Follow the money for anti-charter amendment campaign, too
There’s a logical explanation for the bitter opposition to the charter-schools amendment. Just ask Edward Lindsey, the Buckhead Republican who serves as House majority whip.
“This isn’t about ideology,” Lindsey says. “It’s about turf. It’s about those folks who have a vested interest, no matter how mediocre the present may be, in not changing.”
The turf in question is the power to approve charter schools — and thus how some public education funds are spent. Amendment One would empower the state to create charter schools in two instances. The first is for statewide charters; think virtual schools that teach online courses.
The other is when a local school board denies a charter application. The state could then conduct its own review and decide whether to approve and fund the school.
Who considers those powers an invasion of their own turf? Follow the money.
After its latest report, filed Tuesday, the anti-amendment group Vote SMART! had a donor base comprising 146 people and eight companies that had given a combined $104,263 (along with almost $19,000 in gifts not itemized). Who are they?
Thirty-four of them are current or former superintendents. That group gave more than $16,000.
Another 30 are other types of school-system administrators: area superintendents, assistant superintendents, directors of some kind or another. These folks contributed an additional $14,000.
Eleven members of various school boards around Georgia gave almost $4,000. Ten principals shelled out $2,576.
In all, almost 60 percent of the Vote SMART! donors and more than a third of its donations came from people who run our traditional public schools. That’s one bit of turf.
Then there are the professional organizations: the Professional Association of Georgia Educators, Georgia School Boards Association and Georgia School Superintendents Association. Fifteen employees of these groups donated more than $15,000.
Now let’s look at companies that do business with school systems. Yes, traditional public schools already outsource some work to for-profit firms; the educational management firms that do administrative work for some charter schools would hardly introduce the profit motive into our education system.
In fact, 35 people or firms who do business with traditional public schools, from attorneys and consultants to architects and contractors, have given more than $32,000 to the anti-amendment campaign.
Now, am I missing any job description in the education field? Hmmm, let’s see …
Oh, yes. Teachers. Well, make that teacher: Just one current teacher is listed as a contributor to Vote SMART! Also, one retired counselor. They gave about 500 bucks total.
If these numbers don’t rise to the levels you’ve read about for the pro-amendment side, keep in mind that they don’t include money from education PACs opposing Amendment One. The PAC for the Georgia Association of Educators, for instance, has reported very few itemized gifts this year but almost $115,000 in non-itemized ones — and nearly $350,000 in cash on hand.
From what we can see, though, almost 90 percent of the donors and $4 of every $5 donated come from the people running our schools and the firms they do business with. It’s a campaign of the educational establishment, by the educational establishment, for the educational establishment.
– By Kyle Wingfield
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147 comments Add your comment
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
October 27th, 2012
9:03 am
If all you anti-amendment people have is hyperbole (and that’s all you shown thus far), you’ve got nothing.
Disgusted in Augusta
October 27th, 2012
9:06 am
wow…what a newsflash….the anti charter contributions are from educators IN GEORGIA because they care about education IN GEORGIA. However, when you follow the money for the Pro amendment side, the contributions mainly come from OUTSIDE OF GEORGIA. Following that money makes it obvious that our ethically challenged Governor, Emperor Deal, and his merry band of legislators such as Jan Jones have taken the bait of ALEC and the profit seeking charter companies. Mark my words…Nathan Deal himself will profit financially if this passes. He has quite a track record of making sure he and his friends get sweet insider deals and jobs in this state. The sleeping giant is getting awakened, however, and we can’t wait for 2014 to say goodbye to Nathan and his crowd. I’m voting NO to amendment 1 and Amendment 2 because this ethically challenged Governor does not deserve the right to extend business contracts for the state to multi year agreements. All of his buddies will be loading up on those, too, before he leaves office.
clanmack
October 27th, 2012
9:08 am
If you don’t like what the BOE in your county or school system is doing, you have the option of going to their meetings, writing them emails, getting your fellow citizens to petition and ultimately voting them out of office. (it is called Democracy, after all!) Let’s see you do any of that with the Charter Commission appointed by our Governor. See how much they listen to anyone but the one who appoints them. This simply further politicizes and already too political situation. The legislature has pandered to the big money constituency that is funding the pro-amendment 1 “campaign,” ALEC and other organizations from other places. Our legislature is too lazy to do the work needed to learn the issues and make more reasonable decisions in the interest of the citizens of Georgia, much less the smaller constituencies, like parents and school children.
