Does this sound familiar? Just insert Kansas Policy Institute for the Texas named organizations. From Texas Kids Can’t Wait’s FB post:
Those dishonest radio and television ads from Texans Derserve Great Schools:
Several of you have told us that you are sick and tired of the ads from Texans Deserve Great Schools, as are we! They are dishonest in almost every sentence, and the people behind them are the leading names of Texas school privatizers. Remember: privatizers care not a whit about the quality of education for ALL kids. What they care about is lower taxes.
So, who are the people supporting their privatization agenda? It all starts with the Koch brothers who largely fund Americans for Prosperity–Texas and the Texas Public Policy Foundation. They also fund in large part the writing of “model” legislation to systematically destroy public schools by ALEC.
. . .
And they mention that teachers need training and tools
so they can be great. What they don’t mention is that their agenda includes deprofessionalizing the education profession by eliminating certification requirements, destroying their teacher organizations and unions. . . The big push for online courses is, in large part, related to their desire to eliminate as many teachers as possible!
These folks, who, by the way, have a 501(c)3 organization and are tax exempt, have lobbied for a myriad of bills this session:
Charter school expansion
Taxpayer Savings Grants
Taxpayer-funded scholarships
Expansion of online courses and the Virtual Academy
Vouchers for special needs children
“Families First Schools”
Home Rule Districts (charter districts). . .
Universal vouchers . . .Etc.
We have not heard one sound from them about the need for adequate and equitable funding. We have not heard a word about improving teachers’ working conditions and students’ opportunity to learn. They have not been advocates for universal preschool programs starting at age 3. They have not called for on-demand interventions for kids falling behind. They have not even spoken to the issue of restoring the budget cuts. Well, you get the picture.
Google them, and you will find multiple stories about who they are and whom they stand with.
Search this page and our website for information on each of the privatization schemes. www.texaskidscantwait.org
Tell everyone you know to avoid being fooled by their name and to investigate their real agenda. These people are enemies of public school, no matter how fancy their words are and how well-funded they are to spread their tall tales.