Friday, April 27, 2012

Rep. Cecil Brown addresses charter schools

Representative Cecil Brown (D-Hinds) addressed charter schools in this column submitted to Jackson Jambalaya:

April 26, 2012
It appears that all of the charter school proposals are dead for this legislative session. These bills were defeated by a coalition of Democrats and Republicans in the House with the support of hundreds of school board members, administrators, teachers, parents, and civic leaders across the state. The public is entitled to know why the legislation failed. There were numerous objections to the proposals. Here are a few:

∙The legislation set up a new board to run the charter program. The board would hire an executive director to run day to day operations. There were no qualification requirements for the director in the legislation, and, unlike every other state agency director in Mississippi, the new director would not be subject to Senate confirmation. The new board would clearly be duplicative and costly. We already have a state board of education. We also have a State Superintendent of Education with statutorily required qualifications and who has to be confirmed by the Senate.

∙ No matter who administers the program, charter schools will cost additional money. The legislation would require the new board to carry out a number of administrative duties which would require additional staff and funding. The same would be true if the current board runs the program. However, because the State Department of Education has experienced staff and systems in place, any charter program can be monitored most efficiently by that agency.

∙Under the proposed law, the new board could give charter schools a blanket exemption from virtually all state education laws. Among those are the laws against bullying, prohibitions against nepotism, rules regarding suspension and expulsion of students, the requirement that principals be bonded, the provisions for dual high school/ college dual enrollment and compulsory school attendance laws to name a few. These exemptions are being pushed by lobbyists who do not want charter schools to comply with any state laws.

∙There would be no limit on the number of charters granted. By 2015 they could be located in almost any district in the state, including those labeled “Successful” by the state Board of Education.

∙Charter schools would have the option to buy or lease surplus public school properties at below fair market value. These charter schools would be non-governmental, private entities. There should be some limits on how much public property they could take at favorable prices.

∙The proposals require no public notice of a charter application, nor would there be an opportunity for public input. Those who live in districts to be affected by charter schools should have an opportunity to comment on the charter applications.

∙There would be virtual immunity for charter school board members from civil lawsuits. Existing school boards do not have such immunity, and there is no good reason to grant it to these new boards.
∙ All administrators would be exempt from professional certification requirements. Surely someone who is running the school should have some background in school administration.

∙One-half of the teachers in a charter school would be exempt from teacher certification requirements. This provision is potentially a violation of No Child Left Behind and could jeopardize federal funds.

The bottom line is that the bills that were before the House were ill-conceived and poorly drafted. In my opinion, Mississippi will eventually have charter schools in a few districts, and they can be helpful in achieving our goal of providing quality educational opportunities for all children. But in order to pass legislation, those who are pushing it will have to listen to those Democrats, Republicans and members of the public who have concerns and learn to compromise.

Cecil Brown
House of Representative, District 66
Jackson, MS
601-362-8383 (h)
601-709-4393 (o)

26 comments:

Shadowfax said...

Gosh; where to start? Is Cecil always angry and insistent on getting his way? He bemoans the fact that the failed House bill would not require Senate confirmation of top officials. Why would Senate confirmation be required for an entity that is not a state agency?

Cecil mentions 'state education laws' and specifically mentions the state laws against nepotism. If there's a 'state law' against nepotism in school systems I wish he would cite it as obviously nobody is aware of it.

Cecil is opposed to the idea of a Charter School having unrestricted ability to lease or purchase surplus state property. Really? Was that a sticking point for Cecil? Do we need a limit on the number of bent-up Steelcase desks a school can purchase?

Finally, Cecil pretends to be concerned that the legislation might not run parallel with 'No Child Left Behind'. Is that the same 'No Child Left Behind' signed by Bush that Cecil has spoken ill of for years?

Chuck Espy was Gallo's guest yesterday (Friday 26th) and all but guaranteed a positive outcome from six member committee meetings about to take place. Espy strongly hinted at deals being made already with Desota legislators to sway their backing.

Is Cecil simply being Cecil and mad that he's out of the mix and can't orchestrate?

Anonymous said...

... meanwhile too many students will be forced to spend another precious year of their school lives stuck in Mississippi's third-world public schools ...

Paul Mitchell said...

Not to put too fine of a point on it, but until the Democrat powers that be are removed from office and sane people put in, our schools are going to continue to decline much like in every area run by Democrats. A majority of Republicans in the State House is a step in the right direction.

Not all criminals are Democrats, but all Democrats are criminals.

Anonymous said...

