The Godfather Part 2

“My name is educational reform. My father was conservatism, and this is for you!”

This is definitely my favorite movie in the series. I find it particularly interesting to watch flashbacks to the origin of Vito Corleone’s life. The film fascinates me as it traces the history of the family- a history that begins as common thuggery and advances to an empire that is indistinguishable from main-stream interests and endeavors, cloaked behind ‘legitimate’ businesses and investments. (sounds vaguely familiar)

As irrational as it sounds, I can’t help but cheer when Vito goes back to Sicily to confront Don Ciccio and settle his vendetta-a vendetta that he has been harboring since childhood.

And speaking of vendettas, it seems that some people have one against what they viewed as an “assault on the enterprise system” - an assault that would require “no hesitation to attack {those} who openly seek destruction of the system.”

And so, just as Vito started small with Genco Olive Oil only to see it grow and divide into a monstrous empire, so did those who felt that their system was under attack plant the seeds for their revenge.

And knowing that they would need extreme measures to protect their way of life, they turned to other methods.

I understand. You found paradise in America. You had a good trade, made a good living, the police protected you and there were courts of law and you didn’t need a friend like me.

So they made their own friends:

The Hoover Institution

• Founded in 1919, by Herbert Hoover. Noted for conservative views, which include “education reform that centers around private school vouchers and charter schools, dismantling affirmative action, privatization of social services, “flat tax” and other tax reduction schemes, deregulation of industry, Reagan’s policy legacy, and “character education.”

• Publishers of the journal, Education Next, which Hoover promises will “will steer a steady course, presenting the facts as best they can be determined, giving voice (without fear or favor) to worthy research, sound ideas, and responsible arguments.”

Andrew Rotherham

• Frequent contributing author to Education Next. Co-Founder of Education Sector. Co-editor of, Rethinking Special Education for a New Century, along with Chester E. Finn Jr, advisory board member of The National Association of Scholars

National Association of Scholars

• Founded in 1985, their mission is described as “to unite right-wing faculty against ‘politically correct’ multicultural education and affirmative action policies…”
• Advisory board lists Jeane Kirkpatrick, co-director of Empower America
• Advisory Board also includes Chester E. Finn Jr, founder of Edison Incorporated.

Empower America

• Lists their goals as to improve “century-old public systems such as K-12 education, the tax code and social security”

• Co-directors include William Bennett (enough said)

• Vice president for policy was listed as Seth Leibsohn,-Signer of the “Manifesto for Better Leaders” by the Thomas B. Fordham Institute

Thomas B Fordham Institute

• Whose “manifesto” includes an explanation that organizations such as Teach for America and other “alternate routes to certification demonstrate that streamlined systems can boost the quantity of teachers while maintaining-or even improving-their quality.”
• Who cite, “Inspired leadership programs, such as New Leaders for New Schools, the Knowledge Is Power Program (KIPP) as examples of leadership models.
• Who cite exemplary leaders to be illustrated by individuals such as ‘Joel Klein’
• Whose co-signers include William Bennett, Mike Feinberg, Co-founder, KIPP and Andrew J. Rotherham
• Whose ‘manifesto’ is forwarded by Chester E Finn, Jr.

Chester E Finn Jr.

• Senior fellow at the Hoover Institution.

• Advisory Board member of “National Association of Scholars”

• Founding partner and senior scholar with the Edison Project, creators of Edison Schools.

Edison Schools

• a corporation formed to privatize public education.
• known for slick sales techniques and visits to the homes of low income parents with the promise of free computers
• Whose President of District Partnerships was Richard Barth

Richard Barth

• Chief Executive Officer, KIPP Foundation
• Husband of Wendy, Kopp, founder of Teach for America

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So it all comes down to Wendy Kopp.

See, I’m thinking that Wendy is like Michael Corleone; the fresh faced, innocent member of the family who inherits the empire and goes on to make it even stronger and more powerful.

It doesn’t really matter, because those with interests described above eventually realized that people were catching on to them.

They knew that if they were going to survive, they would need ‘other measures’

“Times have changed. It’s not like the Old Days, when we can do anything we want.”

Or maybe it is.

Maybe now, it just takes a fresh face and an Ivy League Education.

“What are you gonna do? Nice college boy, didn’t want to get mixed up in the family business.”

The college boy ended up wiping out everyone.

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