The privatization steam roller continues to move through the Republican controlled states.
The Missouri House of Representatives narrowly approved a bill to expand the number of charter schools in the state. The bill now moves to the Senate.
After more than five hours of debate Wednesday and more than an hour of debate Thursday, the measure advanced to the Senate on an 83-76 vote.
Charter schools are tuition-free public schools that operate independently from elected school boards. They currently operate in St. Louis and Kansas City only; the plan would allow charter schools in places like Columbia and Springfield.
The sponsor, Rep. Rebecca Roeber, R-Lee’s Summit, touted the legislation as a way to provide students and families with more choices. The changes, she said, will bring competition to schools, triggering improvement and innovation in education.
Public education advocates warned that charter schools have not fulfilled their promises of success and innovation, but Republicans were determined to pass the bill anyway.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
For the past eight years, any legislation such like this would have been vetoed by Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon, but Nixon final term ended in January. He has been replaced by Republican Eric Greitens, who has made it clear that he is a supporter of charter schools. Greitens accepted $700,000 in campaign contributions from charter school and so-called “school choice” supporters, including $100,000 from the DeVos family. https://rturner229.blogspot.com/2016/10/enemies-of-public-schools-pour-nearly.html
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Feel sorry for Missouri. Will those in Missouri know their being HAD?
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The Republicans are determined to eliminate teacher unions and the possibility of these. The charter school is a way to accomplish that. They also value the grand marketing rhetoric charters offer up as if sound policy and “evidence-based.”
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