Kyle, the courage you showed in writing this column and exposing your “follow the money” approach is to be admired. Thinking people will take a look at the money on the “yes” side of this amendment and draw the same conclusions you infer for the “no” side.
The idea that if you are not eligible to vote, you shouldn’t be able to give money, is a good one in principle. It would go the way of the “Citizens United” SCOTUS decision which said it is ok to give unlimited funds as long as there is no coordination between these super-pacs and 501 (c) 4 “social welfare” organizations and candidates.
@ Disgusted in Dekalb – both my kids went and graduated from public schools. At the same time, having a legitimate point of view or opinion doesn’t require having kids in public school to have “skin in the game.”
Kyle Wingfield
October 27th, 2012
9:08 am
One quick response while I have a free moment:
To those who are still trying to compare the Vote SMART! numbers to those for the pro campaign: You’re ignoring what I wrote about the associations’ PACs. Vote SMART! isn’t the only anti group raising and spending money on this campaign; when all is said and done it might not even be the biggest. The biggest of these, GAE’s, has yet to file the report that was due Thursday — so we’ll have to wait to see its numbers over the same time period.
As for the pro campaign’s donors: It’s funny, I don’t remember any of these detractors asking any critical questions when the Gates Foundation and other nonprofits funded by the wealthy have given money directly to APS and other public school districts. But now we’re supposed to think they’re up to no good when they give money to support the creation of another form of public education (which is what charter schools are; which is why the claims about madrasas and Christian-based charters are off the mark — charters are subject to the same restrictions on using public funds for religious purposes as traditional public schools are). In fact, the Gates Foundation is spending tons of money in a similar referendum out in Washington state right now. Will APS and other districts turn away Gates’ money in the future, since we now know it supports charter schools? Btw, Walton and these other wealthy folks have given money to support school choice in other states previously; as far as I know, Wal-Mart has yet to open its first charter school.
Have organizations that run charter schools donated to the pro side? Yes. But as of its previous reports — I have not had time to look thoroughly at the one filed yesterday — these are organizations that already have opened charter schools in Georgia. And they’re good schools. I would hope they’d apply to open more here if the amendment passes.
OTOH, we know exactly the motives of the people funding the anti campaign, as I’ve outlined in the column: To keep things the way they are now. If you’re content with the way things are now in Georgia’s public schools, then by all means, vote no to Amendment One.
(And, for the record: I have two children, neither of whom is old enough yet to be in school. But I agree with cc @ 8:45: Any taxpayer in Georgia has skin in this game.)
Kyle Wingfield
October 27th, 2012
9:10 am
spaceman109 @ 7:47: Actually, I have addressed this before. You just haven’t been reading. The new “state gommint bureaucracy” will consist of the same staff members now doing this work for the DOE, along with seven unpaid commission members. So I think the probability of some big new bureaucracy is actually exceedingly low.
Numbers-R-US
October 27th, 2012
9:11 am
Where does caring concerned Kyle offer up such a detailed description of “the money” in favor of this amendment.
Numbers-R-US
October 27th, 2012
9:14 am
Is the Gates Foundation a for-profit organization.
Numbers-R-US
October 27th, 2012
9:20 am
The way things are, we have local school systems capable of opening up charter schools as well as maintaining the traditional schools. The way things are, we have families that can teach their children at home or transport them to other school systems. The way things are, we don’t have the Rupert Murdoch’s of the world tapping that huge pot of tax dollars for profit. We don’t have Phoenix University expanding into k-12. I’m good with that and I am voting against that amendment.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
October 27th, 2012
9:25 am
Repeating the same “for-profit” argument 20 times doesn’t make it valid, Numbers.
