As we have seen in Pennsylvania and other states, charters drain resources from public schools, and in some districts, like York City, Pennsylvania, cause the financial collapse of the school district.
Here is the latest from Louisiana: the public schools of Lafayette, Louisiana, expect to lose $17 million next year as three charter schools expand and another plans to open in August. In time, a tipping point will occur, when public education is no longer viable. As more public dollars flow to privately managed charters, the public schools will fall into deficit, cut programs and services, lay off teachers and other personnel. The plan is working, if the goal is to destroy public education.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
FYI. The local school board denied these charters initially. So, what did the charters do? Go to the state board and of course, they were all approved. Considering the president of BESE is the brother of the head of the state charter group, did anyone really think they wouldn’t do this? But… there is no conflict of interest there.
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These are the people who are “reforming” Ohio’s charter school law:
“As lawmakers and Gov. John Kasich discuss how to overhaul Ohio charter school laws, some new players have entered the debate. Well, sort of new.
Troy Judy and Chad Hawley, who each served in top staff leadership positions, including chief of staff, for former House Speaker William G. Batchleder, have formed a lobbying firm, The Batchelder Company.
Among the first clients for the new firm are those affiliated with the state’s largest charter school, the online Electronic Classroom of Tomorrow, better known as ECOT. School founder, William Lager, is among the largest individual contributors to legislative Republicans.”
I don’t think anyone in Ohio is surprised there’s a revolving door between charter promoters in the statehouse and lobbying groups, but this piece is notable because it’s in the Columbus Dispatch and that newspaper has done more to promote charter schools in this state than any other. They are charter cheerleaders. If they’re reporting on it, that means we must be close to complete legislative capture 🙂
http://workplace.dispatch.com/content/blogs/the-daily-briefing/2015/02/02-16-15-charter-lobby.html
Oh, by the way. Kasich’s latest budget includes an increase for ALL charter schools, while more than half of Ohio-s public schools (the schools that serve 90% of children) got a cut.
Public schools could really use an advocate in government. We’re getting killed under ed reform leadership at the federal and state level. We may have to hire one. The people we’re paying in Columbus aren’t getting the job done for 90% of kids.
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The deck is stacked against public schools. Compromised legislators create laws that favor the expansion of charter schools. The only things that could counter the trend are money and an outraged public that demands change.
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The same strain of financial disease is destroying all our basic social tissue, from savings and loans to housing to education. It is no accident — that is what it is aimed to do.
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Time to revise that feel-good charter mantra of “charters are the rising tide that lifts all public school boats” to “charters are the tsunami that destroys public schools.”
Time for some truth in advertising.
😎
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