Chris Savage’s Eclectablog reports on a shocking development: the state of Michigan has held two for-profit charter schools accountable, a remarkable new development in a state where anything goes in the charter sector.
Two Michigan for-profit charter schools being held accountable for breaking the law
Savage writes that the first one was Detroit Community School, whose administrators lacked proper certification.
The second was Universal Academy, which fired eight teachers without cause. Six of them had publicly complained about the treatment of children in the schools. The Natuonal Labor Relations Board ordered that they be reinstated.
Savage writes:
First, there’s Detroit Community Schools, an Orwellian-named run by former criminals…”
Its administrators lacked the required state certification.
It’s academic results are appalling:
“Last year, setting all of these things aside…how many DCS students passed the ACT, since we’re all concerned about academic achievement around here?
“ZERO. Zero students passed the ACT. Any of the sections. Not one. And since 2007, out of the hundreds of students they’ve graduated, two have passed. TWO!…
“The Michigan Department of Education found that Detroit Community Schools violated state licensing law last school year because it employed Sharon McPhail, a former city attorney and city councilwoman, as its superintendent since 2012, and employed Eschelle Jordan, as the high school principal, while both women were unlicensed.”
State law requires a superintendent, principal, assistant principal, administrator of instructional programs or chief business official to be certified. […]
According to the state, MDE’s findings mean the school can no longer employ McPhail and Jordan as administrators until they are properly certified….”
“The other for-profit charter that is being held accountable is Universal Academy, a school run by Hamadeh Educational Services, an “educational services” corporation out of Livonia. Last winter, HES fired eight teachers, six of whom attended a January school board meeting to draw attention to mistreatment of students and other problems at the school.”
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Important point:
It’s worth noting that these (fired) teachers were supported in their effort to fight back against the discrimination they faced by the Michigan Alliance of Charter Teachers, the American Federation of Teachers-Michigan, and the AFL-CIO who filed the complaint with the NLRB. Without union protection and support, this restitution would not be taking place.
For-profit charter school operators are notoriously anti-union and this is Exhibit A as to why.
Good to know that some unions are doing their job.
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