Charter schools a dividing issue in Sacramento County education board races
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| John Scribner |
Last Modified: Saturday, Apr. 21, 2012 - 12:38 am
Published: Saturday, Apr. 21, 2012 - 12:00 am | Page 1B
Seats on the Sacramento County Board of Education aren't usually hotly contested. But a controversial network of charter schools has changed that.
The June 5 contest for four open seats on the seven-member board has already generated one lawsuit and a flurry of donations from charter school opponents and proponents.
The undercurrent is that candidates are running in an effort to stop the approval of charter schools operated by educator Margaret Fortune, said board President Brian Cooley. He is not running for re-election.
"Quite frankly, I think there is a reason there are so many candidates," Cooley said. "Most people usually aren't even aware of this race, but the charter issue really put it on the forefront."