Disturbing Narrative Demeaning Parents' Ability to Choose Best School for their Child Continues

Diane Ravitch, a prominent opponent of education reform, insults parents by posting harsh comments from teacher

WASHINGTON, Aug. 20, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Federation for Children—the nation's voice for school choice—today condemned a recent blog post published last week by Diane Ravitch, an outspoken opponent of education reform, after the post featured comments she attributed to an anonymous Louisiana teacher that referred to some parents as abusers and rapists while questioning the ability of all parents to choose the best educational environments for their children.

In response to the post, the Federation has launched the next phase of a campaign titled "Parents Know Best," which, in the midst of a wave of recent denigrating comments about parents, aims to empower them in the fight to give their children the best educational opportunities.

Ravitch's post, titled "Do Parents Always Know What's Best?" boasts comments from a "Louisiana teacher" who notes that parents "rarely understand how schools work" and says that "parents also starve, beat, tie up, and rape their children." The denigrating comments come on the heels of a series of actions from special interest groups attempting to prevent parents from exercising their right to choose the best school for their children.

Most prominent among them is a move last month by the Louisiana Association of Educators (LAE) teachers union, which sent letters to schools participating in the state's expanded voucher program threatening to sue them if they did not drop out of the program.

Kevin P. Chavous, a senior advisor to the Federation, denounced the blog post and urged parents all over the country to stand up and continue the fight to expand quality educational options for their kids.

"Once again we're seeing defenders of the status quo in action, this time using incendiary language to make the case that parents are not capable of making sound decisions when it comes to their kids' education," Chavous said. "Parent advocates are growing tired of arrogant lectures from status quo defenders like Diane Ravitch that insult their intelligence."

The comments on Ravitch's blog are only the latest in a string of rhetorical attacks aimed at parents. Supporters of parental choice are encouraged to visit www.ParentsKnowBest.com in order to fight back against attacks from special interest groups.

SOURCE American Federation for Children

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