Michelle Rhee’s StudentsFirst is well known for its deceptive tactics of posting seemingly harmless petitions calling to an end to student bullying, for example, or opposing firing good teachers, and then claiming all the people who unknowing sign them as one of their members. Even well-informed PAA members, completely opposed to the goals of this astroturf group, have been caught in her trap.

See the below email just sent out by the one of the managers of the StudentsFirst Florida office, offering free gift cards to people who post “pro-reform comments”, aligned with their pro-privatization, pro-testing and anti-teacher views.

From: Catherine Robinson
Date: July 26, 2012 9:58:12 PM EDT
To: Catherine Robinson
Subject: rapid responses needed - and a contest!
Hi all,

I’m going to be in Orlando all next week for the KIPP Conference. If you’d like to meet up and discuss ways you can get more involved in our movement, please let me know!

Also, starting right now, there will be a monthly contest for the best rapid response. The more comments you leave on blog posts, the more times you can enter! Post a polite and persuasive pro-reform comment and email me the link so I can check it out.

That’s all you have to do!

At the end of the month (August 26th at midnight) I will announce the winner. Not only will that winner get a gift card to the restaurant or store of choice, but he or she will also be promoting the cause of real and transformative change in public schools! What could be better?

Here are some links for your review:

(I wonder how many times they mentioned students?) http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/gradebook/content/officials-new-hillsborough-teachers-join-union

(Survey Finds Disconnect Between Teachers and Union Interests) http://www.nyfera.org/?p=3812

http://www.edexcellence.net/commentary/education-gadfly-daily/common-core-watch/2012/will-common-core-usher-in-a-return-to-content-driven-instruction.html

http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/charterschoice/2012/07/parent_trigger_goes_hollywood.html

http://www.gainesville.com/article/20120726/OPINION01/120729756/1076/opinion?template=printpicart

http://stateimpact.npr.org/florida/2012/07/25/judge-says-california-parents-cant-unpull-trigger-petition/

http://www.news-journalonline.com/news/local/east-volusia/2012/07/26/report-ranks-florida-behind-most-states-on-child-health-and-education.html

http://stateimpact.npr.org/florida/2012/07/26/report-says-alec-has-growing-influence-in-florida-education-policy/

(Regarding Polk County’s at-risk charter schools) http://www.theledger.com/article/20120725/NEWS/120729506?tc=ar

I look forward to reading your comments!

Have a wonderful weekend,
Catherine

-
Catherine Durkin Robinson
Regional Outreach Manager
Florida
M: (813) 453-4274
www.StudentsFirst.org