Voice of Revolution

Education Is A Right!

This issue of Voice of Revolution reprints material from the latest issue of Buffalo Forum, local publication of the U.S. Marxist-Leninist Organization. The reality of the crisis facing education and the youth of the society is of grave concern to all, and the developments in New York and Buffalo in particular reflect developments across the United States.

Of particular concern are efforts by the ruling circles to set up a situation where people are pitted against each other so as to block them from putting forward their own solutions to the problems facing education, the youth and society in general. These solutions have at the center the people's claim to be the decision-makers, and to themselves sort out what kind of public education system they need, what kind of education serves their interests.

We urge our readers to pay attention to these developments in education.

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Education is a Right

Let Us Discuss the Public Education System We Need

Public education is a vital concern for society. It is a critical part of providing for the needs of the youth and for reproducing society and raising its level. Nationwide people are fighting to defend the right to education, seen not only in struggles to demand funding for schools but for libraries as well. Both are recognized as vital social necessities. A main problem people face is the fact that governments at all levels are refusing to take up their social responsibility to provide education as a basic human right and affirm the right to conscience of all members of the society.

In New York, Governor George W. Pataki's recent proposals for increasing the number of charter schools while further eliminating their public governance is yet another example of the failure of government to meet the need for public education. Pataki's proposals, for example, include turning over hundreds of millions in public funds to private schools and educational organizations. Superintendent James A. Williams' recent "town hall" meeting, that blocked participation by the public on how to address the problems facing public schools today, similarly served to divert from government failure by targeting teachers and parents.

The issue of charter schools, in particular, is being used to hide the abject failure of government to fund education, in the name of providing "choice." The politicians of the rich have set up a situation where people are forced to "choose" between the existing public schools, which need complete renewal, and various other policies, such as charter schools and tax credits.

We have to ask: who benefits from a policy that mandates pitting families who choose charter schools against those families who choose to send their children to traditional public schools? We have to ask: who benefits from a policy that mandates pitting families who choose religious instruction against those families who do not choose such an education? One cannot properly call a situation that inevitably results in losses for the society and its members, "choice."

The politicians have set up a scenario designed to stir up divisions among the people. The fact is that parents, youth and teachers are all concerned about the right to education and the future of the youth. No one among the people desires an education policy that so effectively provokes fights among the people and identifies their "choices" as the source of the problem. Support among the people for the various possibilities, tax credits, charter schools or public education is not the source of the problem. Refusal of government to guarantee the right to education and fund education accordingly is the problem.

Underlying insistence of the rich and their politicians on increasing charter schools and privatization is the assertion that the problem with public schools is that they are "government schools." What we need, they argue, is to eliminate public, that is, government, control. This too mystifies the source of the problem. What we need is for the people to control the government. Government today is not controlled by the people. It does not answer to their needs and demands. Lack of control by the people and the resulting lack of social responsibility by government are the problems to be solved.

In order to keep the people from envisioning an education system that serves them and fighting for the decision-making power to bring that system into being, the politicians of the rich have crafted a scheme to keep the people fighting among themselves while threatening to lower the level of education still more.

Whether one is for charter schools or tax credits or not, what is needed is to discuss the kind of education system we want as a society and the kind of government we need. How can we build a system that nurtures all the youth, and respects the rights of all the people? Politics is the art of the possible! Being political means exploring all the options for meeting the educational needs of the people. It is up to the people themselves to envision and fight for that reality.

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Town hall Meeting Blocks Public Participation

Superintendent Williams' Proposal for Public Schools

Superintendent James A. Williams put forward what he called a "Three-Year Academic Plan" at a public meeting at City Honors School on February 21. Williams invited and introduced several city judges, businessmen and a Control Board member to start the meeting - an indication that public concerns about education were not on the agenda. This was further revealed in the fact that the public was not allowed to participate in the meeting, even though it was billed as a "town hall" meeting on public education.

Superintendent Williams did not address the impact of high levels of poverty facing most children in Buffalo or the massive cuts imposed by the Control Board [a state-appointed body removing the authority of elected officials, a move driven by the demands of Wall Street for stepped up debt and debt payments]. These have included massive layoffs and a wage freeze on teachers, eliminating librarians and counselors, imposing larger class sizes, classes without enough desks and books, and in general the wrecking of public education. Williams responded to this reality by instructing parents to "Tell your child you love him in the morning. Send him to school a happy child, and we'll be able to do more for him."

