Stop Predatory Charters!
The following is a letter to the editor by BESE member Dr. Lottie Beebe. I believe this letter alerts us to an extremely disruptive force in Louisiana education which I call Predatory Charters. In my opinion the only purpose of predatory charters is to use our tax dollars to enrich entrepreneurs who have figured out how to use the current education reform movement to their advantage. Here is Dr. Beebe's letter:
Letter to the Editor
Dear Editor:
The Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE)'s decision on October 16, 2013 to approve charter school applications for Lafayette Parish – against the wishes of Lafayette’s elected education leaders – sets a dangerous precedent that should alarm all Louisiana citizens.
BESE approved 5 charter school applications in Lafayette Parish from two groups, Charter Schools USA and National Heritage Academies. Both Charter Schools USA and National Heritage Academies are for-profit corporations headquartered outside of Louisiana. While these companies claimed their charter schools would provide choice for parents and ease student crowding in the classroom, many citizens of Lafayette Parish expressed legitimate concerns.
Citizens were concerned the for-profit companies would retain ownership of the facilities built with taxpayers’ dollars should the charter schools fail to deliver on their promised student