But keep wasting your time and ours.
Numbers-R-US
October 27th, 2012
9:43 am
Tiberius continues repeating his same old line of nothing.
Not stupid
October 27th, 2012
9:53 am
Oh by the way Kyle…..those contributions most teachers would have made…..They have been retained by the state in the form of furlough days as we contributed to the budget cuts and deficit the state leadership has driven us into so that a balanced budget for all Georgians could be put together. OOOPS I erred…..it really isn’t balanced. Go to the FY2011 state CAFR http://www.audits.ga.gov/SGD/cafr.html and look at page 263 of the adobe toolbar (report is page 233) and check out how much worse off we are as Georgians under 8 years of “party leadership”. Thats a lot of debt…..guess the state leadership can’t live within their means. And now we need to add another commission?
RAMZAD
October 27th, 2012
9:53 am
Probably; the most curious variable in the Amendment One controversy is African Americans.
We have a long and sometimes bloody history of distrust for local authority. The local police, zoning board, chamber of commerce, PTA, local judiciary, and local school board. We have never been shy about taking matters to the state or federal constitutional deliberation or administrative adjudication, because we have always felt that local authority was up to no good, and frequently we were right- until this nonsensical switch-aroo.
It does not make sense, because African American children are the most likely to be failed by local public academic systems- smallest SAT scores, smallest graduation rates, smallest amounts of academic scholarships, smallest matriculation to college, most likely to wind up in an alternative school, most likely to be murdered during school pursuits, most likely to graduate to prison, most likely to be a baby momma. You name it and we are going to be distinguished for being the worst at what local public school systems say they do or offer. So; you would think African Americans would want to run to the state for refuge. Not this time!
Selfishness; a treasured classic in our race, is at work here. I will explain. Education is one of the few endeavors where African Americans have a foothold. It it not medicine. We are not regularly doctors. It is not the judiciary. We are not frequently lawyers. It is not science and engineering, because we are not frequently scientists, but every African American alive knows a black teacher or school administrator. The public school house is an African American preserve.
So, in order to stay on this preserve African Americans will go to the mat for this local control we always abhor- this time. It is not concern for our students. We were willing to cheat our own out of an education to keep our rank in and our checks from the school house. So, for African Americans, this has nothing to do with the quality of education for black children. The waves of “local control” cheating scandals in predominantly African American districts all over the country proved that eminently well.
It is about the loss of control that will be a necessary condition of passage of Amendment One that blacks fear. We saw what happened to the incumbent mayor and to Michelle Rhee, DC School Superintendent when African American school hegemony was challenged in Washington DC about four years ago. We saw what happened in Chicago last month when attempts were made to tie teacher advancement to student performance.
Amendment One is necessary to break this African American dictatorship in local public school control. We have seen the results of this dictatorship, and it is horrible.
Numbers-R-US
October 27th, 2012
10:09 am
Our local majority-white school leadership has come out against amendment one. We also have a charter school already with no new legislation. Will wonders ever cease.
Dusty
October 27th, 2012
10:22 am
I really am not sure about this subject but insulting Kyle for writing about it is certainly pure ignorance.
Somehow I do not want to be one of the rats that leaves a sinking ship. If public schools are sinking, I’d much rather patch the holes and repair the engines for a better trip for the passengers.
If you think that is impossible, I guess you want a new model and better captains.
LIke I said, I just don’t know. Public schools have been good for a very long time. Maybe we will end up with ALL schools online. Government on line? Police on line? Healthcare on line?
OK so I am getting off subject. To be or not to be a public school is getting to be the question. Let us think about this one a bit longer.
carlosgvv
October 27th, 2012
10:51 am
Tiberius – 9:03
We will give your observation all the attention it truly deserves.
cc
October 27th, 2012
11:08 am
“check out how much worse off we are as Georgians under 8 years of “party leadership”. Thats a lot of debt…..guess the state leadership can’t live within their means. And now we need to add another commission?”
