Schools
Charter School Reformers on a 'Secret' Mission to Dilute Power of Teachers' Union
Reformers plan to use mayoral race to cripple United Federation of Teachers.
This article was written by C. Zawadi Morris.
Democrats for Education Reform, a backer of charter schools, plans to dilute the power of the teachers' union in New York City’s mayoral race, calling for their financial backers to spread their donations among City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, former Comptroller Bill Thompson and former U.S. Rep. Anthony Weiner, according to a confidential memo obtained by Crain’s.
Democrats for Education Reform, a backer of charter schools, plans to dilute the power of the teachers' union in New York City’s mayoral race, calling for their financial backers to spread their donations among City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, former Comptroller Bill Thompson and former U.S. Rep. Anthony Weiner, according to a confidential memo obtained by Crain’s.
The memo outlines an orchestrated attempt by reformists to its hedge funders to ensure that the two candidates who make it to the runoff are acceptable to education reformers.
It urged members to "quietly" support and not "publicly alienate" Quinn while suggesting “small-donor fundraising” for Thompson and Weiner.
"This memo reads like a desperate attempt to assure [its] funders among the one percent that the organization retains a shred of relevance," said a spokesman for the United Federation of Teachers.
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Joe Williams, who runs the reform group, emailed back, "Whatever."
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