Williams also targeted teachers and principals, saying that one of his "goals" was to have "a quality teacher in every classroom, and a quality principal in every school." Williams did not present any facts or analysis as to why he thinks individual teachers and principals are the problem. He also did not speak to the many top quality teachers and principals currently in the system, forced to contend with repeated cuts. Even the School Board, two years ago, said the funding cuts to the public schools meant the system would not meet even the minimum level required by the New York State Constitution. The public schools have faced continued cuts since then, yet this refusal of government to fund schools is not a main topic for discussion. Instead, Williams targeted parents and teachers and then supported the trend to turn education into a matter of charity. "I'm looking for $1 million from a foundation to retrain our principals," Williams said. "Great principals will find good teachers."

Williams also said that he was working with Albany to find ways around new state requirements to include music and art in the "core" curriculum. Williams does not want to meet these requirements and proposes a more limited curriculum, focused on reading, math and science. Fifteen local schools, identified as "Superintendent's Focus Schools," could see 90-minute blocks for reading and writing instruction and a 60-minute block for math. This would greatly reduce the time available for all other subjects, even with the proposed "extended school day."

Williams made certain everyone knew there were at least five city judges, including Chief City Judge Thomas Amadeo, in the audience. Judges deal with alleged violations of criminal and civil laws. What does their introduction into the public school system mean? What role will they play? The only answer Williams gave was to say, "Our judges are working with us on social and emotional issues involving our students." Ordinarily, school psychologists, guidance councilors, teachers and principals in consultation with parents handle social and emotional issues of students.

The meeting was scheduled to end at 8:00pm, and although Williams finished his presentation about a half hour early, no time was allotted for discussion, questions from the audience, or public input of any kind.

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Public Schools Require Public Discussion

We Must Organize Our Own Town Hall Meeting

- A Buffalo Teacher -

Superintendent James A. Williams' February 21 "Town Hall Meeting" was definitely not one. Commonly, a town hall meeting is an arena for the public to gather, inform themselves and take decisions about their town. The name comes from the early New England tradition of townspeople gathering to discuss problems, argue out solutions and make decisions. The idea of a town hall meeting was welcomed by teachers and parents alike, who are gravely concerned about the continuing cuts to education and the difficulties facing the youth and teachers. Here was an opportunity for the public to at least voice their views. But it was precisely this opportunity that was blocked. There was no opportunity for discussion, not even for questions. This meeting instead was an opportunity for Superintendent Williams to put forward various proposals and to do so before an audience of judges, Control Board members and various local businessmen and politicians. His concern was gaining their support, not listening to or even hearing the public concerns.

Williams put forward the most empty phrase making, like calling for "quality teachers, a challenging curriculum, accountability, extended instruction time, professional development, and community involvement." What is the purpose of all these phrases when there are no plans whatsoever to fund public education and guarantee the right to education? The purpose is to make it sound like Williams, and the Control Board, businessmen and judges support "high ideals" like quality education while they impose yet more cuts and education is more and more geared to serving business, not educating youth.

What does it mean for a member of the Control Board to be present at the meeting, when its actions have meant nothing but sheer devastation to the city's public education system? How soon do they expect teachers to forget that their wages have been frozen for almost two years, and they are working without a contract? What does it mean for judges to be present? Our youth are already treated as criminals, facing police and recent calls for metal detectors, simply to walk in the school door. Perhaps if even a single judge present demanded that state government meet recent rulings requiring increased funding, one could appreciate their presence and stand. But this was not the case.

It is clear that for parents and teachers to have their say, they will need to organize their own town hall meetings and advance their own agenda to defend the right to education.

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Pataki Proposes $400 Million for Private Education

New York Governor George E. Pataki recently proposed an education "tax credit." The proposal provides $400 million in public monies to be directed to private and religious schools and organizations. His proposal would give a tax credit of $500 per student to families who live in a public school district that has at least one school designated as "underperforming" by the state's arbitrary testing scheme. This would include every school district in New York City and Buffalo, for example.

Parents of children in public, independent and religious schools would be eligible for the credit, which could be used for education-related expenses including tutors, summer programs and tuition at an private or religious schools or programs. Families earning below $75,000 annually would get the full credit; it would be graduated for those with annual incomes up to $90,000.

