Cracking the Education Monopoly: Los Angeles parents demand choice - and get it.

[felpaluche]

parents must be forceful for the children's good.

[aweinsto]

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[hyetalian1]

You think those teachers would work harder to keep kids from leaving their schools by becoming better teachers instead of try to pass legislation that will prevent them from moving to other schools thus giving teachers no incentive to improve themselves.

[kwtulloss]

Hey that's my pastor in this video, Pastor K.W. Tulloss! What a leader for the people. It's my child and my choice.

[147baller]

I have one question...how does the special education fit into these charter schools??? Oh wait...they don't! Again, segregation!

[umrmecheman]

this is one of the best areas for the GOP to win over blacks. they aren't beholden to the teacher's unions that have failed so many minorities. the charters in DC are yielding fantastic results especially for hispanics and blacks.

[Questfortruth86]

Without school competition, the poor will forever remain poor.

[jerrysmith29]

Union is mafia working for their own interests

[jdmac4]

Unions take money from the poor and set up systems in which the select few with connections get the greatest benefits while the rank and file pay for corporate lobbyist and democratic and republican campaigns.

It is theft for an entity outside of the government to have the right to take your money without your choice.

The teachers who actually care about the kids more than their union bosses should go on strike against their union.

[chenieee]

The teachers union is more concerned in keeping rather than doing there job.When you have a goverment employee union you have a goverment serving itself in lieu of serving the people a blantant conflict of intreast at best!

[bittergunowner12]

Unions= Full of shit.

[b07rivera]

Hey Unions, It's the United States of America, It's not the Union States of America.

You have the right to oppose, but we True Americans have the Right to tell you to shut the fuck up man.

God forgive me for cussing and bless this nation.

[ecawildcats123]

Privatization is the way to go! Win for the citizens!

[putittogether]

These teachers in the teachers union make me sick, SELFISH SELFISH SELFISH. Pigs, they are pigs nothing more,

And I tell public school teachers in the unions that every time I see them. You should too. They should resign from the union, and resign from their school if they cant teach with out being in the union.

But to stand on the teachers union side....ITS Sicking, they are weak, petty, greedy, selfish, intentionally hurtful to children, they worst kind of humans.

I have to vomit now.

[picapauengracado]

Sadly the saying that the power is in the numbers is false. As the teachers union shows, a concentrated interest group is more informed about what bureaucrats are up to and is better able to mobilize their people than the public at large. I'm glad these parents managed to break the odds and make their voices heard.

[dela5150]

@putittogether ...it's pretty apparent that you're not mentally stable. Unfortunately that's not always clear to everyone who may possibly lend an ear to your ignorant ramblings. Educate yourself before you fly off the handle. ...and don't forget to take your meds!

[TheAtomicpope]

Unions are the WORST thing to happen since Merchant Guilds. They're practically the same.

[mammuru]

I can't agree more! Unions are corrupt profiting machines that favors one group over the other by getting legal force on their side.

[cerebus2099]

It's always the union, eh Reason.

[whoo689]

Teachers' unions are some of the most selfish workers on the planet. God, I cannot believe how many silly rules they've imposed on administrators of traditional public schools when it comes to firing bad teachers! It's almost impossible to get rid of those people. This is exactly why gov't should stay out of education as much as possible and let the people control it.

What I would like to see is a competitive, nationwide education market similar to that for colleges in this country.

[whoo689]

The UTLA woman claims "we have lots of choices." Well, then... WHERE ARE THEY?? Obviously they don't exist.

[whoo689]

Those who say it can't be done obviously do not know American history. We CAN marketize and decentralize education and bring it back to the way it once was when public schools could actually teach students effectively. It will just take some time. There was NO justification for federal education mandates, esp. the DOE, in the 50s, 60s and 70s, and there is none today. Kids were actually MUCH better educated back then.

[charleshoskinson]

They just make noise. No real value behind what they are saying. If a parent can choose a difference school, then they will choose the best one for their child. It's a fucking joke to consider a monopoly.

[whoo689]

How the hell can "freedom of choice" be "the worst" phrase in this debate?? Seriously? It's the best! Freedom is much more important than teachers' unions and monopolies.

[whoo689]

THIS is real education reform! Fuck Newt Gingrich, Al Sharpton and Arne Duncan and their "national education tour." While they're wasting time visiting schools and just talking to people, people like these parents are DOING SOMETHING about it! And besides, why the hell would you team up with the FEDERAL Education Sec. for "school reform"? The guy obviously is not gonna do anything that jeopardizes his cnotrol over education. I mean, come on!

