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Revealed: Secret right-wing strategy to discredit teacher strikes

Phys251

Phys251

Purge evil with Justice
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https://www.theguardian.com/education/2018/apr/12/teacher-strikes-rightwing-secret-strategy-revealed

A nationwide network of rightwing thinktanks is launching a PR counteroffensive against the teachers’ strikes that are sweeping the country, circulating a “messaging guide” for anti-union activists that portrays the walkouts as harmful to low-income parents and their children.

The new rightwing strategy to discredit the strikes that have erupted in protest against cuts in education funding and poor teacher pay is contained in a three-page document obtained by the Guardian. Titled “How to talk about teacher strikes”, it provides a “dos and don’ts” manual for how to smear the strikers.
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The “messaging guide” is the brainchild of the State Policy Network (SPN), an alliance of 66 rightwing “ideas factories” that span every state in the nation. SPN uses its $80m war chest – funded by billionaire super-donors such as the Koch brothers and the Walton Family Foundation that flows from the Walmart fortune – to coordinate conservative strategy across the country.

Another financial backer of SPN is the billionaire DeVos family of the Amway empire. Betsy DeVos is the current education secretary in the Trump administration.
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I am not a big fan of the wording of the title because it makes the story sound like an unfounded CT. This sabotage effort, by contrast, has been confirmed to exist. To the article, then...

One of the single greatest fears of the Right is a well-educated society. If that were to happen, then people could think critically, for themselves, and become far more resistant to propaganda of all forms--such as the type that SPN is trying to spew. SPN also knows that central to having a well-educated society are well-supported teachers, and it is this very movement that they have in their crosshairs.
 
Don't all politicians get handed crap like this from their donors? In this case I can see why they would want everyone on the same talking points. Smearing teachers is a very dangerous proposition no matter how silver-tongued you are.
 
The right wing/conservatives/GOP in America have modeled themselves on 1930s/1940s Germany & Hitler. Didn't work so great back then.
 
Secret right-wing ...

If it’s in the media and on this forum, it ain’t much of a secret.

God forbid that unions get any scrutiny. Notice the article says “teachers” and not a “public employee union.”
 
cuban smokes said:
The right wing/conservatives/GOP in America have modeled themselves on 1930s/1940s Germany & Hitler. Didn't work so great back then.
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dang man thats pretty offensive. i dont align with nazi germany and especially hate hitler.

why would you categorize millions of your fellow americans like that?

good grief
 
biglawnmower said:
dang man thats pretty offensive. i dont align with nazi germany and especially hate hitler.

why would you categorize millions of your fellow americans like that?

good grief
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because, it's true
 
The right wing hates public school teachers and has for a long time now. They see them as soldiers opposed to all their political efforts and agenda.
 
Picking on teachers, Jeez! There's no low in right wing sleezery. That's almost as bad as internet attacks on the Florida survivor kids.
 
cuban smokes said:
The right wing/conservatives/GOP in America have modeled themselves on 1930s/1940s Germany & Hitler. Didn't work so great back then.
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Your post is completely ignorant of history...
 
haymarket said:
The right wing hates public school teachers and has for a long time now. They see them as soldiers opposed to all their political efforts and agenda.
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The extreme right, the RWENJ are opposed to public education for a variety of reasons. The "Christian" right wants to have private education and "bring Jesus back to the schools." They want to "bring back prayer," meaning mandatory Christian prayer of course, back. Some want the government out, since the government is "liberal" and therefore evil. Public education is seen as "socialistic." The claim is made that "liberal" teachers are "indoctrinating" our youth, and point out that well educated people tend more toward the left in their political philosophy than do people who have had less time in the classroom. The claim has even been made that anything public school employees buy is the same as the government buying it. If teachers go out for a beer after class, it's the government buying them their beer. (seriously! the claim has been made!)
 
Phys251 said:
I am not a big fan of the wording of the title because it makes the story sound like an unfounded CT. This sabotage effort, by contrast, has been confirmed to exist. To the article, then...

One of the single greatest fears of the Right is a well-educated society. If that were to happen, then people could think critically, for themselves, and become far more resistant to propaganda of all forms--such as the type that SPN is trying to spew. SPN also knows that central to having a well-educated society are well-supported teachers, and it is this very movement that they have in their crosshairs.
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"Secret Strategy" sounds about right. That document was not for public viewing, it was a document for recipients only to coordinate national efforts to discredit teachers' unions.

I don't think the goal is to end public education. Rather, they view teachers as a strong progressive / union / Democratic bloc, and they want to break it to reduce their power.
 
haymarket said:
The right wing hates public school teachers and has for a long time now. They see them as soldiers opposed to all their political efforts and agenda.
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Exactly. They seem to prefer Religious indoctrination based education.

Which always leaves me a bit flummoxed when I knock them, because I'm big on Catholic schools.
 
Beaudreaux said:
Secret right-wing ...

If it’s in the media and on this forum, it ain’t much of a secret.
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Already addressed in the OP. Did you read it, by chance?

God forbid that unions get any scrutiny. Notice the article says “teachers” and not a “public employee union.”
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I'm sorry that you feel that way.
 
THe entirety of right wing ideology is based on lies. time and time again the facts show their dirty, dishonest, deceiving ways. They don't even try to hide it or pretend. And they cater to the lowest of the low
 
Dittohead not! said:
The extreme right, the RWENJ are opposed to public education for a variety of reasons. The "Christian" right wants to have private education and "bring Jesus back to the schools." They want to "bring back prayer," meaning mandatory Christian prayer of course, back. Some want the government out, since the government is "liberal" and therefore evil. Public education is seen as "socialistic." The claim is made that "liberal" teachers are "indoctrinating" our youth, and point out that well educated people tend more toward the left in their political philosophy than do people who have had less time in the classroom. The claim has even been made that anything public school employees buy is the same as the government buying it. If teachers go out for a beer after class, it's the government buying them their beer. (seriously! the claim has been made!)
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and don't forget that the right wing hates unions - public employee unions more than others. And unionized teachers are one level under Satan to many of them.
 
Chomsky said:
Exactly. They seem to prefer Religious indoctrination based education.

Which always leaves me a bit flummoxed when I knock them, because I'm big on Catholic schools.
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I have seen both sides having gone 12 years to Catholic school as a child and then taught for over 33 in public school. Both have their good and bad sides.
 
haymarket said:
I have seen both sides having gone 12 years to Catholic school as a child and then taught for over 33 in public school. Both have their good and bad sides.
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Yes, but both Catholic & public teach science & evolution.

That's not exactly what some of the home-schoolers & private Evangelical schools are pushing.

(BTW - I absolutely love the Catholic Schools, especially the Jesuits!)
 
haymarket said:
and don't forget that the right wing hates unions - public employee unions more than others. And unionized teachers are one level under Satan to many of them.
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That's true. Satan is no doubt a teacher's union organizer in their world.
 
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