Thomas Ultican reviews the current state of billionaire support for charter schools in California. Most people, certainly the charter industry, has long forgotten or never knew that the original charter school idea was that they would be created by teachers and operate under the aegis of local school boards. The reason for the linkage was that charter schools were supposed to be places that tried innovative practices, especially for the neediest students, and fed their results to their host district. They were supposed to be like R&D centers for local school districts.
They were not supposed to compete with public schools but to help public schools.
They were not supposed to undermine public schools. They were not supposed to be for-profit or operated as chains or entrepreneurs.
Here is Tom’s report on what’s happening today.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
at one time our State Colleges had “lab” schools now there is only one left in the State; the under-funding of the state colleges changed things . “charter schools were supposed to be places that tried innovative practices, especially for the neediest students, and fed their results to their host district. They were supposed to be like R&D centers for local school districts.” One of my colleagues offered a summer reading clinic at the lab school in Fitchburg State University but none has been offered for about 20 years now.
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Charter schools started out with the idea they would be “laboratories of innovation,” but they quickly morphed into political profiteering centers supported by billionaires that could afford to buy political power. While they have caused massive disruption to public education, most of them have contributed little to actually improving education.
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Exactly right.
There are no laboratories of innovation and no poor kids are being saved. Hoax!
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Greed and wealth are partners. It’s an addiction. The more you have, the more you want.
If a billionaires net wealth drops, it’s a downer triggering rage, anger, depression, plotting, et al.
If their wealth and deplorable sense of power increases, it’s like a heron drug high rush that may trigger dancing in the Oval Office, while standing behind the convicted rapist, fraud and felon who is sitting at at desk.
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Once someone gets into the race for wealth, there’s never enough.
One business guy said, “He who does with the most toys wins.”
They all want to win.
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