Charter Schools

Parent Revolution in Georgia’s HB 123?: I Don’t Think So

March 16, 2013

Today I received a letter from Ryan Donohue, Deputy Director Advocacy Director of Parent Revolution informing that the Georgia House of Representatives passed HB 123, the “Parent & Teacher Empowerment Act.” It is actually the Parent Trigger bill that you have all heard about, especially if you saw or read about the movie Won’t Back Down. The letter I received said that this was a great first step for Georgia parents because they got a seat at the decision-making table for their children’s education. I called the local board of education, and asked if they would reserve my seat at the decision-making table!… Read more

Why Education Must Be Public & Not Privatized

By Jack Hassard

November 18, 2012

Education needs to be in the public domain, and citizens need to fight to make sure that the slow creep of privatization does not turn into an avalanche. The democratic values that are the centerpiece of our society have been under assault, especially with the rise of the extreme conservative movement that began with Barry Goldwater, and continues today with the take over of the Republican party by extreme right-wing ideologues.… Read more

Using Students for Politics & Influence Peddling

By Jack Hassard

October 28, 2012

I was in Augusta, Georgia on Friday and Saturday and during the local evening news program, there was a TV Ad supporting the Charter School Amendment on the November ballot. The TV Ad was paid for by Families for Better Public Schools, which is chaired by Georgia Republican Representative Edward Lindsey.

The TV Ad features a student at Ivy Preparatory Academy, in Norcross, Georgia.… Read more

Unleashing Charter Schools with False Claims & Lots of Money

By Jack Hassard

October 23, 2012

Just as the re-election of President Obama or the election Mr. Romney is coming to a head, so is the potential of charter schools being unleashed in several states around the nation. Georgia and Washington State have very similar laws on the November ballot, and if you live in either of these states, you know that the issue is before you.… Read more

Be On the Right Side of History

By Jack Hassard

October 16, 2012

An Essay by the Teaching Georgia Writing Collective

About the Collective: The Teaching Georgia Writing Collective is a group of educators, parents, and concerned citizens who engage in public writing and public teaching about education in Georgia. Some goals of the collective include: 1) empowering educators to reclaim their workplace and professionalism, 2) empowering families to stand up for their children and shape the institutions their children attend each day, 3) empowering children and youth to have control over their education, and 4) enhancing the education of all Georgians.… Read more

Don’t Let Them Pull One On US!

By Jack Hassard

October 14, 2012

Did you know that the bill that passed in the Georgia Legislature and signed by the Governor to Amend the Charter School provision in the state constitution was actually written by ALEC? Because this is an amendment to the Georgia Constitution, we citizens must approve or reject it. You probably thought that our representatives in the state legislature sat down and wrote the bill.… Read more

The Charter School Euphemism

By Jack Hassard

October 8, 2012

Using individualism in its extreme, American schools are becoming more and more un-democratic. Using the euphemism of school choice, American citizens have been told over and over that public schools are a failure, and parents should have a choice in deciding schools for their children. Charter schools are sweeping the country as the solution to the failing public schools, even though the research indicates that charters do not do as well as public school counterparts.… Read more