I’m sure that NONE of that “debt” resulted from unfunded federal mandates, did it? I am just as sure that democrat congress, senate and current administration had nothing at all to do with it, did it?
Rafe Hollister, suffering through Oblamer's ineptocracy
October 27th, 2012
11:16 am
cc: thanks for the link, great story. I answered you downstairs, but hopefully Kyle will not get upset, if I post the link over here, for those of you tired of the parental choice/government dictate argument on schools.
http://www.americanthinker.com/2012/10/they_fought_for_their_lives.html
real john
October 27th, 2012
11:19 am
Kyle:
I usually really enjoy reading your articles. However, you have written what seems as an abnormal amount of articles on this charter school thing. Too many of us voters, this is such a SMALL issue. I’m not sure if you are personally involved somehow, but I think we have much bigger issues in this country/state, don’t you??
onpatroll
October 27th, 2012
11:22 am
This is the worst amendment ever. Nobody is scrabbling for a degree from Phoenix University. Don’t subject kids to this.
Rafe Hollister, suffering through Oblamer's ineptocracy
October 27th, 2012
11:24 am
Somehow I do not want to be one of the rats that leaves a sinking ship. If public schools are sinking, I’d much rather patch the holes and repair the engines for a better trip for the passengers.
I do not think anyone is suggesting leaving the sinking ship. It is more like having a car that is undependable and leaves you walking most of the time. You’re broke and can’t replace it, so when you get an offer to pick up a car that might be a little better, you decide to go for it, but keep the old one as a backup.
More options, less walking.
Georgia
October 27th, 2012
11:30 am
Kyle rightly knows many of the constituents on both sides of every issue. He and Jay are in constant touch with the lawmakers, and their blogs are really the only way to stay informed for the average voter. And neither Jay nor Kyle are responsible for the comments on their blogs. Aww, I can’t fool anyone. I’m scared of Frankenstorm, man. What if it changes directions back toward Atlanta? What if it becomes a category five? It’s Frankenstorm. Frankenstorm! FRANKENSTORM!!!!!
cc
October 27th, 2012
11:31 am
Rafe:
The article puts a little different perspective on that incident, and makes it much more personal and “human”. Too bad the MSM hasn’t given that aspect of this story the coverage it deserves, but that would seriously damage their creation, “the President the Press Made”.
ragnar danneskjold
October 27th, 2012
11:45 am
Good observation.
zinc
October 27th, 2012
12:28 pm
Kyle–
Two questions:
1. Why should I as a taxpaying citizen subsidize quasi-private schools operated by for profit companies that don’t have to play by the same set of rules? If a parent wants another education options, several private school will enroll their child.
2. Where is your research on the money from the pro-Amendment 1 groups? It should shock no one that the local public schools and their groups are against it. But who is supporting it? That’s more telling to me
Truth is
October 27th, 2012
12:35 pm
Kyle what you and the pro supporters fail to understand is that all of us in the public education setting are not opposed to charter schools. Charter schools, locally approved already exist in this state. What we are opposed to is a board of unelected officials approving new charters. These same people have been underfunding public schools for the past 8 years, forcing schools to cut their school years, rif teachers, (is that unconstitutional?) and then suddenly they want us to believe they care deeply about students. Sorry. We have been burned too many times on shady deals, back room deals and looking out for those on their friends and families plan to believe anything. Leave the constitution alone. It already provides an appeal process.
