in fact the Ethics Commission has launched ANY investigations into these so-called “grassroots” organizations?

    Also, Is there any way which this information can be brought to the masses and a call for a “no-confidence” vote or a recall (not sure exactly how it would work in this situation) of the Governor and Ed. Commissioner can take place?
    I just feel that the underhanded dealings here are SO egregious that something has to be done to stop what will end up being the downfall of so many public institutions.

    • guest

      great points!

    • jonpelto

      Yes, I’ll definitely do an update on the status of investigations. I’m hopeful some are proceeding but you’ll find description of how the system actually works a bit —- depressing (lets say). And no – no mechanism for recall or no confidence. land of steady habits has a system that minimizes change….

  • CT__Dad

    Uhm…

    I logged-in to post a comment.

    But now I’m not sure what it was.

    Or why I’m here.

    Uhm…

    • Linda174

      OMG – CT Dad – I am a little slow today….I just got this….They may need you for Dannel’s re-election campaign. You can round up college students to wave signs and pass out sandwiches.  You are very funny! Do people in your house appreciate you?

  • ConcernedTeacher

    Is CT_Dad taking a dig at me? Or do I need someone else to tell me I’m not understanding things here?

    • guest

      No, he’s just waiting for his Subway sandwich!

      • ConcernedTeacher

        If he is seriously “…waiting for a Subway sandwich!” (GREAT comment by the way) then it just goes to show the type of lemming that Malloy seeks (and can obtain) through his b.s. bullypit of a gubernatorial campaign.

        I’ll bet this was the same guy who wanted Rowland out for backdoor deals made while in office that subsequently landed him in jail! But now that Malloy is doing the same only under the guise of education, it seems to be OK.

      • jonpelto

        Now that is funny too!

        But seriously he is a great guy – the reference to the Subway sandwich being to the money Students for Education Reform spent – $10,000 for buses for 60 college students and then more for subway sandwiches… This from an organization that claimed to be “grassroots” but is funded by the money interests behind ConnCAN and Achievement First.
        Sent from my BlackBerry please excuss typos

    • jonpelto

      I don’t think so – CT_Dad is one of the most outspoken voices on this blog for the “good” side…. and a unique sense of humor too… (I think) or at least I’m often laughing at what he wrote :)

      • ConcernedTeacher

        If it was not a dig at me…than I apologize for my comments and retract my statements. I misunderstood your sense of humor.

      • jonpelto

        Not a problem at all and no need to apologize – I can knock them off when I get to my computer
        Sent from my BlackBerry please excuss typos

  • THREEFIFTHS

     jonpelto.I think they are trying the same thing here.

    Public kept in dark about sweet deals for Success Charter Network schoolsSUNY moving quickly, and quietly, to boost per-pupil fees and let network. chief Eva Moskowitz retool Harlem charters, but documents withheld from parents
    Read the rest.http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/public-dark-sweet-deals-success-charter-network-schools-article-1.1066368 

    • savage

      Yep, have come across Bloomberg’s name many times while searching for info on the education profiteering movement. New York, New Jersey, CT–they’ve got their insidious tentacles deep into all of ‘em. And it all goes back to the billionaire three–the Broads, the Waltons and Bill and Melinda Gates. They provide the big bucks behind this push.

  • ConcernedTeacher

    I think what you are talking about is “accountability”. People seem to LOVE that word in our profession. The only problem is it has to be EVERYWHERE. You can’t just hold one party accountable while others go free. What I mean is, teachers, administrators, PARENTS, STUDENTS, central office personnel….EVERYONE.
    If a student fails, can you seriously pinpoint the responsibility to the teacher alone? Example #1 – If a child fails to make physical fitness standards in their sophomore year of h.s., is it the gym teacher’s fault for that kid being unsupervised at home and stuffing his/her face with junk food? If you answer yes, you’re obviously out of touch with reality. If you answer no, how can you support Malloy’s “reform”? That is exactly what Malloy is after. One-way accountability – teachers. Failure is OUR fault. Regardless of whether or not the student was putting the effort in or if parents were supporting us….etc.

    No one wants to talk about the 800 lb. gorilla. What are PARENTS and others doing to help further a child’s education? We get charter schools, where it’s documented that parents have to sign off on a level of commitment for their kids to attend, and suddenly parents get involved? If they just got involved from the get-go we could alleviate some real problems. Why weren’t they involved before??? What suddenly changed with the introduction of a charter school in their neighborhood?

    The issue of respecting teachers is a sad state of affairs. People only see the daily schedule of 7-3 (or whatever it may be) during 10 months of the year. You’re NOT seeing what we are actually accomplishing, or trying to, during that time. And you certainly don’t see the outside work (the correcting, the prepping, the coaching, the committee service….etc.).

    SHOW some respect for what we do and pass that along to your kids and support what we do in our classrooms. Engage your kids at home. Challenge them to challenge themselves rather than telling them they are failures because they had a crappy unionized teacher who didn’t really care for them.

  • jonpelto

    There is quite a bit to respond to here – and I will when I get a chance so check back. I had the privilege of helping develop the Educational Enhancement ACT in 1986 that took CT’s teacher’s salaries from about 30th in the nation to 1st in the Nation. I also helped develop the ECS formula before it got corrupted. I appreciate your eagerness to be a change agent. Go back and read about those bills and what happened to the field of education and then let’s discuss. There are answers – but but the organization you are part of is supporting the wrong ones.