The attack on public education in Philadelphia has a long history, going back to the establishment of the five-member School Reform Commission as part of a state takeover of the district in 2001. In the wake of the take-over, many schools were handed over to charter operators, including for-profit Edison Schools Inc (now EdisonLearning Inc.). The Commission has received $1.5 million in funds from the William Penn Foundation in order to pay for the advice of Boston Consulting Group, a private consulting firm.
Although the main impetus for the restructuring plan comes from a Republican administration it is fully backed by Philadelphia’s Democratic mayor and is in line with the attack on public education being spearheaded by the Obama administration.
Just last week, Obama’s education secretary, Arne Duncan, announced that Pennsylvania will receive $19.6 million in School Improvement Grants to “turn around” so-called persistently low-achieving schools. The stipulation for the funding is that the state will implement one of four intervention models. These include: replacing the principal, screen existing school staff and rehiring no more than half the teachers; closing a school and re-opening it as a charter school or under the supervision of an educational management organization (EMO); or permanently closing it and dispersing students to other schools.
The Obama administration is taking the leading role in this attack, using meager federal funds (in the “Race to the Top” program) to pressure districts to shut down schools, enforce deep attacks on teachers and other school workers, and transfer control to charter operations.
No way is this man getting my vote this November.
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