[whoo689]

That one woman is a MORON:

a) "freedom of choice" is THREE words, not one

b) When did segregationists give a damn about freedom of choice, esp. for blacks? Segregation LIMITED CHOICES!

c) And what standard or poll claims it was "their favorite phrase"?

[smk417]

Teachers unions are the problem. If you need proof look at Fairfax county. It has some of the best schools and highest test scores in the nation, and unlike LA county there is no teachers union. If you look at who is really fighting changes in the schools its the teachers and administrators who gain from maintaining the status quo.

[MortuusTyrannus]

100% correct.

[THAWK3]

Bravo Sir.

[mooresci]

If they take public money, they are accountable to the taxpayers. I've been a public school teacher for 21 years, and we are always held accountable to our parents.

[mooresci]

First of all, charter schools are paid for with public money. We have done charter schools in Texas for quite some time. Some of them work, and some of them are run by people who line their own pockets with state funds and don't teach kids anything. If you're going to have charter schools, you have to hold them accountable!!! Make them take the tests, measure their drop out and attendance rates, etc., then publish the information.

[mwangolatrue]

The difference is that Charter schools are accountable to the parents, while public schools are accoutable the bueraucray, just not to argue about the bureaucracy efficiency

[PEinHK]

Great news - kudos to those parents.

[boxant]

Great news for those parents and kids!

Nice to see some people actually overcome the teachers union.

[chaugnar]

Capitalism diversifies power until someone with more money that you comes along and gets to make new rules that benefit them and not you.

[THAWK3]

Only because the "State" exists.Who makes it a "Corporation" and gives it limited liablity to make gigantic profits,to then turn around and make sure those profits go back to the ones who regulate the market ("Laws")and take over any competition the govt. doesn't have it's money invested in.

Without govt. there would be no Inc. or "Corporations",but men and women providing a service in a real free market without violent coercion.

[FatherTime89]

what do you mean by new rules?

[CjAz91]

Its about money.

[loymonteiro]

im confused as to why people are opposing parents to have a choice as to which schools they send their kids to-am i missing something?? is competition within our educational system a bad thing?? I believe it to be absolutely necessary..

[lambedan]

A lot of the people opposing the parents choice are the ones who would be competing. It seems they are afraid of competition. That should really stand for something.

[yammyspeed13]

Personal freedom rocks!!!

[aidengregg]

"Capitalism is inherently incompatible with democracy."

Strange that you get just as many good examples of tyranny under communism and socialism then, isn't it?

[MrMincer]

I will admit here and now that a world that is half capitalism, half communism won't work.

I propose global socialism/communism, therefore your argument is not one against my position.

[MrMincer]

fuck capitalism

fuck concentration of power

[monkeyfire087]

my your a bright one aren't you

[MrMincer]

i hope i am, at least i try my best

[dpiddy022]

I think you mean "fuck corporatism' or "fuck mercantilism" because capitalism is all about un-concentrating power

[MrMincer]

no. it's not.

democracy is about un-concentrating power. capitalism is inherently incompatible with democracy.

also, corporatism is a neccesary outcome of a freemarket + property rights; it's what capitalism DOES.

the capitalism where power isn't concentrated (when everyone owns more or less equal amount of property) is a downright myth; it never existed and will never exist because it is impossible.

even if it occured (somehow...) it would be a very unstable situation.

[DNATS]

I think you got it the other way around. Capitalism diversity power, freedom to buy the best value commodities and services.

Public school is a monopolized and concentrated power, run by the gov and directed by the union. There's no competition in such that system and no innovation.

Thanks God the LA people got what they wanted. If the people has spoken, that's Democracy for you.

[DNATS]

corrected "diversify power"

[787Bisurdaddy]

Public schools, by definition, are not a choice. Whether you use them or not, you are paying to use them. Education would be a lot cheaper, and higher quality, if the state didn't get involved in education (of course, the same goes for everything else the state is involved in).

[AustinW90]

Fuck unions.

[mike1111qq]

get the federal government and the unions out of schools....LOCAL KNOWS WHAT LOCAL NEEDS.....

[fomastephanovitch]

Imagine going into the public sector with the intention of stifling other peoples' decision making!

You'd have to be such a cretin!

Decent people with good intentions could never survive in a government department.

[VonHOG]

I'm not sure why libertarians would be proud of this. The kids are wearing uniforms, it's still against the law for your kid not to be in school, it's still publicly funded, and some other pety stuff that libertarians nit pick.

[monkeyfire087]

We are happy because it is a big step in the right direction

[truthsabre7]

Choice to kill your unborn child.

No choice to educate your child.

[sofiamarmeladova]

"...these are our kids that we love. We don't have forever to wait."

