"Don't believe the hype, this is NOT ‪#‎schoolchoice‬. This is #sabotage, #racism, and #abuse."

The "Southern Strategy" never gets old h/t Field Negro 

Charter School operators continue to make billions by pushing harsh discipline practices that ‪punish black/brown/poor children, under the guise of providing them with a quality education.

 While the conference sponsors point to charters and vouchers as needed options for low-income families trapped in low-performing school systems, critics argue that public resources should be reserved for conventional public school systems. They say privately run charters infringe on democracy, as charter school boards are typically self-selected instead of elected.
School choice critics wanted to share their views with conference attendees but said the $400 registration fee was too costly. So they protested outside.
"We would prefer that funding would be kept in the public school system," organizer and parent Gina Womack said. Charters should be held more accountable, to ensure that children are fairly disciplined, she and others said. 

Charter schools are a big part of the problem.

State Rep. Phil Williams (r.) and his gop cronies are pushing for Charter Schools under the guise poor, black children can escape under performing public schools.  Bull Poo.  If Phil Williams and the gop really cared about the education of poor, black/brown  children they would address the funding inequities instead of whining about  the myth of throwing money at the problem, and trying to destroy the Alabama Education Association.

 Charter schools are just another way the conservatives try to backdoor privatize education.

 The premise is that they hope to be able to convince the district to allow them to operate multiple charter schools under the premise they can do things cheaper.  Do you really want your kid being educated by a for profit company basically doing the work of the lowest bidder? With all the private schools here in Alabama, bleeding parents dry for the simple fact they don't want their kids to have to go to school with brown or black kids, the state seems to be ripe for laws allowing charter schools.  Now parents will be able to have their "school choice" at a fraction of the cost private school would have required.

 Segregation today = Segregation forever.

 Let's get one thing straight right off the bat...if Charter Schools provided options for poor/black/brown children, it would NOT be a top priority for Alabama republicans.   Charter Schools are the  vehicle republicans drive on the road to privatized  public education.  Although Charter Schools are funded with tax dollars, Charter Schools don't have to accept ALL children, regardless of race, income, gender, disability, or athletic ability.They can pick and choose the cream of the crop and leave the rest behind. 

Mission Accomplished

Gov. Robert Bentley's new segregation policy director has worked under some controversial regimes in high-profile efforts to turn around failing schools.
Emily Schultz, 28, began her job as Bentley's segregation policy adviser in November, with a top priority of getting a law allowing segregated schools passed during the next legislative session.
Previously, the Birmingham native worked under Michelle Rhee, who became chancellor of Washington, D.C., public schools after the mayor took control of the district and cost him his job.

Follow the money

RedEye

"There is a mean spirit on the loose" Day 12

Fist Dap jobsanger via the Los Angeles Times

"Well there's a certain mean spiritness out there, not only in Alabama but in America and that's what makes this election so important."  Senator  Hank Sanders

Remember those words by Alabama State Senator Hank Sanders in response to CNN Talking TeeVee Pundit Head Anderson Cooper's (and others) accusation of a so called "race baiting robo call" made to democratic voters during the Alabama primary?

Well, can you hear him now? Instead of  DEMOCRATS/LIBERALS/PROGRESSIVES  focusing on WHAT was being said , they joined the MEDIA ENABLED, GOP INFUSED, TEAPUBLICANS, and  focus on WHO was saying it.

"We live in a country where health care is a privilege for the wealthy " Senator Bernie Sanders (I.VT)

Need proof?  Look no further than the Lord of Loud promoting the brazen L-I-E that insurance rates are going up in Alabama, based on State Senator Phil Williams ( republican), State Senator Paul Sandford ( republican), and Representative Mike Ball (republican) whining that their insurance rates are going up, and blaming the Affordable Care Act, because they know their base  hates President Obama more than they love themselves. 

I wonder what part of the Affordable Health Care Act is for those who can't afford health insurance don't Williams, Sandford, and Ball understand?   I wonder when their base is going to wake up and realize the people who can afford, and have access to quality, affordable health care don't want them to have the same?

