Deliberate Dumbing Down of America Public Education

297 Corporation (NASDC) and the connections of those involved, also presented new information on vouchers (educational “choice”). The preface is presented below in its entirety: The Noxious Nineties : c. 1992

PREFACE

This paper began as a revision and update of the original article, “$$$ ‘Choice’ For Profit? $$$,” about the Edison Project. Since writing that article, however, the eleven “Design Teams” have been selected by the New American School Development Corporation and the released embargoes received, giving more fodder for grist. To be perfectly honest, some of the connections were just too irresistible to ignore. Each one led to another and this paper has grown like over-leavened dough. The “Design Teams,” new information from America 2000 , proposed legislation, and a little digging in some old files, provided further insight into the voucher proposals. This paper is about vouchers (educational “choice”) as much as anything, but from a different perspective. The Design Teams give you an idea of what kind of “private schools” the vouchers may eventually be used for. For those who received the earlier “Choice for Profit?” article, Appendix A contains additional information on Time-Warner, Benno C. Schmidt and Chester Finn, Jr. The material on James S. Coleman in Appendix B is especially significant. By no means, does this paper cover all connections, or even all the “Design Teams.” We’re sure that those who are left out will not be offended. A chart is enclosed which, hope fully, will help you see some of these connections. As you read this paper, keep in mind that in the beginning of talks on education reform/restructuring, all that citizens were demanding was a return to traditional basics. They wanted their children to be able to read! This writer has, with much difficulty, selected only a few important quotes from Billy Lyon’s report. “With much difficulty” due to the report’s containing nothing but vital infor mation and documentation on a subject which has everything to do with our children’s futures and that of our nation—”choice.” Excerpts from this fine report follow: THE EDISON PROJECT, TIME-WARNER & WHITTLE COMMUNICATIONS: Chris Whittle’s Edison Project is an initiative to build a national, private, for-profit school system. Time-Warner has been not only a full partner in the Edison Project, but owned 50% of Whittle’s principal company, Whittle Communications LP. Other initial Edison Project partners and financiers were Phillips Electronics and Associated Newspapers Holdings, which agreed to spend up to $60 million for the three-year study. Team members of The Edison Project include: Yale University President Benno C. Schmidt, Jr.; Lee Eisenberg, former edi tor-in-chief of Esquire (Whittle was once co-owner); Dominique Browning, former assistant managing editor of Newsweek Magazine ; Vanderbilt University professor and former assistant secretary of education in the Reagan Administration Chester E. Finn, Jr.; and John Chubb of the liberal Brookings Institution and Center for Education Innovation.... NASDC DESIGN TEAMS: NASDC is the private, non-profit corporation set up by American business leaders at the request of President Bush to develop a new generation of American schools by contracting with and supporting the most promising “break the mold,” “start from scratch,” curricula design teams. Even though NASDC is non-profit, the eleven winning design teams are “for profit.” NASDC is part of America 2000 , President Bush’s education restructuring strategy.... Clinton Administration Secretary of Education Richard W. Riley calls NASDC and Goals 2000 ( Educate America Act ), a powerful combination for “change and improvement.” NASDC