The public schools of York City, Pennsylvania, are on a precipice. They have a deficit. The state, contrary to its constitutional obligation, refuses to help. The district is in receivership. A judge approved the receiver’s plan to hand the schools over to a Florida-based for-profit corporation. How the corporation can make a profit from a district in financial distress is not clear. The district school board wants to appeal. The judge will decide in the next week whether he will permit an appeal from his ruling.
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Judge: Ruling on York City School District’s receivership appeal to come next week
York Dispatch by MOLLIE DURKIN 505-5432/@YDHealth 01/06/2015 01:58:20 PM EST
A court ruling on the York City School District’s appeal of receivership will have to wait until next week. York County President Judge Stephen P. Linebaugh held a hearing about the appeal on Tuesday, a week and a half after granting the state Department of Education’s petition to appoint David Meckley as the school district’s receiver. Meckley has served as the district’s chief recovery officer for about two years. For several months, he’s advocated for a full conversion of the district’s eight schools to operation by Charter Schools USA, a for-profit charter company.
The appeal: Marc Tarlow, an attorney representing the district, filed an appeal to Linebaugh’s decision and is pushing for a stay that would prevent Meckley from officially becoming the receiver until the appeals process is finished. But Clyde Vedder, attorney for the state Department of Education, argued that the district has no authority to appeal and that only the directors of the school board may file appeals. “Which, as we pointed out in our motion, they have not done,” he said. Linebaugh said he is “somewhat troubled” by the assertion that an entity affected by a decision has no right to appeal.
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Judge considers appeal questions in York City receiver case
State wants court to strike appeal from York City School District
By Angie Mason amason@ydr.com @angiemason1 on Twitter 01/06/2015 06:05:01 PM EST
David Meckley could know as early as next week whether a judge will clear the way for him to move forward with the York City School District’s recovery plan, or whether appeals filed over his appointment as receiver will keep district control in limbo. On Tuesday, York County Judge Stephen Linebaugh heard arguments on the state education department’s motions to strike the school district’s appeal in the case and remove an automatic stay of receivership triggered by that appeal. Linebaugh gave the attorneys until Friday to file any supplemental documents and said he could rule early next week, unless he determines there’s need for a hearing.
Clyde Vedder, attorney for the state, argued Tuesday there’s a “fundamental distinction” between the school district and the school board. The appeal was “allegedly” filed by the district, he said, but the district was placed under Meckley’s control when he was named receiver Dec. 26. The board itself, Vedder argued, has not filed an appeal.
http://www.ydr.com/ci_27268935/judge-considers-appeal-questions-york-city-receiver-case?source=rss
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Politics is as politics does in York school debate (letter)
York Daily Record Letter by Jeff Kirkland UPDATED: 01/06/2015 02:34:03 PM EST
Jeff Kirkland is a former York City School Board President.
In response to the letter by state Reps. Seth Grove and Stand Saylor, and state Sen. Scott Wagner:
When it comes to assessing what is good for the York City School District, these guys are as delusional as they were when they participated in the decimation of the district. It is obvious this is a political hack piece as these arrogant “do-gooders” attempt to support their crony, Tom Corbett, and cover their own tracks in undermining urban education across the state.
When it comes to concern about the education of the kids of York, these charlatans have proven over the years they have no real interest in the education of city youth.
Both Saylor and Grove supported the destabilization of the city district by pushing the failed Edison Charter school experiment. The Edison group, like Charter Schools USA, made many similar empty promises of savings, improved academics and even free computers for families who fell for their false promises. When they could not squeeze enough profits out of this community to satisfy their greed, Edison left town in a hurry, leaving a disrupted and unstable district in its lurch. Where is the accountable Mr. Grove and Mr. Saylor? Where were you as your experiment with our children failed?
http://www.ydr.com/letters/ci_27266986/politics-is-politics-does-york-school-debate-letter
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Diane Ravitch's blog 
The first thing Republicans did in Congress was to push a measure to undermine Social Security and force a “crisis” in the near future, paving the way to privatization. This is the well coordinated effort underway to eliminate public good. The GOP and DINOs are turning us into America, Inc. Wonder if they will outsource citizenry?
The charter movement is the new “civil rights” issue of our time, but not for the reason they purport. When considered with gerrymandering, police brutality and other attempts to silence and disenfranchise the poor, especially minority Americans, there is a troubling trend in America spearheaded by corporatists allied with corrupt government. Recently the string of failures and fraud should sound the alarm bell to honest stewards of the public trust, but, instead, the politicians keep flushing money down the charter drain as they are directed by the corporate overseers. Charters schools run by wealthy white people take any ability of local governance away from those they serve, mostly poor urban African Americans. Local communities have no say over curricula, budget, staffing, etc. The fact that many charters then make a profit which in many cases is returned to the corporation seems like the newest scheme to exploit the urban poor. While there many be some legitimate charter schools, these recent debacles point to a disturbing trend of vulture capitalism.
You wrote: “How the corporation can make a profit from a district in financial distress is not clear.” Well, here’s one way it could work: the private corporation could argue that because of bankruptcy the contracts with the teachers and vendors are null and void and all of the legacy costs (i.e. pensions, health insurance for retirees, retiree benefits) will be paid, say, ten cents on the dollar going forward. That would not only erase the current debt but reduce the operating costs. Then they could use the bankruptcy to unilaterally reset the wages, benefits, and working conditions further reducing their operating costs. Assuming the incoming Governor restores funding to an equitable level, the “new” state funds will go to the shareholders. This technique seems to be working well in Michigan…. working well for shareholders that is.
Scary, underhanded idea! The current Darwinian mood of the country seems to condone this type of behavior.
This case in the Keystone State will be interesting to watch unfold. Incoming Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf (D) will face a $2 billion budget deficit in fiscal 2016, with the state’s current fiscal year ending June 30, 2015. Outgoing Governor Tom Corbett (R) has cut corporate taxes by $2.1 billion while in office.
Follow the money…