tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2041287977169808397.post7204384070274791822..comments2024-03-28T23:52:50.698-04:00Comments on Mother Crusader: Diane Ravitch Is Public (Charter) Enemy Number One; or How Public Money Just Keeps On Feeding Private GreedMother Crusaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05282456501033994143noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2041287977169808397.post-3015998767310171862013-12-01T23:19:19.506-05:002013-12-01T23:19:19.506-05:00"Failed"?"Failed"? Eileen Cassidy Bishophttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02253712985838111143noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2041287977169808397.post-85426588608518160992013-11-23T11:49:05.665-05:002013-11-23T11:49:05.665-05:00Why don't the residents, the tax payers, get t...Why don't the residents, the tax payers, get to choose (vote) whether they want a charter school in their district or not, before significant amounts dollars are wasted on a failed educational experiment. That's real choice.Giuseppehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03418801372998968620noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2041287977169808397.post-63713829008253502802013-11-22T10:13:45.792-05:002013-11-22T10:13:45.792-05:00My district was not high performing when the chart...My district was not high performing when the charter was established. Homework really should be done before blanket statements are madeEileen Cassidy Bishophttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02253712985838111143noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2041287977169808397.post-78409141104729789392013-11-22T10:08:45.969-05:002013-11-22T10:08:45.969-05:00My district was not high performing when the chart...My district was not high performing when the charter was established. Homework really should be done before blanket statements are madeEileen Cassidy Bishophttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02253712985838111143noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2041287977169808397.post-84734853215919387172013-11-21T12:07:22.121-05:002013-11-21T12:07:22.121-05:00Choice? Where's the choice when a charter scho...Choice? Where's the choice when a charter school is imposed on a high performing school district without the consent or vote of the residents of a given school district? Who gets to vote for the charter school board of directors? Most of the school boards in NJ are filled through democratic elections. Who gets a direct vote on the charter school budget? A charter school is like a separate school district unto itself and does not work in cooperation with the district schools. Having dual or parallel school systems competing for public tax dollars is very foolish, costly and unsustainable.Giuseppehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03418801372998968620noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2041287977169808397.post-85917287350300009282013-11-21T06:19:52.159-05:002013-11-21T06:19:52.159-05:00So basically, charters rob schools of funding and ...So basically, charters rob schools of funding and overwork both students and teachers to what end...for test scores and budget attainments? Now both the public and charter schools are starving for funding and achievement becomes a difficult identifier for the teaching staff because of student demographics. Instead if supporting a dual system where money is being shared, why not work to improve the public system?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2041287977169808397.post-11745853525937240952013-11-20T14:21:26.935-05:002013-11-20T14:21:26.935-05:00The funny thing is, since its inception, Riverbank...The funny thing is, since its inception, Riverbank Charter School has forced the Florence school district to take a hard look at itself and said district has undergone some great changes! No, I don't think it's solely due to the opening of Riverbank Charter; a lot has to do with a progressive, aggressive new Superintendent and a more-aware school board, but I believe strongly that the Charter School aided in excellent changes within the district. I also know that promises of positive change within the schools were made to the state by the district to support the testimonies that the Charter is unnecessary within the township. Thumbs up!<br />Regards from a Florence Township Tax Payer who has and will continue to support the Charter School long after my children have completed 3rd grade and moved on to the District's Riverfront Intermediate School...a school that I support equally!Eileen Cassidy Bishophttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02253712985838111143noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2041287977169808397.post-63613303785310177572013-11-18T21:00:21.391-05:002013-11-18T21:00:21.391-05:00I'm sure I will take a lot of flak for wading ...I'm sure I will take a lot of flak for wading into this debate, but I feel that I must set the record straight. While I agree that there are a lot of problems with charter school laws and implementation in many parts of the country, not all charters are the same state to state. In Minnesota, charters are truly public schools - except that they have a number of additional requirements that traditional schools do not have. Minnesota charters are required to have an authorizer that has the power and the responsibility to terminate a charter school contract if the school is not performing in terms of academic, financial or operational performance - can you say that about traditional schools? Annual public reports are required to be approved by the board of directors and the authorizer. The board of directors is required by statute to be made up of a licensed teacher majority - talk about teacher led schools. Charter schools in Minnesota are required to submit an annual audit to the Commissioner of Education. Charters must also adhere to all statewide accountability requirements for standards and assessments. <br /><br />As for the budget, in Minnesota the dollars flow with the student so charters receive no more funding than traditional schools. In fact, unlike the traditional schools we are not allowed to levy additional tax payer dollars to cover costs, refurbish facilities, or reinvest in technology. To the contrary, charter teachers and administrators take on many additional duties at no extra pay to provide for our schools, including driving buses, lunch duty, after school programs and extra curricular activities to name a few. <br /><br />With regard to the issue of selective enrollment I will give you the current figures at my school. 