Last chance to block Betsy

[Phelia]

The senate is one vote away from blocking Betsy DeVos' appointment. It's no secret that I am no fan of our president and his Goldman Sachs Alumni Employment Program (sorry, I mean his cabinet nominees), but Betsy DeVos is different.

She is dangerously incompetent - so much so that two Republican senators have committed to break with party lines and vote against her and someone (probably her) has resorted to paying strangers to spam senators with phony letters of support. Basically, her primary qualification is that she's a prominent conservative donor.

If that's not okay with you, it's time to act.

Reject pay-to-play. Stand up for the rights of disabled students. Protect education for our children and for our teachers. Even if you're not a big politics person, it's super easy and will take you five minutes or less. Let's fight together!

Go to 5calls.org, enter your zip code, pick your priority issue (DeVos' confirmation, in this case) and it'll give you step by step instructions for what to do next. It's very likely that your senators' mailboxes will be full because they are wimpy cowards that have no idea what to do when their constituents try and hold them accountable - google their website and submit a contact form (feel free to keep it super short and sweet).

The vote is tomorrow at noon. It's more than likely that her confirmation will go through and you'll have wasted five minutes. But at least it's a better way to spend your time than like, responding to hashtag.

 

[Ishmael]

The senate is one vote away from blocking Betsy DeVos' appointment. It's no secret that I am no fan of our president and his Goldman Sachs Alumni Employment Program (sorry, I mean his cabinet nominees), but Betsy DeVos is different.

She is dangerously incompetent - so much so that two Republican senators have committed to break with party lines and vote against her and someone (probably her) has resorted to paying strangers to spam senators with phony letters of support. Basically, her primary qualification is that she's a prominent conservative donor.

If that's not okay with you, it's time to act.

Reject pay-to-play. Stand up for the rights of disabled students. Protect education for our children and for our teachers. Even if you're not a big politics person, it's super easy and will take you five minutes or less. Let's fight together!

Go to 5calls.org, enter your zip code, pick your priority issue (DeVos' confirmation, in this case) and it'll give you step by step instructions for what to do next. It's very likely that your senators' mailboxes will be full because they are wimpy cowards that have no idea what to do when their constituents try and hold them accountable - google their website and submit a contact form (feel free to keep it super short and sweet).

The vote is tomorrow at noon. It's more than likely that her confirmation will go through and you'll have wasted five minutes. But at least it's a better way to spend your time than like, responding to hashtag.

Ahhh, but along comes Pence.

The time to break the back of the teachers unions is LONG over due.

Ishmael

 

[Phelia]

Ahhh, but along comes Pence.

The time to break the back of the teachers unions is LONG over due.

Ishmael

Uh, the whole point is to sway one more R sen so the Mike Pence tie-breaking vote isn't a thing.

But thanks for stopping by to share your garbage opinion!

 

[Ishmael]

Uh, the whole point is to sway one more R sen so the Mike Pence tie-breaking vote isn't a thing.

But thanks for stopping by to share your garbage opinion!

Well, let's see how that works out. I just can't see Trump backing down even if he losses this one. I can see a 'recess appointment' in the wind in that instance.

US public education is shit, it has been for damn near 40 years now. While there some outstanding individual teachers out there, for the most part they are the dregs of college 'educational mill.'

Education majors have the lowest SAT scores of ALL of the 4 year degree programs and those that choose to pursue the field further have the lowest GRE scores. We have the bottom of the barrel teaching our children and the results show it.

The argument I consistently hear is "pay us more and things will get better." Really? Why would I want to give a failing employee a raise? The kindest thing I can do for them, and the rest of the employees that are actually turning out a superior product, is to can their ass and give the money to the achievers.

Ishmael

 

[Phelia]

Well, let's see how that works out. I just can't see Trump backing down even if he losses this one. I can see a 'recess appointment' in the wind in that instance.

