Dave Grohl Joins TEACHERS ROCK, The Pro-Privatization/Anti-Teachers Union Show On CBS

I found out Dave Grohl signed onto TEACHERS ROCK, the union-bashing, pro-privatization CBS TV special sponsored by Walmart and the makers of union-busting movie "Won't Back Down," Walden Media, that is masquerading as a "celebration" of teachers.

Many of the other names on the list of performers who are there to" honor" teachers - like Meryl Streep, Morgan Freeman, Garth Brooks, and a couple of American Idol winners - I didn't bat an eye at.

Most of these celebrities probably have no idea who or what is backing this "celebration" of teachers. They're probably thinking this is just a nice way to honor people who teach. They're most likely unaware of the politics behind this.

At least one of these celebrities, Meryl Streep, has publicly supported charter schools in the past (see here and here), so she may perhaps know a little more about the politics of charter vs. public school.

After all, when she chose to donate money to a school in Central Falls, Rhode Island in honor of actress Viola Davis (who coincidentally stars in the movie "Won't Back Down"), she chose a charter school, not a traditional public school.

That's an interesting choice she made and says at least a little something about where she's coming from.

But as I say, most of these people probably have no idea how odious this show is to real working teachers, how insulting it is to raise money for Teach for America, an organization that trains people for five weeks to work a couple of years as teachers before moving on to their "real jobs" and call that a "celebration" of teachers, how awful it makes most teachers feel to see celebrities promoting a movie that pushes for private takeovers of public schools.

I am surprised that Grohl is showing up to this thing.

Perhaps I am giving him more credit than he deserves, but he should know better than to support a "celebration" of teachers sponsored by right wing outfits like Walden Media and Walmart.

He didn't just fall off a turnip truck - he should know anything sponsored by Walmart and Walden Media is going to have an anti-union and/or right wing agenda (Jersey Jazzman connects those dots here.)

But since he's signed on to appear at TEACHERS ROCK, it's possible he doesn't.

You can register here at the Foo Fighters forum to express your displeasure with Grohl's decision to appear on a teachers union bashing show masking itself as an appreciation of teachers.

You can also call his manager here: 323-856-8222

Perhaps he is unaware of the politics underlying this "celebration" of teachers that it is meant to highlight TFA, charter school teachers, school choice, and public school privatization in the form of parent trigger laws.

Or perhaps he is totally aware of this and supports these things.

Either way, time to let him know how you feel about it.

Grohl is known as the "nicest guy in rock" - but there's nothing nice about lending his voice to a sham celebration of teachers that is really meant to publicize Walden Media's anti-union, pro-privatization movie.