Dear Legislators,
Non-government-operated schools have been one of the few bright spots during the pandemic. While many independent, parochial and charter schools have been serving students for months, LAUSD just welcomed students back this week and kids in San Francisco Unified are still waiting. Yet a bill has been introduced to crush charter schools in California.
The stated motivation for the bill is fraudulent behavior by a single charter operator, but that’s just a fig leaf. If that were really the case, then every instance of Medicare fraud would elicit bills to crush Medicare, another system like charters in which public funds are supplied to private providers. The real reason is a power play by school employee unions keen to divert attention from their schools and to crush competitors. It’s a terrible idea.
Like bad Medicare providers, bad charter providers must be weeded out by good enforcement. The last thing California parents need is fewer options for educating their kids. Legislators must say no to AB 1316.
