Archive for September 2014
September 4, 2014 | 
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Charter School Explosion: On the Fringe of Legal?
(Part 7 of 7)
By Patricia W. Hall
This is the last of our series of seven articles regarding Charter schools and their changing relationship to our community.
As we complete the series of seven articles in La Gaceta today, the study of charter schools by the League of Women Voters of Florida gives direction regarding education principles. Public education is required by the Florida Constitution and recognized as a paramount duty of the state. The constitution establishes local school boards who are accountable to the electorate and are audited for compliance to statute and rule. They should be the sole agency with authority to contract with charter schools to complement the public school system within a district. They should have oversight and enforcement authority and be held responsible for meeting the needs of the students residing within their districts. Read the rest of this entry »
Charter School Explosion: Accountable to Whom?
(Part 6 of 7)
By Patricia W. Hall
This is the sixth in a series of seven articles regarding Charter schools and their changing relationship to our community.
The scariest thing about the charter school industry is the move toward for-profit management, possible influence peddling in Florida government and the lack of transparency. The “Wild West” business model doesn’t work for education. Ample warnings exist in large cities like New Orleans, Chicago and Philadelphia about where this privatization issue is headed. The issues of profit are trumping the public good. Recently at the National Convention of the League of Women Voters (LWV) of the United States, I met the president of the Louisiana LWV. Shocking as this sounds, by September of 2014, ALL public schools in New Orleans will be charter schools! Read the rest of this entry »
