MEDIA WATCH: Why is one equal to all then in Rahmland? Public radio takes the bait and hypes AUSL on 'Golden Apple' day
WBEZ radio wasn't the only corporate media in Chicago that took the bait offered by Mayor Rahm Emanuel and utilized the annual awarding of the "Golden Apple" awards administered by the Foundation for Excellence in Teaching" to hype the Academy for Urban School Leadership (AUSL), just the most obvious. On May 10, 2012, Mayor Rahm Emanuel's every expanding press office announced that the mayor was going to congratulate one of the ten 2012 Golden Apple teachers at De Priest Elementary School on Chicago's West Side. The media event was then arranged for Monica Blake, at DePriest.
Of the ten Golden Apple winners this year, only one had a history that partly included AUSL, the mayor's favorite corporate "turnaround" thingy. Without noting the contradiction, WBEZ ran the story.
Below is the mayor's press release about the Golden Apples.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 10, 2012
CONTACT:
Mayor’s Press Office
312.744.3334
press@cityofchicago.org
MAYOR EMANUEL ANNOUNCES GOLDEN APPLE AWARD WINNER
Surprise Announcement for Monique Blakes, First Grade Teacher at Oscar DePriest Elementary
CHICAGO - Mayor Emanuel made a surprise visit to the first-grade classroom of Monique Blakes to announce that she has been named a Golden Apple Excellence in Teaching Award recipient for the 2011-2012 school year. Blakes is one of three CPS educators to receive Golden Apple Awards for Excellence in Teaching.
“Congratulations to Ms. Blakes, Elizabeth Luna, kindergarten teacher at Murray Language Academy and Susan Stephan, first and second grade teacher at Norwood Park Elementary, for their achievements and recognition,” said Mayor Emanuel. “They deserve our thanks for their tireless work to shape students both in an out of the classroom and prepare children for a very bright future.”
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Photo Caption: Mayor Emanuel announces to teacher Monique Blakes that she was won a Golden Apple Award
Photo Credit: Brooke Collins, City of Chicago
