Democrats sent out a back-slapping press release applauding themselves for House approval of a bill that claims to “close the education opportunity gap in Washington.” According to the liberal propaganda, House Bill 1541 will address the “cultural disconnect between educators and students of color” and “between schools and the families of students of color.”
The phrases used by Democrats to promote their accomplishment include, “Not all students are the same.” Additionally Rep. Sharon Tomiko Santos (D-Seattle) stated, “One size in education does not fit all… It does not work for all students. Unfortunately right now the system is designed with this ‘one size fits all’ approach. No matter what their needs, our paramount duty as a legislature is to meet students where they are.”
Interestingly enough, these same phrases which others use to describe why public charter schools are important and essential. Yet, Democrats like Rep. Tomiko are not jumping over themselves to champion the cause of charter schools in quite the same way.
Why? Because of campaign cash and the Democrats’ special interest-driven agenda, of course.
Public charter schools offer underprivileged students an advantage they otherwise would not have in a system controlled by the Washington Education Association (WEA). It’s due to the prospect of losing forced-dues money and power that the WEA has done everything in its power to destroy public charter schools.
And, it’s due to the prospect of losing campaign money and the power of the state House majority protected by the WEA that most Democrat lawmakers remain either silent or directly oppose public charter schools.
If Democrats are truly concerned about closing the “education opportunity gap”, they would be better off supporting public charter schools that the state Supreme Court have bizarrely ruled unconstitutional. Now it’s up to Speaker Frank Chopp and Governor Jay Inslee to determine if they can lead their party to this obvious conclusion, and support a bi-partisan bill that has passed the state Senate.
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