Faso Presses Issue of Charter Schools, Saying Spitzer Failed To Take a Stand

I think Spitzer is going to make a great governor -- especially if he really gets behind genuine school reform:
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Faso Presses Issue of Charter Schools, Saying Spitzer Failed To Take a Stand

The New York Sun, June 27, 2006

BY JACOB GERSHMAN

The Republican Party's candidate for governor of New York, John Faso, is faulting his Democratic opponent, Eliot Spitzer, for not taking a more vocal stand in favor of charter schools.

Mr. Faso, a former assemblyman running on a conservative platform, is accusing New York's attorney general of being missing in action at a critical point for the charter school movement - when lawmakers last week were considering a bill backed by Governor Pataki that would have more than doubled the number of such schools allowed in the state.

"He's been rather quiescent," Mr. Faso told The New York Sun. "He himself said you don't accomplish anything by whispering. Those who care about academic achievement in the state should be out there beating the drums supporting charter schools."...

Mr. Spitzer has said he supports charter schools, which receive public funding but operate independently of local school boards, but says he has concerns about their financial impact on school districts.

A spokeswoman for the Spitzer campaign, Christine Anderson, said Mr. Spitzer favors a higher cap, but "only in the context of addressing the legitimate concerns of those districts upstate that have a high percentage of their enrollment in charter schools."...

The Spitzer campaign would not say how Mr. Spitzer would address the concerns of the school districts, though state lawmakers have floated bills that would give those most affected extra money.

The campaign would not say how many more charter schools Mr. Spitzer thinks ought to be authorized.