Bloomberg is the 12th richest American with a net worth of $19.5 billion (2011). He has Bill Gates is t he 2nd richest man been the mayor of New York City since 2002. Bloomberg successfully campaigned to lift on planet Earth with a net worth restrictions on term-limits so he could run for a third term. He narrowly won the election of $59 billion (2011). In 2009, in November 2009. Earlier that year, he successfully campaigned for the renewal of the Gates gave $4 million of his 2002 law which established mayoral control of public schools in NYC. own money to help preserve Bloomberg’s mayoral control of NOTE: Corporate education reformers prefer mayoral control to independent NYC schools; he secretly school boards. A corporate ed reform-minded mayor with full power over a school bankrolled Learn-NY, a group system can more quickly push through a privatization reform agenda with which conducted an extensive MICHAEL BLOOMBERG relatively little opposition. public-relations, media and BILL GATES OPRAH WINFREY lobbying (= propaganda) campaign, including massive Rupert Murdoch is Shortly after becoming mayor, Bloomberg obtained Eli Broad is the 48th parent organizing complete with Gates has been Oprah Winfrey is the 37th richest authority over the NYC school system, acquiring richest American with a free bus trips to the state using his celebrity the 139 th richest American with a net sweeping power to reorganize the district. He replaced net worth of $6.3 billion capitol. (= fake grassroots). (1) status, his influence, American with a net worth of $7.4 billion the elected Board of Education with the Panel for (2011). A strong and his immense worth of $2.7 billion (2011). Murdoch Educational Policy, a 13-member body of appointees, proponent of the wealth to become the (2011). She used donated large eight of whom are appointed by the mayor. In June corporate ed reform most powerful her popular TV amounts to the Fund 2002, Bloomberg appointed Joel Klein as Chancellor of agenda and a major oligarch who is show to deliver for Public Schools the NYC Department of Education, the largest public backer of national advancing corporate heavy doses of (“works to attract school system in the country. Klein had no background charter school education reform. corporate ed reform private investment in in the field of education; he had been a U.S. Assistant expansion, Broad gave Gates is sometimes propaganda to the WfS’s release was school reform”), a Attorney General. millions to Learn-NY. (1) referred to as the American public. private fundraising accompanied by the launch of “czar of U.S. public Among her many arm established by Done Waiting, a “social action” education.” Gates efforts were two Bloomberg and Klein campaign designed to take appeared in Waiting episodes dedicated “Broad played a key role in 2002. Murdoch’s advantage of the emotions for Superman (WfS) , to the promotion of in former U.S. Assistant wife, Wendy, served aroused in audience members as well as on Oprah WfS and one show Attorney General Joel on the board of FPS. who experienced WfS’s intense to promote the film. that provided Rhee Klein's appointment as propaganda. It guided them on with a national New York schools how to assist with the platform to launch chancellor.” (2) advancement of the corporate her new lobbying ed reform agenda. Broad JOEL KLEIN WfS was released in organization contributed $500,000 to this September 2010 and StudentsFirst in campaign, as well as $50,000 was expected to December 2010. In 2006, Fenty ELI BROAD for the marketing of The Lottery, garner a second In November 2010, Klein obtained mayoral another pro-charter school film Oscar for director resigned and became executive control of DC released in 2010. (4) Davis Guggenheim. vice president at Murdoch’s news Public Schools. Rhee was in extremely Despite heavy He consulted with RUPERT MURDOCH media giant, News Corporation. close contact with the promotion, this In his eight years at NYCDE, Klein and Broad Foundation when “documentary” film Klein had presided over a radical [unnamed] Chancellor of DCPS, was NOT nominated reorganization of the NYC public “national for an Academy Joel Klein became and even visited Eli school system. He implemented education Broad at his Fifth Ave. Award. Among other Murdoch’s legal business-model approaches from experts” (and apartment in 2008. (3) problems which adviser when the the corporate world, such as “few, if any, local emerged was the News Corp. phone ANITA DUNN increasing “choice” in the form of leaders and revelation that a hacking scandal charter schools, weakening union parents”), then charter school lottery broke in 2011. protections, and using a appointed Rhee scene had been Afterwards, Klein MICHELLE RHEE numbers-based accountability as Chancellor. “It In March 2010, frayed by staged. (7) was assigned to lead system for ranking schools. is not clear how controversy, Rhee hired Anita the company’s Klein’s approach resulted in many other Dunn, former White House internal inquiry, tense and divided communities candidates Fenty communications director, then despite obvious because of school closures, interviewed for working for a prominent public conflict of interest. overcrowding, charter school co- the job, if any.” relations firm, to improve her Rhee and Klein locations, and more. public image. Katherine worked together Bradley, a local philanthropist, Klein had used gains on state when she led The donated $100,000 to pay for tests to justify school closures New Teacher this project. and to determine principal and Project. (6) Read 4teacher bonuses. These gains Rhee served as DC Chancellor Diane Ravitch’s proved to be a myth. After the for almost 3 ½ years, resigning “The Death and discovery that “cut scores” for in October 2011 after Fenty’s Life of the Great passing state exams had been In 2007, Rhee served on re-election defeat. His loss was American raised (making it easier for the board of St. HOPE partially attributed to public School System” students to pass), and with an Public Schools, Kevin dislike for both Rhee and the to learn more. adjustment to those cut scores in Johnson’s charter school corporate ed reform measures Philip Anschutz is the 39th richest American 2010, scores for NYC public network. They married in she had aggressively applied to with a net worth of $7 billion (2011). He owns schools dropped dramatically. (5) 2011. DCPS (closing schools, firing Walden Media, co-producer of Waiting for ADRIAN FENTY teachers, ruthless disruption, Superman. etc.). Less than one year prior, Rhee had been selected to play OLIGARCHS AND CORPORATE EDUCATION REFORM: a staring role in Waiting for THE MICHELLE RHEE CONNECTION Superman (WfS). Anschutz is a In March 2011, a major DC test Colorado-based The interlocking is extensive and not all ties are represented on this map. KEVIN JOHNSON score cheating scandal broke. Christian An analysis by USA Today conservative found that 103 of 168 DC public billionaire who REFERENCES schools had erasure rates that funds anti-gay surpassed DC averages at least efforts as well as (1) "Gates’ $4 Mil Lesson Aided School Control.” New York Post , 8/18/2009 once since 2008. Principals and the Discovery (2) “Executives trained by turnaround nonprofit.” The Oakland Tribune , 8/11/2003 PH ILIP teachers at those schools had Institute, a think (3) “Fund and Games; Inside Michelle Rhee's official schedule.” Washington City Paper , 3/6/2009 ANSCHUTZ already received generous tank which (4) “Documentary films ratchet up pressure on teachers unions.” Sacramento Bee , 9/24/2010 bonuses. Rhee was asked to promotes (5) “Standards Raised, More Students Fail Tests.” New York Times , 7/28/2010 speak with the paper before the Intelligent (6) “Fenty To Oust Janey Today.” Washington Post , 6/12/2007 article ran, but she declined. Design. (9) Map created by (7) “Waiting for Superman Can Stop Waiting for Oscar.” GOOD magazine, 1/26/2011 Afterwards she called the Sharon Higgins (8) “When standardized test scores soared in D.C., were the gains real?” USA Today , 3/30/2011 reporters and her critics January 2012 (9) “Philip Anschutz: Transforming the culture one Hollywood blockbuster at a time.” Media Transparency , 11/5/2007 “enemies of school reform.” (8) .