US public education is shit, it has been for damn near 40 years now. While there some outstanding individual teachers out there, for the most part they are the dregs of college 'educational mill.'

Education majors have the lowest SAT scores of ALL of the 4 year degree programs and those that choose to pursue the field further have the lowest GRE scores. We have the bottom of the barrel teaching our children and the results show it.

The argument I consistently hear is "pay us more and things will get better." Really? Why would I want to give a failing employee a raise? The kindest thing I can do for them, and the rest of the employees that are actually turning out a superior product, is to can their ass and give the money to the achievers.

Ishmael

Are you drunk, bud? Or just feelin' kinda lazy and not into reading shit? I said in the plainest possible English that the block attempt will likely fail. I mean, yeah, I agree that Trump would probably throw a tantrum if she's blocked, because he's a thin-skinned manbaby. I don't think the administration would be willing to fall on a sword for DeVos, though. It's generally accepted that her hearing performance was fairly abysmal and there are bigger fish (Sessions, SC nom) to protect from frying.

Anyway, I'm not going to respond to the rest of your post. This is not your bully pulpit, and you do not get to skim the headline, storm in, and default to your favorite talking points. If you care to pay me the basic respect of actually fucking reading what I write in the future, I will happily discuss my perspective, which is heavily informed by my mother, an engineering PhD who's taught at both charter and public schools for almost 15 years out of pure passion for math and for her students. I think you'd enjoy and agree with a lot of what she has to say, and benefit from a vantage that's far better-informed and more nuanced than yours.

 

[Ishmael]

Are you drunk, bud? Or just feelin' kinda lazy and not into reading shit? I said in the plainest possible English that the block attempt will likely fail. I mean, yeah, I agree that Trump would probably throw a tantrum if she's blocked, because he's a thin-skinned manbaby. I don't think the administration would be willing to fall on a sword for DeVos, though. It's generally accepted that her hearing performance was fairly abysmal and there are bigger fish (Sessions, SC nom) to protect from frying.

Anyway, I'm not going to respond to the rest of your post. This is not your bully pulpit, and you do not get to skim the headline, storm in, and default to your favorite talking points. If you care to pay me the basic respect of actually fucking reading what I write in the future, I will happily discuss my perspective, which is heavily informed by my mother, an engineering PhD who's taught at both charter and public schools for almost 15 years out of pure passion for math and for her students. I think you'd enjoy and agree with a lot of what she has to say, and benefit from a vantage that's far better-informed and more nuanced than yours.

Facts aren't "bully pulpit", they just are.

I paid you the respect of not going fucking ape shit peppering my posts with gutter language in an attempt to emphasize some emotional overload, feigned or not.

I hit you with facts and in return you use your assumption that I'm 'drunk' to avoid having to answer. Is reality so difficult for you?

And 'yes,' I read and understood the last sentence of your post. If you have resigned yourself to her appointment why the angst? Why the solicitation for petition signatures?

Where's your dog in this fight? What's your stake in the game? Fear of change? Do you have the ability to articulate your opposition other than generalizations with ample profane invective's?

I fully understand that she's a threat to the whole 'tenure' system that has been shoved down the public's throat. I understand how the 'contract' system works and how it's used to make sure that only the most dedicated of teachers are in the bottom performing schools.

Just to throw out a few more "inconvenient" facts, did you know that only 27% of black males graduate high school?

Did you know that the majority of the black parents want a voucher system?

Given the facts, observable and measurable, how can you possibly defend the status quo and still have the temerity to proclaim "it's for the children?"

Ishmael

 

[JawnKarTurr]

How about getting rid of the department of education.

 

[Phelia]

Facts aren't "bully pulpit", they just are.

I paid you the respect of not going fucking ape shit peppering my posts with gutter language in an attempt to emphasize some emotional overload, feigned or not.

I hit you with facts and in return you use your assumption that I'm 'drunk' to avoid having to answer. Is reality so difficult for you?

