Comments on: A charter debate to watch, at your own risk

By: Charter school debate, Take 2 - The Education Report - Katy Murphy covers what’s going on in the Oakland schools

Thu, 19 Mar 2009 00:38:09 +0000

[...] You’ll see the original players, as advertised the first time around … [...]

By: Katy Murphy

Katy Murphy — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 21:22:31 +0000

Yes, it is. I’m waiting for a news release with more details, but it’ll be from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 24 at Hunter Hall (the fourth floor of the OUSD administrative office building).

The speakers, so far…

Pro-charter: Ben Chavis, Hugo Arabia (principal of Oasis) and Kristin Gallagher (principal of Millsmont Academy).

Anti-charter: Shanta Driver and Yvette Felarca and Kim Shipp, former OUSD parent

By: Mr. G

Mr. G — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 21:12:37 +0000

Katy, is there any word on whether or not this is going to be rescheduled?

By: Caroline

Caroline — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 17:15:13 +0000

If that principal sues Fresno Unified, what that means is that charter schools have truly declared themselves 100% unaccountable, answerable to no one.

Right now they are barely accountable and barely answerable, but give it up totally if this dude sues.

(And I don’t even mean if he wins. If Fresno has to spend money defending against a defamation suit at all…)

By: cranky teacher

cranky teacher — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 00:39:38 +0000

Sounds like this guy may have a pretty good lawsuit because Fresno Unified really aired the dirty laundry, whether true or not:

http://www.fresnobee.com/local/story/1218145.html

By: cranky teacher

cranky teacher — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 00:30:41 +0000

Caroline, FYI: tinyurl links are blocked by OUSD’s filter.

By: Caroline

Caroline — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 03:56:44 +0000

I wonder if the California Charter Schools Assn. got wind of this and put on pressure to call it off. Chavis is clearly not a spokesman with whom those with a sophisticated PR concept would be comfortable. When he starts letting fly with the N-word and sexist remarks, it may not be the public image they are seeking.

As a sharp critic of charter schools myself, I’m not totally sure the arguments put forth by BAMN would reflect my views, for that matter.

The current budding flap about the KIPP school in Fresno is livening up the charter scene. If the allegations of abuse are accurate, the principal there makes Chavis look like Miss Nancy from Romper Room. That principal is accused of:
… slamming students against the wall, placing trash cans over their heads, forcing kids to crawl on their hands and knees while barking, and enforcing unreasonably strict bathroom rules, resulting in students having accidents and vomiting on themselves inside the classroom.

http://tinyurl.com/ck64zw

By: Katy Murphy

Katy Murphy — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 18:32:48 +0000

I don’t think a rescheduled date has been set. One of the organizers just emailed to say it would be postponed about a month. I’ll let you know!

By: Maggie

Maggie — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 18:13:01 +0000

postponed till when? very excited about this

By: Nextset

Nextset — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 15:15:18 +0000

A great topic for a no-holds-barred public debate.

“Arguing that Charter Schools are part of a new Jim Crow…” Sounds like fun. What the liberals/radicals just can’t seem to understand is that in this Brave new World Affirmative Action is dead. In fat times you might get away with telling people they have to give their treasure to other people because they are politically favored/powerful – that won’t happen in tough times. So where does that leave the endangered species?

In sink or swim time.

With liberals clinging to the leaky water wings and refusing to tell their clients that they’d better learn to swim (that’s unfair!!!!!).

When the municipal budgets collapse completely and basic services end – which is becoming likely – look for the rise of Internet Schools.