Dept. of Education gave $200,000 to a NJ charter school whose application was denied 3 times.

[madfloridian]

They have defended themselves saying it is perfectly legal for them to do that.

U.S. Department of Education not at fault in awarding $200K to not-yet existent charter school


Aristide Economopoulos/The Star-Ledger U.S. Education Commissioner Arne Duncan with Newark Mayor Cory Booker. Spokesman Justin Hamilton said the U.S. Department of Education does not require its grantees to have state approval before they apply for the federal seed money

They simply declared they are not at fault. Spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Education said it does not "require its grantees to have state approval before they apply for the federal seed money."

It may be legal, but it is a questionable thing to do. Awarding that much money to a school that has not even been approved? That is taxpayer money. There should be rules.

Tikun Olam, a proposed Hebrew-language immersion high school for students in Highland Park, received a federal grant to cover its start-up costs earlier this week, even though the state has denied the school’s charter application three times.

Spokesman Justin Hamilton said the U.S. Department of Education does not require its grantees to have state approval before they apply for the federal seed money. In some states, he said, charter schools have no hope of being authorized without the grants.

"In general, this money is meant to help successful charters get on their feet and serve kids," Hamilton said. "If a charter can’t demonstrate that it’s doing those things, it’s unlikely they would receive any funds."

Tikun Olam has been fiercely opposed by Highland Park parents and teachers, as well as state and county legislators, who argue the unproven school would draw resources away from the district’s high-performing public schools.

More on their three denials.

N.J. charter school awarded grant has not been given permission to open

One of four fledgling New Jersey charter schools awarded $785,000 in federal grants to help finance start-up costs has not yet received approval from the state to operate.

The U.S. Department of Education awarded $200,000 to the Friends of Tikun Olam to help the school plan its curriculum and open its doors. Last week, the state Department of Education denied Tikun Olam’s application to open a Hebrew-language immersion high school in Highland Park.

Last spring, the school stirred controversy in Highland Park, where parents, teachers and legislators rallied to have its application blocked. They argued the unproven charter school would route money away from Highland Park’s high performing public schools.

Though Tikun Olam will have a chance to re-apply for a charter by a mid-October deadline, the state has already denied the school’s application three times. School founder Sharon Akman could not be reached for comment. A spokesman for the U.S. Department of Education could not be reached to explain why an organization associated with Tikun Olam received the federal funds.

I agree with this comment after the 2nd article.

"The public needs to demand a complete investigation by the FBI, SEC, and IRS of the U. S. Dept. of Ed and all the Dept. of Ed's in all States that are pushing charter schools. The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation should lose their 5013C charitable organization tax exempt status due their investments in distressed debt and hedge funds while pushing a political agenda at every level of government, abusing their tax-exempt status. There is massive abuse of power in these cases."

[midnight]

1. K&R Let's investigate.

[LiberalFighter]

2. What did Duncan get out of the deal. I don't trust him.

As far as I am concern he is crooked.

[madfloridian]

11. Well, as Eli Broad, billionaire, said...."the stars are aligned."

Yes, when Arne was appointed he said that. So Duncan has the reward of knowing he made his corporate buddies very happy.

[EdMaven]

3. That much less for public schools. Asshole.

[madfloridian]

5. I think that is the point. To deprive the public schools of resources...

and give the public money to privatizers.

[defendandprotect]

23. +1 --

[Ignis]

4. K&R, but not surprised by anything Arne does anymore.

Who knew that this was what my 2008 Primary and GE votes was condoning? :puke:

[madfloridian]

31. Not surprised either.

I knew Obama supported charter schools, he campaigned on the issue. But I never expected the lack of respect toward public schools and teachers.

And giving money to a non-existent school? Never expected that one either.

[chervilant]

6. Oh, Yay!!!

Or, should I say: Oy Vey?!

Hey, give ME $200,000, Mr. Duncan! I can open a charter school, you betcha!

(snark, jic)

[Starry Messenger]

7. recommend.

[rasputinkhlyst]

8. OF course there is a difference between legal and STUPID

[madfloridian]

14. I know what you mean.

They could only defend such idiocy on the grounds of "legal".

Really a shame.

[ooglymoogly]

9. Arne duncan is ignorant scum, like many of the other Dino's in this admin.

It is hard to investigate scum as it oozes through the loopholes of the law and investigative fingers...but it must be done.

That Gates is a part of this duplicitous scam, is an understandable smell of bullshit that no amount of deodorant can ever suppress.

[sulphurdunn]

10. How can a charter school be "proven"

that doesn't exist?

[madfloridian]

13. Excellent question. Proving what is not there.

:shrug:

Yet they get away with it because so many accept the reformers methods.

[progressoid]

12. ugh

Makes me sick.

[madfloridian]

29. ....

Me, too.

[Reader Rabbit]

15. When I think of what *could* have been done with that money...

...for all the public school students in America who are living in poverty right now, I could scream.

[madfloridian]

16. I feel the same way.

I wish more people cared where that money is going. To the private sector courtesy of the public and taxpayers. They must be so happy about that. Getting taxpayer money and being deregulated while public schools must follow strict rules.

It's so farfetched it's hard to believe.

[sulphurdunn]

17. So, if they don't get chartered i.e

there is no school, what happens to the free money? Do they give it back or do they keep it? If the latter, do they get to use it to grease some palms and just buy the charter, or can they use it to invest in derivatives or for CEO bonuses? The possibilities, if they get to keep it, are endless. :party:

[madfloridian]

18. Probably like the money that follows the student from public to charter...

never gets back to the public school. Don't have proof, but that sounds pretty reasonable to me.

It amazes me how clueless the public still is about it. Even more amazing is that it is the blatant corporatization of education.....and few Democrats even seem to care.