And 'yes,' I read and understood the last sentence of your post. If you have resigned yourself to her appointment why the angst? Why the solicitation for petition signatures?

Where's your dog in this fight? What's your stake in the game? Fear of change? Do you have the ability to articulate your opposition other than generalizations with ample profane invective's?

I fully understand that she's a threat to the whole 'tenure' system that has been shoved down the public's throat. I understand how the 'contract' system works and how it's used to make sure that only the most dedicated of teachers are in the bottom performing schools.

Just to throw out a few more "inconvenient" facts, did you know that only 27% of black males graduate high school?

Did you know that the majority of the black parents want a voucher system?

Given the facts, observable and measurable, how can you possibly defend the status quo and still have the temerity to proclaim "it's for the children?"

Ishmael

Oh, fuck! I'm so sorry my two swears hurt your feelings!!!!!

Tell you what. Find a single piece of corroborating evidence for this alternative fact:

did you know that only 27% of black males graduate high school?

And I'll declare you official thread winner!

p.s. you are drunk though, right?

 

[IrezumiKiss]

Anyway, I'm not going to respond to the rest of your post. This is not your bully pulpit, and you do not get to skim the headline, storm in, and default to your favorite talking points. If you care to pay me the basic respect of actually fucking reading what I write in the future, I will happily discuss my perspective, which is heavily informed by my mother, an engineering PhD who's taught at both charter and public schools for almost 15 years out of pure passion for math and for her students. I think you'd enjoy and agree with a lot of what she has to say, and benefit from a vantage that's far better-informed and more nuanced than yours.

*reads Phelia's supreme bitch slap*

https://media1.popsugar-assets.com/files/thumbor/v9GUzjKY1DttHhTbvUZI1q0BJZI/fit-in/1024x1024/filters:format_auto-!!-:strip_icc-!!-/2015/12/15/832/n/1922398/43190c46410a3dee_giphy/i/Happening-Sip.gif

http://media.tumblr.com/c07e74ef91e0afd40c7aacd9fc640121/tumblr_inline_nkm9gbWTop1rna76x.gif

Jyeezus fuck, Phelia...marry me. Ah'll do anything! Relinquish my worldly possessions unto Buddha, start a fourth party system, realize the theory of unified physics, terraform the goddamn moon, even! Ah sweah!

Oh...did y'all notice how Fishy Ishy tossed out those "stats" on black males & parents as distractive deflector chaff against his chagrin because whiteness? Well, that's what it always does when you hold up a mirror to it and it can't stand the vampire reflection!

http://media.tumblr.com/4ef9747ad303e41cb58915e1e7e4156d/tumblr_inline_ni930ckwwn1rna76x.gif

 

[Phelia]

Jyeezus fuck, Phelia...marry me. Ah'll do anything! Relinquish my worldly possessions unto Buddha, start a fourth party system, realize the theory of unified physics, terraform the goddamn moon, even! Ah sweah!

Oh...did y'all notice how Fishy Ishy tossed out those "stats" on black males & parents as distractive deflector chaff against his chagrin because whiteness? Well, that's what it always does when you hold up a mirror to it and it can't stand the vampire reflection!

Moon physics!!!! I accept! I accept!

That was some A+ flailing alright.

http://media0.giphy.com/media/l41YleLHixOeCWNe8/giphy.gif

"Riddle me this, bitch: if you're such a good little liberal, how come I'm one pulling racist bullshit out of my ass? Huh???"

 

[OldJourno]

You've truly got to admire the Democrats in the Senate who are willing to take up the fight to insure poor young children are trapped in failing public schools.

 

[Ishmael]

Oh, fuck! I'm so sorry my two swears hurt your feelings!!!!!

Tell you what. Find a single piece of corroborating evidence for this alternative fact:



And I'll declare you official thread winner!

p.s. you are drunk though, right?