Thanks to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that mandated voluntary participation, 22 states have opted out or are leaning close to opting out of the federal government's Medicaid expansion through the ACA. That means if you make more than 100% of the federal poverty level, you can buy your health insurance coverage through the exchange for a significant discount. If not, you're left to the tender mercies of your state's income thresholds for Medicaid eligibility.
In the Great State of Alabama, the Medicaid income threshold for a family of three is $3,221. Per year. Make more than $3,221 but fall short of the $19,530 required to qualify for Obamacare? You're just about as screwed as the folks stuck in the Medicare Part D "doughnut hole".

And what are some (not to be confused with all) Alabama democrats (and I use that term loosely) doing while the republican mean spirit  is on the lose with a vengeance?  They are fighting Joe Reed like he's  a republican, trying to dilute minority participation in the Alabama Democratic Party under the guise of diversity, because everybody wants to be a minority when it's convenient. But here is the kicker from non other than Left in Alabama's countrycat.

Attempts to stifle dissent and open debate.  Worley took pains to lecture the assembly about "criticizing fellow Democrats."  (it's on the video) According to our new leader, we shouldn't be discussing problems with the party on Facebook or other "technology."  Instead, we should gripe to our spouses.  So I guess family harmony is less important than political lockstep.  
Worley also told the SDEC members that they should be helping to promote the party and recruit candidates because they (members) were the best cheerleaders for the party.  Ok.  She said this with a straight face at a meeting where kicking about 40% of current SDEC members off the committee was an amendment pending on the agenda.

What do you suppose those folks who lost their seats would have said about the party?

That's right, one of the persons who kicked my Ebony Donkey  off Left in Alabama because I dared criticize fellow Democrats , did not follow lockstep with them, and wrote about racism and  classicism,  has the nerve to accuse Acting Democratic Chair Nancy Worley of attempts to stifle dissent and open debate.

Long Sigh

Correction! Rich AL State Representative Phil Williams says " we need to begin a dialogue on what it means to be poor"

 I mistakenly  identified Phil Williams as a State Senator in my original post.  Never let it be said I won't correct mistakes when they are pointed out to me.  Thanks for the catch Brian!~ Redeye

No, Representative Williams, we need to begin a dialogue on what it means to be rich.

State Representative Phil Williams ( r. rich) explains why he is voting NO on the September 18th vote to, as he calls it, raid the Alabama Oil and Gas Trust fund in order to fill a $200,000,000 dollar short fall in Medicaid.

One of the reasons the pro-life, pro family, Representative is against it is because he thinks we need to have a dialogue about what it means to be poor because the CHIPS program provides free health insurance to a family of four who earns $62,000.00 per year.  


Now I don't know where he got that figure, but I would like to see him raise a family of 4 on $64,000.00 per year.

Again, considering the polices of the modern republican party, this is very true.  Their main policy is to make the rich richer at the expense of everyone else.  Anyone who is not rich and is still votes republican is voting against their own  interest...and therefore is a sucker.


I will be voting YES on September 18th  to raid the Alabama Oil and Gas Trust Fund to fill a short fall in Medicaid and CHIPS, because Medicaid and CHIP provide health coverage to children, pregant women, parents, seniors and individuals with disabilities.

"Slavery by any other name" coming to a State Prison Near Y-O-U

H/T Metor Blade
Nashville-based Corrections Corporation of America has a plan to expand its growing empire of private prisons it owns or manages. It wants buy existing prisons. The pitch is that this will help states with their revenue problems by providing a one-time lump-sum payment in exchange for a 20-year management contract and assurance that the prison will stay at 90 percent capacity during that time. A sweetheart deal.
The new approach of this so-called "corrections investment initiative" proposal is outlined in a letter to officials in 48 states from CCA's Executive Vice President General Counsel Harley G. Lappin. The letter was obtained by reporter Chris Kirkham.

And just how are states going to assure a 90% capacity rate for 20 years?  They are going to count on republican governors and republican controlled state legislatures, to privitize, I mean reform, the state educational system. and fuel the school to prison pipeline.

