Shawgi Tell looks at a New Hampshire proposal that show just how far some privatizers are willing to go.
The chasm between consciousness and anti-consciousness continues to grow in the context of failing economies and failed states at home and abroad. In this fractured and decaying context where the gap between authoritarianism and democracy grows wider with greater speed, every day brings new criminal thinking and agendas masquerading as much-needed innovative ideas and plans.
In the world of K-12 education, the latest neoliberal proposal comes from New Hampshire. Recently, House Majority Leader Jason Osborne, R-Auburn, sponsored House Bill 1358 “which would establish a commission to study converting all public schools to public charter schools.” With no sense of irony, Osborne casually presented his reckless proposal to privatize all public schools as “a stone that could kill a lot of birds.” He even claimed that, “issues over public education funding, escalating property taxes and housing would go away under his proposal.” Such proposals to “study something” over the course of one year are usually a way to open the door to something that has already been decided.
Perhaps more disturbing is the fact that some of the opposition to the elimination of public education comes from confused public education advocates. Thus, for example, the two main concerns raised by Brian Hawkins, National Education Association NH lobbyist, are that “It’s an incredibly short period of time to study such a large issue” and “The commission also lacks educators.” Are these really the main issues at stake? Why not come out and openly declare that the neoliberal proposal to eliminate public education is criminal and unacceptable no matter who is on the commission and how long they have to study such a proposal? Such a proposal is not only flawed in terms of execution, it is also conceptually flawed. It is harmful at all levels. Privatization does not solve problems, it makes them worse.