GothamSchools — daily independent reporting on NYC public schools

It’s a sin that “communications” officers are shameless in their much overpaid role of officially misinforming the public. Communications! What would Orwell say? How about Geobbels? Call them whatever you want but they (abetted by the folks in the Division of Accountability–another derisive misuse of language) are a blow to democracy, which rests on the theory that government of, by and for the people depends on the will of an INFORMED public. Goodbye Melody–keep eating pizza with Joel, having cut your baby teeth in the school of deceit.

Thank you, David.

But as long as you’re here….
Please promise us that with Melody’s departure — in the current economic climate — the position will be eliminated.

Per the NY Sun, July 2008 (click name for link re DOE “Truth Squad”):
“The press office now has 14 employees, including five deputy press secretaries, and a $1.3 million budget.” Paid to surf the net, and spin the spin on the DOE dime that is being used to re-annoint Mayor Mike. Our tax dollars at work.

From the GIIN website:
“Impact investments aim to solve social or environmental challenges while generating financial profit.”

Best wishes, Melody.

David ‘Big Lie’ Kantor, Chief Hatchet man for the Department of Exaggeration. I suppose you “vas only doing your duty… just a cog in the operation.” A willing example of the banality of evil. I’m not surprised you can spell Goebells correctly. So sorry you’re offended by comparisons of your knowing misrepresentations to Third Reich propaganda. As we learned, words can have deadly consequences. Keep on using your office to distort test results and dropout stats and to shout down anyone who has evidence to the contrary. That’s your job man. And you call that “advocating on behalf of education.”

David, Have you and the other Tweeders gone to see the movie, “The invention of Lying.” Let me give you a trailer info on it:

“Here’s the concept: Imagine a world where everyone can only tell the truth. And no-one has ever lied. There are no big lies. There are no small lies. Not even white lies. Until one man discovered how to lie.” This sounds like a biography of you guys at Tweed!

Amen, Ellen.

If the truth bothers you, then I apologize for being so bluntly honest. Do you understand how appalling it is to see professionals at Tweed take on the responsibility of not being truthful and going about their daily routine of disseminating distorted facts, blatant inaccuracies, and spinning the mayor’s and the chancellor’s accomplishments at the cost of the truth. Do you also get upset when the teachers’ union rally in front of Tweed and they bullhorn the truth to everyone at 52 Court Street? Do you also get upset when the newspapers exposes the mayor, klein and those at Tweed of not providing the public with the FACTS!? What I said is not a personal attack. I say what I see, hear and read from the reports, newspapers, magazines, etc. If you are that thin-skinned, stop reading these blogs.

John, your self-styled even-handedness works to validate an increasingly authoritarian status quo. Look at your language and compare it to what the overwhelming majority of critics of corporate ed deform are saying:

– “Jack-booted thugs bent on the destruction of education…” No, it’s rather a coalition of naifs, privateers, careerists and opportunists, in service of a clearly stated ruling class consensus. And if your sense of propriety is disturbed by the phrase “ruling class, then consider Warren Buffett – who is helping bankroll the Gates Foundation’s hostile takeover of public education – who said, “You bet there’s a class war, and my class, the rich class, is winning it.”

He is, after all, The Oracle.

And it’s not “education” these folks seek to destroy. They’re all for “education,” as long as they can control it. It’s public education they’re after.

And while Bloomberg and Klein are obviously not Nazis, they are principals in a hugely dishonest propaganda campaign to transfer a public good into private hands.

– “a completely incompetent and arcane teacher’s union…” what does that even mean? The majority of UFT critics on this site and elsewhere either believe the union is too competent, wielding its dark powers to prevent minority children from receiving an education, or else hopelessly compromised and in league with management on the most critical issues. Readers of this site know where I come down in that discussion.

Courtesy and civility are fine things, but they can also be used as a means of keeping people in their places. The corporate mouthpieces – “nice” and thoroughly professional in manner though (some) of them may be – are still blowing smoke for a dishonest and self-interested regime that is fast destroying a cornerstone of democracy in this country. They and their masters deserve far blunter commentary than they’ve received in these postings.

I have know Melody a long time, and she has always had a lot of integrity. Shame on you for launching such a vicious personal attack. Stick to your policy differences. You can have legitimate disagreements without becoming ugly. Be your better self.

A teacher