The ACLU's Racial Justice Program is committed to challenging the "school to prison pipeline," a disturbing national trend wherein children are funneled out of public schools and into the juvenile and criminal justice systems. Many of these children have learning disabilities or histories of poverty, abuse or neglect, and would benefit from additional educational and counseling services. Instead, they are isolated, punished and pushed out. "Zero-tolerance" policies criminalize minor infractions of school rules, while high-stakes testing programs encourage educators to push out low-performing students to improve their schools' overall test scores. Students of color are especially vulnerable to push-out trends and the discriminatory application of discipline.

If the past is any guide, we can count on  the red, republican, confederate, slave states to jump at the chance to bring back slavery because we are chained to past.  Those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it.

Hello this is Hank Sanders, Alabama state Senator, and I’m still mad as hell. I say hell no! I ain’t going back to the cotton fields of Jim Crow days. I’m going forward with Ron Sparks, Jim Folsom and others who would do right by all of us. I hope you are mad as hell and will not go back, and you have the power to choose. I will stand until hell freezes over for Ron Sparks for Governor and Jim Folsom for Lt. Governor on November the 2nd.
Paid for by Alabama New South.

 When asked by CNN's Anderson Cooper what evidence he had that the Republican opponents would take Alabama back to Jim Crow days.  Sanders said, "Well, there's a certain mean spiritness that's out there, not only in Alabama but it's in America.  And that makes this election extremely important."

You think?

Charter Schools are not the solution for poor, black students

According to this story in the Chicago Tribune,  Charter schools aren't performing better than public schools, they are perfoming worse because they don't address the underlying issue of poverty.

Despite the right wing spin that low income schools receive more money, the opposite is true.  A study released by the Department of Education proves high poverty school receive fewer state funds than affluent school districts.  Chapter 1 schools receive additional Federal Dollars to make up for the state and local dollars, but it does not address the inequities.

State Rep. Phil Williams (r.) and his gop cronies are pushing for Charter Schools under the guise poor, black children can escape under performing public schools.  Bull Poo.  If Phil Williams and the gop really cared about the education of poor, black/brown  children they would address the funding inequities instead of whining about  the myth of throwing money at the problem, and trying to destroy the Alabama Education Association.

If Charter Schools were the solution for poor, black/brown, students the gop wouldn't be pushing for them.

Charter Schools are a way around Brown v. Board.

Charter Schools benefit the rich while the rest get the shaft.

It's the Poverty, stupid.

Where are the J-O-B-S?

Update~New Alabama education policy director to push for segregated public schools

Emily Schultz, Alabama education policy director appointed by Gov. Bentley. [Read her resume: Emily Schultz]

Gov. Robert Bentley's new education policy director has worked under some controversial regimes in high-profile efforts to turn around failing schools.
Emily Schultz, 28, began her job as Bentley's education policy adviser in November, with a top priority of getting a law allowing charter schools passed during the next legislative session.
Previously, the Birmingham native worked under Michelle Rhee, who became chancellor of Washington, D.C., public schools after the mayor took control of the district.

Translation with links for clarity;
Gov. Robert Bentley's new segregation policy director has worked under some controversial regimes in high-profile efforts to turn around failing schools.
Emily Schultz, 28, began her job as Bentley's segregation policy adviser in November, with a top priority of getting a law allowing segregated schools passed during the next legislative session.
Previously, the Birmingham native worked under Michelle Rhee, who became chancellor of Washington, D.C., public schools after the mayor took control of the district and cost him his job.

The Alabama Policy Institute definition of Charter Schools emphasis mine

Charter schools are public schools that exist through a contract with either a state agency or a local school board. The charter—or contract—establishes the framework within which the school operates and provides public support for the school for a specified period of time. The length of the contract granted varies by state, from one to 15 years, with the average length being three to five years. The school’s charter gives the school autonomy over its operation and frees the school from regulations other public schools must follow. In exchange for this flexibility, the schools are held accountable for achieving the goals set out in the charter, including improving student performance.

Translation- it frees schools from federally imposed school desegregation plans and allows them to hire non certified teachers, non Alabama Education Association members, fire them at will and to re establish separate and unequal educational opportunities.

