Last time I talked about the similarity of the series Upstairs Downstairs and the current
class system in our country. One of the things that the upper classes have
always enjoyed over the lower classes in class structured societies is
education was reserved for the upper classes, only they could afford it and had
the opportunities to pursue it.
With the rising cost of higher education taking place in this
country that dynamic is rearing its head in this democracy, which is based upon
a well-educated populace.
California gets a lot of attention in improving educational systems
in this country. Peter Dreier on Bill Moyers blog site points out movers and
shakers in this debate. There is a lot of discussion of the “school choice”
movement meaning privatizing schools. Dreier notes that New York Mayor
Bloomberg’s recent contribution of $1 million to the political action
committee. Here comes the big money.
Dreier also points out that for a decade one of the biggest backers
of this program are the billionaire Waltons who have put millions into backing
this idea. Hey, they likely get tax write offs to try and keep people
uneducated and thus good fodder to work at their stores for poverty wages. They
have invested a billion dollars to this end. You have to question their
motives.
If we really want better education in this country for a stronger
democracy we need to grow the middle class economically again so they may
educate their children who then may create small businesses to compete against
the goliath companies such as Wal-Mart.
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