The legislature of North Carolina created a special district to seize control of low-performing schools and turn them over to private charter operators. The district was to be called the North Carolina Innovation School District. It was modeled on the Tennessee Achievement District, which was a complete flop. The plan was funded by a wealthy mogul in Oregon, who filed to create a charter chain and make money off North Carolina taxpayers. He has no education experience. He saw easy pickings in the charter industry, especially when the legislature is so compliant and not too perceptive.

But what the legislature and John Bryan of Oregon didn’t count on was parent resistance. Parents in Durham organized to save Glenn Elementary School. The state, which started with a list of 48 schools for privatization, whittled it down to six. Glenn was one of the six.

The state just backed down and dropped Glenn.

Now parents want the whole retrograde ISD shut down.

A reader from Durham writes:

“VICTORY in Durham!!!

http://abc11.com/glenn-elementary-no-longer-on-list-of-schools-to-be-taken-over/2528853/

http://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/education/article178705551.html

“We are now going to turn our attentions to getting rid of the NC Innovative School District altogether so that no public school will be threatened with nonconsensual takeover. We plan to show support for the schools that do get “selected” so the fight is not over, but this battle, for now, is won!!”