This is a brazen lie from the Alabama Policy Institute, emphasis mine;

Charter schools are subject to the same state regulations as traditional public schools, including special education, bilingual education, academic standards and assessments, health, and safety. They may not accept any private tuition payments, nor does money spent on charter schools diminish the resources available for public education.

How can they claim money spent on charter schools doesn't diminish the limited resources available for public education?

Alabama history is headed before a federal judge in Huntsville, as civil rights attorneys argue that the state's method of funding schools purposefully discriminates based on race.
At stake are the state's property tax rates, the lowest in the nation. Attorney James Blacksher of Birmingham contends that tax structure violates the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, largely by limiting the ability of rural counties to tax wealthy white landowners.
"Because of the anemic property taxes available to most local school systems, low-income students throughout Alabama, who are disproportionately black, suffer from underfunding," contends the suit.
But the state argues that any forced change in tax rates would decrease all property values, injure all property owners who plan to sell, paralyze the commercial real estate market and cause "widespread havoc in Alabama's government and real estate markets."

Again, charter schools benefit the fortunate few but leave the masses behind. I maintain IF Charter schools are the answer, meaning they close the achievement gap and guarantee results, why not do what charter schools are doing in ALL public schools? What if Alabama Cared as Much About Education as We do about Football?

On Saturday, incoming Governor Robert Bentley told an education summit to expect across the board cuts in education funding.

LiA commenter archangelsk says it best;

AEA member and former organizer with the group I believe that I can give you a pretty good idea of why to support the AEA. The Alabama Education Association is the largest teachers "union" in the state. With around 105,000 members (K-12, Post Secondary, Support Staff) it is the largest public employees association in the state. The AEA today has its roots in the AEA and ASTA, in the late 60's the NEA (National Education Association) passed a resolution that required all states with more than one association with membership based on race to merge and in 1969 the two associations here in Alabama merged to one. While the AEA is not an AFL-CIO affiliated organization, the NEA is. There is a competing organization the American Federation of Teachers, that is AFL-CIO, however has been embroiled in some controversy regarding their violation of an agreement with the NEA not to poach members from its affiliates.

The AEA is at the front in defending education at all levels state and local, for teachers and students. It has recently been at the front of efforts to block, School Vouchers, Charter School laws and has had to defend professional rights like Tenure and Fair Dismissal for Teachers and Educational Support Personnel (ESP's) on a yearly basis. In a state where education is not a right, unlike many other states in the union, AEA is a defender. Without the organization you would see the continued segregation of schools, even more of the "segregation academies", the privatization of public schools.

The defacto segregation of public schools in Alabama here we come!

Charter schools are another way of supporting the privatization of schools. Lets use the segregation academy example, parents sick of paying $2500/mo can get together, obtain a charter to open a school from their LEA, create admission/academic/behavior policies that would ensure minority students either could not gain admittance or maintain admittance in said school, resulting once again in de facto segregation. Charter schools are not held to the same standards as traditional public schools are, in other states they are not required to follow stat or district tenure rules, for instance. Charter schools also do not have to necessarily align their curriculum with the state or school district. There is also the issue of running schools for-profit, like businesses. Would you like the quality of your child's education being determined by shareholders or the ability to maintain a bottom line?

As to the issue of education being a right, in order to keep from being required to educate African-Americans, the current Alabama Constitution (written in 1901), unlike other state constitutions, does not have education as a right to its citizens, now, this has been rendered moot by Civil Rights laws, but the fact that the language continues to be present in the constitution implies that Alabama does not value education like other states do.

What is good for teachers, is good for students. Students are unable to vote or participate in the political process and parents are often misguided and un-or under-informed about education of their children. Teachers are at the front line of education, in the trenches experiencing directly the effects of policy handed down by legislatures and school boards. Like any other workforce, happy Teachers are effective Teachers. So maintaining professionalism and having a say in the how education works is important to the AEA and its members.

Before the concern for poor, inner city children crowd cranks up, if Charter Schools helped poor, inner city children the red, republican, Alabama State Legislature damn sure wouldn't be pushing it.

