That New York Times sure dropped a snide bomb yesterday on public-school reformers who never happened to attend public schools themselves.
Michael Winerip’s 1,300-word column called out Republicans like Jeb Bush and Mitt Romney; Democrats like President Obama and the late Ted Kennedy; philanthropists like Bill Gates and researchers like Chester Finn; veteran educators like Michelle Rhee and Arne Duncan — each of whom received expensive private-school educations.
The article claims to be agnostic on whether such an experience should disqualify to speak on school reform — but one didn’t have to read between the lines to figure out that the piece couldn’t have been more supportive of the status quo if teachers union uber-honcho Randi Weingarten had written it.
But the “private schoolniks don’t get it” argument tailspins into irrelevance as far as New York City is concerned: Setting aside just-departed Schools Chancellor Cathie Black’s 95-day tenure, public-school reform here has been driven entirely by public-school graduates for the last nine years.
Mayor Mike Bloomberg, former Chancellor Joel Klein and current Chancellor Dennis Walcott are products of the public schools — Bloomberg in Massachusetts and Klein and Walcott right here in New York City.
They were well served by the experience, and want the same for today’s kids.
They want reform.
The Times offers ridicule.
Sad, but true.