Monday, July 30, 2012

A 'YES' ON I-1240 WOULD HARM PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Public schools are failing, however charter schools offer no solution to restore the academic foundations, but rather lock in the failures. This is done by removing the elected boards, replacing them with appointees. Our Washington Constitution provides for a recall of elected school officials, but not appointees.


1240 provides two ways to become a state authorizer of charter schools. (1) by appointment of the Governor, Speaker of the House, and President of the Senate. (2) by appointment by the State Board of Education. Either way, the authorizers (1) may delegate its responsibilities to employees or contractors (2) must be held free from any liability (3) must follow the chartering policies and practices of the principles and standards of the National Association of Charter School Authorizers who are funded by the Gates Foundation.


Changing the State Constitution requires a citizen vote on its specific language. 1240 deceptively inserts “including charter schools” into Article 9 language, even though Article 9 uses the language, “a general and uniform system.” “A” and “system” are singular terms. Charter schools operate under appointed corporate boards, and are exempt regulations required in traditional schools. Worse, charter schools still require the mandates of the onerous expensive State Essential Academic Learning Systems and assessments, and federal mandates.


1240 attempts to deceive voters into believing the use of a petition signed by either a majority of teachers or parents of students in the district is legal to convert an existing public school into a charter school. A petition is not an election held by all voters of the district. It is taxation without representation. Additionally, both teachers and parents of school students may not even reside there.


A study of charter schools by Stanford showed some charter schools scored 17% higher than traditional schools, 37% lower, the rest about the same. Some “model” KIPP Charter Schools fall below traditional schools and are not renewed, even though students attend 67% longer, and receive about double the funding, courtesy additional Gates grants.


Across the nation there are 130 Gulen Muslim Schools, taught by Turkish Muslims, funded in part by Gates, 100 Confucius Institute Schools , and now GLBT charter schools. How will these students understand our American Republic ?


Numerous charter schools are operated by the very people responsible for destroying the traditional schools. They now benefit economically from managing charter schools. Vote no and work to restore true education in our existing public schools or forever lose that opportunity.


Cris Shardelman

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