Motoko Rich of the New York Times has written a good article about the Georgia charter referendum.
We already knew that big donors from out of state funded the pro-charter vote. What I learned from this article was that charter corporations also funded the Yes vote.
She writes:
“The roster of contributors in Georgia includes several companies that manage charter schools, including K12 Inc., Charter Schools USA and National Heritage Academies. In all, committees supporting the ballot measure have collected 15 times as much as groups opposing the measure, according to public filings.”
The charter corporations listed here operate for profit.
Somehow this seems unethical. Isn’t it like a payoff or a sort of legal graft to buy support for a measure that benefits the corporation?
Yes, I understand that it happens all the time. I understand that tobacco companies and oil companies spend money to win public support and contracts. I’m not naive.
But I never imagined that for-profit charter corporations would give money to candidates and ballot questions to get contracts. If the referendum passes, they make money.
It just smells bad. It stinks.
It’s not about education. It’s about greed.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
We just thought we lived in a democracy. Citizens First has cemented the end of that illusion.
LikeLike
Me, me, me, mine, mine, mine, no one elses, me, my, myself, yo, me, me, mine! That is the state of corporate america and way too many of the people today.
LikeLike
And people keep talking about the “conflict of interest” between unions and the politicians they support.
LikeLike
So, what else is new?
Watch TV’s “60 Minutes” story about charter schools online. A Turk owns a number of charter schools. He gets work visas for other Turks to work there. The English teacher, I could not understand. Salaries are good, but teachers must kick back 40% to the school. The school looked good, but there was no mention of academic accomplishment.
There is a lot of interest in charter schools because there is money to be made.
By the way, if little Johnny does not make the cut, off to the public school.
LikeLike
And it certainly doesn’t bode well for democracy; or what is left of it.
LikeLike
It’s a conspiracy to defraud the public.
LikeLike
Wish you could have seen the slick flyers I received in the mail that were pro-charter amendment….full color, multipage complete with photographs (one with a woman and two girls who resembled Mrs. Obama and her girls). They emphasized the importance of having a choice to save kids from failing schools. Right now the results are running close…I dread the unfolding of privatization here in GA should it pass…I think it will pass.
LikeLike
Ritz holing slim lead in IN: http://www.in.gov/apps/sos/election/general/general2012?page=office&countyID=-1&officeID=40&districtID=-1&candidate=
LikeLike
The national NEA suports anti-voucher campaigns with out-of-state money. Unions, even “public sector” unions like the AFT and NEA, are private 501-c(5) corporations. Their legal obligations are to dues-paying members and agency fee payers. Sometimes unions, like other corporations (e.g., Enron) get captured by insiders who bend the institution to their purposes. In no sense do unions have any more obligation to “the public” than does Chevron or Waste Management Incorporated.
(Jon): “It’s a conspiracy to defraud the public.”
True.
LikeLike
As Georgian Nancy Grace would say, “It’s time to unleash the lawyers!”
LikeLike
And meanwhile, the State Supt was blasted for speaking his mind on the topic. Local leaders (district level) were slapped with ethics gripes if they tried to encourage voters to say no to the charter amendment…
LikeLike