'F' FOR BARACK'S SCHOOL FIX

[metta 0]

While much debate has centered on Obama's relationship with Ayers, there's been virtually no discussion about how the Annenberg schools performed.

"Very little of the money found its way directly into the classroom," Vallas said.

'F' FOR BARACK'S SCHOOL FIXChicago's former schools chief has flunked the education foundation headed by Barack Obama and founded by 1960s terrorist Bill Ayers - saying it failed to monitor projects and funded school "reform" groups that campaigned against boosting academic standards.

"There was a total lack of accountability. If you went back and asked, you'd be hard-pressed to find out how the money was spent," said Paul Vallas, the city's school superintendent when Obama chaired the Chicago Annenberg Foundation from 1995 to 1999.

Annenberg spent $49.5 million, mostly on grants to 211 public schools that partnered with community-based groups. But despite collecting millions, those schools performed no better than other public schools, a study found.

Ayers, a professor of education at the University of Illinois and an ex-Weather Underground bomber, wrote the grant that won the Windy City funding from the national Annenberg Challenge. He was a key adviser to the Chicago Annenberg board.

While much debate has centered on Obama's relationship with Ayers, there's been virtually no discussion about how the Annenberg schools performed.

"Very little of the money found its way directly into the classroom," Vallas said.

Most frustrating, Vallas said, was that Annenberg under Obama and Ayers funded groups that fought his mission, under Mayor Richard Daley, to impose uniform standards and stricter accountability in low-performing schools.

Many of Vallas' goals were later adopted by Mayor Bloomberg in Big Apple schools.

"Many of the school-reform groups viewed greater accountability as an infringement of local control. Some opposed ending social promotion and grade retention," Vallas said.

Obama defended the foundation's performance, saying it dispensed its funds to help struggling programs and train teachers.

Edited October 20, 2008 by metta

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Edited October 20, 2008 by A.J.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

This is the sort of thing that the McCain campaign should be focussing on, rather than trying to smear the man with second hand accusations of support for terrorism.

[IAMX 3,055]

Firstly, the Annenberg Foundation is not a school board nor the superintendent, the latter of which (in nice italics) is the SOLE person in charge of funds in a school district and how they are distributed.

It's incredibly easy to see what this is, just an uneducated potshot at Obama, especially by, no less, a superintendent. Now that's irony. Let's hear a CEO for Microsoft complain about how other people spent money when Microsoft fails.

By the way, I support Bill Ayers far more than I suppose these a$$holes.

Edited October 20, 2008 by SRVT

[metta 0]

The MSM has already elected Obama for president, so assuming that he will be President, this will give you an idea of what to expect. Fifty million dollars with no accountability, no evaluative results... ummm

we are looking at George W. Bush administration reincarnating as Obama (1)

Powell on meet the press

POWELL: I think the American people and the gentlemen running for president will have to, early on,

focus on education more

than we have seen in the campaign so far.

America has a terrible educational problem in the sense that we have too many youngsters not finishing school. A third of our kids don’t finish high school, 50 percent of minorities don’t finish high school. We’ve got to work on this, and my, my wife and I are leading a campaign with this purpose.

Let's hope he has better results than Obama and his bomb-thrower pal. Meanwhile, Obama has continuously lied about howclose he was with Ayers.

[IAMX 3,055]

The MSM has already elected Obama for president, so assuming that he will be President, this will give you an idea of what to expect. Fifty million dollars with no accountability, no evaluative results... ummm

Sounds like.. a politician!

You've now advanced to second grade politics.

This is why superintendents are in charge of school districts, not Obama or McCain.

Wonder why the superintendent in your article wanted to scapegoat someone who has no control over how funds for his district are distributed.

I also wonder, since this is a plan to discredit Obama's education platform, how is McCain's any better? Unless the insinuation is a political attack on Obama inherently means McCain's is better no matter what. In which case, that adequately describes the two party system and rationale behind why people vote for one or the other.

Edited October 20, 2008 by SRVT

[metta 0]

The MSM has already elected Obama for president, so assuming that he will be President, this will give you an idea of what to expect. Fifty million dollars with no accountability, no evaluative results... ummm

Sounds like.. a politician!

You've now advanced to second grade politics.

This is why superintendents are in charge of school districts, not Obama or McCain.

Wonder why the superintendent in your article wanted to scapegoat someone who has no control over how funds for his district are distributed.