[chervilant]

19. hmm...

I am growing ever more concerned by the frequent lack of response to your essential documentation of the ongoing assault on teachers and public education. Fewer and fewer DUers are reading/commenting on your OPs, and I have to conclude that this issue--like the BP disaster in the Gulf, the Fukushima meltdowns, and other horrific 'realities'--has been relegated to the "no longer current, so who cares?" dustbin.

I know that most of the young people attending the college where I teach have virtually no idea what's happening to our system of public education. They might complain about labs closing earlier, or library hours being cut, but most of them are quite myopic about the reasons for these changes.

And, don't EVEN get me started about individuals with school-aged children! I know that most parents of school-aged children are low-income to poverty level, socio-culturally. I know that those of us who have to struggle simply to survive rarely feel empowered enough to address the inequities promulgated by the uber wealthy.

But, we are at critical mass as a species! We MUST be the change we hope to see in this world! I am hopeful that MANY more parents will recognize the damage being done to their children, and say, "NO MORE!"

[madfloridian]

20. It's because of who posts it.

I am starting to realize that. I am pegged as an Obama-hater, which of course I am not, thus I am on many ignore lists.

People may feel like something is going wrong, but they are not paying attention enough to understand it.

[chervilant]

21. Well, now,

I don't "hate" Mr. Obama, either, but I certainly recognize that he is complicit in this egregious assault on teachers and public education. I think I was most offended when Obama glibly asserted that we teachers are "resistant to change," because so many of us expressed our opposition to Arne "I play basketball" Duncan's vile initiatives.

Speaking of ignore lists, mine has grown exponentially since I started following your posts. I stand solid with the many other DUers who recognize and appreciate your brave advocacy for teachers, for our besieged system of public education, and for our precious children. Thank you so, so much, mad. You are very much appreciated.

[defendandprotect]

28. The majority here are interested in your posts -- and understand the value of them ....

I'm sure there are a few here unwise enough to put you on "ignore" -- but the problem

is also that when the OP is getting kicked less frequently, I fail to notice that you

have a new subject up -- unless I happen to look over at your journal.


Think you also have to admit that Obama is throwing a new shocker at us almost every day --

and there is OWS going on -- and while we are all trying to stay informed as to what the

latest may be,


I'm starting to wonder at this point just why there wouldn't be a ton of "Obama-haters"

now --- !! Certainly, as another DU poster pointed out, among the I M M E N S E

OWS crows there are no "Obama 2012" signs!!


They know Obama is Wall Street -- and no matter how unhappy the Obama supporters here may

be, there will be there is no denying it. And, ironically, they pretty much have every

liberal politician and author under attack here -- because they continue to put a president

over principles/issues.

What's Bill Maher's response to that --- ??? "He's not your boyfriend!" --



:h: Keep on tellin' it --- :)

[Ignis]

30. ^^^ This, and it's sickening.

Hang in there, madfloridan. Some of us really do care about education, not just the business thereof.

[defendandprotect]

27. I've also .....

noticed this ---

I am growing ever more concerned by the frequent lack of response to your essential documentation of the ongoing assault on teachers and public education. Fewer and fewer DUers are reading/commenting on your OPs, and I have to conclude that this issue--like the BP disaster in the Gulf, the Fukushima meltdowns, and other horrific 'realities'--has been relegated to the "no longer current, so who cares?" dustbin.

and I'm not responding as much as I might have because the threads aren't being "kicked" by

replies as often as they were in the past. While I think there is definitely strong interest

in all of these subjects I think that most feel familiar with the attack on public education

and yet every day we have a new shock thrown at us by this administration.


I'd also suggest that Obama is clearly involved in this attack on public education --

as he has been involved in BP/oil drilling and still pushing it! -- and with pushing for a

new generation of nuclear reactors here in America. Any time that happens, you will see a drop

in interest because the OP will be viewed as negative for Obama. Makes no sense but it is what

happens. We have a planet to protect -- we have children to educate -- and no matter who is

screwing things up they have to be held accountable and moved aside -- even if it is Obama and

his team!!

In the case of your students -- I think there is a very low level of interest in "politics"

in US vs other nations. We don't sit around in restaurants and pubs talking politics. Tho,

the W administration did start to cause that to happen for a time. If parents don't encourage

that interest at home, there will probably be very little questioning by the students, either.

Politics effects our lives every moment of our lives -- and many don't understand that, at all.


I'm for discussing all of it -- but one of the biggest shockers for me is how effective RW

Exxon/Mobil propaganda has been on Global Warming over 50+ years and still holding --

and ten billion spent by them! Yet it is the biggest and most immediate and serious threat to

all of us.



:hi:

[defendandprotect]

24. At times, CIA money was hidden in Federal Education budgets ----

I've read about this -- don't know exactly when it began -- or when it might have

ended -- but when we were hearing that Congress was simply "throwing money at schools"

the truth was that they were throwing as much as 50% of that money at the CIA.


Without question -- there has been a strong and steady attack on public education since

Brown vs Board of Education. I'm not suggesting that it is merely racist --


Ironically, for all of the RW "Christian" nonsense we've heard over the last 35 years

or so, Americans really didn't buy the earlier substitution they tried to make in

switching over to "Christian" schools -- but basically Charter schools and LNCB are

serving the same purpose.


Equally strange is that as we began to acknowledge that our "standaridized" testing --

set up so that computers can READ/GRADE the tests -- was sexist and racist and elitist

we were switched into even higher gear in spreading this testing across the nation at

tremendous expense -- but also offering tremendous profit for testing companies.



Thought this would be a good place to move that info a bit --

[defendandprotect]

22. Organized crime --- put in place by our Congress ---

[Jefferson23]

25. K&R n/t

[Bozita]

26. Great thread! ... Recommended