Old Physics Teacher
October 27th, 2012
12:37 pm
Really, Kyle? The anti-amendment donations from in-state educators are “pennies” compared to the “thousands” from the out-of-state millionaires and their for-profit education companies. Teachers, who spend their OWN MONEY ON THEIR STUDENTS, are giving money to the anti-cause through their associations, while millionaire lawyers and faceless corporations are trying to buy access to tax money while being assisted by millionaire lawyer-legislators…David vs Goliath, and you’re backing Goliath? If this is your, and your BFF Lindsey’s, best example for voting FOR wasting taxes, it’s pretty pathetic.
teaching taxpayer
October 27th, 2012
12:46 pm
Kudos to “Truth is.” I am a charter school supporter, and I believe schools that are rejected locally should have an appeal. Why Amendment 1 supporters are adamant that Nathan Deal should APPOINT unaccountable cronies to the board rather than allow the citizens to ELECT or DEFEAT them on their merits bewilders me. Unelected, unaccountable board with power to spend taxpayer dollars = government bureaucracy and cronyism. It’s really that simple, and Kyle should know it.
trails of money ...LOL
October 27th, 2012
1:31 pm
Who cares? after the Supreme Court voted in favor of PACs… the money is suppose to flow from rapid supporters to influence the points of view of other voters.
The columnist in this case is simply supporting one side by making the point of who is donating on the opposite side and making it sound worse than it is.
Better would be a column that discusses who are likely to run the new charter schools, what are the anticipated educational benefits etc..
so … who cares about the trail of money… we should be more focused on what is proven to work to meet the educational goals that will result in a more economically competitive Georgia..
Dusty
October 27th, 2012
1:50 pm
I see we have school info going left and right. Very good. Debates are the style.
But I hope you don’t mind if I wander off subject to mention some of my favorite people. Native Americans, our Indian citizens. Haven’t read the following anywhere.
NOVEMBER marks NATIONAL AMERICAN INDIAN AND ALASKA NATIVE HERITAGE MONTH.
There! Now don’t forget to remember the lives and legacies of Native American people who celebrated as part of our first Thanksgiving. They are fine people. Many of them have fought in our armed forces to protect this country.
I have had the pleasure of working with them many times.
Ronin
October 27th, 2012
2:00 pm
“The turf in question is the power to approve charter schools — and thus how some public education funds are spent”
The state wanted the Charter option and formed the Charter commission, district schools didn’t like their “turf” being encroached upon. The state supreme court rules 4-3 in favor of the plaintiff, which many will argue was based on political wrangling rather than state law.
So, not to be slighted, the state legislature floats an amendment to allow Charters to be established by a state commission.
Don’t be swayed by the corporate greed crowd, they are simply regurgitating left leaning talking points. The entire FOR PROFIT argument is simply nonsense. This is about control of capital expenditures for education and the golden rule.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right
October 27th, 2012
2:58 pm
Amaazing how an amendment with such little implications that might affect public schools in such an inconsequential way brings out the education lobby which couldn’t put two coherent sentences together on any other subject of their lives depended on it.
cc
October 27th, 2012
4:22 pm
Tiberius, it’s call “turf protecting”.
cc
October 27th, 2012
4:23 pm
“call” should be “called”!
Too much football . . .
bob
October 27th, 2012
4:32 pm
mary elizabeth and Deb in Athens, both of you seem to imply that if the charters pass the standard publics will fail. Why is it that you think these publics will fall by the wayside ?
I Report (-: You Whine )-: mmm, mmmm, mmmmm! Just sayin...
October 27th, 2012
6:18 pm
“Within minutes of the first bullet being fired the White House knew these heroes would be slaughtered if immediate air support was denied,” said Ty Woods’s father, Charles. “In less than an hour, the perimeters could have been secured and American lives could have been saved. After seven hours fighting numerically superior forces, my son’s life was sacrificed because of the White House’s decision.”
And the libs shed no tears this time, huh.
Hillbilly D
October 27th, 2012
6:23 pm
So I think the probability of some big new bureaucracy is actually exceedingly low.
I’d have to disagree with Kyle on this; most everything winds up being a “big new bureaucracy”. It’s the nature of the beast.
cc
October 27th, 2012
6:25 pm
I Report:
Mr. Woods should have altered that jst a little to say, “because of the White House’s political decision to sacrifice American lives for the sake of reelection.”
cc
October 27th, 2012
6:26 pm
“jst” should be “just”
JAWJA
October 27th, 2012
8:30 pm
Yep, follow the money! If the repugs dont’t already have it, they soon will.
