President Obama backs Arne Duncan's union busting and teacher bashing from Central Falls (Rhode Island) to Chicago and across the entire USA
In case there was any lingering doubt about where the Obama administration stood on corporate "school reform," within a week after the ruthless purge of veteran teachers from Central Falls Rhode Island brought national attention to something that's been taking place in Chicago for almost a decade, President Barack Obama came out publicly in support of Arne Duncan today (March 1, 2010) using the same lies that Duncan and Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley have been using in Chicago since 2002. In a speech before the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Obama invoked that same teacher bashing lies that have been used to justify "turnaround" in Chicago since the first couple of years of the 21st Century.
Bob Schaeffer of Fair Test sent out the following this afternoon and should get credit for sharing it. Bob writes:
Though the text of the speech to the Chamber of Commerce is not yet available, if this AP wire story is accurate it is clear that President Obama has chosen to stand with Arne Duncan (despite his record of failure with similar schemes in Chicago) rather than gather the facts about the Central Falls, Rhode Island, situation
OBAMA CITES RI SCHOOL FIRINGS IN EDUCATION SPEECH Associated Press -- March 1, 2010 By Ray Henry
Providence, R.I. -- President Barack Obama says a Rhode Island school that recently fired all its educators is an example of how there needs to be accountability.
He made the comments Monday in Washington at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. He called for "accountability" if a school continually fails its students without improvement.
He said that is what happened at Central Falls High School, where the school district's board of trustees voted last week to fire 93 teachers, administrators and other staff. No more than half could be hired back under federal law.
Obama pointed out that just 7 percent of students at the high school have tested proficient in math.
A spokesman for the teachers union said he couldn't immediately comment on Obama's remarks. Education Secretary Arne Duncan backed the firings last week.
