BERNIE SANDERS OPPOSES HIGH STAKES TESTING AND WANTS MORATORIUM ON CHARTER SCHOOL EXPANSION WHILE MICHAEL BLOOMBERG FAVORS CHARTER SCHOOLS

Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders wrote a pro-public school op-ed piece today in USA Today. The Vermont Senator is very favorable toward teachers along with our unions while he opposes high stakes testing and wants a moratorium on charter school expansion.

Some highlights:
Wednesday marks 18 years since the signing into law of No Child Left Behind, one of the worst pieces of legislation in our nation’s history. In December 2001, I voted against NCLB because it was as clear to me then, as it is now, that so-called school choice and high-stakes standardized testing would not improve our schools or enhance our children’s ability to learn. We do not need an education system in which kids are simply taught to take tests. We need a system in which kids learn and grow in a holistic manner. 

Under NCLB, standardized tests were utilized to hold public schools and teachers “accountable” for student outcomes. As a result, some schools that underperformed were closed and their teachers and unions blamed. 

The long-term effects of this approach have been disastrous. NCLB perpetuated the myth of public schools and teachers as failing, which opened the door for the spread of school voucher programs and charter schools that we have today. Some of these charter schools are operated by for-profits; many of them are nonunion and are not publicly accountable.

Further down:
Fortunately, educators, parents and students across the country agree. From West Virginia to California, teachers have been striking to demand real investment in their schools, instead of tax breaks for corporations and the wealthy. In some cities, teachers have refused to administer tests that do not improve learning, and increasing numbers of parents and students are opting out of standardized tests and demanding more effective ways of assessing student performance. 

We must build on this grassroots movement. If our children are to succeed in the 21st century economy, we need to recognize that there are no shortcuts around real investment in public education. Even the best educational assessments are of limited use if schools are underfunded, our teachers are disrespected, and millions of students and their families are living paycheck to paycheck.

As president, I will address these challenges by making transformative investments that eliminate one-size-fits-all solutions and put our students, our teachers and our public schools first.

This sounds very positive for us. Contrast this with former Mayor Michael Bloomberg. There is a NY Post piece on Bloomberg's soon to be released education plan touting charter schools as he runs for the Democratic nomination for president.

Some low-lights:
Presidential hopeful Mike Bloomberg may have backed off supporting stop-and-frisk, but he plans to double-down on another controversial policy from his time as New York Mayor — expanding charter schools.

Bloomberg will soon roll out an education plan that will include backing the privately managed schools as an option for families, his campaign office told The Post — drawing a contrast with other top-tier Democratic presidential rivals.

“Mike’s education plan will absolutely promote charter schools,” Bloomberg campaign spokesman Stu Loeser insisted.

“The record number of charter schools opened under Mayor Bloomberg is clear. That isn’t changing.”

Bloomberg's plan on charter schools aligns with Cory Booker, Donald Trump and his Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos.

On the contrary, Bernie states:
My Thurgood Marshall Plan for Public Education addresses these fundamental problems by increasing teacher pay to start at $60,000 a year, empowering teachers to craft thoughtful assessments that consider all aspects of a student’s academic progress, and putting a moratorium on charter schools and the federal charter school program until they can be made publicly accountable.

I understand the UFT/AFT not taking a position on who to endorse in the primaries although I disagree with them as I would follow United Teachers of Los Angeles and endorse Bernie. Since the UFT/AFT won't take that step, can we at least take a position that we will under no circumstances endorse Bloomberg, Booker, Trump or any other candidate who favors charter schools to the detriment of public schools? How about members demanding the UFT/AFT leadership take this position?