According to Diane Ravitch, Campbell Brown isn’t much more than a pretty face.
Brown, a former journalist, is now an education reform advocate who works with a group that is suing New York state over its “last in, first out” teacher tenure policy.
Ravitch, an author and former assistant education secretary, slammed Brown’s opinions on tenure in profile of Brown in the Washington Post.
“I have trouble with this issue because it’s so totally illogical,” Ravitch told the Post. “It’s hard to understand why anyone thinks taking away teachers’ due-process rights will lead to great teachers in every classroom.”
But then Ravitch said that Brown only had a media platform because she is attractive.
“She is a good media figure because of her looks, but she doesn’t seem to know or understand anything about teaching and why tenure matters,” Ravitch said. “I know it sounds sexist to say that she is pretty, but that makes her telegenic, even if what she has to say is total nonsense.”
After Ravitch was criticized for her comments, she defended herself on Twitter.
@RomanLarson @campbell_brown I criticism Campbell Brown for her attacks on a female -dominated profession
— Diane Ravitch (@DianeRavitch) July 15, 2014
@MichaelRegnier Campbell Brown has no arguments or logic.
— Diane Ravitch (@DianeRavitch) July 15, 2014
TPM has reached out to Ravitch for comment.
