Pro-charter group: “Stop Listening to the Teachers Union”

race to the race to the top

April 29, 2010

Pro-charter group: “Stop Listening to the Teachers Union”

by Anna Phillips, at 4:18 pm

A new TV spot by the pro-charter coalition Education Reform Now debuted today, three days before the state has to officially declare whether it will submit a bid for Race to the Top round two.

The ad, which features unnamed people (some charter parents, some not) criticizing the state legislature for not lifting the state’s charter cap, promotes the idea that the cap was a major reason for New York’s loss in round one. The state placed 15 out of 16 finalists. State education officials have already said that they intend to reapply and that while lifting the cap would help their chances, other measures such as tying test scores to tenure would also give the state a needed boost.

Teachers union president Michael Mulgrew told the Daily News today that the attack ad was full of “blatant lies.”

In January, state officials asked the legislature to lift the cap on charter schools, but lawmakers froze, in large part because of opposition from the state teachers union. Union leaders have refused to endorse a charter cap lift without significant changes to how the schools are opened and run that charter supporters say would destroy the schools.

Education Reform Now is a coalition of three pro-charter advocacy groups: Democrats for Education Reform, New York State Charter School Association, and the New York City Charter School Center.

The script of the ad follows.

Parent: “When I heard that we did not get the $700 million in school aid from President Obama, I was really angry.”

Parent: “I was speechless.”

Parent: “I couldn’t believe it.”

Parent: “$700 million dollars.”

Parent: “Schools definitely need the money now, especially since their budgets keep getting slashed.”

Parent: “Albany can still make this right.”

Parent: “We can get the $700 million, if Albany just passes the reforms.”

Parent: “Like allowing more charter schools.”

Parent: “Albany’s listening much to much to the teachers union.”

Parent: “Stop listening to the teachers union.”

Parent: “Listen to parents.”

Parent: “Speak for children.”

Parent: “And make decisions that are going to benefit the kids.”

Ellen

Jeez…i wish I had their money! What happened to the DOE’s public campaign to talk about the 90% of NYC schools that received an A or a B on theer report cards? That went south real fast.
Brenda

What happened to the millions that the state gave the city for smaller classes? Don’t they know that in the end, it’ll cost them more.
I noticed that…

OMG, don’t they realize that the $700 million cannot be used to close a budget gap! I thought the Post was bad with their lies, misinformation, and sensationalism! Now there’s this 30 second commercial of lies. How much did it cost the pro-charter coalition Education Reform Now to purchase this 30 second slot? Get the facts. The RttT cannot be used how these charter schools want to use it. The $700 million grant have very clear strings attached to it and the media should, should detail how it CAN, CAN ONLY BE USED!
Mrvirgo

Charter Schools want to adhere to rules and regulations they put in place. Charter supporters give lip service about accountability but do not want to be held accountable nor have to answer about how they spend public funds intended for children. Charter people want Charter Schools to be their own personal piggy banks or ATMs. We see on wall street (financial institutions) what will happen when there isn’t proper accountability and oversight. Charter folks want to put the “wolf incharge of the sheep” and in the interim they are trying to snow the public with misinformation and LIES!!
Vote NO

The UFT should respond with an anti-charter ad which mentions that Charter school principal who gave herself a 60K raise, and mention all the Wall Street hedge funds which finance these charter schools. If the public learned the truth about charters, and their management companies, the cap will never be lifted.
Mrvirgo

I think that the UFT is not against charters. They have a couple of their own. Yes, there is mismanagement of funds by some boards and principals. Personally, I do want the cap lifted. This way overcrowding (class size) can be reduced. I say, make/apply for as many charters schools as possible BUT don’t expect them to be housed in a district school. For any application to get “approved” it must show two points: 1. commit principals and teachers to a certain number of years (because Charter Schools are being used as stepping stones not only by some teachers who after a year or two, move on to different careers but by principals who look to advance themselves politically) 2. where the school will be housed NOT IN A DISTRICT SCHOOL.
WOW AND THE LIES SPREAD

DO THOSE INDIVIDUALS KNOW THAT WE ONLY LOST RACE TO THE TOP BY 4 POINTS?
DO THEY KNOW THAT OTHER STATES SUCH AS CALIFORNIA HAD INCREASED THEIR
CHARTER CAP BUT YET THEY STILL LOST?
THE NEW YORK CITY CHARTER SCHOOL CENTER NETWORK NEEDS TO STOP SPREADING THE LIES
NO CAP SHOULD BE LIFTED ON CHARTERS UNTIL REFORM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Unions For All Charter Schools

The cap should only be lifted if:

1. Every new charter has it’s own building or moved into a shared DOE space as agreed to by the current principal, staff & community.

2. Has all staff contracts negotiated by the UFT/AFT. Protect everyone’s interests… not just the rich founders & boards.

3. REAL transparency of everything – especially the public funds & Title 1 monies.

4. Mandatory parent involvement outreach. Charter schools are synonomous for dysenfranchising parents & pushing them out of the equation.

5. Ensures that the wealthy executive director & their friends are paid $1 like the Mayor. Why should they be allowed to pay themselves 90K+ when they already have hedge fund money & off shore bank accounts.

6. Mandate that the founder & principals have an education related degree & REAL background in Urban Education; not just an internship or year-long residency some place.

Does this sound like any charter schools you know of? Almost all of them but especially that PAVE Academy in Red Hook!
I noticed that…

Vote NO,

The principal who made herself superintendent to her own charter school and gave herself $60,000 raise was nicely exposed at http://www.edwize.org. Go to that website and you’ll learn more about her corruption. Leo Casey did a great job writing about that principal.
???

This pro charter group prefers that the State Legislature and the public listen to corporate executives and the Wall Street thieves who are destroying our country. They are lyinig to the public and paying actors to stand at rallys and hold pro charter propoganda. They will stop at nothing to disenfranchize the majority in order to privledge the few. The pro charter group is as corrupt as they come.
http://www.sinksalive.blogspot.com KitchenSink

Those actors at the rallies that are being paid by ‘lying Wall Street thieves’ to support charter schools sure look like formerly disenfranchised high-poverty parents to me. Maybe this is Wall Street’s way of countering high unemployment among the poor.

Of course, they could just be formerly disenfranchised high-poverty parents who finally see a way up for their kids and are taking time out of their busy lives to support their schools.
???

Sure they are kitchen sink and I know of some koolaide that you seem eager to drink.
Martin

Time to release the unions grip from around the necks of our children…

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race to the race to the top

April 29, 2010

Pro-charter group: “Stop Listening to the Teachers Union”

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