Peter Cook
On Thursday, the National Education Association released a video of an interview with Sen. Elizabeth Warren, one of the leading contenders for the Democratic presidential nomination, in which she was asked about her position on charter schools. In her answer, Warren rejected the idea that charter schools are much-needed options for families (particularly low-income families of color) who have been failed by their traditional public school systems.
Instead, perhaps channeling the plutocrats she so often rails against in campaign speeches, Warren insisted that those parents should essentially pull themselves up by their bootstraps.
“If you think your public school is not working, then go help your public school,” Warren said, ignoring the fact that charter schools are public schools. “Go help get more resources for it. Volunteer at your public schools. Help get the teachers and school bus drivers and cafeteria workers and the custodial staff and the support staff, help get them some support so they can do the work that needs to be done.”
As might be expected, charter supporters are up-in-arms over Warren’s comments, which come on the heels of a widely-publicized protest by black and Latino charter school parents at one of her campaign events in Atlanta two weeks ago.
Warren met privately with the protesters after the event and promised to reconsider the anti-charter positions outlined in her education plan. She also told the assembled parents that her children had attended public schools, which wasn’t actually true, as her campaign admitted in a statement following the meeting.
While her daughter spent most of her K-12 career in public schools, Warren sent her son to an elite prep school outside Philadelphia, as I explained in a thread I posted on Twitter and have included below…
"If you think your public school is not working, then go help your public school." – @ewarren to charter parents.
Wow. She couldn't be more condescending & obnoxious if she tried – or hypocritical, seeing where her son went to school. https://t.co/OMV8s1B4VC #edreform 1/9 pic.twitter.com/M6J8DAQcMQ
— Peter C. Cook (@petercook) December 6, 2019
After a group of charter parents protested her ed plan at a rally in ATL, she told them she sent her kids to public school. Turns out, that wasn't exactly true (these "slips" seem to be a recurring issue for Liz), as her campaign quickly clarified in a statement. #edreform 2/9 pic.twitter.com/m5nJzgGpaa
— Peter C. Cook (@petercook) December 6, 2019
In fact, @ewarren sent her son to none other than The Haverford School, a private prep school (serving students in grades pre-K thru 12) outside Philadelphia.
I know Haverford well. I grew up nearby, played sports against them, and have friends who went there. #edreform 3/9 pic.twitter.com/p7keaBQhnk
— Peter C. Cook (@petercook) December 6, 2019
When it comes to the "prep school" stereotype, The Haverford School checks all the boxes.
For starters, it was founded in 1884 (originally connected to nearby top-tier Haverford College) to educate the sons of the Main Line's WASP elite. #edreform 4/9 pic.twitter.com/WopBh4DptN
— Peter C. Cook (@petercook) December 6, 2019
Today, The Haverford School enrolls approximately 1000 boys who spend their days on what could be easily confused for a college campus. #edreform 5/9 pic.twitter.com/w588K5Ejln
— Peter C. Cook (@petercook) December 6, 2019
While Haverford is slightly more diverse today than it was earlier in its history, it's still overwhelmingly white (89%) and affluent.
Therefore, your average Haverford family likely looks a lot like the folks below… #edreform 6/9 pic.twitter.com/RkGb6RpoJh
— Peter C. Cook (@petercook) December 6, 2019
Haverford's white and affluent student body means they excel at things like lacrosse, water polo, and un-ironically wearing maroon blazers. #edreform 7/9 pic.twitter.com/aX9sKTDXhU
— Peter C. Cook (@petercook) December 6, 2019
While there's no question that Haverford provides its students with a first-rate education, they charge a hell of a lot for it.
This year, tuition ranges from $24,000 for pre-k to $39,500 for high school. #edreform 8/9 pic.twitter.com/VLIZCNDAB7
— Peter C. Cook (@petercook) December 6, 2019
So, @ewarren sent her son to a fancy prep school, then denied it to charter parents who want better educational options for their kids, and now says those parents don't need options, but instead should "go help" their failing local schools. #edreform 9/x pic.twitter.com/0OoUsf0uAS
— Peter C. Cook (@petercook) December 6, 2019