Why not homeschool your kids? I promise you that homeschooling will provide your kids with the individualized attention that absolutely NO public school can ever reasonably give! Not to mention your kids won't be learning to sing worship songs for that obama president guy if you homeschool them!

[ALittleBitPregnant]

Power to the people!

[capitalist4life]

That is such a small step, but it's in the right direction.

[mmsayre]

choice is racist...did't you know?

[ls1z28chris]

Check out a book called White Flight. I bought a used copy a while back as I live in Atlanta and was interested in how it came to be such an example of suburban sprawl. The entire thesis of the book is that the fight against the civil rights movement among poor, racist whites in Atlanta is what birthed the individual liberty and freedom movements.

Complete and utter revisionist history nonsense, but this is probably the type of "history" referred to by the racist union rep.

[mmsayre]

I just thought it was funny for her to make a connection between favoring choice in education to the choice of segregating the old south. She really has to bend over backwards to characterize charter schools as a racist idea.

"you know, the nazis had pieces of flare that they made the jews wear." -Peter

[davidngo4415]

Wahoooo!!!

[NoEoAoRo]

This is true change you can believe in!

[NoEoAoRo]

LOL at the woman who tried to label the resolution "segregationist." When will political hacks learn that people see through the bullshit that is the race card, and that invocations of racism have rendered the term meaningless?

[NoEoAoRo]

Take that union hacks! Your jobs aren't 100% secure any more! This is only the beginning!

[FearsEdge]

It's funny how much the people who have the monopoly on education do not even disguise their hatred of competition and accountability. They are just interested in maintaining their chokehold to line their own pockets.

[Jaspian]

YAY CHARTERS!! -^.^-

[geezerbut]

That sorry-ass lady at :48 must be the Obama no gas, no mortgage woman's mother.

[samuils]

Now thats what I call progress. Much love to the parents

[MarcusCMarcellus]

I am, of course, very much in favor of market forces. I work in private equity for goodness sake! But the doctrinaire, fundamentalist libertarianism of Reason Mag is completely impoverished. It takes for granted the existence of a stable nation-state and then seeks to dismantle all the preconditions to its existence, e.g. it encourages open borders. At heart, it is just another form of liberalism: relativistic and amoral, it ignores the distinctiveness of the people who form the society.

[stick1to2the3issue]

Isn't it just that Reason favors individual liberty over mob rule (unbridled democracy)?

[MarcusCMarcellus]

I'm done wasting my time with Fundamentalists. There is nothing in the two comments I wrote that indicate I support mob rule. My words here are pearls before swine.

[stick1to2the3issue]

The founding fathers of this country valued the rights of the individual ahead of the collective or greater good. If you're calling them swine then it is I who does not wish to waste any more pearls!

[cgraham1930]

how dare people oppose under-performing schools. can't you see those poor, suffering teacher's union members? they might actually have to do a decent job if they plan to keep a paycheck. HOW DARE YOU!!!!!!!!!

[chaps666]

Isn't it odd, that teachers and their unions, who are overwhelmingly democrats would be against freedom of choice?

Yes, Virginia, I was being sarcastic..

[shampoovta]

I work in a Ca. school and I say give them what they want.

they should have a right to choose.

[hiphoprepublican]

Great Video....awsome makes me wanna cry

[justonefirefly1]

They have freedom of choice - anyone can send their children to catholic schools - you just have to pay.

[hostiliscivitas]

But they're also FORCED to pay taxes to support a public school system that they do not want theri kids to attend.

Real choice is tax credits for people who chose private schools!

[justonefirefly1]

I am forced to pay taxes that pay for viagra for old men on medicare. Is that fair? I went to catholic schools and I was allowed in high school to work off my tuition. Fix the public system. It is not that hard to do just bounce out half that deadwood do nothing administration.

[Mauhadeeb28]

Your taxes also go to giving Viagra to people with AIDS. Should we really be promoting the spread of AIDS like this? And we thought the government wanted to find a cure.... LOLOLOL

[ic300x]

they dont care as long as you:

-die before you can claim social security

-get a diesese or a life threatning illness

[justonefirefly1]

Are you telling me that there are a bunch of old people on medicare with aids taking viagra? Drug companies do not want a cure - only a continued reliance on them so they can take all your money and all your families money.

[XCritonX]

Drug companies may want that. But as long as capitalism is at work in America they will have to compete with each other. If someone comes up with a better solution or cure than you they will put you out of business.

Instead of belly aching why don't you get involved in medical research? Do you have 50 million to invest in a drug that may or may not get governmental approval? Instead of mindlessly spouting off stupid catch phrases try to be a part of the solution.

