We recently brought you the story of how much money the public school privateers are willing to spend in order to profit off of our children’s education! Then since that story, we have found out that Voucher schools actually under perform public schools, despite their immense advantages. We also recently found out that the Federal Government saw how poorly Scott Walker’s education plan was for children with special needs and HAD TO intervene! The Federal Government’s letter is here.
It gets worse!
Today Dan Bice of JSonline, brings us some more details on how much they are willing to spend and who is not scared to be bought off!
The American Federation for Children, one of the leading advocates for school choice in the country, brags in a recent brochure that it spent more than $325,000</strong> – far more than the group has previously made public – to help elect state Sen. Rick Gudex in a closely contested Wisconsin race last fall.
Gudex won his seat by less than 600 votes.
Then, last week, the freshman lawmaker joined two other Senate Republicans in saying they were drawing a line in the sand by vowing to oppose a state budget bill if it doesn’t include an expansion of the state’s school voucher program.
“The American Federation of Children got exactly what they wanted,” said Mike McCabe, head of the left-leaning election watchdog group Wisconsin Democracy Campaign. “They want legislators who will go to the mat and make expanding the voucher program the bottom line.”
Just as interesting, McCabe said, is that the school choice organization is saying in its own material that it spent twice as much helping Gudex as it reported to state regulators. McCabe said his group is looking into filing an election complaint.
Well these guys are such good businessmen, they spent a minimum of $350,000 to help one person win one senate seat that pays $50,000/yr. You do the math!
This story however gets even better.
The American Federation for Children is represented in Wisconsin by convicted felon Scott Jensen(despite Mr. Blaska’s incessant denial on these pages, in 2006 Scott Jensen was CONVICTED of three felonies and a misdemeanor of misconduct in public office. Thanks to taxpayer paid attorney’s, multiple appeals and the ability to judge shop(the legislature wrote a new law to allow him to do this) he was able to get these convictions “vacated”. So now you know the rest of the story). Jensen’s ego took hold for a minute and felt the need to brag on his website about how he and his organization was able to buy the Wisconsin legislature(especially Gudex)! Then quickly had a change of heart and went back into the shadows!
In a brochure documenting its political successes, the American Federation for Children says it spent nearly $2.4 million helping candidates in Wisconsin in 2012. That represents about one-third of the group’s political spending last year.
The brochure describes the national organization’s “hard-fought, successful battles to ensure educational choice majorities in both chambers of the legislature.” Former Assembly Speaker Scott Jensen is a point man for the group in Wisconsin.
The American Federation claims credit for helping elect three senators and six Assembly reps, drawing particular attention to Gudex. His victory, the report said, was “crucial for school supporters in regaining their majority in the state Senate.”
“Spending more than $325,000 in the race, the American Federation for Children and the AFC Action Fund made the race such a point of emphasis in order to bolster an already strong coalition of elected officials who are supportive of educational choice,” said the group’s “2012 Election Impact Report.” The report is no longer available on its website.
The dishonorable Rick Gudex though says he was not swayed at all by the $325,000(who would be) and that he was not sure if the massive spending by outside groups had any effect on his 600 vote victory.
Gudex said he was aware of the American Federation’s ads supporting him and criticizing King. But he said he had no idea how much the national choice group was spending.
He said he can’t say whether he would have won had those TV spots not run.
“It’s hard to gauge,” said the 44-year-old Fond du Lac Republican. “I’m sure it didn’t hurt me.”
Along with the independent spending by the American Federation, Gudex’s campaign received $6,500 in donations from 11 individual supporters of school vouchers.
Gudex then went on to say that he would support the dismantling of public education out of the blackness of his heart, no money needed!
If the school choice program were available in his city, Gudex said he would “absolutely” use it to send his two children to private schools. They are currently home-schooled, he said.
He emphasized that he spent 12 years attending parochial schools.
WEll, he did not say no money needed exactly. Shortly after a public announcment saying that if we do not spend a massive amount of our education tax dollars on voucher schools, he would not support the Governor’s budget, he then held a $250/plate fundraiser at the Madison Club. To be fair, seating was limited. As a point of reference, our local PTO recently held a fundraiser also, and we sold pizza for $1/slice.
Of course, as is typical of republican politicians, they enjoy supporting things that personally put money or affect their own family, he wants to use our tax dollars to send his kids to private school.
