Corbettites Rush to Turn Entire School District over to for-profit, before Gov. Wolf takes office

[JPZenger]

http://www.yorkdispatch.com/breaking/ci_27117699/judge-moving-quickly-york-city-receivership-case

http://www.newsworks.org/index.php/nwtonight/item/76191-judge-will-decide-york-schools-fate-?linktype=hp_nwt

Corbett's Dept. of Education is before a judge this week trying to turn the entire York City School District over to one for-profit company. They are in a rush to get it approved before Gov. Wolf takes office. The elected School Board would lose all of their authority, and power would be concentrated in an appointed Receiver. Gov. Wolf has supported many changes in the School District, but opposes this complete takeover.

The School District does have serious financial problems. A process has been underway to consider alternatives. The unions were led to believe that if they agreed to salary and benefits cuts, that the threat to turn over ALL of the public schools in the City to one for-profit company could be avoided. Many cuts were accepted. However, the Corbettites say that because the teachers union did not agree to a 40 percent salary cut, that the State now has legal authority to get a judge to turn over control of EVERY SCHOOL IN YORK.

The School Board has questioned the choice of the for-profit. The District has also questioned whether students should continue to have a choice of attending a public school if they wish. However, the Corbettites became angry that the School Board was taking too long to make a decision, particularly with the time running out on the Corbett's time in power.

The School Board asked the judge for a delay of a few weeks, but the judge refused.

The company that the Corbettites want to impose is Charter Schools USA. It is mostly owned and run by a guy who used to work for the Heritage Foundation and is closely allied with Jeb Bush.

http://cashinginonkids.com/corporate-profiles/charter-schools-usa/

Many individual schools are being run by non-profit or for-profit charters across the US. However, this is the first time that one company would be given complete control of every school.

[yeoman6987]

1. They are definitely setting up Wolffe to fail

They didn't like Corbett so they figured put in a sacrificial person to hold the fort and fail until 2018 when the Republicans can take back the Governors office in time for the 2020 census.