Eva Moskowitz realizes that NYC charter schools (which enroll only 6% of the City's students and attempt to press the truly public schools into oblivion) may no longer hold a privileged position under the current mayor. She will head to Albany, probably with pocketbook in hand and bus loads of cute kids, to lobby for her special interest. (Truly public schools are also populated by cute kids, only they are to be found in classrooms, as dictated by law, rather than lobbying on demand! They are to be found in schools squeezed out of rooms and resources by the privileged 6% Eva represents--which is only about half that percent when measured statewide). Given the amount of money that charter operators have handed over to Governor Andrew Coumo ($800,000 in recent times), the cute kids are probably more for show than anything else. Moskowitz is likely to receive a warm welcome and two ears from Governor Cuomo. Sadly, money talks--even if it's nonsense! But, ultimately, in a democracy, votes count more than money. Will these few with so much money be able to buy public policy and, if so, for how much longer? Below, is my deconstruction of a letter she sent to parents last October, all but requiring students and parents to miss a day of school/work to advocate in a public protest in favor of charter schools. Her words are in quotes followed by my translation.
The
Deconstruction of Eva Moskowitz's Letter to Parents Requiring Participation in
a Pro-Charter Protest
1. "Your child's education is
threatened. Our very existence is
threatened. Opponents want to take away
our funding and our facilities. These attacks
are a real danger--we cannot stand idly by."
Our charters
threaten the very existence of public education in the United States, but who
cares? Since we've educated your
children to be pliant "yes men" who never slouch and march silently in straight lines down hallways in uniforms, they won't question whether "fact" is fiction...and neither will you.
2. "This is an outrage: There are hundreds of empty classrooms all
across New York City."
We're
crowding out and strangling the public schools, but let's try to pretend we're
all ignorant of this.
3. "Which is why you--you and your scholar,
your friends and relatives--must join us on Tuesday, October 8 to march with
other charter parents across the Brooklyn Bridge.... Buses will pick you and your scholar up from
school at morning arrival, and you will be dropped off at Cadman Plaza in
Brooklyn. We will delay the start of
school until after the march.... All
families will then take a subway back to school after the march to drop off
scholars for the rest of the school day."
You must
attend. Private Buses will drop you off to protest in favor of charters, but to
hell with you after you've served your purpose.
Seek public transportation to carry you back after you've just finished bashing
public schools. It's the only thing upon
which you can count.
4. "Don't let the opponents of ed reform
steal your children's future. This is
about your child, your choice. Your
voice must be heard. We must show public
officials that parents will fight for the right to choose excellent
schools. Warmly, Eva"
We need your
child to support my $475,000 a year salary.
(It's probably more by now). You have no choice. You must go
to the Brooklyn Bridge march. Maybe I
can sell it to you while you're there. Burn
in hell if you don't, Eva
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