tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post88225747593327912..comments2024-03-28T02:21:17.452-07:00Comments on Seattle Schools Community Forum: Devious Subversive Plan AMelissa Westbrookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-11688471403511862662012-05-29T10:39:18.328-07:002012-05-29T10:39:18.328-07:00National Enquirer - if you think cronyism doesn’t ...National Enquirer - if you think cronyism doesn’t exist in charters, boy are you clueless. <br />Here’s a nice little situation in Utah: <br />Legislator A gets charter school legislation passed. <br />Legislator A’s brother gets a charter to start up a charter school. <br />Legislator A’s brother gets money from the state to build a new charter school building on land he purchased from his sister-in-law. <br />Legislator A’s brother-in-law’s construction company builds the school. <br />Legislator A’s brother’s family members are all employed by the charter school, regardless of their qualifications. <br />Legislator A is not re-elected by his constituents, but is now on the board of a large charter management organization pulling down a 6 figure salary and lobbying other legislators in his state (and others) for charter legislation. <br />Substitute Utah for other states, and you’ll see plenty of cronyism and nepotism. Arizona and Florida are also great examples.CTnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-18660571374065481642012-05-29T10:27:40.246-07:002012-05-29T10:27:40.246-07:00It's an intriguing idea. I don't think th...It's an intriguing idea. I don't think that the WEA could reasonably expect to completely fill the tree with a thousand charter school applications. I don't think they'd lose a lot of goodwill by putting in a few dozen. The teaching side of the plan would have to be relatively custom to each school application, but probably 75% of the application could be boilerplate. The differences between schools in financial management, administration, transportation, lunches, etc. etc. would be relatively small. <br /><br />I don't think the WEA would lose a lot of goodwill if it targeted schools in a relatively narrow way. What if they went after Lowell or Lafayette where they could say that major principal problems were swept under the rug? What if they went after inquiry based math? Started a SpEd-friendly school? They'd have parents behind them all the way. They would lose if they went out with a shotgun approach and were blatant about trying to prevent charters from forming, but I don't think they would if they went out with a positive, "let's fix this" attitude.Eric Bnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-78964300884349633512012-05-28T23:09:55.962-07:002012-05-28T23:09:55.962-07:00Melissa, I know it would be after the initiative p...Melissa, I know it would be after the initiative passed. The fact that the union is not beloved right now is all the more reason for them not to destroy what goodwill they do have. If they blatantly trample on a majority vote, then the knives will come out to get rid of the union completely. If you make voters hate the teachers union, voters will retaliate by voting down local levies. That is not a good outcome.<br /><br />-North end momAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-70974310681711026572012-05-28T20:05:53.940-07:002012-05-28T20:05:53.940-07:00Charlie you are wonderfully devious with this idea...Charlie you are wonderfully devious with this idea, it's a beaut, but I'm with North End Mom on this one, the union (and teachers) would be immediately attacked, and attacked hard. And they would have to go ahead with the charters, or they'd be attacked harder, and then, whaddya know, we'd have charters anyway, just run by educators insted of KIPP.<br />Charters, as matter of policy, are not a good idea, no matter who runs them, and if the teachers DIDN"T "restructure" themselves into charters, all hell would be paid.seattle citizenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16724175257161649500noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-69190244706261163132012-05-28T19:50:25.316-07:002012-05-28T19:50:25.316-07:00"...the obvious cronyism"
Could you fle..."...the obvious cronyism"<br /><br />Could you flesh that out? Are you talking about district staff installing people they like or principals who favor one group? I'm not clear on this,<br /><br />But North End this would happen AFTER it passed. The union isn't beloved as it is. They don't really have much to lose.Melissa Westbrookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12588239576000641336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-41913752089335211652012-05-28T19:39:31.097-07:002012-05-28T19:39:31.097-07:00Certainly this would be entertaining, but voters a...Certainly this would be entertaining, but voters are pretty protective of recently passed initiatives. Will of the people and all that. If the union deliberately tried to subvert it like this, they would lose all support of the public. It could give an anti-union group just the fuel they need to start their own initiative to hurt unions.<br /><br />But I appreciate the cleverness of attacking the initiative with its own tools! <br /><br />-North end momAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-73621485648539731332012-05-28T18:44:44.456-07:002012-05-28T18:44:44.456-07:00I had the same thought, Melissa. And then I thoug...I had the same thought, Melissa. And then I thought -- meh! Maybe it doesn't matter. For one thing, I think the only changes they can make once it gets back from the code revisers office are changes that are required by that review. Otherwise, it goes BACK to the code reviser and the time becomes even shorter.