Hopefully by now you’ve checked out my Aramark article.

It may come across as a bit one-sided, but there are reasons for that. Our public institutions are being hollowed out and turned into profit centers for private corporations, and the trend has been treated uncritically by the media. Politicians who want to put schools, roads, our military and our prisons on the auction block are regarded as innovators, reformers, “mavericks” who are willing to try unconventional solutions to tackle today’s problems, like opening public services to private-sector competition.

 

When another piece of the public domain goes up for sale, or contracts some aspect of its operations to the private sector, it’s rarely pointed out that these companies are not in business to serve the public. They are in business to make money.

When The Alligator finally reported UF’s Aramark contract, it did not explain the fact that the bidding process was structured in a way that kept out competition, the problems surrounding Aramark’s performance in Florida’s prisons, or the fact that the company was not obligated, as was reported, to reduce the number of missed meals purchased by meal plan customers. It’s merely obligated to “work with” UF.

Another obstacle to objectivity was the refusal by Aramark’s officials at UF to take questions. Of course, private companies aren’t as open to scrutiny as public institutions.

The purpose of this blog is to start holding them accountable. Florida is on the cutting edge of privatization in many respects, especially when it comes to eduction, and its high time this was questioned.