The Jumoke-FUSE charter scandal in Connecticut has become “an important moment” to reconsider the state’s warm embrace of charter schools. As readers may recall, the CEO of FUSE, Michael Sharpe, was found to have a criminal record and to have falsely claimed to have a doctorate. Sharpe’s organization had collected $53 million in state funds since 1998.
The fact that Governor Malloy appointed Stefan Pryor, a co-founder of a charter chain as his state commissioner of education, indicates his desire to please the hedge fund money backing the charter movement.
Now, political leaders are promising to increase oversight, accountability, and transparency of charters, including background checks.
The most amusing comment in the article comes from the leader of the pro-charter group ConnCAN, who sees this as a moment not only to look at accountability and transparency but flexibility and funding. Translated, this means she sees a chance for charters to get more funding in the wake of the scandal. As journalist Sarah Darer Littman says in a comment, the best word to describe this reaction is “Chutzpah.” That is Yiddish for nerve, gall, outrageous arrogance.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
There is one sure way to ensure oversight of CT charter schools and fair and adequate funding for CT public schools- ELECT JON PELTO GOVERNOR!!!
Pelto/Murphy 2014. Dannel Malloy: Tenure D E N I E D. The countdown begins.
Jennifer Alexander, CEO of ConnCAN wrote a letter of support for the Booker T. Washington/FUSE charter school in which she said that one of the 2 key factors in her support was that the Booker T. Washington charter school was collaborating “with a proven high-quality provider, FUSE… FUSE has a track record of success.”
Alexander forgot to mention that ConnCAN has a track record of success in receiving grant money, not least from the Peter and Carmen Lucia Buck (Subway sandwich vendors) Foundation ($500K commitment in the past and promised for the next two years)–this Buck foundation provided $100K (approximately) for the writing of the Booker T. charter school application, and it also promised $250K to Jumoke; in addition, this Subway foundation gave $360K to the Community Foundation of Greater New Haven, whose director, William W. Ginsberg, also wrote a letter of support for the Booker T. application; not to mention the millions the Buck/Subway group has donated to Achievement First, the charter management organization co-founded by CT commissioner of ed. Stefan Pryor and Dacia Toll, wife of Jeffrey Klaus–he, too wrote a letter of support for the Booker T./FUSE charter. In Hartford, a new Achievement First High School opened in 2012–with a pipeline of students directly from Jumoke.
Here’s the PCL Buck most recent tax filing; see pages 108-117 for most of these donations, plus myriad others to TFA and Northeast Charter Schools, etc., etc.: http://www.pclbfoundation.org/docs/2012-990PF-PCLB.pdf
Starting on page 273 you can read the letters of recommendation
http://www.documentcloud.org/documents/1099724-booker-t-washington-academy-charter-school.html
On page 397 you can see the info on grants–$75K from Bucks…
http://www.documentcloud.org/documents/1099724-booker-t-washington-academy-charter-school.html
Mary G., your excellent comment disappeared. I will try to find and restore it.
Okay! I could probably rewrite it–it includes a bit of “digging” on my part for all the connections and interconnections among ConnCAN, FUSE, Achievement First, Pryor, etc. I wonder if the Booker T. Washington has disappeared? it’s only a matter of time–but I have a copy of that–all 427 pages!
http://ct-n.com/ctnplayer.asp?odID=10441
Pelto/ Murphy explain it all!
Here is the gist of the original comment, which clearly cheesed off the big cheese (next my computer will crash or be hacked): Jennifer Alexander, CEO of ConnCAN, wrote, in her *letter of support* for the Booker T. Washington/FUSE Charter school application, that one of the 2 key reasons for her support was the charter’s “collaboration with a high-quality provider, FUSE… FUSE,” she enthused, “has a track record of success.” Alexander failed to mention ConnCAN’s track record of raking in the pro-charter foundation dollars, particularly those of the Subway-sandwich mogul, Peter and Carmen Lucia Buck–$500K for the last year for which the tax filing is available, and $500K for the next two years. This foundation also contributed $75K to the groups writing the Booker T. charter application (see link in another comment to this blog); $250K to Jumoke; $360K to the Community Foundation of Greater New Haven, whose director, William W. Ginsberg, likewise wrote a letter in support of the Booker T. charter school. Jeff Klaus of Bank of America also wrote a letter of support, neglecting to mention the over $3million (yes! million) that the Subway/Buck foundation has given to Achievement First, the charter school co-founded by Stefan Pryor (CT Commissioner of Ed) and Dacia Toll, still CEO of Achievement First–and wife of J. Klaus. Dacia Toll got the go-ahead in 2012 to open an Achievement First High School in Hartford–in which Jumoke charter school students would automatically be enrolled on graduating 8th grade–no lottery or agonizing over enrollments necessary!
This is not to mention the myriad donations to TFA, the CAPSS, Northeast Charter School Networks, etc., etc. by the Buck foundation.
The Buck bucks are broken down here (pages 108-117 roughly): http://www.pclbfoundation.org/docs/2012-990PF-PCLB.pdf
the letters of support are from 273 of this cloud-based doc: http://www.documentcloud.org/documents/1099724-booker-t-washington-academy-charter-school.html
Outrageous arrogance was when Elaine Fink, Superintendent of District 2, became judge and jury, and decided without the benefit of putting out charges, investigation or hearing to publish a letter to me saying that I had been ‘found guilty of corporal punishment, based on allegations that I cursed at a child in front of a class. Filing a four million dollar lawsuit, and a letter from may tourney to the DOE and to her, and every attorney at the district office, did not stop her form publishing that letter to the school.
Arrogance, chutzbah? Pure criminal lawlessness, and she went on to become the chancellor in San Diego… until they threw her out! Oh yeah! Saw the news flash on tv, with the president of the Board of Ed in San Diego saying, “we don’t treat our teachers like that.” THAT being what this creature learned was just fine in NYC.
Diane, have you ever seen “lawless”, the testimony of Lorna Stremcha before Congress.
Maybe it is time for everyone on your site to see this.
Diane, There is another excellent article by Doug Livingston of the Akron Beacon Journal on the Gulen Turkish charter schools in Ohio today.. Here is the link –
http://www.ohio.com/news/break-news/ohio-taxpayers-provide-jobs-to-turkish-immigrants-through-charter-schools-1.501940
He has done an outstanding research and exposure series. Please look it over.
Sue Kelewae