The Gates "Machine"

Fellow public education blogger, Dora Taylor, does a huge job in sorting out the whole charter school timeline and actions since it was announced that the majority of former charter schools were going to ALEs for their students.

I have additional information to add based on my own public disclosure documents and research but thank you, Dora.

I would have more information but I could only get ahold of four charters' public disclosure officers (and I should have been able to easily find them all but that is the nature of charter schools - secrecy of operations).  The ones I did get ahold of?  I can't see emails from less than four months of a school's existence - of a very specific nature and timeline - until "March or April."

That would be after the Washington State legislative session is over. 

Comments

Anonymous said…
Wow - that's a lot of information to process. My ethics hackles are standing straight up. Some questionable dealings indeed.

CT
2/7/16, 8:57 PM
NO 1240 said…
Rainier Prep charter school is within Highline School District's boarders. Unlike Seattle Public Schools and Tacoma Public Schools, Highline School District/ Board entered an inter-local agreement with the Mary Walker School District. Mary Walker school district is 320 miles from Rainier Prep.

Laws require certain things from LOCAL school districts in relation to special ed. Here is what Highline had to say in their Inter-local agreement with MWSD:

" The sole responsibility for Highline School District is agreeing to this Interlocal
Agreement. Highline has NO responsibility for any operations, maintenance, governance, or any
other aspect of Rainier Prep school. Any issues or questions that arise about Rainier Prep school
should be directed to the Mary Walker School District. Mary Walker School District agrees that
the Highline School District shall be held harmless from any disputes about Mary Walker’s acts
or omissions in operating its choice educational program in Burien, Washington."

Some members of the community are concerned and hired an attorney. The attorney argued that Highline was not in compliance with the Supreme Court decision. Some community members worry about gun threats etc. and the district responsible for oversight is hundreds of miles away.

http://www.highlineschools.org/cms/lib07/WA01919413/Centricity/domain/1146/2015-2016%20board%20meetings/meetings/february%202016/Interlocal%20Agreement_Highline%20SD%20v%202%200.pdf

Both CRAZY and unlawful- and GATES was instrumental in making it all happen.

2/7/16, 10:29 PM
mirmac1 said…
Contact the Open Gov't Ombuds in the Attorney General's office.
2/8/16, 7:57 AM
Dora Taylor said…
Thanks mirmac, I will.
2/8/16, 1:47 PM
No 1240 said…
ALE agreements between the Mary Walker School Districts and charter schools contain an indemnification clause. So, Highline School District wants to be held harmless, and MWSD has an indemnification clause. It appears possible that neither Mary Walker and Highline want to hold themselves harmless.

Thanks for the information, Mirimac.
2/8/16, 2:28 PM
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