Joe Williams of Democrats for Education Reform.
The truth is that when the shill for corporate reform, Joe Williams of Democrats for Education Reform (DFER), attacked my brother and me (and the Shanker Institute Director Leo Casey) with some childish macho name calling the other day, I was surprised.
Neither Mike nor I have paid much attention to Joe, the PR guy for corporate reform, in years. The last time we heard from Joe was when he threatened to come to Chicago to kick our asses.
We have been waiting.
No sign of Joe.
Maybe that’s what got him all in a tizzy. He is in need of attention.
So we gave him a little attention last week. Very little.
I gave him more than he probably deserved.
But Bruce Baker publishes School Finance 101.
Bruce knows numbers.
And Bruce decided to take Joe to school on NY Governor Cuomo’s threat to impose the death penalty on what he calls failing schools.
Much like my recent posts regarding the completely misinformed bluster of pundits like Andy Smarick regarding Philadelphia, when I read stuff like this from Joe Williams of Dems of Ed Reform – I get a little irked!
This column from Joe Williams of DFER goes on the attack against those who would criticize NY Governor Cuomo’s call to impose the “death penalty” on failing schools. Williams asserts that any opposition to Cuomo’s statements can be rooted in nothing other than union/teacher self-interests. That there clearly is no possible case, on behalf of parents and/or children, for opposing Cuomo’s death penalty option. It’s just the right thing and only thing to do on behalf of suffering parents and children.
In New York, to cite yet another example, the state teachers union wasn’t happy that Gov. Andrew Cuomo had the audacity to suggest that the public – including the state Government – shouldn’t tolerate schools which persistently fail to educate children. The union’s flacks quickly seized on Cuomo’s descriptive use of the term “Death Penalty” for failing schools. We can only assume they we’re pretending to be outraged on behalf of homicidal maniacs on Death Row or something clever like that.
Thankfully, Cuomo wasn’t distracted by the manufactured outrage at NYSUT headquarters. Yesterday, he stuck to his guns, telling the Buffalo News that he was goingto stand with parents, students, teachers, and taxpayers in fighting often-decades-long failure. Amen.
http://www.dfer.org/blog/2013/09/grabbing_the_bu.php
So, let’s take a look at some actual data on how well Governor Cuomo has been looking out for the interests of those disadvantaged children and families trapped in low performing schools and districts around New York State.
Read the entire post here.
Fred Klonsky 
I am very disturbed by the tone of reformers who try to make teachers feel guilty for looking out for their own interests. Bread and butter issues are as important as ever and they don’t necessarily have to be linked to the interests of students and parents. However that is not to say that the two are at odds, it’s not an either/or situtation. Show me a parent who wants an overworked, under paid, undervalued and under resourced teacher. Teachers, students and their parents work hand in hand, so this divide and conquer strategy that I noticed from day one is not in anyone’s interest except the reform crowd who is intent on tearing things apart
I think you’re being very unfair calling Joe Williams “childish”. Unfair to children, that is. They at least usually have a reason for throwing a tantrum….