American Federation of Teachers president Randi Weingarten is known primarily for two things: screaming into microphones at political rallies and making the teacher’s union an extension of the Democratic Party. However, Weingarten had an unintended substantive moment when she changed her earlier position on the elimination of the Education Department. Weingarten previously shrugged off the elimination of the department as not a big deal for education. Recently, she returned to her irate default in denouncing the elimination. The reason, however, was telling.
After Trump was reelected in November, Weingarten said that the elimination was not a big deal and that teachers had originally opposed the creation of the department: “I mean, my members don’t really care about whether they have a bureaucracy of the Department of Education or not. In fact, Al Shanker and the [American Federation of Teachers] in the 1970s were opposed to its creation.”
Now, however, Weingarten has resumed her natural state of being “really angry.” In an interview with MSNBC, Weingarten explained:
“That is why so many people are so mad about it. Because they’re just taking opportunity away from kids that don’t have it. So billionaires – kids of billionaires, they have it, they go to private schools. Everyone else, 90% go to public schools. Don’t take away their opportunity.Sorry, I’m really angry about this … I’m really angry,”
However, it is the reason that is most interesting.
In a podcast, Weingarten explained that they have to avoid such “block grants” going to families. Host Molly Jong-Fast readily agreed, raising the danger that it might even support Catholic and religious schools. Weingarten stressed that “We know, for example, what Texas would do. They’ll use it for vouchers. So they won’t give [federal funding] to the kids who have it now, they’ll just give it for vouchers.”
There is reason for Weingarten and the teacher’s union being so concerned. Florida allows for school choice and has demanded greater performance from public schools. Despite attacks by Weingarten and other Democrats, Florida has been ranked as the number one state for both education and the economy.
We have previously discussed how schools have been dropping the use of standardized tests to achieve diversity goals in admissions. That trend continued this month with Cal State dropping standardized testing “to level the playing field” for minority students. I have long been a critic of this movement given the overwhelming evidence that these tests allow an objective measure of academic merit and have great predictive value on the performance of students.
Many colleges and universities are returning to standardized testing after the much-acclaimed abandonment of the tests for a more “holistic approach” to selection.
However, public educators have continued to lower proficiency requirements and cancel gifted programs to “even the playing field.” The result has been to further hide the dismal scores and educational standards of many public school districts.
I previously wrote about how public educators and teacher unions are killing public education in America. Many of us have advocated for public education for decades. I sent my children to public schools, and I still hope we can turn this around without wholesale voucher systems.
Teachers and boards are killing the institution of public education by treating children and parents more like captives than consumers. They are force-feeding social and political priorities, including passes for engaging in approved protests.
As public schools continue to produce abysmal scores, particularly for minority students, board and union officials have called for lowering or suspending proficiency standards or declared meritocracy to be a form of “white supremacy.” Gifted and talented programs are being eliminated in the name of “equity.”
Once parents have a choice, these teachers lose a virtual monopoly over many families. They are no longer a captive audience. If public unions want to maintain funding, they will have to actually improve educational results for these families.
You see, Weingarten knows that, like her, they are “really angry,” but not about the future of a union that increasingly sounds like an educational cartel.
Horace Mann and John Dewey, education reformers of the 19th and 20th centuries, believed strongly in democracy and freedom (Mann was an abolitionist). They also believed in free education to produce a population able to uphold the virtues of democracy. The enemies of America, beginning with the Marxists of the 1930s, understood that to get a foothold for their politics, they would first have to infiltrate America’s educational system. The best way to do this was to create controversy and confusion by igniting racial differences, claiming, for example, that public education institutionalized racism because the children of wealthy parents could send their kids to private schools. Throughout the second half of the 20th century, this ploy worked to get public schools more money and higher salaries and benefits for public school teachers.
However, as Trump has noted, paying the highest per-student cost for kids in public schools has not improved their education. We are first in cost but last in 40 countries in educational achievement. Randi Weingarten and her union are seen as primarily responsible for this as her allegiance is not to the children but to the teachers she represents. Outsourcing education through vouchers is long overdue and, like other things outsourced by the government, it should work far better than what we have now. Our schools, up to and including colleges and universities, have become bastions of anti-Americanism, antisemitism, and Marxist “social justice,” a euphemism permitting someone to hate anyone who disagrees with them. Professor Turley is correct in calling this the “Educational Cartel,” the definition of a cartel being, “an organization formed by producers to limit competition and increase prices.”