I Report (-: You Whine )-: mmm, mmmm, mmmmm! Just sayin...
October 27th, 2012
8:32 pm
In case you were wondering, I’m a total San Franfreako Giants fan.
Well, at least until they rid us of, eck, detriot.
I Report (-: You Whine )-: mmm, mmmm, mmmmm! Just sayin...
October 27th, 2012
8:33 pm
I often wonder why there even is a detriot.
I Report (-: You Whine )-: mmm, mmmm, mmmmm! Just sayin...
October 27th, 2012
8:36 pm
If there weren’t a detriot, there would be 706,585 fewer obozo votes, just sayin…
antinewt
October 27th, 2012
10:34 pm
I thought conservatives were always for “local” control of schools. Doesn’t this ammendment give the State the power to overrule local boards? Perhaps those in opposition are true conservatives.
Educator
October 27th, 2012
11:59 pm
While we cheerily destroy the public schools in the name of choice, can anyone show me some other nation that is allowing its schools to be picked apart by the death of a thousand budget cuts? Anyone? Bueller? Why do so many seem to believe that balkanizing our education system is a good thing?
As for charges that our public schools are government indoctrination centers, all I can say is that you’ve obviously never been in real school, with it’s emphasis on teaching kids to think on their own.
Miller
October 28th, 2012
4:33 am
Kyle,
It’s pretty easy. I trust my local school board in Cobb County to create charter schools – they have and they are good. I do not trust the State to do so and will be voting “NO” at this silly attempt by Republicans to remove local control yet again while claiming to be about local control.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
October 28th, 2012
6:30 am
“all I can say is that you’ve obviously never been in real school, with it’s emphasis on teaching kids to think on their own.”
Funniest post of the thread!
Kids haven’t been taught to think on their own for decades.
Now they’re only taught to take standardized tests.
cc
October 28th, 2012
7:00 am
“Now they’re only taught to take standardized tests.”
“Standardized” is the operative word. All students in government indoctrination centers must be “standardized”, preparing the next generation of leftists.
Michael H. Smith
October 28th, 2012
7:53 am
Good article Kyle, though, for most of the regular liberated market capitalist conservatives reading and posting on your blog nothing new was brought to fore on the GUB’MENT education monopoly that hasn’t been known and document seemingly forever.
I surely hope we have the votes to win this round (cram the charter school amendment down their tyrannical big government social democracy throats) in what will be a long fight for total public funding of school choice.
PS. To the worthless opposition: You might consider taking a very long vacation after you greedy public trough-feeders have been rejected at the ballot box… oh say, to somewhere like Cuba, Venezuela perhaps or some other fascist government places that continue to worship and praise the names of anti-liberty types like Karl Marx and Che Guevara.
Benghazi Gate
October 28th, 2012
8:00 am
OBAMA LIED, PEOPLE DIED !
catlady
October 28th, 2012
8:30 am
I’d agree with Mr. Lindsey, IF the problem were that the entrenched educrats don’t want ANY charter schools. However, if he is saying that, it is a LIE. The problem is the METHOD the amendment seeks to “remedy.”
Local voters need to be the impetus for a charter school. If you don’t have the support of local voters, and primarily parents, the charter school has much less chance of being successful. Those who want a charter school should use the FORCE of the ballot box, of showing up and raising cain at board meetings, of speaking to the media, to “persuade” the board to approve a charter school.
In the local school system, a group of parents has been working for 2 years to get the local board to approve a charter in their area. Thus far, the board has refused. So what did the voters do? In July they voted EVERY member of the board who was up for re-election OUT, by 70-80%! Do you think the other board members got the message? They did–they are next, unless they start listening to the parents, to the voters!
Charter schools should be at the discretion of the local school board, who is and who should be accountable for their approval! And VOTERS need to hold the feet of the board members to the fire, constantly, so that ALL children get a FAPE!
.