A Black Agenda Radio Interview by BAR Executive Editor Glen Ford
One of the Obama administration's clear, if unstated objectives, is to demolish public education in the U.S., and replace it with privatized, often militarized charter schools that put the “free market” and wealthy corporations rather than parents, teachers and communities in charge of education. Converting entire cities to charter schools pits every parent against every other parent in “competitiion” for the limited number of spots in what are supposed to be the best schools, and eliminates the neighborhood school as an anchor point for cooperation and social cohesion. So neighborhood public schools across the nation are being starved of resources to ensure that they can be labeled “failing” and their facilities handed over to charter schools, condominium developers, or whatever the “free market” will bear.
A Black Agenda Radio Interview by BAR Executive Editor Glen Ford
One of the Obama administration's clear, if unstated objectives, is to demolish public education in the U.S., and replace it with privatized, often militarized charter schools that put the “free market” and wealthy corporations rather than parents, teachers and communities in charge of education. Converting entire cities to charter schools pits every parent against every other parent in “competitiion” for the limited number of spots in what are supposed to be the best schools, and eliminates the neighborhood school as an anchor point for cooperation and social cohesion. So neighborhood public schools across the nation are being starved of resources to ensure that they can be labeled “failing” and their facilities handed over to charter schools, condominium developers, or whatever the “free market” will bear.
An errant balloon from China sent the U.S. into a frenzy of fear and hatred. The president, congress, and corporate media all made sure that a harmless incident was viewed in the worst light…
The late John H. Bracey, Jr. argued that Black Studies should be wedded to African liberation, not to the corporate-bureaucratic structure of the university.
The U.S. has declared China to be an adversary, but its economic prowess cannot be eclipsed by a nation that is addicted to provocation and war making.
This week’s featured author is Brian Jones. Jones is Director of The New York Public Library’s Center for Educators and Schools. His book is The Tuskegee Student Uprising: A History.
