Teachers union and others planning to celebrate a book critical of city’s school policies

Education historian Diane Ravitch’s forthcoming book already has an eager audience in a national teachers union and the city’s former public advocate.

The American Federation of Teachers, former public advocate Betsey Gotbaum, and the American Enterprise Institute have sent out invitations for events featuring Ravitch’s latest work, “The Death and Life of the Great American School System: How Testing and Choice are Undermining Education.” The book, which comes out in early March, is critical of Chancellor Joel Klein’s support for school choice and an accountability system based on students’ test scores. Ravitch read an excerpt from the book at GothamSchools’ party.

Gotbaum’s event is billed as a private book party, while the AFT’s event (they’re not on the same day) is being held in Washington DC, as is the AEI one. AFT President Randi Weingarten is scheduled to speak.

Other events highlighting her book are listed on her website.

Betsy and Victor Gotbaum invite you to join in celebrating the publication of Diane Ravitch’s new book The Death and Life of the Great American School System March 9, 2010, from 6-8 p.m. February 15 The American Federation of Teachers and the Albert Shanker Institute invite you to a book reception for DIANE RAVITCH, noted author and education historian The Death and Life of the Great American School System: How Testing and Choice Are Undermining Education Introduction by RANDI WEINGARTEN, President, American Federation of Teachers Monday, March 15 5 – 6:30 p.m. American Federation of Teachers 555 New Jersey Ave. N.W. 4th floor Washington, DC RSVP: 202/393-5664 or aftpresoffice@aft.org Diane Ravitch’s The Death and Life of the Great American School System Cosponsored with the Thomas B. Fordham Institute Wednesday, March 10, 2010, 4:00-5:30 p.m. Wohlstetter Conference Center, Twelfth Floor, AEI 1150 Seventeenth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036   Please join us to hear Ms. Ravitch present the ideas in her new book. Immediately following her presentation, AEI resident scholar and director of education policy studies Frederick M. Hess will moderate a discussion featuring William A. Galston, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution; AEI visiting scholar Mark Schneider, former national commissioner of education statistics and currently vice president at the American Institutes for Research; and Dennis Van Roekel, president of the 3.2-million-member National Education Association. 3:45 p.m.      Registration