Follow the Money

Today's Seattle Times reports that

Big money continues to roll into the charter-school measure that is on the Nov. 2 ballot, with a total of $4.8 million raised so far by both sides.

As of this morning's PDC report, it's slightly more than that. Charter school supporters have raised more than $3.8 million, opponents $1.1 million. Most of the supporters are, as reported, wealthy education advocates, including Bill Gates, Donald Fisher and Reed Hastings. Nearly all of the anti-charter money comes from the teacher unions -- not only the state and local unions, but also the national AFT and NEA.

It would have been interesting for the article to explore the motivations of the various contributors to each side of the issue. The proponents have little to gain for themselves except in the philanthropic sense of helping to achieve a better educated society. The opponents? Obviously they're trying to protect their underperforming monopoly. The national unions are involved because they simple can't tolerate the challenge from an alternative way of organizing schools -- especially one that delivers superior results. Sometimes it really is that simple.

Don't let them get away with their attempt to snuff out educational opportunity. Approving charter schools especially is critical given that I-884, the billion dollar sales tax increase, has a good chance of passing. The passage of I-884 and the defeat of R-55 would be an absolute disaster -- a larger education bureaucracy, a fatter teachers' union and a more secure monopoly would make it even harder to implement any meaningful reforms in the future. Do what you can to help Approve Referendum 55.

Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at October 13, 2004 12:57 PM | Email This