The bill to save public charter schools in our state passed the state House. But, before it did, the bill faced fierce opposition from some Democrats. State Representative Chris Reykdal, who needs the unions’ campaign cash in his race for State Superintendent of Public Instruction, was one Democrat intent on destroying the charter school fix.
A handful of Democrats tweeted their derision for voter-approved public charter schools. Rep. Noel Frame told a concerned mother that who was petitioning her to support Rainer Prep in Seattle that “some students simply lose when it comes to public schools” and that perhaps she should “consider private school.”
But, Reykdal took it all a step further. In a last minute effort to disrupt the bill to save charter schools, Reykdal sponsored an amendment to the bill to eliminate the requirement that parents be informed of charter school options in their district.
One could say that the guy who is running for Superintendent of Instruction believes parent ignorance when it comes to the education of their children is a good policy.
Now, does that sound like someone you would like to support as Superintendent?
Myself, I have to applaud Reykdal. He isn’t supporting anything that the Republicans didn’t support in passing E2SSB 6194 . E2SSB 6194 was pulled to the floor of the House, the existing language replaced by a Striker introduced by Rep. Springer, a bevy of Amendments were then considered, voted on, and the bill passed. There was no public hearing, there was no public input, because the bill was pulled to the floor of the House after calendar cutoff even though the bill, as sent back to the Senate, held no appropriation in violation of cutoff rules. Then the Senate concurred with the House language. All just a little too choreographed, a little to pat to have been coincidence.
The Bill is now before the governor whom I hope will veto it. All through this bill, charters are referred to as charter public schools. Section 131 of this bill reads “Public schools means the common schools as referred to in Article IX of the state Constitution …” yet the intro to the bill states, “AN ACT Relating to public schools that are not common schools…” Charter schools are public schools but not common schools, but public schools means common schools as referred to in Article IX, State Constitution. E2SSB 6194 attempts to amend the Washington Constitution in an unlawful manner.
Beyond that, I find it absolutely mind-boggling that Republicans who oppose Agenda 21 (sustainable global environment) support charters which are the systems education component of the global system; ie, sustainable global environment or Agenda 21. If Shift Washington truly believed in the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights, it wouldn’t support charters, either.