Article: Oral Arguments in Charter School Lawsuit to be Heard by Supreme Court Nov. 29

Coalition Argues Charter Schools are Subject to Lower Standards

The Ohio Supreme Court will hear oral arguments Nov. 29 in a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of Ohio’s charter school system. The case is scheduled to be heard at 9 a.m. in the first floor courtroom, 65 S. Front St.

The Ohio Parents and Teachers Association (PTA) and other parties affiliated with the Coalition for Public Education claim that the manner in which charter schools are created and funded in Ohio violates the state’s Constitution. The parties also contend that academic standards for charter schools are lower than those set for traditional public schools.

Plaintiffs’ most recent brief filed in the case incorporates recent data on school funding and student achievement to support arguments that the drafters of Ohio's Constitution never intended that Ohio's scarce education dollars would be used to pay for a privately owned system of poorly performing schools subject to "dumbed down" standards. The lawsuit claims the charter school system violates the state’s Constitution by:

● Creating a separate "pay-to-play" system of publicly funded schools not subject to the same uniform statewide standards as legitimate public schools;

● Allowing charter schools in city school districts with privately controlled governing boards not accountable to local voters;

● Effectively diverting local real estate taxes approved by voters for use by their school districts to charter schools that are in no way accountable to local voters;

● Taking funds from cash-strapped local school districts in a way that impairs the ability of those districts to provide a thorough and efficient public education;

● Improperly using public education dollars to support and guarantee loans for the privately owned corporations that own and manage charter schools.

"Recent scandals illustrate that there is no public accountability for privately operated charter schools. Charter schools are not subject to the same academic standards as traditional public schools, yet the state has paid charter school operators more than $1 billion since the program was created," said Tom Mooney, chairman of the Coalition for Public Education.


I wonder how many dollars in campaign donations were given to the Supreme Court Justices from charter school CEO's? Will they recuse themselves? I doubt it. John

http://coremail.blogspot.com/

ORC 3307.15 - not just a wish, IT'S THE LAW!