Tom Mooney: Charter schools run under lax standards

Charter schools run under lax standards

Wednesday, November 16, 2005

The recent Dispatch editorial "Look in the mirror," about public schools needing to take responsibility for shortfalls in education was right. Public schools do have problems with safety and discipline, management and administration.

The Dispatch was dead right, but teachers have been complaining about these same things for years.

Teachers agree that there are problems to be addressed. But that doesn’t mean that all alternatives to public school districts are good, quality options. Privately operated, but publicly funded charter schools are operated under lax standards and are poorly monitored, if at all. They lack oversight by state officials because of the pay-to-play corruption that is prevalent in Ohio right now.

Teachers feel an obligation to alert the public to scandals. But we would be happy to lay down that responsibility if media organizations like The Dispatch would do their jobs to investigate and report on the horrendous scams going on in the name of charter schools.

Unfortunately, The Dispatch has pretty much taken a pass on that responsibility.

TOM MOONEY

President

Ohio Federation of Teachers

Columbus

Need retirees forget, the Dispatch-until recently-had NO coverage re. the STRS scandal when it was unfolding in 2003. Pleas by retirees in the know to the Dispatch for coverage of the misspending, mismanagement, and entitlement philosophy of the Dyer led STRS cash cow fell on deaf ears. Only recently has the Dispatch performed the civic duty of informing Ohioans of the travesty that took place at 275 East Broad St. in downtown Columbus. It took a little newspaper (The Canton Repository) and a pit bull reporter (Paul Kostyu) to enlighten the entire Buckeye State of what was going on only a stone's throw from the Dispatch printing press. To put it in Mr. Mooney's lexicon, " Teachers have been complaining about these same things for years." We could also use Tom's words, "The Dispatch has pretty much taken a pass on that responsibility," when referring to the Dispatch's timeliness in addressing the STRS fiasco. I can only say, "Better late than never!" It's kind of difficult not to report on a revolution, isn't it?

John, a Proud CORE member

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