Charter schools

It's sad enough on the surface. Public schools shriveling to dust while for-profit charters skim taxpayer dollars at a growing clip. Sadder still, it's a self inflicted wound and a failure of political and public education leadership.

As a business strategist, I've seen the scenario many times. An entrenched monopoly defends its traditional business model, circling the wagons to stave off competitors. Meanwhile, nimble and aggressive organizations sense opportunity and exploit it. That's what's happening with charter schools today, and if leaders in the education establishment want to know who to blame, they should look in the mirror.

Please go to Change.org to sign the petition opposing a charter school in Orange County. This school project is organized by a group that has not improved achievement elsewhere in the state. It is funded by some fairly right wing politicos, not the right group to foster good educational programs.

This will be approved on Feb 1-2 unless there is clear opposition, with many letters written, so hurry.

http://www.change.org/petitions/mr-william-harrison-and-the-north-caroli...

I am a product of public education in North Carolina: my high school graduating class was the first one to go all twelve years under court ordered busing here in Mecklenburg. I also graduated from Central Piedmont Community College, Appalachian State, and UNC-Charlotte ... so I know firsthand that NC has a very good public education system from kindergarten to college.

I don't dismiss the value of charter schools but I do have a problem with for-profit entities running them.

Forming another charter school group he can switch hats with:

Goodall, who was president of the N.C. Alliance for Public Charter Schools, said he is starting the N.C. Public Charter Schools Association. He will be the new group's executive director.

This story is so rife with conflicts of interest, I don't even know where to begin. I also find it amazing that the Legislative Ethics Commission (or whoever) hasn't already taken action. I guess we'll have to wait until the taxpayers have shoveled out a few hundred million to Goodall's clients before somebody sits up and takes notice.

For those who have followed the threads of influence linking ALEC, the Koch brothers, Art Pope, and the NC General Assembly, this Tweet speaks volumes:

TerryStoops Terry Stoops
I am hanging with @AFPNC MT Learning about new ideas in school design at #alec with #ncga in phoenix #edreform #edtech #charters 1 Dec

Popping the cap on charter schools in the last session was merely the priming of the pump. The education destroyers reformers can be expected to attempt even more devastating changes next go-round:

Georgia Supreme Court finds in favor of local school boards:

In a 4-to-3 decision, the Georgia court struck down a law empowering a special statewide commission to approve and finance charter schools even over the objections of local school boards.

If you're wondering how NC's proposed Charter School legislation approaches the issue of local school board control, pay attention to what has been struck out:

Sacrificing the many in favor of the few.

Public monies with no public oversight? From Josh Ellis' Twitter feed:

Sen. Berger says bill to lift charter cap may also move governance of charters outside of DPI

Since the NCGA website is still a blank slate on this session's bills, committees, etc., I'm assuming this bill has yet to be written.

In either case, charters are already too far outside the control of local school boards. To also remove them from DPI oversight is a slap in the face to the very taxpayers these Republicans claim to support.

Sen. Eddie Goodall tries to earn his keep:

But in January, Goodall became president of the N.C. Alliance for Public Charter Schools, which wants to increase the number of charter schools allowed in the state, among other goals.

Goodall raised eyebrows in the Senate chamber Thursday when he tried to run an amendment to an education and jobs bill that would lift the cap. Goodall’s proposals were shot down.

It should have raised a lot more than eyebrows. It should have triggered an ethics probe.