The Washington State Board of Education released its seventh annual report on the performance of charter schools in our state. The report shows that charter schools perform as well or better than students at traditional public schools on traditional educational outcome measures. Importantly, the finding is consistent with other charter school research conducted by nationally recognized organizations, affirming the success of charter schools.

Despite this reality, Democrats still cater to one of their most powerful campaign donors: the state teachers’ union. As the Washington Policy Center points out, in 2021 state lawmakers refused to re-authorize new charters, thus initiating a statewide ban on opening new schools. Democrats’ actions expose their contempt for voters who passed the state’s popular charter school law over a decade ago – but it also exposes their callous indifference toward low-income families across our state. From the Washington Policy Center:

“In a further sign of ill intentions, state budget writers maintain a mean-spirited policy of funding inequality directed against charter school families.  Low-income, Black, Hispanic, immigrant and other children at charter schools receive about $3,000 less per student for their education, as community-based charters are denied any share of locally-raised school funding.”

Read the annual report here – and Washington Policy Center’s take here.

President Joe Biden is fundraising in Seattle on Friday and Saturday. Tickets for the fundraiser range from $500 to $50,000. A whopping $25,000 will earn the donor a photo opportunity with the Biden. While in the Seattle area, reports indicate that Biden will be “toasted” by Microsoft and Amazon executives, including Brad Smith and David Zapolosky.

The events – of course – are closed to the press and no other official White House business is announced for the visit. Par for the course, Biden’s handlers are keeping limiting the aging president’s public speaking opportunities

The anti-Israel encampment at the UW has entered its second week – and the UW administration continues to do nothing to stop the disruption. In fact, the number of entitled students participating is growing with an estimated 200 people now camping in tents around campus. Worse still, reports indicate that the atmosphere appears to have shifted toward hostility. Many of the antisemitic aggravators have taken to wearing all black attire and carrying gas masks and cans of bear sprays. Encampment spokesperson Mathieu Chabaud told KIRO:

“We all believe in a variety of tactics. I’m out here cooking meals for people and there are different people who have different ideas on how to address issues here today.”

Chabaud did not clarify what the “different ideas on how to address issues” are exactly, but what his buddies have done thus far does shed some light. After their demands that the university not allow TurningPointUSA’s Charlie Kirk to speak on campus were denied, a group of the so-called “protestors” attempted to violently disrupt the event. Newsweek reports:

“Videos shared on X, formerly Twitter, show a scuffle involving a Turning Point staffer and a group of masked individuals who wore all black, held umbrellas and were seen taunting Kirk in other videos…

Kirk said in an X post that Jonathan Choe, reporter for Turning Point’s Frontlines, and a security guard were “attacked” by the masked group. Choe, sporting a turquoise jacket, can be seen in the clips trying to flee from the scuffle.”

The UW administration claims that they “will take the appropriate actions to ensure campus safety.” But that clearly has not happened – certainly not for Jewish students.

The anti-Israel protests at UW were always disturbing – but they’ve recently taken an even more troubling turn. Given that reality, we’re refraining from our usual snarky commentary and leaving you with a series of tweets that highlight what’s really going on.

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