I said it then and I say it again;
Poor inner city parents won't have the option of charter schools either.
That's a real reality. If you think the republicans are clamoring for charter schools to be put in "these neighborhoods" I've got some swamp land in Alaska to sell you. The republicans are clamoring for charter schools as public funding for private schools for them. Sure they'll open 1 or two charter schools in "these neighborhoods" so they can say they are offering some poor parents a choice, but the majority will be in "their" neighborhoods, no poor children allowed in "these neighborhoods".

Mo Brooks, one of two key speakers, said that the Huntsville Housing Authority has in recent years quietly used vouchers to send poor families south and plans now to single out south Huntsville for more.
Going through the numbers at Whitesburg Elementary, Brooks argued that schools in south Huntsville have seen test scores drop in recent years "thanks in large part to what the Huntsville Housing Authority has done to us."

Charter schools are NOT more likely to serve low income, black, brown, gay, special education students than conventional schools, because they don't have to accept low income, black, brown, gay, special education students because they are exempt from the state and federal laws public schools follow. This is a fact not a hypotheses.

I oppose charter schools , and why;

Public money for schooling is best used in the conventional public system. Those who don't want to use that system have the option of private schooling or homeschooling. And we also have magnet schools that work well. Charter schools will simply sap more money from public schools who desperately need it and who will face major cuts during this Depression.

If this doesn't wake up the sleeping Alabama Democratic Party, The Alabama Democratic Conference and the Alabama Education Association I don't know what will. God help the children who are our future if they continue to sleep.

A tale of two Charter school town hall meetings

David Dieter/Huntsville Times
State Rep. Laura Hall listens to residents during tonight's town hall meeting.

Compare WHNT News 19 coverage of Madison County Community Discusses Charter Schools With Legislators to al.com's coverage of Alabama State Representative Laura Hall's town meeting

Lead paragraph at WHNT TV

HUNTSVILLE, AL— State lawmakers plan to talk about charter schools during the next legislative session. Madison County parents learned Monday night what that could mean for their children. They were part of a town hall meeting to talk about the specialty schools.

Organizers wanted those at the meeting to know charter schools provide flexibility and accountability. They believe both are needed to help get Alabama's education system out of 49th place nationwide.

Lead paragraph at al.com

HUNTSVILLE, Al. - Some people at state Rep. Laura Hall's town hall meeting tonight implied that charter schools harken back to the day of segregated schools, while some others said people should keep an open mind to anything that could help children get a better education.
The issue of charter schools was the main topic for more than 40 people who attended the 90-minute meeting hosted by Hall, a Huntsville Democrat, at the Richard Showers Recreation Center.

Quote at WHNT TV

Rep. Williams is sponsoring a bill to bring the independently-operated public schools into the state of Alabama. He believes parents and students will benefit.

"It gives them options they do not currently have. Charter schools can come into a neighborhood and focus on specialty education. You still have your core, but you might do science and engineering, art and dance, or debate and political science," said Williams.

Quote at al.com

Hall covered several topics in front of the Legislature during her opening remarks. She said a bill to allow charter schools in the state never got out of committee, but similar bills have been introduced again.
She said her constituents have sent the message that they don't want charter schools but do want excellence in public schools.
Huntsville Councilman Richard Showers, a retired city school teacher, said during the question and answer period that he supports public schools. He said charter schools take precious education tax dollars from public schools and create segregated schools.
"We don't need any schools just for black children and we don't need any schools just for white children," Showers said.

al.com got a quote from the HCS board President

Laurie McCaulley, a city school board member, said the school board is OK with charter schools if they are under the local school board's control and if public schools had the same "wide parameters" as charter schools in establishing rules and standards.

Huh? The school board is OK with charter schools if they are under the local school board's control? What "wide parameter" is she talking about?
This?
Politicians who would just love to have their family and friends hired in those Charter Schools, regardless of their qualifications, and if their family and friends aren;t hired by those Charter Schools, those Politicians can cut their Funding from the Alabama Treasury?
This?
Republican Candidate for Governor, Bradley Byrne, claims he sent some people to prison for their CORRUPTION in the Educational System of Alabama. How much worse would it be with the Politicians given a vehicle to have those Charter Schools Employ their family and friends?
This?
The larger question is who is willing to pay the Big Bucks to get Charter Schools in Alabama, but those Corporations who would benefit from being able to have their Corporate Agenda taught in those Charter Schools?
Or this?
definition of the term " charter school":
privately run, publicly financed school: a publicly financed school run by parents, educators, and companies.

