Andre Agassi has his own charter school -- & is --predictably -- dissing public education

[Hannah Bell]

Andre Agassi's double fault

Sent to Time Magazine, November 15

Andre Agassi used his "person of the year" nomination to launch an unfounded attack on American teacher education and teacher evaluation. All the available data shows that in general American teachers are pretty good: The only serious problem in American education is the fact that we have such a large percentage of children living in poverty (20%, compared to Sweden's 3%): Middle class children who attend well-funded schools rank at the top of the world on international tests.

Mr. Agassi, founder of the Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy, asks us all to "lay aside your agendas" while pushing his own charter school agenda.

Stephen Krashen

http://www.schoolsmatter.info/2010/11/andre-agassis-double-fault.html

Person of the Year Nomination: Andre Agassi

Time Magazine, November 23, 2010

The nominee is: the American student. I deserve better. Far better. I need my teachers to be better trained and held accountable for their performance. I want you to expect excellence from me. My future is at stake, and I'm not equipped for a 21st century world. If you all lay aside your agendas, you can create a groundswell that will lift me to college and beyond. If only there were a children's union.

Agassi is a retired tennis champion and founder of the Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy
http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2030948_2030946_2030942,00.html #ixzz15RnNm9cc


Because billionaire tennis players who turned pro at 16 know all about education. But I guess there's no federal money in a tennis school franchise.

[LVZ]

1. I guess you like to spread disinformation ...

First, why the exaggerations? Agassi is rich but billionaire? Not even close (< 200 million).

Second, Agassi has done a lot for Las Vegas and Nevada. He is highly respected in Las Vegas, on good terms with Mayor Oscar Goodman and our public schools officials. The Clark County school district is the fifth largest in the country and has a lot of problems, partly due to actions of our Republican Governor and past Republican legislatures.

Agassi's College Prep academy is a public charter school.

[Hannah Bell]

2. oooh, a "public" charter school!!! the only thing "public" about charter schools is the money they

siphon up, & agassi is just another rich tit-sucker who knows how to make a buck off the backs of the public.

of course he's "respected" by the political establishment; they always respect money.

fuck agassi & his "public" charter school.

and goodman (I) has been mayor since 1999, so whatever's bad in las vegas, he has a lot to do with it.

[Name removed]

3. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Hannah Bell]

4. lol. i don't have a blog.

[trumad]

5. Picking a fight with Hannah?

You're fucked.

[Hannah Bell]

6. lol.

[Tansy_Gold]

7. +1000

:spray:

[Dappleganger]

17. Truer words have never been spoken.

Only a fool would choose to go that way. ;)

[Ginto]

22. Exactly. Schools need to be NATIONALIZED. TODAY!.

Make curricula, money, and teacher qualifications even across the board. Let everyone have the chance for the same education and maybe we can start advancing as a society.

[WinkyDink]

8. Why doesn't he just give to the extant PUBLIC schools?

[Tansy_Gold]

10. Because it's not about GIVING TO the schools

It's about TAKING FROM the taxpayers.

Someone is making money off this deal, you can bet your booties. There's no money to be made giving to schools.




TG, NTY

[Dappleganger]

18. Yes, always follow the money.

And Agassi was tutored during his tennis years as a kid, he never went to regular school. I hardly think he's an 'expert' on anything except tennis.

[MattBaggins]

14. Define public

[no_hypocrisy]

9. What agenda? A living wage with basic health and pension benefits?

[Tansy_Gold]

11. Gee, that sounds kinda like, you know, socialism.

:evilgrin:

[stray cat]

12. Why would anyone not promote the status quo of our perfect education system?

[LWolf]

13. There is no such thing as a "perfect" education system, anywhere,

as I'm sure you know. The public education system is a reflection of the society it serves. If you want to improve one, you have to improve the other.

I don't consider privatization an improvement on any public service. Privatization doesn't lift up society, it brings society down.

[AndrewP]

16. LOL. Exactly!

[Starry Messenger]

15. I'm so sick of these paternalistic bastards.

Practically every teacher I know is an advocate for children and learning. Tennis pro and socialite can go fuck himself.

[joeybee12]

19. Did Andre write that? Is he back on meth?

I LOVED watching tennis when he LOST!!!!

[Hannah Bell]

24. andre was a meth-head?

[PavePusher]

20. Doesn't this sort of conflict with your other post:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=9662861&mesg_id=9662861

:shrug:

[Hannah Bell]

23. uh, no.

[Ginto]

21. I'm going to send my kids to Sampras's school.

I hear it's a more grass focused curriculum.