Cory Booker may be your friend now- Page 2

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 1/13/17 at 11:18am

ErikJ972, oh, I absolutely don't think it's okay. I think it's a disgrace that the development that's happening in Jersey City, and the rest of the Northeast, is as lopsided as it is. I'm no longer in New Jersey, but I did happily support both Booker and Menendez even though I don't agree with all of their stances. I especially do not agree with Booker's public stand with charter schools, and worry that he would allow DeVos through. (I don't actually think he would, but I know he wouldn't press her very hard.)

My concern with some of the criticism Booker has been getting, other than the reasons I outlined for why he probably stood with Big Pharma, is that we JUST saw what happens when Democrats don't think a politician is "pure" enough. It's not my place to say what weight anyone should put on different policy issues, but I worry that people will let separate policy choices impact their whole view of a candidate for the worse. I'm not ready to kick someone off my team because of differences in beliefs on individual policy issues.

[ErikJ972]

Posted: 1/13/17 at 11:20am

I hear you Givesmevoice, but for me it goes beyond Booker not being "pure" enough. I think he's just plain bad. And he has praised DeVos' work in the past.

[yankeefan7]

Posted: 1/13/17 at 3:55pm

"How many special educaton studetns attended the Northwest School of the Arts. How does that compare to the local public schools?"

Honestly, I have no idea. The only reason I knew the ethnicity of the school is that it was published every year in the local newspaper (Charlotte Observer).

[dramamama611]

Posted: 1/15/17 at 8:40am

http://washingtonmonthly.com/2017/01/13/the-stupid-war-on-cory-booker/

 

Or that you shouldn't jump you conclusions

[South Florida]

Posted: 1/15/17 at 9:00am

That article dosen't make much sense.  There was no real reason to vote against it if it was all a political show, and the assertion of the article that this was somehow a bad vote designed to show up the likes Booker dosen't hold sway. Especially when this was his reaction.

"

After-hours extra work is the least Booker could provide the pharmaceutical industry. According to the nonpartisan nonprofit MapLight, the only senators who receive more of the industry’s largesse are Orrin Hatch and Mitch McConnell. Cory Booker’s Big Pharma’s favorite Democrat; he’s just about its favorite senator.

Certainly, his favor with the pharmaceuticals must have never been better than Wednesday night. However, one wonders how fearful are the pharmaceuticals now, after Booker has tweeted some words of noble defiance? Thursday, he explained on Twitter that, really, he voted with McConnell and Hatch because Sanders and Klobuchar hadn’t gone far enough. After one sympathetic Twitter user questioned Booker about his vote, he assured her: “We need much more action than this.”

Then he assured her: “I will fight for this.”"

[kdogg36]

Posted: 1/15/17 at 9:28am

dramamama611 said: "Or that you shouldn't jump you conclusions"

Well, if he indeed supports the right to buy imported drugs despite his vote on this amendment, has he made that clear? I would think that would help a lot.

Given his significant funding from the pharmaceutical industry (which I don't demonize, but which surely would oppose such a measure), he certainly doesn't get the benefit of the doubt.

 

[ErikJ972]

Posted: 1/15/17 at 10:22am

And it doesn't explain his support for Betsy DeVos.

[South Florida]

Posted: 1/15/17 at 2:33pm

This is an ambitious guy who has no principles.

 

[ErikJ972]

Posted: 1/19/17 at 6:58pm

I don't know about his principles. But he did change his mind on Betsy DeVos so that is good news.

“After her confirmation hearing, I still have serious concerns about Betsy DeVos leading the Department of Education and will not be voting to confirm her."

http://www.booker.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=521

[adamgreer]

Posted: 1/19/17 at 9:41pm

After that disastrous confirmation hearing, I don't see how anyone, Democrat or Republican, could support her nomination. 

[adamgreer]

Posted: 1/20/17 at 12:39am

New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, presumably because of the Trump lovers upstate, won't yet commit to a no vote. What the hell is this woman waiting for? I thought she had higher ambitions and was smarter than this. If she's your Senator it's time to start making calls. 

[mc1227]

Posted: 1/21/17 at 7:24am

Charter Schools have their merit.  They are more accountable for the performance of their students.  They don't have to tolerate students who are problems and many have long admissions waiting lists.

in this scenario, of course they will be more productive than the public school system.  What vouchers will do is provide a choice of charter/public.  What they are not telling you is that no charter school will take a low performing, problem students.  That's their prerogative so all of those students will continue to flounder in a system that does nothing for them.