“. . . John Dewey, education reformers of the 19th and 20th centuries . . .”
That is the second time you (seem to) praise Dewey — who in fact deserves abject scorn.
He is the father of progressive education, which has caused more harm to K-12 education than any union ever could. According to progressive education, the primary purpose of an education is *not* to develop an individual child’s mind. The basic purpose is to “socialize” a child, i.e., mold a child to merge himself into the group.
Block grants? The Federal Department of Education should be abolished forthwith. At the same time that happens, ALL FEDERAL FUNDING for education should IMMEDIATELY CEASE. Anything less amounts to a “smoke and mirrors” distraction. If you require a justification for that contention, I have two: 1] Nowhere among the limited enumerated powers granted to the Federal Government in the US Constitution is any control, funding, or any other involvement in, education described (the trolls who will undoubtedly trot out the “general welfare” clause as usual, despite the numerous times that the over-application of that clause as been conclusively debunked here, can cram that subterfuge up their collective ventral orifice); 2] from a practical perspective, maintaining any Federal funding for education preserves some degree of Federal control over education, even when in the form of block grants. That form does potentially limit the granularity of that control, but, since a threat can be made to withhold the entire grant if the state does not comply with Fedgov wishes in some specific area, the potential for control itself remains.
There is an old black and white video from back in the early 60s (or maybe late 50s?) of an interview of the then president of the either the AFT or NEA on one of the Sunday morning shows. I think it was Meet the Press. This man was asked a question related to some upcoming teacher strike and how that would affect the students. With a straight face he replied to the effect that when students become union members then he would consider their needs. In other words they didn’t care about students, only about their dues-paying members. I saw that clip years ago on YouTube and wish I had saved it, because it pretty quickly disappeared and you can bet that anytime anyone posts it out there it will be removed almost immediately. But it is a very revealing clip.
While I detest FDR, he was right when he said public sector unions are corrupting. On one side you have taxpayer funded government employees (teachers) and on the other side you have taxpayer funded government employees (administrators).
Neither of which has an incentive to negotiate in the best interest of taxpayers. I’ve never researched how public sector unions ever got established. It’s corrupting, so it’s no surprise Democrats align themselves with public unions.
Unions are illegal and unconstitutional criminal organizations whose sole bargaining points are breach of contract, criminal trespass, vandalism, property damage, bodily injury, harassment, stalking, intimidation, disturbance of the peace, etc.
No contract with a labor union is valid.
The Department of Labor is unconstitutional; labor may not be legislated in any aspect or facet, or taxed for, funded, or regulated per Article 1, Section 8.
Ask these kids to write their name (cursive) and they don’t have the slightest idea what your talking about.
The only true purpose for the government to be involved in education is to ensure an environment exists for schools to be available and that parents get their children educated.
“The only true purpose for the government to be involved in education is to ensure an environment exists for schools to be available and that parents get their children educated.”
That may be an acceptable purpose for STATE governments to be involved. There is no justification, excuse, or constitutional basis for the Federal government involving itself on education in ANY way, shape or form.
Agreed. None.
“The only true purpose for the government to be involved in [nourishment] is to ensure an environment exists for [dining rooms] to be available and that parents get their children [fed].”
…fill in all the empty blanks; “From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.”
Congress has no power to tax for, fund, or regulate education per Article 1, Section 8.
There is no constitutional legal basis for taxing for, funding, and regulating education.
Public education adheres to Karl Marx’s slogan: “From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.”
Public education is a function of the “dictatorship or the proletariat.”
Education isn’t a money problem, it’s an education problem. I do not believe that kids today are inherently less intelligent. Looking at my daughter’s high school curriculum, what is being taught is of little or no practical use. Instead of teaching the fundamentals of financial management, literacy, math, and history, more time is spent on “correcting” history while leaving out basic historical facts.
She will not learn about WWI and WWII from her teachers. Instead, she’s force-fed drivel regarding social justice warriors and other history embellished by the left-slanted educators.
