Let Them Eat Cake

Charter schools are designed to take the "public" out of public education.  They're an invention of union-hating Republicans, and function as taxpayer-funded private schools run by for-profit corporations.  There are some exceptions, but as a class, the academic track record of charter schools is spotty at best.  Money is the main thing, and all else is secondary.

You may have heard the story of one of our local charter schools, Imagine Columbus Primary Academy.  They lease their school building from their corporate owner/manager, Imagine Schools Inc.  The academy's annual rent paid to Imagine Inc. is $700,000, which amounts to a predatory 54% of the school's revenues.  A rent factor that high is simply unworkable -- you can't pay for teachers, books, supplies, utilities, etc.

Yesterday the school's board members asked/begged Imagine Schools Inc. to re-do the lease and reduce the rent.  Rather than cut the exorbitant rent to pay teacher salaries, company officials instead suggested the board "celebrate" teachers in other ways, such as having cake for them at the next board meeting. 

Who needs a paycheck when you've got a slice of cake?

You can't make this stuff up!