45% of our students are receiving special education services, versus 22% in the local district. 50% of our students receive free or reduced lunch versus 35% in our local district. We almost identically mirror the demographics of the local district. The majority of our students are labeled as "at-risk" and have not been successful at their home school. The majority of them come to us 2-3 years behind in math and reading. So unlike the misrepresentation that is often portrayed about charter schools we serve all students. <br /><br />I believe that public education is the only hope for democracy, but I feel that too many in the education field are afraid of providing choice. Not every school is right for every student. Students and parents should be given options when it comes to their education. In St. Paul for instance 40% of parents have chosen to send their children to charter schools. If a parent wants to send their child to a charter school, a district magnet school, the school district across town or provide home school options they should be given that opportunity. Peternoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2041287977169808397.post-4529202932419446212013-11-18T19:47:35.020-05:002013-11-18T19:47:35.020-05:00This is exactly what the public needs to hear. Aga...This is exactly what the public needs to hear. Again, and again, and again! Maybe America will wake up?Shirleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11756613176679057344noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2041287977169808397.post-80464785174741224152013-11-15T12:05:03.315-05:002013-11-15T12:05:03.315-05:00From the Diane Ravitch blog: In a case in the Nint...From the Diane Ravitch blog: In a case in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, an Arizona charter successfully argued that it was a private corporation, not a public school. In Chicago, the teachers at a charter school wanted to form a union, but the charter founder argued before the National Labor Relations Board that the charter was operated by a private corporation and not subject to state labor laws.<br /><br />Anthony Cody reviewed this case and concluded that we should accept the claims of the California Charter Schools Association that charter schools are private entities, managed by private corporations that are outside the purview of the law.<br /><br />http://dianeravitch.net/2013/10/09/charter-schools-insist-we-are-private-not-public/Giuseppehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03418801372998968620noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2041287977169808397.post-65431580479661379902013-11-15T11:58:23.187-05:002013-11-15T11:58:23.187-05:00Charter schools are private schools getting public...Charter schools are private schools getting public money. No one gets to vote on the charter school board of directors, no one gets a direct vote on the charter school budget. No one gets to vote on whether a charter school is imposed on their district or not. Just shut up and accept this new school whether it is needed, wanted or not. The charter school does not work in cooperation with the duly elected school board and they certainly don't work in cooperation with the REAL public schools. They have an adversarial stance and yes, they do drain funds and resources from the REAL public schools.Giuseppehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03418801372998968620noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2041287977169808397.post-55131394139324001652013-11-15T11:49:34.773-05:002013-11-15T11:49:34.773-05:00The charter boosters claim that charter schools ar...The charter boosters claim that charter schools are public or private depending upon when it suits their purposes. In other words, they talk out of both sides of their two mouths. The California Court of Appeals (2007-01-10) which ruled that charter schools are NOT "public agents." [http://j.mp/wGmLtB]<br /><br />The 9th Circuit US Court of Appeals (2010-01-04) which ruled that charter schools are NOT "public actors." [ http://j.mp/x4Y9KT]<br />The US Census Department expressed difficulty in obtaining information from charter schools because they are NOT public entities. [http://j.mp/ytdtYv http://j.mp/14i5jg2]<br /><br />The National Labor Relations Board joins a host of other government agencies that have unequivocally ruled that that charters are "private entities." [http://j.mp/ZdWEeg]<br />And there are cases in which the charter operator him/herself insisted that a charter school is a private entity.<br /><br />Giuseppehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03418801372998968620noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2041287977169808397.post-30893098173398538872013-11-13T20:49:18.634-05:002013-11-13T20:49:18.634-05:00Darcie, CREDO is a pro-charter organization under ...Darcie, CREDO is a pro-charter organization under the auspices of the right-wing, pro-privatization, free-market Hoover Institution at Stanford. CREDO exists to promote charters. It makes some effort to conceal that and is routinely described as a Stanford University project (implying that it's impartial academic research), but it is listed on the Hoover Institution's website as one of its projects. So when a pro-charter organization comes out with findings that support charters, that shouldn't be treated as news. <br /><br />Here's the Hoover Institution clarifying that CREDO is run under its auspices.<br /><br />http://www.hoover.org/fellows/10088carolinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08127336930949752636noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2041287977169808397.post-51796040056044106272013-11-13T18:38:14.920-05:002013-11-13T18:38:14.920-05:00Thanks again Darcie! Thanks again Darcie! Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10362761996588481893noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2041287977169808397.post-55179886136824445632013-11-13T17:55:04.768-05:002013-11-13T17:55:04.768-05:00another brilliant exposure of charter greed, lack ...another brilliant exposure of charter greed, lack of DOE accountability and the tail wagging the dog. OMG. How much will it take to stop this nonsense. But tomorrow we have another concern as the Senate Ed committee considers legislation to give Commissioner-not-accountable- Cerf a $5million slush fund......<br /><br />Well done Darcie and thank you - I truly get so mad when I start to uncover it that I could not form coherent sentences around any of it. We are lucky you are blogging!<br />Debhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01003814941132010913noreply@blogger.com