Kasich keeps campaign pledge to crack down on charter schools

We’re used to politicians making promises during campaigns to win over undecided voters, but when a pledge involves something as extreme and challenging as an ideological leap of faith, our skepticism meter runs hot.

Thus our “we’ll believe it when we see it” reaction last September to Republican Gov. John Kasich’s promise to The Vindicator’s editorial board to crack down on the operators of charter schools that are failing to make the grade yet have avoided scrutiny by state government because of an absence of laws on academic oversight.

Such absence of oversight is no accident. More than two decades ago, Republicans created the charter school system in a leap of faith that reflected their belief that public schools, especially in Ohio’s urban centers, were failing to educate children who are at academic and economic risk. The Republicans contended then, and continue to argue today, that parents have a right to school choice and that charter schools are a viable alternative to failing public schools.

But after 20 years, it’s clear that the GOP continues to embrace charters not because they have proved their worth — billions of taxpayer dollars have been siphoned from public schools — but because of political ideology.

Through the years, Republicans for statewide and local offices have remained unyielding in their support even though independent evaluations, including those by newspapers in Ohio, show that a goodly number of charter operators are modern-day robber barons.

UNEXPECTED PLEDGE

Against that backdrop, last week’s vow by Gov. Kasich, who won re-election on Nov. 4 by a landslide, to revamp state oversight of charter schools and to clamp down on those that are failing students certainly was unexpected.

To be sure, Kasich didn’t mince words when he talked last September about the responsibility of government to protect children who are at academic risk and when he expressed particular concern about the Youngstown city school system, which is under state-mandated academic watch. The system is governed by a state academic distress commission.

But, given that Republicans in control of state government have shown little interest in forcing charters to adhere to the same rules that apply to public schools, we weren’t holding our breath that the governor would act with any sense of urgency.

However, his comments last week suggest that he is ready to do battle with the advocates of the status quo.

“We are going to fix the lack of regulation on charter schools,” the governor told an audience of business people near the Statehouse on Thursday.

“There is no excuse for people coming in here and taking advantage of anything. We will be putting some tough new rules in our budget.”

SUPPORT CONTINUES

Kasich said he remains supportive of charter schools but added the state will move to ensure publicly funded charters are meeting their educational responsibilities.

“We will not tolerate people coming into this state making money at the expense of great education for our kids,” he said. “And the Legislature is going to have to help us on this.”

As we applaud Kasich for breaking ranks with the more strident members of his party, we would point out that it isn’t only out-of-state operators of charters who have taken advantage of the lack of strict rules and regulations.

Indeed, GOP candidates for office have benefited greatly from the operators who have contributed millions to ensure they aren’t held to the same standards as public school systems.

We, therefore, urge the governor to appoint a bipartisan commission made up of business, community and political leaders in Ohio to conduct a top-to-bottom review of the charter system and to recommend laws that would bring about accountability and transparency.