Legislators Who Refused to Expand Charter Schools Themselves Benefitted from School Choice

The hypocrisy of legislators who oppose school choice never ceases to amaze, since most of them (and their children) benefit from what they seek to deny others:

In the aftermath of this week's failed attempt by the New York State Legislature to strengthen the state's charter-school law and better compete for millions in federal education funds, a survey of state legislators found that Democrats responsible for killing the expansion of choices in public education were themselves beneficiaries of school choice.

In the state Senate, a majority (52 percent) of Democrats benefitted from school choice options by attending a private or public exam school.  Additionally, 83 percent of Senate Democrats on the Labor Committee and 75 percent of Democrats on the Education Committee benefitted from school choice options.

In the Assembly, almost half (46 percent) of Democrats benefitted from similar school-choice options.  Democrats on the Assembly Labor Committee participated in school choice at a rate of 70 percent.

The chairs of both the Assembly and Senate education committees were also the beneficiaries of school choice.

Despite nearly half (48 percent) of the Democratic majorities of the Senate and Assembly having personally benefitted from school choice options, the legislature refused to back the Governor's proposal to lift the charter cap on the number of charter schools, schools that typically serve the neediest students.

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Legislators Who Refused to Expand Charter Schools Themselves Benefitted from School Choice

For Immediate Release: January 22, 2010

http://www.nyfera.org/?page_id=1731