 Despite the push for integration of special needs students into the mainstream, this policy has truly impacted the performance of the public school system.  I would much rather use funds allocated for vouchers and return to special education schools where students with issues can be dealt with specifically and it not disrupt the learning of others.  

On the subject of Corey Booker, he is a political opportunist that does nothing for the people he represents and is a true ass kisser. 

[yankeefan7]

Posted: 1/21/17 at 8:56am

"Despite the push for integration of special needs students into the mainstream, this policy has truly impacted the performance of the public school system.  I would much rather use funds allocated for vouchers and return to special education schools where students with issues can be dealt with specifically and it not disrupt the learning of others.  "

I guess maybe a special needs parent can answer better than me how having a special needs child in the mainstream helps the child more than having a special education school for their child.

[mc1227]

Posted: 1/22/17 at 1:23am

yankeefan7 said: ""Despite the push for integration of special needs students into the mainstream, this policy has truly impacted the performance of the public school system.  I would much rather use funds allocated for vouchers and return to special education schools where students with issues can be dealt with specifically and it not disrupt the learning of others.  "

I guess maybe a special needs parent can answer better than me how having a special needs child in the mainstream helps the child more than having a special education school for their child.

As someone who has worked in both secondary and higher education and has seen both sides, I'm sure there are many parents who feel mainstreaming a special needs child removes a negative stigma of special education.  The old perception that a student attending a special needs school s dumb, troublemaker or handicapped.  However, the main reason is that municipalities and counties used to pay more than 4x the cost by sending their residents to such schools.  They have mainstreamed many students that should have remained in those schools in order to receive the needed extra attention they deserve.  Perhaps a better use of a voucher program would allow the parents and students the option of being mainstreamed or attending a specialized school for their specific needs.

 

[yankeefan7]

Posted: 1/22/17 at 10:13am

Thanks I appreciate your thoughtful response.

[ErikJ972]

Posted: 1/22/17 at 10:30am

mc1227 said: "yankeefan7 said: ""Despite the push for integration of special needs students into the mainstream, this policy has truly impacted the performance of the public school system.  I would much rather use funds allocated for vouchers and return to special education schools where students with issues can be dealt with specifically and it not disrupt the learning of others.  "

I guess maybe a special needs parent can answer better than me how having a special needs child in the mainstream helps the child more than having a special education school for their child.

As someone who has worked in both secondary and higher education and has seen both sides, I'm sure there are many parents who feel mainstreaming a special needs child removes a negative stigma of special education.  The old perception that a student attending a special needs school s dumb, troublemaker or handicapped.  However, the main reason is that municipalities and counties used to pay more than 4x the cost by sending their residents to such schools.  They have mainstreamed many students that should have remained in those schools in order to receive the needed extra attention they deserve.  Perhaps a better use of a voucher program would allow the parents and students the option of being mainstreamed or attending a specialized school for their specific needs."

In addition public schools that have a high rate of mainstreamed special education students are set up by the system to fail. The school where I work has a 40% special education rate. Those students have to take the same standardized test as the general education students. Due to education reform these are high stakes tests and no account is made for a school's special education rate.

So a school like mine will have its test results compared to other schools in the district that might have a special education rate of under 10%. That leads my school to be labeled as "failing". And under the constant threat of a loss of funding and reconstitution of the school. My school has had 4 principals in 5 years.

And getting labeled a failing school can have devastating consequences. The students know the school is failing so it sinks their morale. Faculty and staff,, who have to deal with challenges on a daily basis that fellow teachers in other districts might not ever see, feel like all their work is for nothing and are constantly worried about being transferred.

I am not against charter schools on principle. But they need to be regulated and there needs to be an equal playing field.

Updated On: 1/22/17 at 10:30 AM

[PalJoey]

Posted: 1/22/17 at 10:35am

 

And Republicans have to STOP using charter schools and vouchers simply as a means of attacking the teachers' unions, all the while claiming they're doing it for "the children, the children"!

Union busting is union busting is union busting. But union busting in the name of "the children" is immoral.

 

[South Florida]

Posted: 1/23/17 at 5:27pm

Remember this commercial old timers?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Lg4gGk53iY

[BroadwayRox3588]

Posted: 1/23/17 at 8:33pm

http://www.cnn.com/2017/01/21/politics/cory-booker-president-2020/index.html

[ErikJ972]

Posted: 1/24/17 at 8:45am

BroadwayRox3588 said: "http://www.cnn.com/2017/01/21/politics/cory-booker-president-2020/index.html"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RiFAdWQhomk