<br /><br />Second, IF they change it -- we all have the OLD version that was proposed (right -- it IS saved somewhere). Changes to actually PREVENT community schools driven by teaching staffs that want to be free of bureaucratic BS to just teach better and more effectively -- well, THAT won't play well in Peoria (or Des Moines, or Kirkland!)<br /><br />And -- if they are serious -- if a whole host of community-based, teacher-led schools is what they wanted all along? Maybe this is how we get there. <br /><br />But I disagree with Charlie on one point. I think that if teachers sign up to charterize their schools -- they need to make it happen. They need to take ownership of their mission, their curriculum, how they will attract students, how they will deal with ELL and SPED kids. They need to acknowledge that parents and kids come to know if there really IS a "bad apple" in the teaching corps -- and figure out how to fix it, or get rid of it. <br /><br />Unfortunately, a lot of teachers, including really great ones, just want to teach -- not hassle with administration -- so they will ultimately have to figure out how to hire and retain a good principal. <br /><br />So, if we have the misfortune for this to pass, maybe we end up in 5 years with 40 true alts (not ones that are dependent on MOUs that expire -- or worse yet, policies that are blatantly ignored, and ed reform superintendents who just "close their schools" on a whim. <br /><br />This gets curiouser and curiouser.Janhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09923777229601243321noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-71673205724066693702012-05-28T18:17:38.142-07:002012-05-28T18:17:38.142-07:00Looking for a new business? How to start your own...Looking for a new business? How to start your own charter school in 3 easy lessons... seriously - doing the rounds on social media:<br /><br /><a href="http://charterschoolstarter.com/" rel="nofollow"> Start your Own Charter School - 3 Free videos</a>Sahilahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610179287237833742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-21297159663083606402012-05-28T18:13:23.935-07:002012-05-28T18:13:23.935-07:00Get rid of the failing public schools and the obvi...Get rid of the failing public schools and the obvious cronyism that exists there. <br /><br />High School parent is right. People start their own great schools. Bureaucracies do not create good schools. <br />Alternative schools have been wonderful for people and full of positive community spirit...places where children can thrive and grow and learn...unlike the SPS system. <br /><br />Charters all the way...Places where children can thrive and grow and learn. <br /><br /><br />-National Enquirer Style Blog Spotter.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-25742029902372293032012-05-28T17:50:30.781-07:002012-05-28T17:50:30.781-07:00Anyone have a Devious Subversive Plan B?Anyone have a Devious Subversive Plan B?Charlie Mashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17173903762962067277noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-26287930257815510542012-05-28T17:48:33.466-07:002012-05-28T17:48:33.466-07:00Oh, Melissa, sorry if I was unclear.
Yes, all app...Oh, Melissa, sorry if I was unclear.<br /><br />Yes, all approved plans will go into the lottery, but only eight will come out. Only eight (maximum) a year will be allowed to create schools.<br /><br />If there 8 approved applications from other sources and 992 approved applications from the WEA, then it is most likely (93% probability), that all eight chosen that year will be from the WEA. None of other schools will be created. They won't get their charter.Charlie Mashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17173903762962067277noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-12053354622807934292012-05-28T17:30:09.051-07:002012-05-28T17:30:09.051-07:00According to playground chatter, that is how some ...According to playground chatter, that is how some of our alternative schools were formed. A group of teachers decided to start a school using lessons they learned in the classroom. I like that idea.<br /><br /><br />-High school parentAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-49216010027008264802012-05-28T17:27:50.396-07:002012-05-28T17:27:50.396-07:00Very interesting but I have to say I wish you hadn...Very interesting but I have to say I wish you hadn't said this out loud. Seriously. These people don't think this stuff through and now they could still change it (I think). <br /><br />"But not all applicants who have approved plans will be allowed to create schools."<br /><br />Now here is where you lose me. I thought my reading of the initiative was that any plan approved goes into the pile (with those serving "at-risk" students getting a bump - will have to reread that as well). But if there are over 8 approved plans, they all go into the lottery. <br /><br />Why would an approved plan not go into the lottery by your reckoning?Melissa Westbrookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12588239576000641336noreply@blogger.com