I posted earlier that there are no teachers on the task force appointed by Governor Gavin Newsom and State Superintendent Tony Thurmond to study charter law in California, but that’s not quite right. The task force is meeting regularly and it would likely be impossible for a working teacher to leave her or his classroom on a weekly basis to attend task force meetings.
However, there are at least two members of the task force who were active teachers: Erika Jones of the California Teachers Association and Cindy Marten, superintendent of the San Diego Unified School District.
I don’t understand why the task force has so many representatives of the charter industry on a committee to study charter law, when only 10 percent of students in California schools are enrolled in charters. The charter industry is infamous for protecting its turf and fighting any regulation or accountability. This is like asking representatives of Big Tobacco to participate in a discussion of whether to regulate cigarette sales.
Charter law in the state is notoriously lax. A district with a tiny enrollment can open a charter in a district 500 miles away and collect a commission on the students who enroll. If a charter asks a district for permission to open or for a renewal, and the district rejects the application, the charter can appeal to the county board. If the county board says that its application or its record is deficient, the charter can appeal to the state board. Under Governor Jerry Brown, the state board rubberstamped applications despite rejections from the affected district and county. Under current law, the state need not consider the fiscal impact of charters on nearby public schools, a factor which has severely damaged Oakland, Inglewood, and other districts. Under current law, charters are parasites on the districts that are forced to host them, draining away students and resources and leaving “stranded costs” (fixed costs).
California has had a large number of scandals in the charter sector. The most recent occurred when the CEO of the Celerity Charter chain pled guilty to using the schools’ credit card to charge luxury items, including designer clothing, fancy hotels, haute cuisine and limousine service, as well as to fund her Ohio charter school.
These are issues the task force will consider. Will the large bloc of charter supporters on the task force acknowledge the fiscal problems caused by charters for the public schools that enroll most students? Or will they fight stubbornly to maintain the charters’ freedom from accountability? Why did the California Charter School Association get two members of the task force but the California Teachers Association get only one? If charter schools undermine public schools, it is a net loss for the children of the state. If failing charters are allowed to be renewed again and again, it is a disgrace.
Here is the complete task force:
The task force members are:
- Cristina de Jesus, president and chief executive officer, Green Dot Public Schools California (charter chain);
- Dolores Duran, California School Employees Association;
- Margaret Fortune, California Charter Schools Association board chair; Fortune School of Education, president & CEO;
- Lester Garcia, political director, SEIU Local 99 (Local 99 took $100,000 from Eli Broad to oppose Jackie Goldberg);
- Alia Griffing, political director, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Council 57;
- Beth Hunkapiller, educator and administrator, Aspire Public Schools (charter chain);
- Erika Jones, board of directors, California Teachers Association;
- Ed Manansala, superintendent, El Dorado County; board president, California County Superintendents Educational Services Association;
- Cindy Marten, superintendent, San Diego Unified School District;
- Gina Plate, vice president of special education, California Charter Schools Association (charter lobby);
- Edgar Zazueta, senior director, policy & governmental relations, Association of California School Administrators (ACSA endorsed Marshall Tuck against Tony Thurmond).
Recommended readings:
Gordon Lafer on the fiscal impact of charters on California public schools.
Carol Burris on the travesty of the state’s charter law.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
I am so stunned by the make up of this task force. I volunteered for both Newsom’s and Thurmond’s campaigns and feel like I got taken in by a big bait and switch — especially by Tony Thurmond. Is there anything we can do about this? Never in a million years would I have seen Tony Thurmond and Arne Duncan as having the same agenda. And yet this task force is very telling. I’m appalled. I’m also very sad.
Lisa,
Write and complain. We all have voices and we must use them.
People need to contact the new State Superintendent about having a more balanced charter school panel — a panel that’s comprised of less than 50% of people (or of people allied with such people) — who spent $30 million to destroy him politically, an onslaught that the State Superintendent survived, so he wouldn’t have to put up with their attempts to quash charter school oversight and accountability.
Here’s Thurmond’s office phone number:
916-319-0800
Here’s Thiurmond’s email:
TThurmond@cde.ca.gov
it is almost too hard to bear
Diane- I’m sure you saw this article?https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/freedom-learn/201505/early-academic-training-produces-long-term-harm
Sent from my iPhone
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What is the motivation by this movement? Is it all money? The power drive? Class warfare? I don’t get it.
Money, power, control, creating a route to success outside the usual professional path, all of the above.
Bribery is the word for the “route to” affluence when people are bought by the richest 0.1% to further their agenda, at the expense of others. Diane posted Dr. Keith Benson’s explanation about it on Feb. 16.
Dr. Hernandez (Fordham University) wrote about it in in a recent CNN article describing the difference between “strategic Blackness” and “authentic Blackness”. The rich pay people who look like those in minority communities to sell them out.
NonPartisan Education Review wrote about the “route to” affluence that Fordham Institute’s top personnel hacked for themselves.
Class warfare is the outcome of unfair political policies created by the rich, for example, when they rob communities of their assets. To the extent that the rich desire Putin-style oligarchy, they may have class warfare as a means to their goal.
Town and Country magazine wrote that Pew and Arnold are funding community surveillance projects. Arnold funded a police surveillance program in Baltimore. Elected leaders were in the dark about it, as reported by the Baltimore Sun.
Is Thurmond suffering from amnesia?
The charter industry throw $30 million dollars of the most despicable and false smears and slurs against during the campaign last year.
Just to refresh Thurmond’s and everyone else’s memory, check out this sh#% from Thurmond’s opponent and his opponent’s backers:
https://www.politifact.com/california/statements/2018/nov/05/students-parents-and-teachers-supporting-marshall-/false-attack-ads-claim-tony-thurmond-was-reprimand/
Now it’s like, “Oh, hey, I love you guys. Please make up 80% of the charter school task force.”
Dr. Ravitch’s comparison to the Tobacco industry making up 80% of task force to study the effects of tobacco is spot on.
DISGUSTING.
I am counting on Kamala Harris to force public education into the spotlight as an issue worthy of serious discussion. Has she had any comments about this situation?
Joe, not yet. This blog is the only place that has flushedthe charteristas out of the brush.
Has Linda Darling Hammond said anything? Or, does she continue to disappoint?
The State Board of Education meets Thursday. It’s Linda’s first meeting as chair. On the docket: an appeal by Thrive, a failing charter school in San Diego, which was recommended for non-Renewal by the San Diego school district, because of Thrive’s abysmal performance. Tom Ultican wrote about Thrive and its political connections. Watch: will the State Board approve or deny Thrive’s appeal?
Linda could speak out about Thurmond’s appointments to the task force. We can also watch what happens on Thursday.
Diane Ravitch should have the role Linda has or, even better, one at the top of the chain of command.
Ed Manansala was superintendent of St. HOPE charter schools.