Author Archives: schoolpoliticsandsociety

A Brief History of Charter Schools

                                                                    I consider it important, indeed. urgently necessary, for intellectual workers to get together, both to protect their own economic status and, also generally speaking, to secure their influence in the political field. —Albert Einstein (Commenting on why he joined the AFT)     The charter school movement was launched by two educators with impeccable liberal… Read More: A Brief History of Charter Schools »

Mountain Lions and Swastikas

With two Right Wing rallies scheduled for the Bay Area (Saturday August 25, Crissy Field, San Francisco and Sunday, August 26, Berkeley) I would like to we weigh in on the raging national debate:Is it morally justifiable to “punch a Nazi”? I consider anyone displaying a swastika, or doing the Nazi salute, the political equivalent… Read More: Mountain Lions and Swastikas »

Stop the Goldman Sachs Gang

The NAACP at its 107th National Convention ratified a resolution calling for a moratorium on charter school expansion “…at least until such time as Public funds are not diverted to charter schools at the expense of the public school system.” Carlos Taboada asks that we re-frame analysis of the relationship between charter and public schools in the language of the Biological sciences, specifically Parasitology.

Free Speech is a Right But Some Have More Than Others

The 2010 Supreme Court (5-4) decision established the doctrine that money is a form of free speech. Free speech is an abstract right guaranteed to all by the Constitution. The problem with the “money is free speech” doctrine arises from the fact that money–a store of value and medium of exchange–is not an abstract right… Read More: Free Speech is a Right But Some Have More Than… »

We Do Not Need Another Charter High School

On October 19th, 2016, the Governing Board of West Contra Costa Unified School District will vote on Ron Beller’s proposal for a new Caliber High School to open in 2017-1018. Caliber will apply for Prop 39 facilities through WCCUSD, With an enrollment projection of 90 students, the Caliber High School will receive $967,590 during its fist year from Average Daily Attendance (ADA) Local Control Funding Formula funds. Given Caliber’s enrollment projections, it will receive $6 million in ADA during its first four years of operation.

Caliber Charter School’s Attempt to Buy Public School Property Rebuffed

After five months of public debate, the West Contra Costa Unified School District met in closed session to decide the fate of the Adams School site.  Our School Board decided not to “move forward” with the sale of Adams Middle School property to the Caliber Charter School chain, owned by Ron Beller. “Thanks Board members!”… Read More: Caliber Charter School’s Attempt to Buy Public School Property Rebuffed »