Why?

After Gov. John Kasich's big online townhall meeting that excluded people he did not want (public school teachers), the whole thing should be examined.  Kasich plans to expand the voucher program, and give more money to charter schools. For a majority of Ohioans it seems like a bad investment since charter schools do not perform as well as public schools.

InnovationOhio:

.....According to a recent analysis by the Kasich Administration’s own Department of Education, traditional public schools spend an average of $10,111 per pupil, while brick-and-mortar Charters spend an average of $10,165. In other words, (non-E-school) Charters cost $54 more per pupil than traditional schools. At the same time —according to the state’s “Performance Index Score”— Charters, on average, rank in the bottom 8% of all public schools in student performance.


The irony is obvious. When Charter schools first burst on the scene in Ohio a decade and a half ago, advocates promised they would deliver a better education at a lower cost. Now, 15 years and nearly $6 billion in taxpayer money later, the exact opposite is true: Charters are delivering a worse education at a higher cost.

Why Charters spend more per pupil is a mystery. They pay teachers about 40% less than traditional schools, they have no busing costs to contend with, and they’re exempt from roughly 200 different state regulations that traditional schools must pay to comply with....

Gee. It makes you wonder where all that extra money goes. Hmmmmm.

Charter schools are often located in non-traditional buildings, such as church basements, converted gas stations, empty stores/businesses in shopping centers, etc. Children use borrowed/used standard folding table and chairs, and often have no playground.  Charter school teachers complain that they lack books, computers, and materials to provide proper programs of study. Often times, those in leadership positions in the charter schools have no education background and know little about child psychology or school administration. But don't worry! John Kasich and his charter school supporters/campaign contributors think that having an education background might be a hindrance. Besides, if teachers are paid according to their experience, college degrees, and accomplishments, charter school owners could not make such huge profits and be able to contribute millions of dollars to Republicans!

It is gross, and immoral that Kasich and FOK (friends of Kasich) think corporations should make profits off of school children. How do these charter school owners extract so much profit from our tax money that goes to charter schools? Children and taxpayers are being cheated in order for corporations to profit.