Bill Phillis is a watchdog for Ohio public schools. He is a man of great integrity who cares passionately about fair and equitable funding of the schools. He was Deputy State Superintendent many years ago and is now a fighting septugenarian, with no goal but the public interest. He created and leads the Ohio Coalition for Equity and Adequacy.
Here is his reaction to the collapse of charter school reform a few days ago:
“An initiative petition for a law or a constitutional amendment will be necessary to hold the charter industry accountable or phase it out
“High hopes were dashed by the refusal of House leadership to schedule HB 2 for a vote on June 30th. Democrats and Republicans, charter proponents and charter opponents were in support of HB 2 as amended by the Senate. Had the bill been scheduled it would most likely have passed; hence House leadership kept it off the House floor.
“This lack of House action on HB 2 demonstrates the absolute legislative control the for-profit sector of the charter school industry has on charter policy in Ohio. It matters not that the industry is laced with fraud, corruption and education malpractice. It matters not that Ohio is the butt of jokes regarding its deregulated, injudicious charter policy. Maybe Senate leadership permitted the Senate amendments with a nod from the House that the bill as amended would not pass in House. Who knows?
“When will Ohio taxpayers rise up to demand accountability of their legislators and the Governor? Until state officials are held accountable, charters will extract a billion dollars annually from school districts. Much of this money flows to for-profit management companies which is used for campaign contributions, cozy business arrangements, marketing and of course, PROFITS. When one thinks Statehouse turpitude can’t get worse, it does. Citizens must rectify this matter by by-passing the legislature and Governor with an initiative petition.”
William Phillis
Ohio E & A
ohioeanda@sbcglobal.net |
Ohio E & A | 100 S. 3rd Street | Columbus | OH | 43215
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Sadly, this type of corruption is not limited to Ohio. The reauthorization of of NCLB with no strings block grants is looking like a corporate charter school slush fund.http://thinkprogress.org/education/2015/07/06/3676656/big-wins-no-child-left-behind-rewrite-conservatives-still-want-even-less-federal-government/
“… charters will extract a billion dollars annually from school districts.”
By all that’s holy, this should be illegal anywhere on this planet.
A majority in the Supreme Court of the United States and a legislative majority would have to be holy. America has neither.
If all young men and women refused to join the military, until Congress rid the state capitols and Washington, of multinational corporate interests, change might occur.
But, a revolution, like Russia’s, is more likely. Back to the future,
America already dispatched to the world, its asset-seizing oligarchs.
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