I really appreciate Rep. Brown letting us know why he is against this bill. I disagree with his reliance on the state department of education and the set in place structure that brought us to where we are now in education.

I believe the entire point of the desire for charter schools is to pull the education system away from the "Great Oz" behind the curtain and put the local parents in charge.

Oh yes, and we all know that "successful" is the same as a C, average.

Anonymous said...

Paul, aside from it being obvious that you lack the ability to address the issues raised, if you truly believe " all Democrats are criminals" , you have serious problems which should be addressed medically.

I expect more than a few decorated war veterans and active military I know who happen to be Democrats would be within an inch of your face asking you, for starters, what sacrifices you've made for your country. And, they'd be whispering.

That's what real men do when they are angry. They whisper. They don't have to be loud mouths. They whisper to make sure you are focused on listening for a change. And , they don't need steroids to be tough.

Anonymous said...

That's what real men do when they are angry. They whisper. They don't have to be loud mouths. They whisper to make sure you are focused on listening for a change.

Start your own blog.

Anonymous said...

If Cecil Brown had a K-12 child, would he send them to JPS?
Or, would he elect for the tax money to follow the child to a better education.

Anonymous said...

I am thinking his youngest two went to private....I could be wrong though.

Anonymous said...

I would love to know how much federal and state money that each individual school district receives in the state of Mississippi. I would also like to see an itemized list from the state superintendent all the way down to the least paid faculty and staff member at each school. I believe we would find where the majority of the money that is being sent for us to educate our children is going. Is being sucked up in many ways before it reaches the actual teacher and student. Just ask one of your local classroom teachers. Some of these upper people actually double-dip into this fund. Also how much money does each school district spend on outside attorney fee? They have district attorneys, and they are paid for this service. So why do they also pay huge sums of money to other law firms? This is money that is to be used to educate our children. This is also money that never reaches the teacher and/or the students. These law firms are leaches on many school districts. Have someone do a study on this!!!! Exposes...60 Minutes...Dateline.

Anonymous said...

The charter schools will be under the free enterprise system: if a charter school does well, students will go to it. If it does not it will fail. Therefore it needs much less regulation.

Would you like the Post Office or Federal Express to teach your child?

Anonymous said...

Brown is no different than any of the other Donkeys who see government, specifically more government, as the solution. As such a staunch defender of the public school system his rhetoric, spin, efforts and results should therefore be judged by three words: Jackson Public Schools.

During Brown's time in the Legislature JPS has gotten worse, not better, and not because the system lacked money. That is truly the bottom line.

Anonymous said...

All the talk about charter schools being under bureaucratic control misses the point. The very purpose of charter schools is to provide something different. If they do well, parents and kids will keep coming. If the schools perform worse than the public schools, then it withers and closes.

The same can be said of for profit vs non profit. Either way, they will succeed or close based on whether they provide a better product than the public alternative.

Shadowfax said...

@3:18; I'm not sure we can compare parents/students in a school system with consumers making purchasing decisions. Many students, perhaps a majority, go to school because they're made to and the parents will not darken the doors for twelve (or more) years, ever. They are NOT making a consumer driven decision based on any success (profit) vs failure (lack of profit). Simply 'passing' is the objective. Mediocrity is the mantra. Parents can't name three courses their kids are taking.

I don't think i'm cynical. I have never (in quite a few communities) seen parents assembled on the school steps demanding 'better'. I've seen plenty of them demanding a teacher be fired or showing up to get in somebody's face for disciplining their child or protesting because their cousin wasn't selected as principal. Where in hell is this public outcry coming from? Not from parents. It's coming from those with vested personal interests like Miz Loome and a handful of consultants and a smattering of others who have no skin in the game and no kids in the schools.

Meanwhile the largest system in the state is perfectly satisfied to have an interim-retread who won't achieve any more this time around than she did when she had the job full time. Why would she? Why SHOULD she? She knows there are zero expectations, her retirement isn't affected and it allows her to rathole enough money for a cruise when the interim status ends.

Paul Mitchell said...

Anon 8:23, thanks for addressing the issues raised.

Obviously the issues raised is to threaten me with bodily harm from other people. I did not get that vibe from the post though, I thought it was about how horrid our schools are and how Cecil Brown (D) wants to keep them that way.

By the way, I have never used steroids and I am certain that most of the veterans and most of the active military do not classify themselves as Democrats. You know, because Democrats hate the military.

Curt Crowley said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

With nearly 70% of the Democrats in the MS House being African-American, how in the world did Democrats elect the not-so-rural-white-Democrat Bobby Moak (D-Annandale) as their Minority Leader?