For-profit education firms have -actively lobbied and given their support to laws - such as voucher programs and tax credit schemes - that enable them greater access to public monies by providing "supplementary education services" such as tutoring, after-school programs and summer camps. They have lobbied hard for this proposal, using, for example, the Education Industry Association.

In addition to Pataki's proposal, two legislators from Brooklyn, Senator Martin Golden and Assemblyman Vito Lopez, have proposed legislation for credits of up to $3,500 for parents in any school district.

At a rally at the state Capital sponsored by the Coalition of Independent and Religious Schools, Pataki spoke in favor of the use of public monies for religious instruction. However, the New York State Constitution currently prohibits direct use of public dollars for private schools.

Some legislators in Albany have reportedly questioned the legality of the governor's proposal, pointing to the recent ruling by the Florida Supreme Court that struck down a statewide voucher system that allowed children to attend private schools at taxpayer expense. The method of supporting private education through a tax credit, as opposed to an outright voucher program, may in part be an attempt to avoid similar legal challenges.

The legislature is expected to take up the tax credit issue in negotiations on the 2006-07 state budget, which by law is supposed to be balanced by the end of March.

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No to the Elimination of the Public

Proposed Charter School Legislation Increases Executive Authority and Limits Public Oversight

Governor George Pataki recently unveiled proposals that further attack the public governance of public education while also turning over even more of the public treasury to private hands.

Possibly the most significant change proposed is the move to allow not-for-profit organizations to apply to the Trustees of the State University of New York for charter-granting rights. This could make it possible for private religious institutions, for example, which are almost always given not-for-profit status, to operate a charter school with public funds. Numerous other not-for-profit organizations, such as charities, would also be eligible.

Pataki's proposal also involves modifying state law to give the chancellor of the New York City schools, who is appointed by the governor, the power to single-handedly open as many charter schools as he sees fit. While the proposal limits the number of new charter schools in New York City to 50, conversion of existing public schools to charter schools would not count against this limit.

To accommodate the dramatic increase in charter schools the proposed change would engender, Pataki called for raising the cap on charter schools by an additional 150, bringing the state total to 300 if the additional 50 new charters for New York City are included. The state's 1998 charter school law set the limit for charter schools at 100, which was reached last month.

The change in governance empowering the chancellor to authorize charter schools is a continuation of the trend to put education in the hands of executive offices and non-elected boards. The mayor now governs New York City schools. The chancellor, and all NYC school board members are appointed by the mayor. Pataki's proposal would basically give the mayor the same power to authorize charter schools that the Board of Regents and the Trustees of the State University of New York (SUNY) currently have. The Board of Regents is elected by the state legislature and has responsibility for "the general supervision of all educational activities within the state." SUNY Trustees are appointed by the governor and regulate higher education. The Regents and Trustees currently are the only two state agencies authorized to charter schools.

It is not clear to what degree the proposals reflect competition for power between the mayor and governor on matters of education and the public funds involved. State Education Commissioner Richard P. Mills, also appointed by the governor, reportedly opposes the plan.

During the announcement of his proposal, Pataki emphasized that the government was setting up a situation where the private sector will compete with public education - with the backing and support of public officials and the public monies they control. To this end, Pataki proposed to give charter schools - many of which are run by for-profit "education management" companies - access to public funds for construction for the first time.

While Pataki pushes for more charter schools and additional mechanisms to channel public funds to the private sector, his proposed budget continues to disregard court orders to greatly increase funding for education while instead reducing it for many districts around the state, despite the broad and growing demand to increase funding for public education now.

In related news, on January 25, 2006, the Buffalo Board of Education imposed a two-year moratorium on district-sponsored charter schools. The moratorium, approved by a vote of 7-2, means the school district itself will not license new charter schools for at least two years. It comes on the heels of a previous one-year moratorium that expired January 1.

The Buffalo Board of Education also asked the state to revamp its charter school funding formula. This year alone, the district reports, it will lose $50 million dollars to area charter schools. The Buffalo Public Schools have been decimated over the last four years as a result of massive and repeated funding cuts, especially at the hands of the Buffalo Control Board, which has increased the indebtedness of the district and directed more public funds to debt servicing.

Presently, there are 100 charter schools across the state, enrolling over 20,000 students. Across the state and country, the vast majority of charter school students are low-income minorities. Nationwide almost 1.1 million students are enrolled in 3,625 charter schools. Locally, 15 charter schools - 13 in Buffalo - now enroll more than 5,500 students.

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