What Weingarten fears the most is twofold. She fears the loss of money and the threat of accountability. How dare someone hold the authors of leftist curriculum to account for their fantasyland interpretation of the world?
We need less pride flags in the classroom, and more teaching of practical skills.
So True Jimbo ct! I can prove it by showing that DC schools have the highest payments in the nation, and yet the lowest reading ability, math ability and test scores. It’s been like that for 40 or 50 years pretty much, and no changes anything or tries anything new.
My best teachers were in Ohio, in a poor district. They were passionate about their work and loving towards the kids. When the county realized that Englinsh reading and writing scores were too low, they instituted a double class for everyone student in English. Scores went up!
and they need to bring back Civics. Seriously
Randy along with the Radical Teacher’s Union/ DEMS/Radical Left/ Radical School Boards have ruined public schools. All they care about is more and more $$$$/teaching DEI/Transgender etc. They are against Parents and School Choice. Its time to eliminate the Dept of Ed, in its current form or in ite entirety. Its time for Parents to take control and the money grabbing Teachers Union put in its place. Teachers should be judged on merit and their accomplishments and weed out the radical ones with agenda. Its time to go back to basics, reading, writing and arithmetic.
“the Radical Teacher’s Union/ DEMS/Radical Left/ Radical School Boards have ruined public schools.”
Agreed. This phenomenon may have taken some time to propagate across the country, but in NJ I encountered it as early as 1965, when I was a HS sophomore. Up to that time, a few of my teachers had presented their profession as a satisfying pursuit because of the potential to impart knowledge and learning skills to young people. My sophomore English teacher, who was a 22 yo fresh out of the state teachers’ college, took a different tack. She began the year by recruiting students to the profession by extolling the good pay, short hours, and the opportunity to spend 3 months of the year either making more money at a Summer job, or lazing on the beach. She did not utter a single word about actually teaching anything useful to her charges, let alone any satisfaction obtained from that process. Her class completely changed my attitude about school and teachers, and I saw the self-denigration of the teaching profession with wide open eyes from then on.
Will Turley be addressing the significant free speech issue surrounding Khalil’s arrest? This is an important matter, and it appears Turley may choose to remain silent because it involves criticizing Trump and ICE. Alternatively, he might be reluctant to appear supportive of Khalil’s views, even though Khalil was arrested for participating in a protest, which is a clear violation of his First Amendment rights.
There are already serious concerns regarding Khalil’s arrest. Authorities claim that his student visa was revoked, but he does not hold a student visa; he has a green card. They then changed their reasoning to say that they revoked his green card without providing a warrant or any formal charges of a crime. Trump’s ICE will need to demonstrate that Khalil committed a crime in order to revoke his green card, and it seems they lack evidence, relying only on allegations.
Maybe in a post NOT relating to the subject at hand.
But since you asked, here is a relevant article regarding your question,,
https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/whats-the-best-argument-for-columbia-agitators-arrest-and-deportation/?utm_source=recirc-desktop&utm_medium=homepage&utm_campaign=right-rail&utm_content=corner&utm_term=first
The National Review article exposed a problem for the Rubio. there is a very specific exemption that the government will have great difficulty arguing against.
“ An alien … shall not be excludable or subject to restrictions or conditions on entry into the United States … because of the alien’s past, current, or expected beliefs, statements, or associations, if such beliefs, statements, or associations would be lawful within the United States, unless the Secretary of State personally determines that the alien’s admission would compromise a compelling United States foreign policy interest. [Emphasis added.]”
Because he is subject to the jurisdiction of the constitution’s powers he has a first amendment rights and also due process rights like any other citizen.
The government has to prove that Khalil actually engaged in violence or illegal activity directly associated with terrorism. Allegations and assumptions are not evidence.
Khalil stands a very good chance of being released because the government has no evidence that he committed a crime.
“ it is difficult to deport or exclude aliens on ideological grounds — even aliens who harbor anti-American, counter-constitutional, or hate-driven ideologies (such as sharia supremacism, which, among its other noxious elements, is inherently antisemitic).”
Because it’s all protected political speech and yes even permanent alien residents cannot be punished or arrested for expressing political speech or views.