Less government = more solutions

[Mauhadeeb28]

Indeed I am, sir. I worked for a HIV clinic while in college and 1 of the top 20 prescriptions filled were Viagra. Not just the elderly with HIV were getting the drug, men as young as 25 were on it. I think it is despicable the way they spend our money.

[scott01019]

wow teachers unions are so pathetic. they care nothing about education. it's sad.

[Betty5150]

The school system is screwed. Believe me, I'm 15. My school had violence sex and drugs everywhere. And my school was one of the best in the state. So I started getting home-schooled, because I literally wasn't learning anything, and I come into homeschooling, and I've literally learned 10x more in one day, then in 2 weeks in that school. And the Department of Education pays how much for each student in school? 800 dollars? I think it's a far worse number then that though.

[elegantmoose]

Thousands of dollars

[UberSciFiNerd]

awesome!! choice ftw

[enotdetcelfer]

Power to the customer, Capitalism ftw.

[SDNihil1]

We need vouchers and private schools rather than the indoctorination of public schools and their forcing of political agendas down our throats. See the indoctornation of those kids in America singing songs to Obama. 1st of, Obama is racist against whites. 2nd I'm not cus I wanted Keyes to win over Bush. 3rd Obama is worse than Carter. The mainstream media is practicing journalistic suicide by continuing to use the race card. Many in power are noobs. I'm a 9/12 ralllier.

[MengersDisciple]

@1:38

Because she does not like charters, parent should be FORCED to send their kids to worthless publik skools??

How in the world could the teachers union justify this coercion? It is so clear they are only trying to save their worthless parasitic existence.

[snowcloud]

This is a great story. We need to do away with all teacher's unions. They have ruined education.

[soundmoneyfan]

ahhh, what it grow! the seed of libertarianism have been planted. when these 250 schools start kicking the ass of the public schools we will have another sucess story to point to!! the unions are so bad for our kids

[AverageJoe8686]

And now...on to Massachusetts the Charter Viking Raiders should set sail!

Massachusetts is in some real deep trouble regarding education. The only good schools and colleges around here are the private ones, ie MIT, Harvard, etc..

Ask any kid in public schools here, they best thing they got out of those places are cheap drug connections.

[Nexus974]

Don't you just love how that union thug tried to equate freedom of choice with racism?

[666Qtip666]

well thats a small start, now we need to push for full privatization of all schools. damn these parasitic teachers unions

[MarcusCMarcellus]

Public or private, these low IQ minorities will always underachieve. They're just intellectually and culturally inferior, period. It's like an achor around the neck of America. Public schools in New Hampshire, Vermont, Montana...are doing very well, thank you. The Jeffersonian notion that schools would imbued kids with a sense of civic duty, something unknown to Reason Mag-Ayn Rand types who see man as an atom, works well if and only if there is a civil society. "Diversity" destroys that.

[NAGGERNUTZ]

I'm not agreeing or disagreeing, but I thought it was interesting to note that the Secretary of HEW under the Clinton administration said: America's education system trails the world because our standard of education has been lowered to allow minorities to compete.

[corenothing]

This is awesome, thanks for reporting

[QuartuvLarry]

Oh no! Those poor union racketeers!

[Vodka2389]

Privatize all fuckin education.

[buckiemohawk]

Our public school's have been performing so poorly for so long and these thugs unions don't do anything charter schools work

[hoppinglark]

This happend in California?

I think there is hope after all...

[yoshi3329]

ALL RIGHT! I'm so HAPPY FOR THEM!

[rrush2214]

omg those fucking union members are ridicules... if someone wants to spend the extra money to send their child to a charter school what argument could you have against that?

[SHMUJEW]

I see that G$% Dammed hippie goldberg woman in the video ....that savage beastlord destroyed america

[Krampfarsch]

reasontv rocks!

[standj21]

Wow I'm grinning ear to ear now!!! That's fantastic!!!

I would have loved to have seen the look on those union Butthole's faces after it passed.

[MagnusIan]

This is fantastic news. It's insane how these unions claim that they have "innovative programs" to help students, but where exactly is their evidence that these programs work? THEY DON'T WORK AT ALL. If throwing more money and more programs at a school district worked, we wouldn't have such a shit educational system. Privatization leads to innovation.

[theaaroneason]

An overdue change of pace!

[donotswallow]

Awesome!  It's disgusting how union members put themselves before the kids.

[Raycheetah]

Love the commentator at 0:48, demonizing the phrase "freedom of choice" because someone else used it in a negative context. Guess I'll have to stop saying "Yes we can" when replying in the affirmative to a query about a group effort. =0[.]o=

[LeGioNoFZioN]

congratulations, wonderful news. Keep up the excellent work.

[andristic]

wow i want to see how they turn out!