You win on that one, the black male graduation rate is an astounding 47% (not factoring in dropouts). Headline worthy to be sure.

Ishmael

 

[IrezumiKiss]

Moon physics!!!! I accept! I accept!

That was some A+ flailing alright.

http://media0.giphy.com/media/l41YleLHixOeCWNe8/giphy.gif

"Riddle me this, bitch: if you're such a good little liberal, how come I'm one pulling racist bullshit out of my ass? Huh???"

I'm eternally loving how it's always a direct "let's go to see how the black kids/people/whatever are doing" segue'd reply with these 24-hour sucker schmucks as if white children are all progressing, matriculating and graduating every level of schooling en masse with no issues or problems whatsoever! Like life is a fucking Leave It To Beaver episode with them.

*cue up meth/heroin addictions, prostitution, declining literacy rates, lack of opportunity, single-parent households, welfare parentage and other disaffected caucasian youth problems in greater (mostly red state) 'Murica*

Always crying to the "liberal" side about making every little thing about "race," but...yeah, here you go!

http://cdn.playbuzz.com/cdn/6c0298f4-5e1e-4da8-826b-41333e99e902/e709248b-ff13-43da-8ef4-45dd45b205d8.gif

 

[Libsam]

Moon physics!!!! I accept! I accept!

That was some A+ flailing alright.

Do you work in education?

 

[Phelia]

You've truly got to admire the Democrats in the Senate who are willing to take up the fight to insure poor young children are trapped in failing public schools.

*ensure

If only you'd had a voucher!

You win on that one, the black male graduation rate is an astounding 47% (not factoring in dropouts). Headline worthy to be sure.

Ishmael

I do appreciate your following up on this. Because this is going to be very, very fun for me

Shall we go double or nothing? Post your evidence for the 47% figure, now. And remember, 2011 ≠ 2016.

Don't worry if you can't - the important thing is that you've just insisted upon high school graduation rate as a success metric, which hit record highs under Obama and his appointees, despite a reduced state spend per student post-recession.

But if you're really so troubled about black male graduation rates specifically (because you're so committed to equality), I want to make sure I'm addressing your concerns. So let's look at these 2012-2013 #s from Schott stats (the most recent I could find). According to edchoice (pro-school choice org), there are 14 states with voucher programs, like the ones Betsy DeVos advocates. Of the 10 states with the highest black male graduation rates, 1 of 10 have voucher programers. Of the 10 states with the lowest, 5 of 10.

Wouldn't that make Betsy DeVos and her support of the voucher program...an ill-suited appointment, based on your criteria for success?

Oof! Talk about inconvenient. Luckily, I included some easy steps you can take to try and fight her appointment in my OP.

p.s. you are a racist.

I'm eternally loving how it's always a direct "let's go to see how the black kids/people/whatever are doing" segue'd reply with these 24-hour sucker schmucks as if white children are all progressing, matriculating and graduating every level of schooling en masse with no issues or problems whatsoever! Like life is a fucking Leave It To Beaver episode with them.

*cue up meth/heroin addictions, prostitution, declining literacy rates, lack of opportunity, single-parent households, welfare parentage and other disaffected caucasian youth problems in greater (mostly red state) 'Murica*

Always crying to the "liberal" side about making every little thing about "race," but...yeah, here you go!

http://cdn.playbuzz.com/cdn/6c0298f4-5e1e-4da8-826b-41333e99e902/e709248b-ff13-43da-8ef4-45dd45b205d8.gif

But it's cultural! Just look at the hard working orientals. That's why all teachers need guns - to fight the racist grizzly bears.

Do you work in education?

Nope! My turn: do you have a point?

 

[lovetoread]

oh geez, woman now you've done it

posted words and facts 'n stuff

ya'll know its not allowed

 

[Phelia]

oh geez, woman now you've done it

posted words and facts 'n stuff

ya'll know its not allowed

*pussy hat*

http://i.imgur.com/yUd6FR0.gif

 

[NOIRTRASH]

Well, let's see how that works out. I just can't see Trump backing down even if he losses this one. I can see a 'recess appointment' in the wind in that instance.