Remember this mantra, "Charter Schools are backdoor privatization of education".
9.13, 4.82, Just left of Gandhi.
by: archangelsk

THE WHNT TV report was slanted in support of Charter Schools IMHO.

I report.
You decide.

Remember this mantra, "Charter Schools are backdoor privatization of education".

 

NAACP: The United States Values Prisons More Than Schools  Excessive spending on incarceration undermines educational opportunities and destabilizes Black communities nationwide, according to NAACP President and CEO Benjamin T. Jealous.
State spending on prisons grew at six times the rate of state spending on higher education over the last two decades.

Representatives Laura Hall (D) and Phil Williams ( r.) sponsored a community discussion on charter schools because state lawmakers plan to talk about charter schools during the next legislative session.

Organizers

wanted those at the meeting to know charter schools provide flexibility and accountability. They believe both are needed to help get Alabama's education system out of 49th place nationwide.a community discussion

Charter Schools won't get Alabama's education system out of 49th place, nor are they flexible and accountable.

Charter schools have been in the news a lot lately due to a lawsuit filed by the United Federation of Teacher’s Union and the NAACP against the New York City Department of Education. The lawsuit was filed to help prevent the city from closing public schools and replacing them with charter schools.

While these charter schools have great potential, they can also be harmful. Most charter schools use a lottery system; so thinking that charter schools can stop the education crisis is like solving the economic crisis with scratch tickets. While a few lucky students may benefit from the lottery system, most children will not benefit at all.

One of the reasons the right wing is so supportive of charter schools is that they do not require teachers to be in their powerful union. The UFT is a big supporter of the Democratic party and opposes Republicans who are always trying to cut education budgets, especially in urban areas.

LiA blogger bluebearcat says Let's call charter schools in Alabama by their true name

Scab schools. What is their real purpose? To create an environment where "problem children" and teachers' unions are out of the picture. It is pits family against family inside communities and is de facto education privatization.

We do need substantial education reforms in some parts of the state, but charter schools are not the answer. When you have some exceptional models for innovative public education already in place in Alabama, why not try to adopt those models in different places?

No wonder Rep. Phil Williams (r) wants Alabama to become the 41's state to allow charter schools. Are Rep. Laura Hall and the Local chapter of the NAACP helping him? Nope.

"I think Alabama has an opportunity to do it right because we can look at what other states have done. If they've not done well we can know we need to correct that," said Rep. Hall.

Alabama has an opportunity to do it right (pun intended) all right.

When we are in an education funding crisis - and make no mistake, once the stimulus stabilization funds run out, we will be in a true crisis - I cannot see how you can justify diverting public education money to an educational program that is totally unproven in Alabama. As you said, the most important factor in whether or not a charter school program is successful is the way its specific contract is written and the way that specific program is administered. What in the history of Alabama suggests to you that local and/or state governments would do a good job administering a charter school program that does not have any of the protections or regulations of traditional public schools?

As I've said before, charter schools (like Teach for America) sounds great in theory but in practice, the effectiveness of both programs vary much, much more than traditional unionized classroom instruction. There are school systems where the problems are so profound and so endemic that charter school programs on a limited basis make sense. When education systems are flush with cash, it makes perfect sense to experiment on programs like that but this year, we not only have finite resources, we have extremely limited resources. Taking on the burden of charter schools that the Education Trust Fund and/or local school boards will be responsible for funding in a few years is not a smart move right now, especially when there are already models for innovation with the traditional Alabama public school system.

My Daddy says always know who is driving the wagon before you hitch a ride. Looks like the Black Alliance for Educational Options and The Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice (vouchers) is driving this one. Be sure and check out the members of the BAEO advisory board.

Remember this mantra, "Charter Schools are backdoor privatization of education".
9.13, 4.82, Just left of Gandhi.
by: archangelsk