How Charter Schools Heighten The Politicization Of Education
Last year a breakthrough policy brief from the National Education Policy Center exposed some of the financial machinations charter schools engage in to further the interests of profit-seeking entrepreneurs. But what about the political machinations?
The politics of charter schools are less quantifiable that their financials but troubling nevertheless, and the expansion of these schools will no doubt lead to increased politicization of education in local communities.
Consider the following anecdotes.
Florida Fracas
Recently a Florida news outlet reported about a charter school management company that “disappeared from the scene” after being told by the local school board to explain financial and operational problems. The company that operated four schools had racked up $1.8 million in debt after receiving $4.5 million in taxpayer money.
This seems like pretty blatant fraud, but it gets more complicated when politics get involved.
As the article explains, parents and school leaders at one of the schools, Windsor Prep, felt pretty gung ho about their school and responded to its vanishing manager by pitching in, on a voluntary basis, to take over some school operations. However, the board still felt the obligation to address the problems posed: the missing money, the management company scofflaws, and the welfare of lots of students who need more than just enthusiastic amateurs to oversee their education.
While the local board was attempting to sort out the mess another, other issues involving Windsor Prep continued to surface: unaccounted for grant money and $300,000 in mysterious consulting fees.
Based on these ongoing concerns, the school district’s staff recommended putting Windsor Prep and the other charters on a 90-day notice of termination.
Charter school families, mostly from Windsor, flooded the board meetingto express their disapproval. Families expressed their fondness for their charter schools and complained that finding alternatives would be a struggle. School board members responded by pointing out to parents the available seats at local public schools. But many parents contended the public schools are inferior to charters. They point to the “C” letter grades How Charter Schools Heighten The Politicization Of Education:
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Big Education Ape: News Analysis: Education fight ‘over shades of Democrat’ | CALmatters http://bit.ly/25csc6L
Big Education Ape: Local legislative races become battleground in statewide fight over educationhttp://bit.ly/1WMlJKA
Big Education Ape: Edvoice pumps cash into Assembly campaign | News | Palo Alto Online | http://bit.ly/1s8OhSi
Big Education Ape: Charter school groups spending big in California legislative races | 89.3 KPCChttp://bit.ly/1TYIvJj