Senator Perkins Imitating Tail-Gunner Joe?

NY State Senator Bill Perkins, the hypocritical enemy of charter schools (see: http://edreform.blogspot.com/2010/03/in-harlem-epicenter-for-charter-schools.html), is up to his tricks – and you'll never guess who he's teamed up with…Diane Ravitch of course!  He's holding hearings to harass charters and Ravitch is going to testify.  What a joke!  Here's NYCSA's Peter Murphy on this travesty:

 

Not to let Sen. Perkins off the hook, but don't think for a minute he's doing this alone. His pursuit has the full backing of the United Federation of Teachers, which has it out for charter schools and demagogues them as "charter corporate." This is not a coincidence.

Charter schools are under tremendous scrutiny. Every partner organization and management company undergoes a rigorous review as part of the charter approval process of the Regents and State University of New York which authorize charter schools. What is so ironic about this upcoming Perkins hearing is that these companies have accomplished so much good for children in this state to the point where objective outside studies have shown that charter schools are an academic success, particularly in Sen. Perkins' own backyard in upper Manhattan.

Several charter support organizations and management companies sprang up from New York, others came to our state from other states where they were successful. They should be welcomed, not harassed by a politician with a gavel.

If there is to be a modicum of fairness with Sen. Perkins, he should investigate the UFT in the same manner that he is charter organizations. Otherwise, his hearing will come off as a McCarthyite pursuit that attempts to smear good people and accomplishes nothing for students.

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