Khalil is being punished because of his views and political protest organizing. All of which are protected 1st amendment activities.
Once again, it is not what he is saying, it is what he is doing. A green card is a privilege and can be revoked for violence and support of terror groups. He is trespassing on college campuses and threatening Jews. That is not speech, that is actions. He has no “rights” here.
The allegation that he is supporting terrorism isn’t supported by evidence. Mere allegation is not enough allege that he commited a crime.
He was accused of violating his student visa and they told him they were revoking his student visa which he does not have. They changed their rationale to revoking his green card but that requires concrete proof of the allegations and ICE or Trump’s DOJ has not provided any proof to back up the allegations.
Expressing support even to Hamas or the Palestinians is protected speech. Threatening deportation for exercising 1st amendment political speech is illegal.
Tresspassing and allegedly threatening jews are not valid reasons to revoke a green card. In order to revoke a green card the government has to prove without a doubt that Khalil provided material support to actual terrorists. Not mere allegations. The burden of proof is entirely on the government. Their biggest problem right now is the legality of the arrest. The produce no warrant and no criminal charges to support the arrest. That is what the hearing tomorrow will be about. Khalil’s lawyer is contesting the legality of the arrest anything past that is irrelevant.
Threatening Jews is hate speech and suggests violence. That ties in with a FTO, which is a good reason to deport. Khalil can object to any of the points that lead to deportation. If he does, this permits the prosecutor to depose him on other issues that are embarrassing to CAIR and the Muslim Brotherhood. That is more important to them than Khalil’s residence. I don’t have enough solid information to know how this will turn out, but I will be happy if the mentioned entities are deposed. That has happened before, and those agencies have dropped claims or paid damages. They are dangerous!
George and the Democrats miraculously find another 20/80 issue to side with the 20 once more. This time we have a Jew hating, Hamas supporting, foreigner “protesting” on campus by forcing the cancelation of classes, banning Jews from libraries, taking over buildings, causing damage and even injuring employees being tossed out of the country and the Dems, and George, are going to fight for the Hamas guy?????
We also have New York Dems supporting the Hamas guy in the city with a large Jewish population????
PS. The group the Hamas guy is the leader of a group that has plastered pictures of dead Hamas leader Sinwar and posters of pride in the October 7th massacre all around the campus. Now would the school have allowed a group to post pictures of someone advocating for the murder of trans, gay, black or female people? Would George and others have said it is a free speech issue?
PSS. The left tries to equate the riots, the advocacy for the murder of Jews, the take over of buildings. the damage, the canceled classes etc to a guy in England getting arrested for praying outside a clinic. Those days are over.
Hullbobby, even jewish groups are opposed to his arrest. His arrest is due to allegations. Not real evidence of what he’s accused of.
The State department has no evidence backing up their allegations and because he participated in a protest and organized opposition it is not a crime to do so.
They need a very specific reason and concrete proof of what he is accussed of doing. It’s already evident that he was targeted for deportation because he just participated in a protest and expressed views that are deemed antisemitic to others. None of that is a crime. Plus, there is absolutely on evidence that he commited violent crimes or broke the law.
The only “Jewish groups” opposed to his arrest are the “Jewish Groups” that support the intifada and the radical left. So another swing and a miss for the last USAID employee, GEORGE.
Funny, when Russia interferes in our internal affairs, it’s a crime, but when Hamas does it, it’s free speech.
Your selective outrage makes me sick, Georgie.
Great point, DIOGENES !
When has Hamas interfered with our internal affairs? Trump supporters are fine with foreign nations interfering with our internal affairs. We do it all the time. It’s all free speech and ironically it was their defense.
Hamas is a terrorist organization linked to terrorist organizations that have killed American soldiers and civilians. Everything you say is based on a left-wing media blog spinning the news. You don’t know what the detaining or arresting officers said. You don’t know what the prosecutor said, if there is one. You don’t know the immigration laws or the laws involving green cards. You know nothing; most people do not know everything that happened since almost everyone gets the information from third parties. You made statements in the past that, when the fog cleared, proved you were wrong. You think the little knowledge you have from reading a blurb makes you an expert. It doesn’t. It makes you a Dunning-Kruger recipient.
