Fraud, scandal, embezzlement, failure: Nothing can slow the Republicans’ demand for charters and vouchers. The latest example of charter failure comes from Oklahoma, where the state auditor of Oklahoma reviewed the finances of the Epic charter schools and declared it was the worst abuse of taxpayer funds in the history of the state. And as yet there have been no consequences.
Oklahoma’s state auditor and inspector on Tuesday said mismanagement by co-founders of Epic Charter Schools is “the largest amount of reported abuse of taxpayer funds in the history of this state” — and she has no idea why the attorney general has not brought criminal charges in the case.
“I am shocked this hasn’t been prosecuted yet,” State Auditor Cindy Byrd told lawmakers at a joint meeting of the Oklahoma House of Representatives’ common education committee and Appropriations and Budget education subcommittee. “I do expect charges to be filed — or an explanation for why charges will not be filed….”
Byrd, a Republican serving her first term in elected office, noted that she accepted no campaign funds from education political action committees and has nothing against charter schools, parent choice in education or even free market enterprise.
She likened charter schools like Epic, which she described as “intentionally established” for charter school management companies to milk for profits — as the “Enron of public education.”
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Ripofflicons Strike Again …
It’s one of the main tenets of the Ripofflicon Religion that Making A Buck Any Way One Can is a Holy Calling, and it doesn’t really matter who gets hurt as you make a killing.
That is why 95% of the emails, phone calls, and texts we get on the telecomm services we pay for are sheer scams and spam. Heaven Forbid, literally Ripofflicon Heaven Forbid that anyone should prevent the Apostles of the Invisible Light Fingers from trying to steal the last dime of the gullible masses.
a key word to ponder in modern times: gullible
EXACTLY!!! Preach it, Ciedie!!!
“She (Byrd) likened charter schools like Epic, which she described as “intentionally established” for charter school management companies to milk for profits — as the “Enron of public education.”
Charter schools with for profit management companies have been bilking taxpayers across the country for years. This corrupt system wastes tax dollars in order to funnel tax dollars to private companies. The difference here is that they finally got caught with their hands in the cookie jar. Somebody should study how charter expansion impacts property taxes. I believe people would be shocked to see how much of their property taxes are sent to private companies under the guise of “choice.”
Real public schools are more efficient, operated by professional educators and provide legal protections to vulnerable students. They contribute to stronger, stable communities, and profit is not their goal. Public schools main goal is to serve the needs of the young people in the community. Privatization is reckless, anti-democratic policy.
There should be a required annual audit in each state that has private charter schools. The state budget should be required to list how much money flows to private charter schools and how much money is diverted to the for profit management companies. They Taxpayers should be able to see how much tax money ends up in private hands without public accountability. If state residents do not like the numbers, they should end the privatization madness.
Taxpayers should realize that efficient public schools that often serve diverse needs and provide lots of choice within the system are a better investment. They actually enhance communities and promote stability instead of endless disruption. Privatization is long con game. Taxpayers would be shocked to see where their tax dollars are going.
Now why will someone not prosecute white collar crime? Let me count the money, er I mean the ways.
I’ve been wondering about that ever since I first became aware of the Don, Cheeto “Littlefingers” Trumpbalone.
The Teflon Don 2.0
I am totally surprised that an Oklahoma Republican elected official would speak up against the Epic Charter School as Cindy Byrd did. Amazing. Someone with a backbone and ethics. Amazing.
yes! Bravo!
It is apparent that the Republican Party has been controlled for decades by libertarian anarchists and/or fascists that support a country and an economy ruled by the greed of the few, the ignorance of too many (think MAGA mob + antivaxxers and anti-maskers), and cutthroat capitalism at its worst.
Cutthroat capitalism as the GOP wants it practiced means: women will continue to be second class citizens and some of the freedoms women have fought for over the last couple of centuries will be eroded), no labor unions, no minimum wage, no workplace safety rules, no environmental protections, no nonprofit medical care that covers everyone, no Social Security, no Medicare, no Constitutional protections enforced through the federal justice system (all the way to the US Supreme Court, and federal agencies like OSHA, HHS, CDC, FDA, et al. will be stripped of their ability to enforce existing laws), and nothing will be left to support and protect the working class and those that live in poverty.
99% of the population will become work slaves. There will be two classes of these work slaves. Those that bully and those that live in fear.
If the GOP survives the next two elections and manages to hold onto most of the current red states, the United States will continue to decline into a dystopian nightmare that even the worse Hollywood science fiction films in this genre have depicted.
Well, well, well. Looks like there’s an honest Republican in Oklahoma.
It’s a beautiful thing!!!!
Ohio serves as example. A Republican politician exposed ECOT. Opportunities for privatized schools and vouchers continue to increase. Shout out to Hoover’s Chester Finn Gates, Fordham and, to the conservative religion that media protects.