Thread by @NatHopkinson

Anybody knows me knows this #thread is coming! Charter sector has some of the most thuggish lobbying tactics in politics, period.

I will do what I can to turn up on this Oct. 2 hearing. Transparency will expose the man behind the curtain. Why else are they fighting so hard?

https://twitter.com/rmc031/status/1169571685655351296

GREAT piece. One thing: When you say "decline" of DC schools, need to start with Brown v. Board. When DC schools were forced to integrate, white families and $ left literally over night. So much of narrative 'decline' and 'rise' is linked to presence or absence of white children

It has nothing to do with their innate superiority and everything to do with privilege and power.

I would like to know of a white community that has allowed charter sector to crush neighborhood controlled institutions as they have in Black parts of DC?

Specifically 'black parts of DC,' bc let's be really clear: charters not welcome in white parts of DC. NOT HAVING IT. And they are right not to have it. One or two experimental schools is one thing. But to have HALF your kids in these science experiments, funding more each year?

Of course not all in charter sector are scammers and profiteers, but enough. How does anyone know either way if there is no transparency for what happens after a school gets its per-pupil check $? We have no right to know what happens with public money and our children? GTFOHWTBS

In my experience, people working in charters work hard, mean well. But without a structure to see and challenge decisions and policies, there is a powerful incentive to cash the checks and roll out. That is the culture. Teachers, admins, students, everyone is temporary.

You don't fix anything. Run into trouble, you just run and try something else. But the people who manage to stay at top, like Scott Pearson, they amass a ridiculous amount of power that is completely unchecked. He has outlasted 3 DCPS leaders. Wide connections to philanthropy.

These people make national reputations, host national conferences promoting DC as some "national model," which always cracks me up. This @wcp quote perfectly sums up how he runs his fiefdom: "If I send out an email, they open emails that come from Scott Pearson."

It's on some Boss Hogg. Their whole approach is, bully school operators, bully the press, bully politicians, bully, ahem, parents who speak out.

Love how Kathryn Bradley gets put on blast in the article too. More sunlight on her operation, please.

Bravo, @rmc031 !

And here is link to the Oct. 2 hearing.

dccouncil.us/event/committe…