A Fecal Matter Sandwich

That's what the Obama administration education policy is serving up, according to Jeffbinnc at Open Left.

He has a nice summary of all the recent criticism against the "More and Better Tests!" policy we are getting from the Obama administration and will hear even more about during the State of the Union.

Let's face it - the people pushing the high stakes testing reform movement stand to make billions from the test prep, the test administration and the test creation.

Bill Gates wants more technology in the classroom.

He makes computer software, doesn't he?

Hmmm....

The ed reformers at the Washington Post want students to take high stakes tests several times a year in every subject and hold teachers and schools accountable for those tests.

The Washington Post company owns Kaplan Test Prep company, doesn't it?

Hmmm....

The hedge fund industry is all excited about market-driven reforms that promote non-unionized charters run by for-profit companies or education management organizations beholden to Wall Street.

Goldman Sachs and Warren Buffett are two Wall Streeters with a piece of that action, aren't they?

Hmmm....

Joel Klein and Rupert Murdoch say in order for public education to enter the 21st century, students need to be educated online by computer programs rather than in school buildings by teachers.

Rupert Murduch just bought an online education company that he wants Joel Klein to help run, didn't he?

Hmmm....

The nexus between profit and education reform, or perhaps I should say between corruption and education reform, is pretty clear.

But you want hear any of that from the Education Shyster-in-Chief this week at the SOTU address.

Instead he'll offer some jive about how reform is essential to the economic future of the nation.

And he will be right, sort of - but what he won't be saying is that the economic future he will be talking about is not the nation, but rather the corporate overlords like Gates, Buffett, Goldman Sachs and the other Wall Streeters and hedge fundies who own this country and who satnd to make billions from his policies.