I was just reading all the big-name stars who are getting on board for the parent trigger, and I am really stunned by some of the names. Do they know what it means to lightly turn a school over to parents who have no knowledge of how to run a school? To give them power to hire and fire teachers and principals?
Are they blinded by the glitz provided by all the money behind this corporate move to take over public schools? Do they not understand the implications? Or do they simply not care?
TEACHERS ROCK Presented by Walmart & "Won't Back Down"- a Special Event & Concert to Benefit Teachers & Education
It says it's a special benefit to help teachers. Guess which teachers? The article makes it clear it will benefit Teach for America teachers, recruits with 5 weeks training. They will be sent out thinking they are better than other teachers in spite of meager training.
The benefit concert will showcase live performances by Dierks Bentley, Fun. and Josh Groban and special appearances by Viola Davis from "Won't Back Down," Josh Hutcherson, Miranda Cosgrove, Pauley Perrette, Roshon Fegan and many more. Proceeds from TEACHERS ROCK will benefit three non-profit organizations: DonorsChoose.org, Feeding America and Teach for America.
..." The TEACHERS ROCK concert will feature scenes from Walden Media's upcoming motion picture "Won't Back Down," released by 20th Century Fox. The film stars Maggie Gyllenhaal and Viola Davis, who play two determined mothers, one a teacher, who will stop at nothing to transform their children's failing inner city school. Facing a powerful and entrenched bureaucracy, they risk everything to make a difference in the education and future of their children. This powerful story of parenthood, friendship and courage mirrors events that are making headlines daily.
"AEG and Walden are very excited to join efforts with Walmart in celebrating teachers. Honoring teachers and recognizing the importance of education have been bedrock values since the founding of our companies," said Anschutz Film Group & Walden Media CEO, David Weil. "We believe that TEACHERS ROCK and our upcoming movie, WON'T BACK DOWN, will both inspire parents to believe that they can make a real difference in the lives of students and teachers."
TEACHERS ROCK will be taped for a special one hour CBS television event broadcast Saturday, August 18th from 8:00-9:00 p.m. ET/PT, that will also feature taped performance and appearances from Carrie Underwood, Meryl Streep, Jennifer Garner, Matthew Morrison, Foo Fighters' Dave Grohl, Usher, Maroon 5's Adam Levine and James Valentine, and more.
Maggie Gyllenhaal and Viola Davis won't back down from taking over their inner city school. Won't back down. Neither will the charter companies waiting to take over the schools from the parents who thought they were empowered. Not really empowered after all except to choose the charter company.
The Parent Trigger is an astroturf creation, not built by grassroots. It was pushed by ALEC and charter companies who want to take over public schools faster.
CBS is going along because that is apparently what networks do. Look at NBC and their corporate Education Nation.
Teachers in public schools do not have funds to fight back against such star power and big money interests. There will be less money for traditional public schools and more for those with the bigger voices.
Public school teachers indeed rock. Yet the benefits from the CBS show are going to Teach for America.