A GREAT op ed in the WSJ with another blasting of the NAACP (and a nice shout-out for DFER):

This past week the NAACP, the National Urban League and other civil-rights groups collectively condemned charter schools. Claiming to speak for minority Americans, the organizations expressed "reservations" about the Obama administration's "extensive reliance on charter schools." They specifically voiced concern about "the overrepresentation of charter schools in low-income and predominantly minority communities."

Someone should remind these leaders who they represent. The truth is that support for charters among ordinary African-Americans and Hispanics is strong and has only increased dramatically in the past two years. Opposition along the lines expressed by the NAACP and the Urban League is articulated by a small minority.

…The same cannot be said for the NAACP. It's time civil-rights groups listened to their communities.

Education reform has emerged as a wedge issue for the Democratic Party. Teachers unions are becoming increasingly pointed in their attack on Education Secretary Arne Duncan's efforts to promote charters. Meanwhile, Democrats for Education Reform, a renegade group supporting charters and other school reforms, has gained surprising influence at the highest levels of the Obama administration.

…By casting their lot firmly with teachers unions, the leadership of the NAACP and the Urban League hope to preserve their power and safeguard their traditional sources of financial support. Not only is this is a cynical strategy, it ignores where African-Americans and Hispanics are on the issue. Thankfully, the Obama administration is paying attention to the needs of low-income, minority communities and not to their purported leaders.

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