I-1240 - Making False Claims
It seems that some signature gathers for I-1240 are making some false claims. Now this may be entirely legal (I'm actually not sure but others are looking into this; I think the burden falls on the voter to read the initiative.)
But I'd like to document them so on the Tuesday and Friday Open Thread, please list if you hear an I-1240 signature gatherer making a false claim.
Here's mine:
On Monday, Jun 18th, at about 10 am I was at the Northgate Target where I heard a woman being told that I-1240 was just a "pilot" program for charters. That language is nowhere in the initiative.
And again, I invite you to correct me if I get anything wrong. I did correct one error in my reading; charters can contract out only management (and nearly everything else) to a for-profit. They can contract out only operations to another non-profit (which is what most CMOs - charter management organizations are). They are one of the biggest growing sectors in charters.
But I'd like to document them so on the Tuesday and Friday Open Thread, please list if you hear an I-1240 signature gatherer making a false claim.
Here's mine:
On Monday, Jun 18th, at about 10 am I was at the Northgate Target where I heard a woman being told that I-1240 was just a "pilot" program for charters. That language is nowhere in the initiative.
And again, I invite you to correct me if I get anything wrong. I did correct one error in my reading; charters can contract out only management (and nearly everything else) to a for-profit. They can contract out only operations to another non-profit (which is what most CMOs - charter management organizations are). They are one of the biggest growing sectors in charters.
Comments
CT
I-1240 reps making false claims
thx
CHARTER SCHOOLS
Additional Federal Attention Needed to Help Protect Access for Students with Disabilities
• Private boards selected by non-profit corporations rather than publicly elected by citizens will govern charter schools.
• Charter schools will be exempt from state statutes and rules applicable to school districts and boards, creating a separate and unequal school system even though Article IX of the Washington state Constitution requires a general and uniform system of common schools.
• The Initiative would create additional administrative functions and costs for the State Board of Education, the Superintendent of Public Instruction and School Districts at a time when the Supreme Court has ruled in McCleary v. State that Washington is failing to provide ample funding for the basic education required by the Legislature (HB 2261).
• Although proponents of the Initiative promise “at risk” students and those from low-performing schools will be served by charter schools, nothing in the Initiative requires it.
• There are many successful innovative and alternative schools as part of the public school system in Washington state. Let’s encourage them and work toward full funding for all students in all schools rather than be distracted by charter schools that would only serve a few students chosen by lottery
I am sure though, that this would somehow be unconstitutional, etc. To me, the entire process goes against the idea of representative government, and lets our elected officials off the hook on controversial topics.
I wonder how many people realize how many of the signature gatherers are paid per signature.
SolvayGirl
Hey, I know times are tough. But I would not be making money doing this... Leave that to Paul Hill and his crew.
PuhLeeze
Its Eyman's latest.
Peas in a pod.
Ed
I'll have a couple of flyers (half sheet so two to a page) available mid-morning and a list of places you can consider visiting to hand them out.
If you go out with a stack of half-sheets (Melissa's or otherwise), plant yourself just upstream or downstream from them, and take care to target everyone heading in their direction only! Others are wasted effort because they've either taken no interest or already signed.
Also, as I mentioned on another thread, even if you don't have time to distribute literature, if you see these folks, engage them in a long discussion. If they are able to hit, say, 3-4 people per minute, if you can engage them in discussion for 10-15 minutes, you've managed to keep them from approaching 30-60 people! You'll need to feign interest though, otherwise they'll just brush you off.
I don't like taking $ away from these kids, but I like the strategy of buying an initiative even less.