um, I think something's brewing under the surface here...

[Hannah Bell]

Mr. Duncan said he would not identify the school districts or colleges facing the intensive investigations before they are notified. The assistant secretary for civil rights, Russlynn H. Ali, said only that the investigations on the college level would involve topics that include athletics, sexual violence, and people with disabilities.

Examining Outcomes

But Ms. Ali said the department would begin using "disparate-impact analysis," a technique in which statistics are studied to discover discriminatory outcomes that may not stem from any obvious discriminatory intent.

"We'll be looking at data and other sources," said Justin Hamilton, an Education Department spokesman, "as well as proactively working with school and district officials, parents, advocacy groups, and community organizations."

Mr. Duncan, speaking with reporters from Selma, where civil-rights marchers were beaten by police officers on March 7, 1965, said discrimination today is seen in figures showing white high-school graduates are several times more likely than blacks or Latinos to be ready for college-level algebra, calculus, or biology.

Protecting access to education is "the civil-rights issue of our generation," the secretary said, bringing to Selma one of his most repeated phrases.

http://chronicle.com/article/Education-Department-Promises/64567/.




States found to be violating laws designed to assure equal treatment in education could, in extreme cases, face litigation or a withholding of federal school funding, U.S. education officials said. They portrayed the move as an effort to make up for years of lax enforcement under the previous administration.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704706304575107653593000486.html.



What do you want to bet they're going to use this "civil rights" angle to defund & charterize schools?


I knew something was up when the Wall Streeters started talking about education as the "civil rights issue of our generation" & Jeb Bush, Rhee, Bloomberg, Barr, Gist, & the rest of the charter crew were on something called the "Education Equality Project".

http://www.educationequalityproject.org/who_we_are/the_signatories


If you're not in favor, you = racist. Beyond cynical.


First stop: Los Angeles:

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2010/03/10/Civil-rights-investigation-for-LA-schools/UPI-33831268265338/



Yet another reason why identity politics = a big fat dead end.

[Oregone]

1. Why are you so critical about Obama admin's education policy? We need another "win"

[Catshrink]

6. Have you been paying attention?

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian

[proud2BlibKansan]

9. Because his policies are a loss for our kids

[Oregone]

10. Doesn't matter. Its a win. Wheeee

[Smarmie Doofus]

2. Oh fertheloveachrist. Now I've heard everything.

>>>>>>Protecting access to education is "the civil-rights issue of our generation," the secretary said, bringing to Selma one of his most repeated phrases.>>>>>>

So I guess this airhead thinks he's some sort of MLK.

If we're not allowed to laugh can we at least *cry*?


I'm going back to bed.

[Hannah Bell]

4. hey, wall streeters are saying exactly the same thing! sounds like a talking point!

Robert Reffkin considers charter schools “the civil rights struggle of my generation.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/06/fashion/06charter.html

[proud2BlibKansan]

11. I would argue that destroying our public schools is a violation of civil rights

A good education is a civil right.

[elleng]

3. Education has been the civil rights issue of generations, since PRIOR TO 1954,

and we've not been able adequately to address it yet, in many places.

[Hannah Bell]

5. and we're not going to this time, either.

cause it's about money & class. and that's getting more unequal -- purposefully so.

[Catshrink]

7. This is so cynical, I didn't think they'd sink this low

By throwing race into it, they hope to silence liberals and make it about race, not education. This civil rights approach doesn't negate the fact that they are still blaming the teachers and not addressing the underlying issues. It's even worse than we thought it would be. Sonofabitchin' Duncan.

[Fire1]

8. Exactly, b/c this is a 'social' issue that includes 'class.' Duncan

has really insulted the intelligence of educators, if he thinks we can't 'see' through this smoke screen. After all, we DO teach critical thinking!

[Hannah Bell]

12. i think they would. bets?