Let us unravel the mess you are in. Do you agree that Hamas is a terrorist organization? The answer is either a yes or a no.
VOUCHERS VOUCHERS VOUCHERS
Public Unions exist to bribe Democrats
They have ZERO interest in doing a better job. It is 100% about perks, retirement and pay!
The Teacher’s Unions HATE the kids they educate!
Too broad a brush there – my SIL is a public school teacher (music) and he goes the extra mile with his kids
The teachers in the classrooms in a normal situation get painted with the same brush as the crazies; and they don’t deserve it for sure.
Whig, your SIL is the exception that proves the rule. There are, of course, some good teachers, but the union and the vast majority of them are just activists.
“Too broad a brush there”
Not really, unless your in-law has somehow avoided belonging to and supporting the AFT or the state branch of the NEA. Those are the teachers’ unions, and every abuse heaped upon those organizations is justified, regardless of whether not not a few individual members might make some effort to actually educate their students.
in NJ inner cities like Newark, Camden, etc High Schools 87% can’t pass a reading test, but 77% graduate.
ignorance is bliss
The concept of school choice has been increasingly scrutinized and criticized over the years, often perceived as a deceptive mechanism. At its core, school choice is essentially an initiative that reallocates public education funds to private institutions, allowing these schools the discretion to select which students to admit. This practice not only raises concerns about equity but also raises questions about accountability, as private schools typically do not face the same oversight and regulations that public schools must adhere to.
A driving force behind the school choice movement is often the involvement of wealthy individuals and corporations, who see an opportunity to profit from taxpayer dollars. This approach can lead to an increase in the overall costs of education, as public funds are diverted from traditional public schools that serve all children, resulting in a scenario where education becomes increasingly expensive for everyone.
Moreover, the proposal to eliminate the Department of Education poses serious risks, particularly regarding the potential revival of educational segregation. In this scenario, states may develop systems that prioritize access based on economic status and even reinforce racial divisions. Initially, school voucher programs may be introduced with the intention of providing low-income families with more educational options. However, the evolution of these programs often leads to a broader implementation that includes students from affluent backgrounds who already have the means to pay for private school tuition.
Additionally, a significant concern arises when private schools begin to raise their tuition fees, often exceeding the financial coverage provided by vouchers. This trend effectively limits real choice for low-income families, as they find themselves unable to afford the remaining costs associated with private education. As a result, the promise of school choice may ultimately ensure that the system benefits those who are already privileged, leaving vulnerable communities with fewer opportunities for quality education.
socialista
George, AKA Mr 20/80!
time to BAN Public Unions!
Even FDR was opposed to public unions. In public union negotiations there is no other side at the table, there is no bottom line mandating moderation and there is no limit to what can be offered.
Randi is a hard-core leftist. This is evident from the rants of nonsense. As someone once said, “Nonsense is nonsense, no matter how loud it is spoken with intensity and commitment.” If I had to bet, I would put money on Randi being on the board or operating one or many of the Government NGOs, suckling on Biden-government largesse grants.
Public schools have become a joke. All they are interested in is being “politically correct”. They could not care less if little Johnny can read, write and do Math, as long as he knows who to protest…I went through public schools in the 60’s-70’s and my experience was nothing like these woke clowns today. I eventually got all 5 of my children in Christian schools that reflected my values in life. Public schools only care about woke values…
So all public schools then? Why?
I think this about sums up,,,
“Chicago Teachers Union president enrolled child in private school, sources confirm”
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/chicago-teachers-union-president-enrolled-child-in-private-school-sources-confirm/3223077/
,,,sums it up…
Democrats enjoy the privilege of sending their children to private schools; they just don’t want anyone else to have that choice…
The problem for the union is that they do not have a mandatory bargainable issue. The union is turning out lousy work, and we want it outsourced. We are the management. And we demand a fix. The union has no fix.
Allowing teachers to unionize was perhaps the worst public policy mistake of the last 100 years.
Amen, Blackbeard! I watched it happen when I was a young teacher.
How exactly do you figure that its the worst policy mistake?
“Everyone else, 90% go to public schools.” A fate worse than death.
Calling all Idiots. We’re waiting for you.