If I had a subscription, I would cancel it

In an editorial entitled "Time ripe for MPS reform," the daily's editors demonstrate once again why they are on the editorial board and not the school board. And, yes, I recognize how idiotic it may be of me to criticize one organ of the press juggernaut whose other organ may well give me an award (if you go vote for me) before the contest is over. Now, though, a full fisking:

The reformers now hold the balance of power, thanks to last week's election. The unionists took the reins in the election before that. And three elections ago, the reformers took control. This seesaw has played out for a long time.

I'm not going to deny their facts, here, just their characterizations. By "unionists," they mean board members concerned about ensuring that good teachers--remember, teachers are the most important factor in achievement--come to and stay in MPS. Danny Goldberg, like the other "reformers" on the board, wants nothing less than a dismantling of everything about the job that makes it attractive, from benefits to classroom climate. He has publicly kissed the ass of our superintendent, who has nothing but contempt for teachers. Believe me. I've been to his meetings. And I didn't even write in that post how, after the meeting, he "got up in my grill," as the kids would say, confronting me in the hallway yelling and--I am not making this up!--wagging his finger at me for daring to question his priorities. The paper considers him another "reformer," though.

But the Milwaukee Public Schools District is failing to meet the needs of too many children for coasting to remain good enough. Thus, last week's election warrants cheers; it gives the reform movement new energy.

No, the results were not as rosy as they should have been. Unfortunately, incumbents Peter Blewett, the board's president, and Charlene Hardin, the vice president, defeated reform-minded challengers Kevin Ronnie and Bernadine Bradford in contests on the west and north sides, respectively.

Yes, it really, really sucks that the people got to vote, huh? Maybe we should have just cancelled the election the way the "reformers" on the board want to cancel my health care--health care that means the raises I could have gotten over the last decade were also cancelled.

Look, I'm not going to deny that Milwaukee has problems. But should we solve our problems by putting kids into completely unaccountable settings that are not proven to even work? Or into charter schools that can close without warning, leaving kids high and dry? I keep saying it, and I keep meaning it: Our kids are not New Coke or Daewoo. Strong public schools can make every kid a winner; the market guarantees losers.

Goldberg boasts exceptional talents. Noticing while an assistant college professor that many high school dropouts were nonetheless smart, he dedicated himself to educational reform. He helped found the Technical Assistance and Leadership Center [TALC] to promote reform and, under that agency's auspices, was key in bringing to Milwaukee a multimillion-dollar grant from the Gates Foundation to set up small high schools. As local director of Homeboyz Interactive, he raised more than $1 million to give high-tech training to young people without ready access to computers. Also, he's president of the governance council of I.D.E.A.L., a charter school founded by MPS teachers.

Ahhhh, now I see what "reform" means: "Reform" is apparently what you call it when you support a superintendent who got you six million dollars. "Reform" is what you call it when you support a program that--while it may work for your kids--is worse for most kids. Would they call Goldberg a "reformer" if he came out explicitly in favor of putting students in schools without teachers, so the kids can watch DVDs and riot? Because, you know, that's what happens.

Goldberg survived, by the way, a disappointing smear campaign by Wisconsin Citizen Action, which twisted his support for the worthwhile private school choice program into support for "rampant corruption."

What are you talking about? Your very own newspaper has reported on rampant corruption, repeatedly. And while I bet my hypothetical above--Goldberg's support for riots--would never happen, if you support a system that allows for corruption, if you support sending the children that voters elected you to protect into that system, then, well, I don't know. It continues to boggle my mind how anyone can believe that he is effectively representing the people on the public school board when he wants to take children out of the public schools. Seriously. I'm boggled.

That a big-city school system can work remains an unproven proposition. But the reforms--greater accountability, site-based management, shoring up of neighborhood schools, for example--appeared to have led to a bit of progress. Last week's election keeps hope alive for more gains.

Okay. Take a deep breath for a second. Now, a question: Of the three reforms just named, how many have been actively opposed by the union? As long as the processes for each "reform" have been fair (and I can tell you about how the current superintendent has been smacked down even by a unanimous board, reformers and all, because he pulls things out of his butt that are neither fair nor all that smart), the union has not stood in the way of progress. Nor have the "unionists" on the board. The debates around those issues were contentious, yes, but the board, with the union in tow, has been moving steadily forward to ensure quality changes.

But let us not kid ourselves here at your humble folkbum's blog the way they are kidding themselves down at the editorial offices. The "reforms" Dannny Goldberg was elected to implement (if you can call a 220-vote victory a mandate) have nothing to do with accountability, neighborhood schools, or effective site management. If you believe that to be the case, then I know where you can get a bridge, cheap. Goldberg is a long-tome voucher advocate, elected with voucher money, by voucher supporters, and he makes the Journal Sentinel go all gooey because he wants to cut teachers' health benefits. Period.

You want to talk reform? I'm all for it. Just come on down to my classes of 37 and 42 and more some day, and, if we can hear over the noise, you can tell me how cutting my benefits and demeaning my union makes me a better teacher.