Anonymous said...

Paul, every time you post , it is something ridiculous. If you were even a tad open minded , you'd know there are Democratic elected officials who served in the military. You would see that more than a few of the soldiers weren't perfunctory in their response to Obama's visit.

One of us is from a military family and one of us has spent alot of time working on veteran's issues and one of us spends 3 hours a week with a WWII veteran, and it's obviously not YOU, Paul.

And, 11:01 am, Brown's children, now all grown and successful, did go to private school. Brown was not in politics and supported Carmicheal and Cochrane in those days. Mabus was interested in Brown's brain, not his politics. Brown had been successful enough that he welcomed a chance to serve his state. The uninformed in the GOP went after Brown because and only because , he had worked for Mabus. One has only to get Brown's campaign records from his first campaign to see the truth of that.

Brown's wife is currently a public school math teacher and his grandchildren attend public school.

Brown still has support from business and industry and Republicans because he is fiscally conservative and can actually understand the MATH.

Really, people, being blindly partisan is not wise. Competence and mental stability does matter.

Paul Mitchell said...

Anon 9:19, do you KNOW me? Do you KNOW what I do? Do you have any idea what you are saying?

Nope, just like all Democrats, you have nothing but lies, distortions, and distractions to spew.

Didn't Mayo serve in the military? Great Democrat there, Skippy.

I do appreciate you backing off the threats of violence in that last spurt of drivel, though. Nice.

Anonymous said...

The good news is that Brown will soon be gone. Bye bye Cecil!

Anonymous said...

Actually, I'm not a Democrat, I'm a Republican .

I'm sure you'd call me a RINO, since that's what the bullies who have infiltrated the party do. I'm proud to be a RINO since it means, I'm well educated, well mannered and financially successful.

I didn't threaten you. If your reading comprehension scores were higher, you'd know that.

I cautioned you that you might ought to be more judicious in who you insult.

RINOs have friends and family who are Democrats and who have served their country . We can play well with others.

There are some military men out there who don't take kindly to such accusations as the kind you make.

That you assume physical violence as the only response available to such men is telling.

You're just a bully and powerful men ( and women) have ways of dealing with bullies without engaging in violence. That's because we actually grew up and matured.

I'm quite certain that Jim Webb, would verbally reduce you to a quivering mass of jelly in less than 5 minutes. I've seen him do that many times to more effective bullies than you.

Paul Mitchell said...

I am a bully? Good Lord, I am sorry I got your purse dirty, Nancy.

But, thanks for threatening me yet again. You Democrats are all alike, violence is the only answer y'all have to anything, but I don't frighten easily.

Oh, your Occutard boys are making nice-nice in SanFran right now.

Anonymous said...

May 2, 2012 3:07 PM is either a fraud or Ben Allen.

Same thing.

Anonymous said...

Poor baby Paul...all threatened again from lack of reading skills.

Everyone who thinks you boorish and absurb is a Democrat? hehehehe

Not unhappy to be compared to Ben Allen. Better than to identify yourself with someone who can't make a cogent defense of his position on anything as you've just done.

Y'all go have a beer at the strip joint and pretend your cool, ok?

Anonymous said...

Cecil Brown fiscally conservative? PROVE IT.

Cecil is on the way out. He's made far too many political enemies and there aren't enough RINOs in the reconfigured D64 to carry the water for him.

Dorsey Carson had a better chance. Think of Dorsey like Obama 2008 and Cecil as Obama 2012.

D64 has a deep stable of quality GOP conservatives. Even if Bill Denny retires Cecil still loses.

There will be no shortage of volunteers who will eagerly work to turn out that a'hole.

Anonymous said...

Dorsey Carson had a better chance. Think of Dorsey like Obama 2008 and Cecil as Obama 2012.

Yup. Carson the unknown stealth Democrat had no record to defend or run away from. That won't be the case for Frown Brown. He'll have to explain to the black voters in 3-4 boxes that Carson carried why he voted in favor of the VoterID enabling bill HB921 while the LBCers in the House were nearly unanimous against it. Because those boxes not only went for Dorsey but they voted down Init #27.

Paul Mitchell said...

Anon 11:21, I am unsure how your repeated attempts to belittle me help to make your point that Democrats are all gung-ho military. I am also unsure how that has anything to do with Cecil Brown (D) wanting education in Mississippi stay the same way that it is.

Thanks for staying on issue and for not being "absurb."



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