I also wonder, since this is a plan to discredit Obama's education platform, how is McCain's any better? Unless the insinuation is a political attack on Obama inherently means McCain's is better no matter what. In which case, that adequately describes the two party system and rationale behind why people vote for one or the other.

Shows you have no understanding of how grants are approved, funded and administered.

try to focus on the topic and make sure you understand what is being discussed before jumping in with infantile responses. Did you say you're a graduating senior?

If you are, then it's a sad commentary on the state of our education system.

Well, good luck on your job search after graduation...

[IAMX 3,055]

Shows you have no understanding of how grants are approved, funded and administered.

You know who they are approved by? SUPERINTENDENTS. He's the fvcking school district CEO. Brilliant.

Is moron your modus operandi? The Annenberg Foundation can do many things away from school in privately funded events, but anything that goes into the classrooms that would add to school assets must be approved by the superintendent, elected by the board.

If anyone could just throw money into schools with no oversight we'd already be entirely run by private institutions. Try to actually think before posting. Thanks.

Edited October 20, 2008 by SRVT

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Ayers? The NY Post? Is that all you got left?

[metta 0]

Shows you have no understanding of how grants are approved, funded and administered.

You know who they are approved by? SUPERINTENDENTS. He's the fvcking school district CEO. Brilliant.

Is moron your modus operandi? The Annenberg Foundation can do many things away from school in privately funded events, but anything that goes into the classrooms that would add to school assets must be approved by the superintendent, elected by the board.

If anyone could just throw money into schools with no oversight we'd already be entirely run by private institutions. Try to actually think before posting. Thanks.

I am speaking of accountability from 30000 ft view and you're stuck on the ground.

Oh, well

Don't worry, be happy

Shows you have no understanding of how grants are approved, funded and administered.

You know who they are approved by? SUPERINTENDENTS. He's the fvcking school district CEO. Brilliant.

Is moron your modus operandi? The Annenberg Foundation can do many things away from school in privately funded events, but anything that goes into the classrooms that would add to school assets must be approved by the superintendent, elected by the board.

If anyone could just throw money into schools with no oversight we'd already be entirely run by private institutions. Try to actually think before posting. Thanks.

I am speaking of accountability from 30000 ft view and you're stuck on the ground.

Oh, well

Don't worry, be happy

[metta 0]

Ayers? The NY Post? Is that all you got left?

Resident Obamabot Brown shirt joins the fray

Edited October 20, 2008 by metta

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Ayers? The NY Post? Is that all you got left?

Resident Obamabot Brown shirt joins the fray

Lame and ignorant. Just what I'd expect from you.

[Danno 1,228]

Shows you have no understanding of how grants are approved, funded and administered.

You know who they are approved by? SUPERINTENDENTS. He's the fvcking school district CEO. Brilliant.

Is moron your modus operandi? The Annenberg Foundation can do many things away from school in privately funded events, but anything that goes into the classrooms that would add to school assets must be approved by the superintendent, elected by the board.

If anyone could just throw money into schools with no oversight we'd already be entirely run by private institutions. Try to actually think before posting. Thanks.

So along that same logic, anyone of the promises Obama (or anyone else) makes about education, is wasted breath.... how can you promise something you have no control over... it's all in the Superintendends control.

Should make one wonder about baraks judgment, to throw all that money at a failing school.

Kinda like rewarding failure. (with other peoples money)

[metta 0]

Shows you have no understanding of how grants are approved, funded and administered.

You know who they are approved by? SUPERINTENDENTS. He's the fvcking school district CEO. Brilliant.

Is moron your modus operandi? The Annenberg Foundation can do many things away from school in privately funded events, but anything that goes into the classrooms that would add to school assets must be approved by the superintendent, elected by the board.

If anyone could just throw money into schools with no oversight we'd already be entirely run by private institutions. Try to actually think before posting. Thanks.

So along that same logic, anyone of the promises Obama (or anyone else) makes about education, is wasted breath.... how can you promise something you have no control over... it's all in the Superintendends control.

Should make one wonder about baraks judgment, to throw all that money at a failing school.

Kinda like rewarding failure. (with other peoples money)

Nah, that's spreading wealth with other peoples' money.

[IAMX 3,055]

How does Barack Obama have accountability over a superintendent? Explain that one to me.