Annapolis, Maryland — Today, Gov. Hogan announced a set of proposals that would undermine the strong protections against fraud, waste, and abuse in Maryland’s charter school law. Sean Johnson, government relations director of the Maryland State Education Association, released the following statement:
“Gov. Hogan’s insistence on prioritizing taxpayer funding for privately managed charters at the expense of existing neighborhood public schools has grown even more out of control today. His proposal to create an independent authorizing board for charter schools would lead to the same school privatization and fraud we have seen in other states with such a policy. The governor also proposed shifting millions of taxpayer dollars from neighborhood public schools to charter schools, despite the fact that fewer than 20% of Maryland voters agree with such an approach. Gov. Hogan’s proposal amounts to an open invitation to for-profit entities to set up shop in Maryland and make money off our kids’ education.
“We must also point out an outright lie in the governor’s press release. Considering the way social media and national politics have changed our public dialogue, facts are more important than ever. The governor’s claim that ‘local boards of education…have funded public charter schools at far lesser rates than traditional schools,’ clearly contradicts an independent report issued just last month. According to the American Institutes for Research, all but one school district in Maryland funds charter schools at a higher per student rate than traditional public schools. The governor’s office should resend their press release with a correction and an apology for their, should we say, alternative facts.”
Source: American Institutes for Research
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