One last thing to note, it is nice to know that he “home schools” his kids. Since he has the time to home school, apparently his “full time” legislating job is not very full time, at least he makes a full time salary with Cadillac benefits, all provided by you and I!
How strange that Republican politicians support things that personally affect their own families! It’s good to know that Democrats oppose things that personally affect their own families.
Your readers should be advised that for five years The University of Wisconsin’s John Witte partnered with a U of Arkansas researcher have been studying school choice. They find that students in the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program had a 10% higher graduation rate than comparable students in the Milwaukee Public Schools. Second, regarding test scores, the independent scholars found similar scores in math and an advantage in reading for students in the choice program.
You want to talk about convicted felons, let’s talk about Chuck Chvala, that teachers union shill and big money boodler who apparently is still operating the Democrat(ic) minority in the legislature. HIS conviction (unlike Scott Jensen’s) was never overturned.
Hope you saw the pro-school choice piece 60 Minutes did Sunday evening. Why, Mr. Simpson, do you so fear allowing parents to make their own free-choice decisions?
How strange that Republicans support things that affect their own families! Good to know that Democrats oppose things that affect their own families.
Your readers should know that the University of Wisconsin’s John Witte, partnering with a U. of Arkansas researcher, have been studying school choice for five years. They found that students in the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program had a 10% higher graduation rate than comparable students in the Milwaukee Public Schools. Second, regarding test scores, the independent scholars found similar scores in math and an advantage in reading for students in the choice program.
Jeff Simpson apparently believes in judicial nullification, wherein a blogger can overturn a court decision. I know, Jeff, you think all Republicans should be tried before Dane County juries but there is a principal in American law of being tried by a jury of one’s peers. But if you really want convicted felons, I give you Chuck Chvala, D-Madison. Apparently, the teachers union shill is still boodling big $$ for Democratic causes. Some say he still exercises out-size influence over his partisans in the legislature.
Finally, I hope you caught the pro-school choice piece 60 Minutes aired Sunday night.
Why, Jeff, are you so afraid of parents making their own free-choice decisions about the education of their children?
Dear Mr. Blaska
You give Mr. Simpson Chuck Chvala as poster boy of a mistake for teacher’s union, well I give you former Senator Jensen who got off easy on his felony charge and now he works for corporations who intend to save tax money on public schools for the mainstream. http://host.madison.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/politiscope/madison-politiscope-scott-jensen-voucher-schools-lose-in-wisconsin-primary/article_7ead4b1c-e738-11e1-a228-001a4bcf887a.html
The fact that the shamed senator is for Vouchers shows that money grubbing greed is involved in its intent.
Your use of a form of ad hominem attacks are considered irrational in their roots, according to the great Marquette University logic 101 that I sat through.
So here’s the deal: bring back the slave labors of the nuns ! Better yet, let all lesbians many used to be nuns do the teaching for free.
That’s what we are dealing with. Your version of choice is a delusion; it is not choice at all. Rich parents have choice. The kids struggling get prison which are more expensive than real choice.
How about an alternative to prison, Ms. Doyle? How about a charter school aimed at minority students, tragically under-served by the Madison public schools, as proposed by the Madison Urban League? … Oops. Nevermind. Convicted felon Chuck Chvala’s teachers union did not approve.
(BTW: You “sat thru” your logic class? You should have paid attention.)
How “tragically underserved” are the minority students in Madison? Do you have any idea what the schools are doing for them on a daily basis? Do you have any idea how to close the achievement gap?
You keep throwing names at me like Chuck Chvala(whoI was happy to see in prison) and Rahm Emanuel who is as far away from a progressives as Vicki Mckenna is from entertaining radio.
If you want “free choice” we have it …its called open enrollment.
Why don’t you ask the minority community yourself, Jeff? Wayne Strong and Amanda Mirilli put up a good fight but you know what happened to them. Thank god for James Howard (also a charter supporter) but it’s still 6-1 against.
What exactly would you like me to ask “the minority community” AND is that your extent of knowledge of the Madison Minority Community?
The question you posed above, Jeff! “How “tragically underserved” are the minority students in Madison?” Concentrate! As to your second question, the answer is no.
You act like they were done a huge disservice by losing their elections…it happens.
Do you have any idea what is being done on a daily basis to help the minority students in the Madison Schools? Not everyone can call a press conference everytime they do something.