6/28/2006

100 Percent Solution -- Who Signed, Who Didn't

Remember the episode of the "West Wing" where the staffers slowly find out who's on the VIP emergency evacuation list and who isn't? That's the thought that came to mind when I started looking at the list of who signed and who didn't on this weighted student funding initiative that got rolled out yesterday. Who's on, who's not-- and why? (UPDATED)

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Having gathered signatures for letters like this many times in the past, I'd have to say it's a fairly impressive list -- though I wonder what the pitch letter looked like, and who said no thanks (A 100% Solution Signatories). Send me a copy of the pitch if you have it.

I didn't count but it looks like there are more Rs than Ds -- that's pretty obvious when you lead with somewhat disgraced former Secty Bill Bennett (along with the initiatiative's name a questionable decision, alphabet be damned). But it's not all Republicans. There's former Clintonite John Podesta down there at the bottom of the VIP section. Not to be left out of the center-left think tank game -- someone from the Jefferson Institute and NAF's Mike Dannenberg. Another Clintonite who shows up is Delia Pompa from NCLR.

Mike Casserly signed from Great City Schools -- given how crazy WSF makes school boards, I wonder how it's going to go over with his members when they find out about that (Paul Vallas is the only sitting supt whose name I saw on the list). No Joel Klein (Bloomberg would have killed him), or Arne Duncan (strange since CPS is trying a WSF pilot). No Tom Payzant from Boston -- I bet he declined or wasn't asked.

Assumedly to get the number up to 100, there are lots of repeats -- multiple signatures from the same organization. Russlyn Ali signed from EdTrust West -- and Kati Haycock. Lots of KIPP signatures. Lots of Chartwell signatures from Rod Paige loyalists.

Some notable non-signers: PEN's Wendy Puriefoy, Dianne Piche and/or Bill Taylor from CCCR, Bob Gordon from Brookings or wherever he's from, or any elected officials who are still in office. Checker signs but not Mike P. Rotherham signs but not Toch.

UPDATE: What about Secretary Riley, a number of folks have asked me?
UPDATE 2: Former NC Governor Jim Hunt is/was a Dem.

1 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

This is astounding! It's really about handing schools over to the for-profit groups who will manage all the money, isn't it?

5:21 PM  

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