US public education is shit, it has been for damn near 40 years now. While there some outstanding individual teachers out there, for the most part they are the dregs of college 'educational mill.'

Education majors have the lowest SAT scores of ALL of the 4 year degree programs and those that choose to pursue the field further have the lowest GRE scores. We have the bottom of the barrel teaching our children and the results show it.

The argument I consistently hear is "pay us more and things will get better." Really? Why would I want to give a failing employee a raise? The kindest thing I can do for them, and the rest of the employees that are actually turning out a superior product, is to can their ass and give the money to the achievers.

Ishmael

This is all true. I needed 1200 GRE to get in grad school, the teacher college asked for 800. The education college offered the voc-eval courses I needed, and they were easy. No papers, no exams. Just show up.

Average teacher pay in my county is 10K more than average cop pay.

 

[Saint Peter]

Betsy DeVos can sure shake the funpatties!

*pussy hat*

http://i.imgur.com/yUd6FR0.gif

 

[about_average]

She's also a very strong supporter of tax dollars going to religious schools.
We need even more people to learn how evolution is "just a theory".

If she's confirmed and gets her agenda put in place I'll laugh my ass off at the people who backed her freaking out about tax dollars going to Quran based schools.

Education majors have the lowest SAT scores of ALL of the 4 year degree programs and those that choose to pursue the field further have the lowest GRE scores. We have the bottom of the barrel teaching our children and the results show it.

Assuming your random stats are accurate (you don't provide any evidence they are), I suppose that couldn't possibly have anything to do with the shit pay teachers get, could it?

 

[Libsam]

Do you work in education?

Nope! My turn: do you have a point?

I thought I'd ask before her support of common core was brought up.
If you worked in education I'd give your opinion on common core it a bit more weight.

Just so you know, I have mixed feeling about her. Trump talked about dismantling the department of education and he also talked about what a disaster common core was. It does seem like an odd choice... or maybe he is putting her in place so she wont stand in the way?

 

[4est_4est_Gump]

Ahhh, but along comes Pence.

The time to break the back of the teachers unions is LONG over due.

Ishmael

Eight years ago, qualifications or money did not matter at all. The plaintive wail was, the President deserves his picks, he won, elections have consequences! And you are right. This is about protecting teachers, even those in failing schools, because they, too, are reliable donors and voters.

This is also a woman who has put her money where her mouth is when it comes to promoting alternative education. That part has been completely glossed over.

There is a palpable fear here that the other team might actually improve the system.

It's not about the children...,



... it's about the party.

 

[butters]

oh geez, woman now you've done it

posted words and facts 'n stuff

ya'll know its not allowed

oh geez, i'm still waitin' for a mansplainin' so i can begin to understand just how much i'm not cut out to be able to understand - 'cos gender, right?
*twirls hair*

 

[FeeNicks]

^^^buncha crazed cunts

 

[BoyNextDoor]

Eighteen minutes and twelve seconds on Charter Schools that is worth the watch Vouchers and Charter schools are like the current prison system in that they are too prone to abuse and become the worst crony capitalism sort of arrangement there can be.

That said, the Feds should get out of the business of having an Education Sec at the Cabinet level. It has only been since 1980 that the post has been Cabinet level and it really does not seem to be useful because you get one size fits all policies that while well intended seem to be expensive failures.

Give it back to the states to administer and set policy and let local control win out. If that is what the end goal of putting Betsy Dipshit in the role is then I don't agree with the method but at least the policy goal is reasonable. However I do not think that is her or #TheOrangutangs motive. They are looking to set policy at the federal level and push for privatized/crony capitalism Vouchers and Charter schools for all and that is BAD education policy for the US and for that reason her appointment should be rejected.

Give control back to the States.