Walmartiization of Public Schools: Pyne and Abbot't's new model?

A new report out today from Cashing in on Kids shows the Walton Family Foundation is spending billions to implement a hardcore ideological agenda of replacing public schools with a privatized system that will be open to exploitation by private corporations.

To put it succinctly, the Waltons are hell-bent on the “Walmartization” of public education.

In addition to the billions spent by the Walton Family Foundation in pursuit of this agenda, members of the Walton family have funneled millions of dollars to education-related ballot measures and politicians who back their agenda.

Lest there be any doubt, the Waltons’ meddling in education policy seriously threatens America’s historic commitment to the principle of free and equal access to public education.

As the new report reveals, the Walton Family Foundation puts their money behind reforms that undermine the promise of universal public education in three key ways:

• By diverting taxpayer dollars from public schools to privately operated schools that are not required to admit and educate all students.
• By supporting efforts to close down public schools in poor neighborhoods and lay off experienced teachers in order to make room for privately-operated schools staffed by recent college graduates with only 5 weeks of teacher training.
• By blocking legislation to ensure public oversight and accountability of privately-operated schools funded with taxpayer dollars.
• To add insult to injury, the Waltons (who collect $8.5 million/day in stock dividends from low-wage Walmart) claim their education reform agenda will help lift children out of poverty.