Center for Education Reform

The publication, Indiana Charter Schools Today, has an article entitled, "CER's Jeanne Allen is a Woman on a Mission" written by Stan Houseland. Below is an excerpt from the article:

Beyond working with leaders in the 50 states, one of the roles of CER, she asserts, is "discontenting the contented." That often means the National Education Association, perhaps the most powerful force within the education establishment. A spokesman there has complained that Allen "goes for the jugular" and is "mean."

If that means shunning mushy "diplomat-speak," she doubtless would happily plead guilty. Recently a Florida newspaper editorialized against a state policy to expand the power to authorize charter schools. Allen shot back in a letter to the editor: "This is a democracy, not a dictatorship. Having new and additional entities that can foster more and better learning opportunities is a right that no family should be without."

Not eager for compromise, she recently compared the school reform crusade with the civil rights movement of the 1950s. "They didn't stand up and say 'OK, fine, we'll take the bus, but not the water fountain."